With all of us spending more time at home, we have to think of ways to keep the kids entertained. Instead of being just a place we wake up, then return home to, it's now a place where thousands of people throughout the world have to either work or study.
It can get boring when there are no parties, playdates, and other outdoor activities, and kids' usual activities and hobbies are no longer being done. But that doesn’t mean staying at home has to be boring. There are plenty of welcome distractions to be found.
The kids can and the whole family can still benefit from all kinds of activities at home, including snuggling up in the den, arts & crafts, and scavenger hunts. Here are some indoor activities ideas for you and your family to keep the kids occupied during the lockdown.
1. Build a den
We all remember building dens as children with tables, cushions, and sheets. Let your child's imagination run wild by letting your solar panels power up a tent, or a shelter to keep warm in.
Children of all ages would enjoy decorating their very own den. It can be used indoors or outdoors, depending on the weather, and you can decorate it with paints, markers, glitter, felt shapes, fabrics, and more.
2. Paper obstacle course
Put your crepe paper back into play here. Just roll it diagonally from one wall to the next, leaving just small openings for the kids to climb through.
3. Draw together
Making illustrations together is a great way to take the coloring picture to the next level. Online tutorials show you how to make this fun for your children.
4. Creating fun objects using hama beads
Kids can design designs with Hama Beads. You can find all kinds of designs on the web, whether it's a Minion, Teddy Bear, or Harry Potter.
Lots of other sets are available too, from mermaid designs to glow-in-the dark beads. Once the designs are made onto the plastic pegboard, it's your job to iron them together to make them stick.
5. Take a small walk every day
Though the weather is getting colder and the nights are getting longer, it is still important to get your little ones outside every day for a little bit. You can accomplish this by incorporating it into your daily routine.
If your house is super-organized in the morning then maybe you can find 20 minutes for a quick walk before the school runs. You may have to walk home with your children if it is raining or drop the school bags off and make your way home again once they come home.
You might wrap yourself up in a raincoat, grab an umbrella and fire up the kids walkie talkies, and go for a walk through the neighborhood or go to the local park. You can puddle jump if you have boots and don't mind the mess.
6. Try an online course for free
Due to the coronavirus restrictions, many businesses offering after-school and weekend clubs have switched to online classes. Many have adapted by offering free online classes.
These classes tend to be streamed during regular hours, but families are forced to attend them during times they prefer. The benefits of this include making sure your kids dress and prepare for class as they normally do, even though they stay inside.
7. Organize a family bake-off
Getting kids involved in cooking and baking is a fun way to make sure they learn a lot and try different foods. Why not organize a family bake-off, with the adults and kids dividing into teams? If your kids are old enough, you can even do a kid vs adult bake-off.
Decide on a recipe together and then get down to baking. Friendly competition will add a fun element to the day. You could bake alongside your kids if they are still too young to cook by themselves, having them do simple tasks like measuring flour or using the scales.
8. Have fun with Playdoh
The possibilities are endless with Play-Doh, whether you want to make your own dinosaur, elephant, car or castle from scratch. As long as you don't stress too much about colours mixed together, it's a lot of fun.
9. Grow your own vegetables
The kids will have a great time picking veggies from their own garden, and you'll save money at the grocery store too.
10. Sun catchers
You can also make your home look brighter by getting a suncatcher at this time. These are relatively cheap and easy to pick-up.
11. Decorating eggs
No matter the time of year, it's fun to decorate eggs no matter if it's not Easter time.
If you don't mind using up your groceries, hard boil some and get creative. If you don't, get crafty by buying craft sets with eggs to decorate and color in.
12. Minions
You can make these too by coloring or painting some toilet paper tubes yellow. These were made with the insides of Kinder Eggs, but the insides of toilet paper tubes could be used as well. You can use stick-on googly eyes or draw them on.
There are so many fun things to do with your family, just by getting them together. Without necessarily having to go outdoors due to social restrictions, you can put your imagination to work and make the most of the time when they spend most of their time at home.