Thursday, August 20, 2020

Keep Kids Engaged When They're Stuck Inside

      Image via Pexels

Guest Post by Carrie Spencer


Keep the Kids Engaged When They Are Stuck Inside

Families everywhere are facing a new reality with kids home from school indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since playdates are ill-advised and schoolwork only goes so far, it can feel limiting when it comes to keeping children occupied. Rainy or too-cold weather only compounds this. And you can’t let them play Fortnite and Pokemon all day, and they can only do so many chores. If you’re looking for ideas beyond the controller, keep reading.

Arts and Crafts

Arts and crafts are about the most fun you can have on a rainy day. And you don’t have to have a closet full of supplies either. Taking your children's ages into account, plan a few messy hours with paints or paper, glue, and scissors. If you’re short any of these, head to the junk drawer (because we all have one) and see what you can source from there. Your kitchen is also a treasure trove of supplies. For instance, if you have food coloring, flour, salt, and water, you have the makings of DIY play dough.

Exercise

Lack of physical activity is one of the leading contributors to childhood obesity, according to the Obesity Action Council. Even if your kids aren’t overweight, there is no reason they have to sit still while cooped up indoors.

There are many ways to get them moving. Your television can be your biggest asset here as it is not simply a place to watch movies. With a streaming stick TV device, you can instantly broadcast dance lessons and exercise routines. As an added bonus, your online media device can also tag along with you when you hit the road for family vacations.

Baking

There are dozens of reasons why bringing the kids into the kitchen is a good idea. First, it helps them understand where their food comes from and how it is prepared. Cooking together also forges strong family bonds.

If neither of these is enough to convince you, remember that learning how to navigate the refrigerator and stove is a life skill that will help your kids grow into independent adults. Grab an apron, a bag of flour, and a few other select ingredients and spend an afternoon whipping up a batch of chocolate chip cookies or other kid-friendly recipes.

Scavenger Hunt

This one takes a bit of preparation, but you could easily turn your home into a treasure trove for the youngest members of your family that are stuck indoors. Plan a scavenger hunt with fun activities at each clue. You might, for example, have the kids find a photo of their favorite vacation. Once this is located, have them create a mini scrapbook with photos and stickers before moving along to the next hidden item.

Book Bingo

There are many variations of book bingo, and you could easily extend the game through an entire season. But when you only want to plan for a single afternoon, aim to simplify.

Start with Common Sense Media’s list of the 50 best books for children or simply dig through your own library. Create a bingo card for each child with things like, “book on monsters,” “scary story,” or “holiday adventure.” Once your children find or read a story on each subject, they can mark off their card. Once they reach “bingo,” they can have video game time or another treat.

Being indoors does not have to mean lazing around on the couch with a gaming system. With a little work, some creativity and persistence, you can easily entertain your crew from toddler to teen. These are just a few ideas to spark your imagination; don’t be afraid to come up with your own!

About the Author
Carrie blogs over at The Spencer's AdventuresShe is a family with 2 moms, 3 kids, 2 dogs, 4 cats, 3 goats, 32 chickens, and a whole bunch of bees (with new animals being added all of the time!).  It is our goal to live as self-sufficiently and environmentally consciously as possible. We are happy to share the insights we have gained from our family adventures on our mini-farm.