Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Masking Tape for All Seasons

During the long months of winter I've had to come up with ideas for creative indoor play. You've seen the rollerderby? Well here's another use for laminate flooring: Use masking tape to recreate playground games in your home.

Tape off a four-square grid or a hopscotch game to use with bean bags in place of rocks.

For younger children you could let them put down colored masking tape to make roads for their Matchbox cars or to make rooms in a make-believe dollhouse.

Technorati tags:

33 comments:

Robin said...

Very creative! You are one cool mama.

Jessica Snell said...

cool tip - thanks!

peace of Christ to you,
Jessica

Miscellaneous-Mum said...

Tapes also good for replacing chalk on concreted areas outside too for games, because chalk sometimes doesn't come off...

(Hey, it's summer here! Southern Hemisphere's perspective ;) ;))

Anonymous said...

Great tip. I would never have thought of that. I will have to try it. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Makes me wish I had laminate floors. Another good choice for tape would be what's called "Painter's Tape." It's masking tape that's less sticky (and often brightly colored)designed for use on walls and floor. It removes cleanly without adhesive transfer or surface damage for up to 2 weeks.

What great memories you are making for your kids! I can hear them telling their grandkids about the time they had their very own roller derby in the house!

Anonymous said...

Ha! Love it!

Carina said...

Great! Can't wait to try this in our new house. We're still toddlers here (Yeah, me too) so it'll probably be traintracks and such for a while.

Mom made masking tape balance beams for me when I was in my gymnastics years.

Zeus said...

I don't think I would have ever thought of that, but it is definitely creative!

Miss Notesy said...

Hands down, you are the COOLEST mom on earth!

Stephanie Appleton said...

Did you remind your kids how cool you are? LOL

Anonymous said...

That's a nice idea. Much more interactive and fun than kids being glued to games consoles.

Anonymous said...

hehe that looks like fun! We have used tape to practice jumping and making "cages" for the animals (she is addicted to the zoo!)

Shalee said...

I'm not showing your site to my kids. They would start begging for you to adopt them...

BUT this is an excellent idea.

Nicole said...

Another great tip. My kids LOVE hopscotch!

Meliss said...

I like your tape as roads idea!

Anonymous said...

Super creative mommy you are! I love your ideas! thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

That's great! My kids used to use tape to play too when they were little.

Thanks for stopping by. And yes, Kauai is much more wetter than Maui, but not all of the time. Certain places like the Fern Grotto is wetter than other parts of the island. You'd love Poipu. And Waimea Canyon is like a smaller version of the Grand Canyon.

Erica Douglas said...

That should be on Parent Hacks, great idea :)

littlemummy.com

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness that's a smart idea!

Nikki said...

How fun! My kids would go crazy over your great ideas! Thanks for sharing.

Amy W said...

I have done this too for train tracks and for car races (yes, I have matchbox cars for my girls!). Very cool idea.

Lisa said...

Tape roads for matchbox cars... Oohhhh. You are a very cool mom and my son would bow down to worship you if he heard this idea. Will have to try this.

An Ordinary Mom said...

Very creative and very resourceful. Do you have enough safe space to tape up a four square court? That would be a blast!

Lei said...

I love things like this... although one time I got the brilliant idea of covering my kitchen table with butcher paper and letting my kids draw a map for their cars. Yeah, the marker went straight through to my wood!

The Estrogen Files said...

You're so stinkin' creative!! LOVE the idea, wish I had laminate floors - anything other than carpet. Someday...

Kristin said...

You can also use the tape to secure the kids to chairs... helpful!

M said...

This tip, along with several others, can be found in "The Toddler's Busy Book" by Trish Kuffner. I just read it today!

la bellina mammina said...

That's a brilliant idea!! there is never snow here, so, we're lucky the boys get to play outside (almost) all the time!

angie said...

Great ideas!!

Amy said...

Wow, that is a great tip! You are such a creative parent!

kuanyin333 said...

I like this idea! Happy WW!

Anonymous said...

This is such a clever idea! I love it! Ah, all the same dreaming of seeing Alaska, one day!

Alana said...

I came over from Gray Matters. LOVE this idea. Thanks!