Keeping Grandchildren Occupied at Christmas

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Dirk_Grover]Dirk Grover
Christmas may be the wrong time of the year for garden activities but that need not stop a little innovation to see what can be done indoors. Whilst the swings and other activities that are suitable for the garden cannot be emulated inside the house there are nevertheless various challenges to be faced by children visiting their grandfather over the holiday.
The simplest that we use is the plank of wood propped on its side and wedged in the door to give a challenge of balancing on its edge. It is important to realise that the leverage you can apply to the door can damage the hinges but with a sensible amount of pressure a plank can be made secure enough to bear the weight of a child. The difficulty can be increased by raising one end on some books to add a slope to the balancing act.
Whilst dealing with the door our push of unequals contest can be used to test grandfather's strength against junior's. Since junior can have the advantage of leverage by pushing the door shut at the handle end, grandfather must be handicapped by pushing nearer the hinge. It makes the contest more equal and there need be no subterfuge by pretending to be weaker than junior.
Our tug of unequals is also simply implemented in the home. By using pulleys and attaching one end to the door handle a form of tug of war ensues. It is advisable to make the pull at right angles to the handle since it offers a stronger fixture against the pull of the rope. The danger of pulling the screws out with a straight pull is averted. Needless to say we make sure the handle is firmly fixed.
The seesaw is another activity that is possible indoors. We have drilled a plank so that it can take fixtures such as a small pole at its centre and this can be rested on a two piles of (old) books or the rungs of a chair. Other possibilities will doubtless occur to the reader.
Since many of our activities are designed to be hung from a tree or roof of a car port they are not suitable for use indoors. Little challenges for toddlers nevertheless can be constructed simply. Our wobbly walk is easy since it only involves plank of wood and a cushion or two. The same applies to the tiplank which can be implemented with one of the old books used for the seesaw. Your grandchildren will enjoy devising other ways of using simple objects to occupy themselves.
Dirk is a father of 3 and a grandfather of 5. He has been devising various ways of using simple equipment to amuse children and save money into the bargain.
His web site is [http://www.gardenplayground.info]http://www.gardenplayground.info.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Keeping-Grandchildren-Occupied-at-Christmas&id=6731834] Keeping Grandchildren Occupied at Christmas