Pretend play activities that combine imaginative play with  crafts are our favorite things to do lately.  Also our supplies are made up of many recycled and reusable  materials. This can be done with boxes, wagons pretty much anything your child can sit in! When they are pretending go along with their suggestions and let them lead. It’s your turn to ask “Why?” and follow along.  Most of all have fun.

1. Gather your materials. We are using a laundry basket, some party streamers,  a wrapping paper tube, some painters tape, pipe cleaners, a paper grocery bag,  sticky back foam, markers and scissors.
2. Start by having your child decorate the mast of the sail ( aka the wrapping paper tube) with markers and foam.
3. While they are doing that , draw a sail on the inside of the grocery bag.
4. Fold and cut two layers ( so the inside is facing out ) of sail.
5. Decorate the sail with markers and foam.
6. Tape the sail to the mast. I am using painters tape because my son likes the blue. Any tape will work.
7. Decorate the boat. We weaved the party streamers in and out of the little holes on the sides of our basket. I didn’t want anything sticky in the basket since my laundry does sometimes get put in it.
8. Attach the mast. I am using pipe cleaners wrapped around the tube and tied to the basket. Like I said above I didn’t want sticky tape residue on my basket. If you are using a box no biggie but this worked for us. I covered the sharp edges with painters tape which also won’t leave a residue.
9. All Aboard! We played ferry boat, and the drink you see was part of our pretend play. I had to be the lady in the ferry cafeteria and make him a drink before he got back in his Honda and we docked.  Hey it got some banana into him too !