5 Ideas To Keep Kids Of All Ages Occupied While At Home
Stuck at home? It's not uncommon that everyone's world has turned upside down over the past year. Schools and stores are closed, events canceled, bans on travel, and so on. Life was harder than we expected, but it seems that we've made it until now. We've been surviving many restrictions, including social distancing from others to stop the spread of the virus.
Being at home for such a long time with the kids can be beneficial, but it stops being convenient once boredom settles in. It feels like you don't have time for a breath of fresh air since the kids are running around all the time. How can you keep them occupied so you can take care of other household duties? Not to mention that schools in most states are closed, so the kids are required to do online learning.
One thing is clear: there's much uncertainty when it comes to the coronavirus pandemic, so we must learn new strategies for getting rid of the ordinary and keep our family happy and cheerful. We understand, regardless of the reason, staying inside and away from your normal activities can be stressful. If you want to find activities that will keep your kid's busy learning and developing at home, check out the list below.
1. Cook some meals
Most kids love to spend time in the kitchen. Staying at home will definitely have you prepare meals all day. Instead of keeping your kid busy while you cook, invite them into the kitchen and enjoy cooperating on your next meal.
Spending time with your kids and cooking recipes helps them develop a positive connection with healthier foods, such as veggies and fruits. It is important to teach our kids to accept different types of healthy foods for good nutrition. These basic skills they learn when they're young can stick with them for the rest of their lives.
Cooking with children involves other activities, such as reading the recipes, following instructions, and measuring ingredients. Getting your kids involved in cooking will help them develop fine skills, such as concepts of math, science, and eye-hand coordination. It is also a great family time and an opportunity to share your meal plan with all family members. Just make sure you handle your kids' plastic or silicone utensils and bowls so they don't end up hurting themselves.
How can they help you in the kitchen? You can give them directions on washing the fruits and vegetables, mixing or stirring the ingredients, or mash soft ingredients, such as bananas. There are many healthy snacks recipes available on the internet, including gluten-free options.
2. Paint
Painting with your children not only helps them become creative, but it also helps them stimulate their brain. Nurturing a child's brain is important because it can help other parts of their development too. When setting activities for your children, think about how it can contribute to their development. It's okay to let your children enjoy a messy painting experience. They learn to express themselves and develop their creativity freely.
Painting is a great entertainment activity for kids, regardless of their age. They will learn how to mix colors, be creative, and later on, develop social skills. Painting doesn't only mean sitting at the table and using a paintbrush and paper. Children must be allowed to freely enjoy rolling on the paper and create whatever they think looks like a picture. Painting can get your children messy, but it's quite distressing so that you can get involved too.
3. Let them use their imagination
It doesn't take a lot of special materials to allow your children to use their imagination. Here's what you can add to the basket:
● Sugru Glue for crafty projects involving kids
● Popsicle sticks
● Toilet paper rolls
● Empty boxes
● Pipe cleaners
● Scrap wood
● Plasticine
● Other stuff you find in your home
Letting your children use their imagination is critical for their development. Creativity is the door to many possibilities – it's even more important than knowledge, Einstein once said. Children will learn about the world through imaginative and creative play. How to nurture your child's imagination and creativity?
● Spending time outdoors – Nature provides countless opportunities for creativity. “In the loneliness of nature, if you go far enough, you will meet wizards and angels, and kings will tell you the secrets of the universe.”
● Encourage your children to invent scenarios – it will help them develop social and verbal skills.
● Vocal activities – it will help your children learn phonics.
● Art activities – painting, clay, collage, sculpture, or drawing. Art is a great way for children to express their ideas and emotions.
● Make reading time a must – making up stories by using your kid’s imagination. It will be a memorable reading time.
4. Make them positively release their energy
Your children are loud at times, and they have more energy than you can handle for sure. Sometimes, it becomes overwhelming to run around the kids all day. Does this sound familiar to you? Here's the thing: you must remain positive. High energy kids usually require attention and love. There is nothing wrong with your children; they just have very energetic personalities. Luckily, there are many ways to support your kid's high energy. But you need to use a positive approach, though. It's not easy to remain calm; most parents tend to have the opposite behavior. Kids can grow well if they are given positive guidance:
● Set clear limits in a calm way – take time to speak clearly for your children, so they can be able to follow your hopes.
● Try to understand your child’s energy – it can be a sign of boredom, anxiety, or frustration. Try to spend more time outdoors.
● Practice calming skills – is well worth it for when they’re grownups.
● Practice social emotional skills – if you want your child to learn how to be calm, teaching them how to recognize feelings is a great start.
The way we treat our children will impact their confidence later on. Connect daily with your children and involve them in positive activities that will require them to use their brains and develop well.