Being stuck at home can be a real bore for kids, especially on sunny days where the temptation to go outside and play is just too strong. But since it’s important to stay at home and practice social distancing, parents need to find other ways to entertain their kids – that isn’t just sticking them in front of a computer or television.
Here are some ideas you can use to have fun with your kids while stuck at home.
Play Board Games
Board games are great for some good old-fashioned family fun. Not only can they be played with multiple people but they are also usually educational. For example, most board games will teach kids about the importance of being patient, sportsmanship, and also how to think ahead. Some board games like Monopoly can also teach children useful math skills.
If you don’t have any of your own, you can actually download some printable board games for free. With so many to choose from, you’re bound to find something your kids will enjoy.
Arts and Crafts
Arts and crafts are a fun and creative way to have fun with the kids. You can find a ton of ideas online of what kind of things you can create just with the stuff you have at home. For example:
- Airplane clothespins made with a clothespin, craft foam, and glue.
- Tin Can Windsocks made with old cans, paint, glue, and ribbons (or yarn/coloured paper).
- Cardboard Marble Run made with leftover TP and paper towel rolls.
- Button Tree Art Canvas made with paper, glue, paint, and buttons.
- Dried Pasta Necklaces made with cooked and hardened pasta, paint, and string.
- Soda Bottle Flower Stamped Art made with soda bottles, paint, and paper.
Sometimes all it takes is a little thinking outside of the box. Don’t be afraid to brainstorm ideas with the kids – they might surprise you with some ideas of their own!
Learn to Bake
Learning how to bake different recipes can be a fun activity for the whole family; and as a bonus there’s a yummy snack at the end! There are plenty of kid-friendly baking recipes online that are easy to make and also fun. For example:
- Watermelon doughnuts
- Vanilla cupcakes
- Cake pops
- Apple bread
- Giant chocolate chip sprinkle cookie
- Marshmallow flower cookies
- Chocolate chip muffins
Even if your baking project doesn’t come out how you hoped it would, your kids will still enjoy the time spent with you.
Get Dancing
Because everyone is stuck at home, getting some physical activity in each day is going to be important. One way to do that is to find some fun songs on YouTube and encourage your kids to follow your lead and get dancing. Getting active for at least 30 minutes a day will keep the whole family happy and healthy.
Do these activities and your kids are sure to enjoy themselves despite being stuck inside.
