Spending time outdoors is a refreshing activity for the whole family, however in most places it is just not an option at the moment. As the whole world is facing a pandemic, everyone is mandated to stay at home.
On the bright side, this could mean a lot of time spent indoors together as a family. If you have kids with short attention spans, being stuck at home could also mean trouble.
Making sure that your kids are kept occupied during this lockdown period is of utmost importance, for their safety and for your sanity. Here are a few indoor activities you can do with your kids:
Storytelling with a Twist
Bedtime stories are something most kids look forward to before going to bed. During this quarantine period, you can retell the stories you grew up with or give new life to old fairy tales.
Start by reading your child’s favorite classics. When you get to a crucial point in the story, challenge your child to create his/her own plot twist. Let your child take charge and add his/her own version of what happens next.
For example, if the story is about Cinderella and the mean stepsisters started hurting Cinderella, ask your child, “if you were Cinderella, what would you do? Would you just let them hurt you or will you stand up for yourself? Should you just cry and run away and forget everything?”
This is a great opportunity for your child to think on their toes. It will also help them learn a few valuable life lessons.
Cook Together
What better way to make cooking more fun than having the kids join in?
Bring new meaning to cooking a family-favorite dish for dinner by having the whole family make it together. Let the kids help you.
Have fun with your assistant chefs by assigning them some responsibilities. Make sure they are properly supervised, especially the little ones. Keep them away from sharp objects.
Simple tasks like washing the vegetables or mixing herbs and spices may be ideal for them.
Cooking meals together will not only make your child feel useful and important, but he/she will also be proud that they took part in making the dish and helped you with something.
Treasure Hunt
Kids love finding hidden treasures, especially when they know that there will be a prize at the end.
Get creative with your clues—write them in slips of paper or draw them. For older kids, you can make a riddle for them to solve. Place the first clue somewhere easy to find, such as in their cereal box or on the table.
Make as many clues as you want all around the house, making a trail that will lead them to the final clue. You can give a prize to whoever finds the treasure first.
You can also make a twist that instead of a prize at the end, the scavenger hunt will lead to coins for every clue they find. This way, kids will be able to collect these coins and save them in their piggy bank.
Gather and Donate
Being at home means more time to clean, rearrange the house, and declutter. Use this opportunity to do something useful.
Parents can get overwhelmed by all the cleaning that they have to do around the house, on top of their daily chores.
Go the extra step and start decluttering with the help of your kids. Toys, books, clothes, and so many things may have been spilling out of the cabinets.
Have your kids separate those items they don’t need anymore. If necessary, explain to them the concept of donating items to those in need. Let them understand the value and joy of sharing. Go through with them as they sort out whether they really need those items they have not touched in ages.
Play Hide and Seek
One of the greatest joys of childhood is playing hide and seek. This classic game offers a lot of brain benefits for kids. A game that has been played for generations, hide and seek helps children improve their motor skills, mental flexibility, self-control, and working memory.
With so many ideas, you will never run out of fun indoor activities to do with the family, being stuck at home is not that bad at all.
Contact Early Childhood University for a better childhood education for your kids.
