These are P approved activities that we do while we wait for prescriptions to be filled. He’s gotten so good at this imaginative time filling that I rarely have to bring an electronic device along. Who knew?
- The Estimation Game. Look for multiples of something like a stack of those hand baskets and ask, “take a quick look at these baskets. How many baskets are in this stack? What’s your estimate?” Once you’ve both given your estimates, count to see what the actual number of baskets was. Doesn’t sound fun? Sounds educational? Try it. You might find it’s a little addicting.
- Open that wallet! Pick out some coins and bills (if there are any in there, ahem) and take turns making up addition and subtraction scenarios. We make it a little more interesting; Paolo gets to keep the coins at the end if he answers correctly.
- What Time is It? Practice telling time on the clock OR (more fun) have a breath holding contest. I have no idea why it’s so much fun, but seeing how long you can hold your breath is great fun and if you pass out, well, you’re already in the pharmacy. They probably know how to help!
- Hot Lava. As a kid I did this at home a lot, jumping from pillows to sofa cushions strewn about the floor. Walk on the store’s’ floor tiles without touching any lines or borders or else the hot lava gets you. Gets lots of laughs (and funny looks).
- Incoming! Make paper airplanes out of old receipts found in your bag or wallet, reusing (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!) while having fun. If you’re really good, try making origami out of old receipts.
- Who are the people at your pharmacy? Be people watchers, but ask, “What do you think the people are picking up prescriptions for?” I might say, “That’s a secret service agent and he’s picking up athlete’s foot cream for the president.” Or “She may look elderly, but she’s an Amazon explorer home on a break, picking up medicine for the rare disease she got from eating monkey tails.” This game can be lots of fun, but our ground rules are that we must do it quietly and privately; with respect and not make fun.
The best part of our time spent together is we really have fun.
“I Spy” was a great game that mostly Curt and Nathan would play while we either were waiting to get in somewhere or while eating in a restaurant (things could be inside or outside depending on windows). The clues were never easy so it might be ” I spy something a monkey would give his Mother for Mother’s Day?” Answer: a picture of a banana or “I spy something that makes you put on the brakes” answer: a stop sign
We play quiet Simon Says- May sounds crazy… but it is a great way to have the kids all lined up in a row following directions! If we do it quietly it works like a charm! Great for waiting at the airport where there is always lots of wall space!