The average American child utters those 2 dreaded words, “I’m bored,” at least 6 times a day. Keeping active, smart kids entertained at home may seem like an impossible task.
The key is to activate their minds and bodies. Anything that’s stimulating and gets them thinking or moving can help stave off boredom.
Read on for a list of suggestions of things to do at home with your kids.
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Play Games
Playing together is a great form of family bonding. Try classics like Simon Says and Hide and Seek. Bring out card and board games like Uno or Candy Land. If you’re creative enough, you can even make up your own game.
Kids who are stuck at home may also miss their favorite sports or activities. Try building an indoor bowling alley, basketball court, or racetrack.
Get Outside
Going into the backyard is one of the best ways to combat cabin fever. Start a garden to teach kids about how plants grow. Hide items in the yard and create a scavenger hunt with clues to help find them.
Have Fun in the Water
Letting your kids play in the sprinkler, hose, or backyard pool will wash their blues away. You can also make their baths more fun with toys and games.
Make Arts and Crafts
Making something new encourages creativity and gives a sense of accomplishment. It’s a wonderful option if you’re not afraid to get dirty.
There’s an endless number of tutorials online on how to make all sorts of crafts, including:
- Slime
- Potions
- Crayon-scrap candles
- Origami
- Collages
- Scrapbooks
Color
Coloring is one of the best things to do at home because it has several benefits. It helps kids develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. It also helps both kids and adults maintain focus and reduce stress.
If you don’t have any coloring books on hand, don’t worry; they’re easy to find. Try these coloring pages for Procreate.
Learn Something New
Childhood is one of the best times to start learning a new language. They’re more likely to become fluent if they begin before the age of 10.
Parents can incorporate language learning into early childhood education from home. Try programs such as Pimsleur or Rosetta Stone. Fluent family members can also teach what they know.
Being stuck at home is also a perfect time to learn a new skill. Pick anything your children have shown interest in because you’ll find tutorials on everything from magic to martial arts.
Play Pretend
Kids love to pretend to do adult activities such as cleaning or cooking. This may even be a way you can convince them to help with chores! You can also put on a fashion show or hold a tea party.
Make Music
Put on a karaoke video and sing along. Turn pots and pans into musical instruments. Improve your kid’s creativity by writing a song together. If you’d rather dance, put on music and clear a bit of space on the floor.
More Things to Do at Home With Your Kids
Even the most loving parents struggle to help their kids fill the time between school and extracurricular activities. It’s become even more difficult with the rise of the pandemic, but there are plenty of solutions.
The backyard is a great place to start when thinking of things to do at home. Playing games or making crafts together is a powerful bonding experience. You can also color together, make learning into a game, play pretend, or make music.
Read the rest of our content for more parenting tips.
