Sock Hop

Ever wonder what happens to those socks that go missing from your dryer?

Ever wonder what the heck you can do with just one sock?

Well think no more!  Here's a couple of fun ideas to utilize those pesky runaway socks (other than sock puppets!)

Measure Toe-to-Toe:
Ask your child to guess how many socks long something is - the couch, an area rug, the length of a table.  Take those mismatched socks and place them end to end.  (It usually works better if the socks are the same length, but if not, you can say the couch is 4 big socks and 3 little socks long)  You can also measure your child this way too by having her lay on the floor and measure her with socks.

Sort the Laundry:
Every time you sort the laundry, you're using math skills of matching and classifying.  Give your child his own laundry basket with the mismatched socks.  Have him count how many socks are there.  Then have him sort the socks by color, size, or texture.  Have him match similar socks by size.

Telling a Sock Story:
What happens to all of the socks that go missing in the laundry?  Encourage your child to invent a few short tales of sock adventures.  Have more fun by alternating sentences to create a silly sock story.  Write them down and have your child draw pictures to match the story.  Put in a 3-ring binder your child's very own sock story!

Make a "Soothie":
Fill a clean cotton sock with rice and stitch it shut.  When you need a heating pad, pop it in the microwave for one minute.  You can also add a drop or two of some essential oils for an aromatherapy pack as well.  Save an empty sock to fill with ice for bumps and bruises.

Snowball Fight:
Roll up mismatched socks and have a "snowball" fight with your child.  Set up a laundry basket and see how many "snowballs" you can toss in a basket.  For even more of a challenge, set up a timer!

What are some things you've done with mismatched socks?