Keeping your kids occupied is probably one of the most difficult and demanding jobs for you as a parent or guardian. Kids get bored easily. Their little minds are always ticking, searching for activity. Depending on their age and level of exposure, they still find the world and their surroundings very strange and fascinating. As such, it is quite impossible to see them sitting calmly or just enjoying the quietness of a work-free afternoon.
However, with the right set of activities, you can add a bit of colour to their free time and turn what should normally be a long, boring afternoon indoors, into a fascinating and adventurous one. Kids learn mostly by playing. Which means every playtime is actually an opportunity to teach them a new skill or help them develop their imagination in positive ways.
Below are a few fun activities you can do with your kids indoors.
Movies
Free times are excellent opportunities to bring out that old kids’ movie and give your children a feeling of what it might have been like to be a child when you were. Certain old kids’ movies are evergreen and can be appreciated by generations after their production era. You could also put on something new. The most important thing is that you all see the movie together and have conversations about it afterwards.
Constant communication with your kids helps build their confidence and sense of being loved. Endeavour to give them your time and attention. Talk to them and make an effort to know the thoughts they have about everything. You can also introduce board games like chess, monopoly, and scrabble cheat, among others, to help improve their IQ.
Scrabble
Arts and Crafts
Instead of forcing them to take naps or just leaving them to venture into uncharted islands in their minds, you can actually use that time to help them explore their creative sides. From colouring, carving, and moulding to making scrapbooks and picture letters, there are lots of different fun things you can do to feed the artistic flame burning in their little minds. Just bring out the glitters and glue, or better still, visit TheWorks and order from their wide collection of art supplies.
Read Together
As your kids grow and begin to communicate with words, it is important that you help them improve their vocabulary by introducing books to them. A healthy reading habit has been associated with academic success. Books are gifts that keep on giving, and nothing reinforces their importance in the minds of children as much as the feeling of attention and care that comes with reading together with their parents.
Play Dress Up
As important as education and learning are in the lives of growing children, adequate playtime is also vital for the positive development of your child. Kids learn a lot of communication skills as well as improve their interactive prowess from the games they play. If the afternoon is too boring and quiet and you notice that gloomy, sad expression on their faces, throw open your closet and invite them in to play dress up. It will help you bond better with your children and also show them the kid in you.
