This document provides ideas for activities parents can do with their children using common household items to encourage imagination and problem solving. It suggests making lists of things that can be done with a potato, pumpkin, or apple and gives examples for each. It also presents ideas for using 12 popsicle sticks or staying cool on a hot day. The overall goal is to expand children's thinking with open-ended creative exercises.

1. WHAT WOULD I DO WITH……?
Here are some fun activities to do with your child to expand their thinking and
imagination skills
If I Had a Potato I Would...
Make a list with your child of all the things you could do with a potato. Below are
a few ideas:
1) Make French fries.
2) Make potato chips.
3) Bake it.
4) Sing – “One potato, two potato, etc.”
5) Grow more potatoes.
6) Plan a potato relay.
7) Make potato prints.
8) Make potato salad.
9) Make mashed potaoes.
10) Play “Hot Potato”
11) Cut it open and grow grass seeds on top.
12) Make potato soup.
WHAT WOULD I DO WITH A PUMPKIN?
Have your child help you brainstorm all the things you could do with a pumpkin.
Divide a large piece of paper into 4 parts and have her draw her four favorite
pumpkin activities.
1) Make a Jack-o-lantern
2) Make a pie
3) Bake pumpkin seeds
4) Paint a face on it
5) Use shell to make design prints
6) Carve name on pumpkin
7) Roll it down a hill
8) Enter it in a pumpkin contest
9) Make pumpkin milkshakes
10) Make pumpkin muffins
11) Use carved out pumpkin for flower vase.
12) Bake stuffing in.
WHAT COULD YOU DO WITH AN APPLE?
Have your children help you make a list of all the things you could do with an
apple.When you are done, have everyone illustrate one of the suggestions and turn
the pictures into an apple book.

2. Sugguestions:
1) Make apple sauce
2) Cut and make star prints.
3) Make red smiles. (Slice of apple stuck in mouth)
4) Dip in caramel to eat.
5) Make apple muffins
6) Bake them
7) Give one to a friend
8) Eat it
9) Slice it and dry it
10) Make an apple pie
11) Count the seeds inside.
12) See if it floats
13) Make an apple salad.
I am sure your children will think of more and better ones.
TWELVE POPSCICLE STICKS
Set out twelve popscicle sticks and ask your child how many things he could think
of to do with the twelve sticks. Here are some suggestions:
1) Use them for puppet handles.
2) Use them for drum sticks.
3) Make four triangles.
4) Make three frames.
5) Glue together to make a raft.
6) Use to make play dough people.
7) Make popscicles with
8) Glue around a soup can.
9) Use as markers in the garden.
10) Glue on wings to make dragon flies.
11) Color like snakes; glue on red yarn tongues.
12) Glue on paper in the shape of a house.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO COOL OFF WHEN IT'S HOT?
Make up a list with your children of different things they can think of that they
like to do on hot days to stay cool. Here are some suggestions.
1) Sit under a shade tree.
2) Run through the sprinkler.
3) Make a fan.
4) Drink a cool drink. (Make lemonade)
5) Make popsicles
6) Sit under an umbrella
7) Go swimming
8) Eat an ice cream cone
9) Wear shorts
10) Go barefoot
11) Sit in front of a fan (or air conditioning)

3. 12) Sit in the basement
When you write down a suggestion by your children, discuss with them just how
this method helps cool them down. You may want to expand this discussion into
how do animals keep cool.