Children are natural explorers. You cannot lock them in a room and expect them to behave like tamed, mindful adults who can patiently wait until something eventful happens. Whether you like it or not, our little ones will always look for fun activities for kids whatever the time of the day is.
During normal circumstances (a.k.a pre-Covid life), keeping kids occupied and entertained at home is already a challenge. Thanks to the Coronavirus pandemic, the creativity and patience of parents have been strongly tested when children were forced to stay at home at all times. There is never a perfect time to say that parenting is hard.
After one and a half years of strict community quarantines and local lockdowns, let me ask you this: how are you managing your kids at home? Are you running out of ways to keep them busy and keep yourself sane? Don’t worry, mommas! We’re all going through the same situation. So let me share some unique activities that you can consider doing with your little ones even if we’re all stuck at home.
1. Declutter.
Yes, I know. Decluttering doesn’t sound fun at all. But, wait. Before you cross it off your list, hear me out until we get to the exciting part. I’m sure your children have tons of toys, books, baby and toddler clothes, old shoes, and other stuff lying around the house or kept in one of your closets that are not being used anymore and are just collecting dust.
Sort them one by one. Find stuff that is still in good condition which can be donated, given to a friend or relative, or sold online. Websites that allow selling of preloved items include Facebook Marketplace, Carousell, and Shopee. Now, it’s starting to sound fun, right? Not only will you be able to get rid of unused stuff at home, you and your children can also earn extra money by decluttering and cleaning your house. Tell them that they can keep the money they make to motivate them from starting.
2. Learn a new skill together.
If your children spend all their days playing, watching YouTube videos, browsing their social media feeds, using their mobile phones, and emptying the kitchen pantry, it’s time for them to get up and move. Inspire them to develop a new skill by learning it with them.
Depending on your child’s interest, there are several skills and fun activities for kids that you can learn with them, such as gardening, coding, blogging, drawing or painting, playing a musical instrument, mastering a foreign language, sewing, or carpentry. By doing any of these together, the learning can be more fun and enjoyable.
3. Challenge them with a passion project.
It can be writing a short book, developing an app, starting a vlog, or redesigning their room. Whatever it is, the goal is to give your children a responsibility they will enjoy and look forward to accomplishing. It can also be a fantastic way to make your children realize their passion or identify what they want to do in the future.
Just as with any other projects in school or the office, their project should be realistic and time-bounded, say 2 months. You may want to set a reward after completing the project so that your children will be motivated to work on their passion project.
The pandemic may have restricted the opportunity for our children to do leisure activities outdoors, but it doesn’t mean that we should also limit their growth and development. There are many other fun activities for kids you can consider while staying at home, but the three above should be a good start. Good luck!
