Easy Ways to Keep Kids Happy

There are two basic rules when it comes to the preschooler/adult dynamic. Number One: They assume that you know everything and can do anything instantaneously. Number Two: They have no patience for being proven wrong on point one. The most important piece of advice you can take from this is that you must find a way to keep up this illusion at all costs. Fortunately, with a tiny bit of planning and foresight, this is not difficult to accomplish.

Any question can be answered to a child's satisfaction, as long as you remember that though immature and tiny, their brains are sophisticated sponges that are capable of processing far more than most people give them credit for. Though they may be truly curious about something they don't actually expect a complex answer and are quite satisfied with anything that sounds reasonable enough.

It is important to be able recognize what they are actually asking you, as well us realizing when the only reason they are asking questions is because they want your attention. A marathon question and answer period is a game and can be easily dealt with by turning the tables on them and providing answers so complicated and long winded that they simply get bored with the game before you do.

When it comes to songs, games and crafts always be open to picking up tips and tricks of the trade. So many parents have gone through all the same things that there is an unending availability of advice out there. All you have to do is tap into a source and drink from the plentiful pool of knowledge available. Even if a parenting group is not at your immediate physical disposal, do not underestimate the opportunities available at your finger tips. The Internet holds a wealth of insight from the school of hard knocks.

Not everybody is a fantastic singer. But you know what? Kids don't care! They just like singing. If all you know is Row, Row, Row Your Boat, and the ABC song, go with that. But, when you get bored of the same old same old, never walk by a discount CD rack without peaking inside. You may be amazed to find a plethora of really cheap kids music that your kids will love. Guaranteed you'll find some new family favorites and be prepared to speak in rhymes for the next few years.

Games, too, don't have to be complicated. In fact, kids are in control of so little in their lives that they love to make up their own games. The problem is that the rules are often difficult to pin down and impossible to follow. Just go with the flow and look for a pattern to their tastes. Try suggesting different things. You'll be surprised what they grab on to. One mother got a bit bored with the jibber chatter and made up a push and pull game called "My mother told me never to eat....". She rolled the ball to her child and said "My mother told me never to eat sour.... " and waited for her little girl to fill in the blank. Then, her daughter rolled it back saying the same thing and waiting for her mother to say what she should never eat, and so on. A good hour went by before either realized it.

What kid doesn't like to get messy with paints, paste and play dough? What parent loves the idea of having to clean all that up? However, this does not have to be a show stopper. Keep things simple and handy. Obtain a large craft mat, place mat or disposable table cloth. Get a bin containing all essential painting supplies, including a cup for rinsing the brushes, the brushes, the paint, a smock, and a paper. If you have a girl also have some hair ties handy so the paint stays on the paper and not on her tresses. Get another container for safety scissors, glue sticks, and stuff to stick together. Stay away from white liquid glue. Little kids need glue sticks. Period.

Then, find a quiet moment to come up with some craft ideas. The Internet has so many that there is little sense in dwelling too long on sample sources here. Then, get busy printing out templates and preparing kits. Remember, kids have no patience. This means that you need to be able to give them everything they need, provide a sample of the finished piece and step away from the table. You cannot spend any time on cutting anything out or running around looking for little paper bags and googly eyes.

As an example, for Ground Hog Day it might be fun to have a Ground Hog pop out of his cave. For this, you need a cut out ground hog, a Popsicle stick, small brown paper bag or a pita style craft paper pocket, and glue or tape. That's a lot of pieces and a lot of cutting out. A kid won't sit through all this, much less wait for you to figure out if you have everything you need.

Instead, get a self-sealing bag like a zip-lock bag and gather everything you need. Put together the craft on your own, when they are not around, to get an idea of how long it will take and how complicated it is, and use this as an example. Then, cut out the ground hog in the form of black and white line art. When you are ready to have your child do the craft, all they need to do is color in their critter, stick it to the pop sickle stick and insert it into the cave. They'll be thrilled with their accomplishment and grateful for the chance to do it.

Don't forget to have fun. Kids are not going to grow up remembering all the tiny details of everything they did with you, only that they had fun with you. To make their memories as great as they deserve to be set your inhibitions and troubles aside and be in the moment with them. Have fun, laugh, get dirty and remember that they don't stay this small for long.