8 Kid-Friendly Activities To Keep Your Kids Engaged at Home
Kids spending the day at home means trouble for parents unless you have a solid plan to keep the little monkeys busy. Whatever the reasons are, whether they are unwell, too young to start school, or even just couldn’t make it to school due to bad weather, you need to think of activities to keep them occupied.
Not just for parents, kids, too, get frustrated by being stuck at home. Plus, free time at home often leads to excessive screen time, which again is not a good habit for young kids to pick up.
So, to save your day, we’ve compiled fun activities for kids to do at home.
1. Journal Writing
Journal writing can include coloring, handwriting, cutting and pasting, or just writing down how their day went. It’s a great practice to gather thoughts and pen them down on paper. It enables them to express things and encourages their writing and creative skills.
How about origami ideas for kids? You could play it on your tv for instructions, and kids could follow through. Give them colorful stationeries to keep it fun and exciting. If they’re too young for this, ask them to scribble on plain paper. It is an excellent hand-eye-coordination enabler.
2. Cook or Bake Together
This idea always works, and the outcome is delicious (most times). Kids love to participate in doing chores – cooking is probably one of their favorites as well. Cooking or baking is an excellent activity to keep them engaged at home, no matter their age.
Look up kid-friendly recipes to make it easier for you. We suggest you work with ingredients you already have at home or get the required items to do the activity later.
While making the list, you could also get the kids to help you do these chores. If you are baking, get them to pour things, mix, make shapes, crack eggs, etc. For older kids, let them be in their own space and explore recipes according to their choice, of course ensuring safety.
3. Let Their Imaginations Flow
Be the parent that encourages them to think creatively and imagine. Let them make up their own stories, build their character, or have a secret pet or friend who they believe is real in their world. It probably is a way for them to process their surroundings. Think about the fun-filled world your kids will live in with an imaginary character or pet.
To keep them in check, you could ask them to draw a picture of their imaginary friend, and you could have conversations about it to bond with your kids.
4. Tea Party
Ask them to host a tea party when they say they’re bored. They can do the whole shebang, dress up, tidy up their tea tables, and gather their stuffy friends and dolls to be guests at the party.
You could prepare the tea and give your kids some treats to prepare the tea table. It is a great way to enhance language development and social skills and learn through play. Giving them a book to read to their guests is also an excellent way to encourage reading habits.
5. Family Game Night
Everyone in the family can participate in a family game night if you pick the right games. Plenty of family game night ideas are age-appropriate for kids and adults; just simply look online to get some ideas. Card games, guessing games, team games, or multiple board games are kid-friendly too.
6. Scavenger Hunt
If you plan it properly, scavenger hunts can be enjoyed indoors as well. Many people cancel out the idea of scavenger hunts because there’s a misconception of it being an outdoor activity only. Well, if you are clever, it can be enjoyed indoors and is suitable for kids of all ages. Place clues in safe places around the house that they can reach easily without creating a mess.
The scavenger hunt has always been a hit game for kids between 2 – 12 years or older. You could do one color daily and place items of that particular color in different places for them to discover. If you have multiple kids at home, you could reward the winner with sweet treats to encourage them to play the same game repeatedly. A genius way to keep them busy doing the same thing, which is rare.
7. Build a Fort
Kids love to stack things. Take it to another level by asking them to build their own fort. A super fun way to keep them busy doing something they love. It also enhances their motor skills. Make items like blankets, pillows, cardboard, and chairs available to help them build a fort.
Remember that you must choose a safe place in your home with zero hazards because they will fall and slip while building a fort. Make sure they are not hitting anything sharp while playing.
8. Science Experiment
Science experiments are fun and educational and boost cognitive development in many ways. A fantastic way to engage them in indoor activities. Look up science experiments for kids, and it’s best to give them options that are age-appropriate. Ensure you have safety goggles and gloves to prevent accidents, although most kid-friendly science experiments are safe.
Get them to make magic potions by using their creativity. You could give them ingredients and supplies to work with. Ask them to write their observations and questions if they have any. A wonderful way to learn through play.
Conclusion
If you can plan out weekly activities successfully to keep your kids busy, you’ll probably be able to dodge their boredom significantly. This list of 8 kid-friendly activities will surely save your day and improve your bond with your children by always being the fun parent.
There are many other indoor activities for kids, such as movie nights, enrolling them in online art and crafts classes, karate or yoga sessions, and many more. If you feel like these ideas are unsuitable for your kids, you can continue exploring your options. Good luck.
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