If it’s too hot for outside play and the same old toys are looking rather boring, break out the craft box.

Finger Painting
Finger painting is fun all the time, but if you finger paint with something like chocolate syrup and strawberry syrup the fun is ever so much more delicious (and messy.) Or you can use shaving cream to create fabulous designs on wax or parchment paper.

Modeling Clay
Introduce your child to modeling clay along with some handy cookie cutters. Help him roll out the dough and then cut out shapes. He can use the dough again and again and when he finds a shape he likes, let it dry into an ornament for his room.

Macaroni Necklaces
Grab a box of very large penne or rigatoni noodles and some plastic string. (Use plastic because it doesn’t fray like yarn does.) Tie one of the noodles to the end of the yarn to keep the rest of the noodles in line and then let your child practice fine motor skills by stringing the rest of the necklace. You can even paint the noodles before or after stringing them if you’d like.