2-3 Year Old Play Ideas?

Okay, 3 mornings a week I do childminding for my friend's fitness classes. Now that school hols are over it's getting busy and the last couple of times I've been looking after 12 children for the hour and I need some ideas on stuff to keep them amused that isn't too messy (like playdough or paint etc as it's a small carpeted room in a community centre).

Usually they'll sit on a mat and have snacks and drinks from their lunchboxes, then they'll have free-play time with toys from the toybox and some dressups. Sometimes we do colouring in, and I usually have some kiddy music in the background (any CD recommendations?). Today we played musical statues and they liked that. I just feel like I'm drawing a blank with ideas for new stuff for the 'regulars'.

Most of the kids are 2 and 3. Thanks in advance!

* Threading coloured macaroni onto string/thread?

* Sticker 'work' [my kids LOVE this- blank piece of paper and a booklet of $2 stickers- I tell 'em to go for their life hehehehe]

* making pikelets [might be hard with lots of helpers though

* Dress ups- old going out womens clothes and high heels/handbags are a hit

* Paint with water [too messy??]

* Making 'houses/buildings' out of carboard boxes?? I let mine use chalk on an old pram box [heheh] and they draw windows etc and I write their friends names on it

* Pouring lentils/rice back and forth into containers/empty pop tops. Can be messy, but nothing an ergorapido can't fix

* Making 'cards' for mum/dad. Kids loving making things for other people

* Keeping old empty containers [tea/coffee, etc] and playing 'shops' Lily has a shop set up on her train table and makes me bring a wicker basket into the play room to 'buy' things.

HTH..... Im only a newbie to this mum bizzo, and so far pretty shit at it... LMAO.... I think I was born to be something else

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*Disclaimer- I type all this with Amy having a MASSIVE tanty on the study floor over NOTHING!! And, like the good mum I am, I gaver her a stapler to play with to shut the h*ll up...... sheesh, mother of the year huh????


PPS It didn't work =( still screaming

Oh! BTW, The 'I like to Sing' CD by Justine Clarke is a WINNER here!!! My girls love it, but Lily also likes the Schnappi crocodile CD single I have [blerghhhh] and Michael Jackson/The Jacksons [ABC/Blame it the sunshine etc...]

And all kids seem to like BEP's 'I gotta feeling' lol

Heath and Paige love Justine too, I like her cos she was Roo

I think you're onto something with these ideas - THANKYOU! I haven't got a kitchen there so cooking anything is out, and stuff with little bits I',m a bit reluctant to do when there are crawlers there who will try to gobble up anything in their path... but love the cardboard box, shops and stickers ones!!

I'm making a CD too, you're not just a pretty face, Kate

(If all else fails maybe I'll try chucking them a box of staplers)