How to entertain kids at home
“The world feels scary right now… Rather than allow your kids to absorb your fear and angst, let them remember these weeks as the time their parents cut loose and let them have video game marathons. Let them have fun meals. Let them stay up late. Allow yourself to be a little more wild and carefree within the walls of your home. Don’t let this time become a childhood trauma!”
South Africa has declared the COVID-19 pandemic a national disaster. Schools are closed, events have been cancelled and we’ve been asked to minimise social interactions.
#JoziMom Tracey, is a former communications specialist and globetrotter and now also a content contributor to ThingsToDoWithKids. She shares some tips on how to master this long house-bound holiday:
Get cooking and baking
Many fine motor skills are strengthened and refined while baking and cooking or preparing food. Babies and toddlers will also be more likely to try some new foods if they have helped to prepare them with you so this is a great activity for fussy eaters (many toddlers eat while preparing the meal). Get your baby or toddler to help you in the kitchen. From helping to mix his cereal (you can even use your hands over his hands to guide the action) to baking some cookies, he will love to pour, mix, roll, collect, pick up small pieces and of course lick the spoon!
Make up a song together
Music offers a special way to interact with your baby and toddler, as children often communicate and connect during music long before they can actually say any words. A great way to enjoy music with your little ones, even from the youngest age is to make up a song together.
Put on a show
The planning and practising will keep them busy for some time. Pull out any musical instruments so that they can include singing and dancing in the act and find dress-up costumes to add to the entertainment.
Make your own toys
Making your own toys and games are great opportunities to practice fine motor skills (cutting, pasting, drawing) while keeping the children occupied for some time. Everyday items that can be found at home are all you need.
Age-appropriate chores
It may be holidays but since it’s a critical no contact time, many of us lose our trusted helpers as they too have to be home with their little ones. But the chores still need to get done. The key is to make it fun so hold competitions and allow the winner of the day to choose a special treat. Remember everything we do at this time will most likely be without a helper so we can make clean up time a family fun affair.
Other simple, fun things to do with your kids:
Go on a picnic – You don’t have to go far to have a picnic and being told to try to stay home — the garden is a great option. Let your kids help you pack the picnic basket from whatever you have in the fridge. It’s amazing how much more fun it is to snack in a fun location. Perhaps you have a lake or a pond close by, go for a walk and feed the ducks.
Go camping – Build a tent indoors or outdoors with blankets and sheets. Once the tent is up, make a password so only you and them can enter. You can even choose to sleep in the tent that night making it even more fun.
Do a treasure hunt – Make a treasure map out of brown paper with clues to find some treasure you have hidden somewhere in the house or garden.
Make a robot – Don’t throw away present boxes from the deliveries you are going to get or from the empty cereal boxes. Fantastic robots can be created with some glue, finger paint and a just a little imagination.
Do a puppet show – Make sock puppets by gluing wool on the top of an old sock and using a permanent marker to draw eyes, nose and a mouth.
Go on a colour hunt in the house – Collect objects of a certain colour. The winner has collected the most objects in the set time.
Take nature walks – Go on nature walks to collect special items. On the beach, collect shells and stones to later make a shell castle or shell and stone sculptures. In the forest, collect bugs, plants or trees. At night, go for a walk with a torch and then switch off and star gaze.
Build a garden patch – Dedicate a small patch in the garden to the kids and create an outdoor play garden. Fill with pots, a small rake, bucket, spoons, utensils and solid plastic toys like animal figurines. Plant flowers, herbs, lettuce — anything that grows quickly and gives them the satisfaction of having produced something.
Go for a bike ride – Whether it is around the house, through the garden, in quiet streets or perhaps even in a deserted parking lot. You could even have a jog next to them and get in a little stress relieving too!
Enjoy some Netflix – Why does everything have to be educational? Why not make some popcorn and put on a good movie and let them enjoy the story and colours and sounds while you enjoy a hot coffee and a book!
Play dough – Play dough is generally a fantastic fine motor skill of pushing, pinching, pulling and cutting. Learning colours and using your imagination.
Storytime – Sometimes it’s not about the story or the pictures. Sometimes it is about switching off all the lights and mom can put on a story book show with different voices for different characters.
Boardgames and puzzles – If the game seems a little long make it fun by making your own rules sometimes. I must say the more we play the better the really do get and you end up really fighting to win!
