We love our children, but they can drive us crazy if we let them. It’s not easy to deal with children every day when we are used to them being at school for 40 hours each week. Having them at home is a significant challenge.
We hate to see our children sit in front of the TV all day long, but we also hate to hear them whine about being bored.
No one is completely happy about the current circumstances, but as a parent, you have the responsibility to navigate this challenge with your children.
Use these ideas to keep your kids busy at home while maintaining your sanity:
1. Write.
Most kids love to write stories, make lists, and record ideas. If your child is one of those that likes to write, give them a writing task.
Tell them to write a scary story about two friends lost in the woods.
Maybe your child is older and would like to keep a journal. Write a story together. Take turns writing a couple of sentences. The next person has to pick up where the last person left off.
2. Art
Regardless of age, there are many people that like to draw, paint, sculpt, color, or cut and paste. Have an art hour each day. Watch a video on how to draw a face and practice together. Give your child some chalk and tell them to play in the driveway.
3. Garden
Gardening can be a lot of fun. It’s exciting to plant seeds and watch them grow. Flowers, vegetables, berries, and herbs are all options. Try planting some foods that your child loves to eat.
4. Hike
Get out of the house and hike in the woods. Many parks have walking or hiking trails. It’s great exercise and an easy way to change the scenery for an hour or two.
5. Bake
Kids love to bake. Depending on their age, some children need more help than others. Bake a cake. Make some cookies. Allow your child to fix or help with dinner. Try some new recipes.
6. Remodel
Let your child remodel their room. It might be time for a new color or a new desk. Perhaps the artwork on the walls is getting a little old. A new lamp?
Give your child some freedom to make their own choices.
7. Watch old movies
Has your child ever seen Goonies, The Karate Kid, or the original Star Wars? Honey I Shrunk the Kids? Relive some of your favorite childhood movies with your children. They might laugh at the special effects found in a movie from the 70’s or 80’s, but that’s part of the fun. Talk about some of the differences between these old movies and the ones they normally see today.
8. Old toys
Pogo stick? Hula hoop? Hopscotch? Old board games? Or maybe pull out some of their old toys from the attic, basement, or garage.
9. Build
Build a birdhouse, tree house, doghouse, or a fort. Build something out of popsicle sticks. Construct a raised flower bed. Build some shelves.
10. Zoom
While there are many platforms for holding virtual meetings, Zoom has become especially popular these days. Set up a meeting for your kids and their friends. They can spend time together and catch up with each other’s lives.
If you are at the end of your rope with your kids, you are not alone. It’s not easy to keep your kids occupied in a healthy way. However, there are plenty of things your kids would enjoy doing that they’ve never even considered.
Put on your creative hat and give them a few things to do that will benefit them more than watching TV or playing video games - the whole family will be glad you did!
