2020 has been an interesting year!! It started off normal, then March hit and the world was in pandemic mode. My state in particular shut down for quite some time, we never really fully opened back up. As I write this we are preparing for another shut down through December because cases of COVID-19 have been increasing. This year has been different than most because we have been home a majority of the year. Most entertainment is closed, schools are closed, parks are closed, visiting friends and family is not recommended, parties and celebrations are non-existent…. We are basically home… a lot. We live in a condo and I have never wanted a yard for the kids to play in more!
What are the best ways to entertain your child at home? Out of our list of 36 activities, these 5 ideas are our favorite:
- Relay Race
- Dance Party
- Water beads
- I Spy
- Chalk
Are you ready for the master list?? Keeping kids busy is no joke so let’s get the ideas flowing. I am attempting to break these ideas down into categories. Hopefully that makes it easier to navigate. Here is how I entertain my 7 year old, 5 year old and 2 year old at home.
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Inside Play
We have never been home as much as we have been in 2020. We have had to make some adjustments to how rooms are organized and how responsible the kids need to be with their things, keeping their areas clean and organized. We started the pandemic by doing a ton of building activities in the living room and dining room, as the year has progressed we have designated the kids room for most big activities and keep quieter activities in the main living areas. This makes clean up, distance learning and my mind more organized. Here are some indoor activities to try with your little ones:
- Build a fort. The ultimate kids activity is fort building, a chance to get creative, re-arrange furniture and experience cause and effect. They will quickly learn if they sit on a blanket it will come down and when a wall is pushed it can fall over. Normal activities become more fun while in a fort, puzzles, reading, playing with dolls, and napping all have a fun twist because the new environment is exciting and different. Try fort building with a blanket over a table, a sheet draped down from a bunk bed or even a blanket draped over the back of a couch. You don’t need too much space or too many supplies. Keep in mind blankets and sheets will get pulled, so don’t use heavy objects that may fall on little ones.
- Give your child a lock and key and let them practice opening and closing. This activity uses logic and fine motor skills to fit a ket into a lock and twist it open. Kids are memorized by this activity. The clicks and mechanics of a lock are very interesting to my boys. To make the activity more extensive give your child a mixed bag of locks and keys and have them discover which keys belong to which locks through process of elimination. My dad seems to always have spare tools and locks around and is a great person to ask for a bucket of locks.
- Hand your child a new tool. Try a flashlight, a magnifying glass or laser pointer and watch them discover how it works. Help them explore their room and see what they can discover. If you have a pet try exploring with your pet. Growing up we had a dog who loved to chase laser pointers and it would entertain us and the dog for hours.
- Bake cookies together. In the evenings I am usually tired from a full day of activities and out of ideas of how to entertain further. This is when I like to think up a fun dessert we can all make together. My kids love to help me cook and they are great at pouring in ingredients or stirring. Let them experiment with cookie cutters, rolling the dough, frosting and sprinkles. To top it off you all get a nice treat to enjoy together when you are done.
- Create a race track. You are bound to have some Hot Wheels or vehicles around the house. Even Barbie has cars or strollers. Instead of buying tracks you can make your own with some painters tape or washi tape on the floor. Make your tracks trail all over the living room, on the couch, down the stairs. Get creative!! My son loves when I write his name in tape and he can drive his cars along the letters of his name.
- Play with Legos. Legos are always an activity that takes up time. Whether it’s from a boxed set with instructions to follow, or creating their own little world with a bunch of random pieces. Kids love legos. Just make sure they pick them all up because stepping on them is really unpleasant.
- Play a game. Games are a great way for kids to learn turn taking, practice counting and learn sportsmanship. Games don’t need to be complicated, you can play card games like War or Go-Fish. There are a ton of board game options and you can usually find them for reasonable prices. My children love Memory and Guess Who. Kids also learn a ton from playing board games and the quality time is great.
- Dress up! Have any costumes left hanging around or dress clothes of your own? Let your little ones try them on and pretend play. Encourage them to act like someone else while dressed up and get their creative brains working. If you have a wardrobe mirror have them practice posing like a model or altering the clothing on themselves or each other.
- Make an indoor obstacle course. After all the valuables are stashed away turn your play area into an obstacle course. Use towels or pillows on the floor and have little ones try to get to each one. Bigger kids may like to jump all over the couches and chairs. When we go to my moms she likes to sit on the floor and be the “lava monster”. She will reach out and try to touch them as they run past her over the obstacles a couch and coffee table. They love it and get really tired from all the excitement. Finish up by having them clean up the area without using their hands, giving them an extra challenge.
- Dance Party. Good ole You Tube is great for videos the kids can dance to. Mine love dance party and will get out a ton of wiggles dancing all over the living room.
- Here is our dance party play list:
- Scavenger Hunts can be a great way to have a little fun looking around for something ordinary. Having them play this way will also build up their looking skills and independence as well. Next time they need something they will be able to look on their own first. Here are a few scavenger hunt variations you may want to try out.
- Hot/Cold. Hide an object or sticker somewhere in the house and have the kids find it by giving them hotter or colder clues. As they get closer to an item or sticker they are getting hot. When they go the wrong direction they are getting colder. We like to ramp up the excitement and get creative with our descriptions as we play. If they are getting real close they may be lava hot or dragon breath hot. As they are farther from the object they may be Elsa cold or freezing like an ice cube.
- Have an ongoing scavenger hunt like a treasure hunt. Give the kids the first clue, have that lead to another clue and so on until there is a fun treasure at the end. Treasure ideas could be a book to read as a family, a new small toy or puzzle or a coupon for a “treat” after dinner. These take a little more time to set up, but can be more rewarding.
- Give your kids a letter of the alphabet and have them find something around the house that starts with that letter. “Find me an object that starts with P” or “find 5 objects that start with C”. You can stay stationary and have them bring all the objects to you or follow them around the house and point things out. Side note: I pull this one out when we are out of the house all the time. Stuck in a waiting room or car? Have them point to things across the room or as you pass them on the road. This trick has saved us from meltdowns more than once.
- Assign specific things to look for. Three buttons, five leaves, a favorite shirt, a hairbrush, etc. Make sure to encourage putting them all away as well. We have also used this type of scavenger hunt while walking around the block or to the local park. Just to make the walk a little more adventurous.
Drawing and art
Are your kids crafters? My kids love to do guided crafts and my daughter will craft on her own. Even if your child isn’t a huge fan go crafting mixing in some creative activities will help expand their imaginations.
- Foam Crafts. My kids really like to do little foam crafts. I tend to pick some up in the dollar spot at Target or in the seasonal sections at Micheals and Hobby Lobby. The crafts typically only take about 5-15 minutes to complete depending on complexity. My kids like to copy the example pretty closely but let your child get creative if they want to. We write the name of who crafted and the year on the back so we can remember the details the next year when we pull out the holiday boxes from storage in the garage to decorate.
- Box decorating. Did you get something from amazon or target in a box lately? Kids love boxes! Give them some crayons or stickers and let them decorate and play with the box before you toss it in the recycling. If you have big enough boxes make a fort or chair to sit in front of the couch with. We recently got two pretty good sized boxes and the kids played with them for a few days before they were demolished. They were making houses, cribs for dolls and baby cousin Thomas.
- Drawing scenes. Instead of watching tv or a movie have them draw out their own scenes from a show they know or make up. Use some of their favorite characters and make new ones. Explain what a scene and scenery are and let them get creative. I always love to see a show through my kids eyes. They tend to pick up different things than I would.
- Create and art “Gallery”. In a hallway near you child’s bedroom or near the front door allow your child to decorate with their favorite art work from school or home. Have them curate the gallery regularly and move their favorite pieces around. When visitors come to visit they can show off the gallery and all their favorite pieces.
- Make paper airplanes. We like to use printer paper for paper planes but scrapbook paper is a great way to give your paper places a little more flare. It is also fun to see the designs flying through the air. Show your child the basics of paper plane folding and them let them perfect the shape. You can even color and decorate with stickers. Have a plane flying competition and see who can do tricks, fly farthest and most true.
- Make up a story. If your child isn’t writing yet write out a story they make up on a few pieces of paper. Have your child be the illustrator and draw all the scenes for the book. If your child is writing help them by giving them some starter sentences and see what story they can come up with. Once they are done writing and illustrating have them share their book with friends and family.
- Practice writing or drawing. Because of distance learning we have a few dry erase boards at home. If you don’t you can pick one up at an office supply store or in the dollar bins at target around the back to school time. A sheet protector with a plain white paper inside can also work in a pinch. Use the board and markers to practice letters you give them. This is a great activity to do while you are cooking or tending to smaller children. They can write letters out, show you and erase to move on. This is also a good activity to take in the car for road trips!
- Sticker time. We keep a three drawer organizer filled with crayons, markers and random stickers. Anytime the kids want to sticker I pull out the drawer with some construction paper and let them decorate. Depending on age they may be able to pull the stickers off the sheet by themselves or need some help. Teaching them to pull off stickers themselves is a great way to practice fine motor skills. I have found if I pull off the negative space that surrounds the stickers they have an easier time of lifting the stickers on their own.
- Photo time. Let your child borrow your phone and open up the camera (they may know how to do this already). Have them take photos and videos of all their favorite things in the house or outside. Afterward you will have a great insight of the world from their eyes, and hopefully a few good moments to keep. Try this at family parties and have them take photos with or of family members. Adults tend to drop their guards with little ones and you will get some great smiles. You can then print out your favorites to hang in the house for them to remember loved ones.
Water Play
Water play can seem messy when you first mention it. But there are ways to keep the water contained. If you have a yard or outside area I recommend doing most water activities there. If and outside area isn’t available try the bath tub or containing the water on a sheet pan or in a storage tub.
- Ice cube play. This is really easy to set up and can last as long as you have ice. Get out a few bowls, cups, utensils and spoons and put some ice cubes in the bowl. Allow your child to explore with the utensils and spoons and simply mop up and melted ice when they are done. We usually play with ice at the kitchen counter and I end up wiping the counters down with any extra water after.
- Water beads. These little beads absorb water and grow to make squishy little balls that kids love playing in. We put all of ours in a water table and let the kids play for hours, or days if they stay wet. They stay a little wet so keep that in mind when planning where to play. We got ours on Amazon, here is a link.
- Toy bath time station. This is ideal for outside but can be done on a counter if your child is mindful. Have a tub of clean water and a tub of soapy water. Have your child get out all the hard toys that don’t have any electronics and give them a scrub down. Make sure they keep anything with batteries or plush items out of the bath. If you have sponges or scrubbers let them practice washing and scrubbing then toweling off when they are all done. This is a great activity to develop washing skills they can then translate to dishes!! My daughter uses bowls of water to wash her LOL dolls on the counter and places a beach towel underneath to catch drips. She is always careful and doesn’t make a mess. If her brothers try to join the mess is another story.
- Bath play. Make bath time fun. Play with foam toys, bath crayons, bath bombs and squirt toys. When we make bath time fun we usually play first and end with washing up so there are not soap bubbles floating around the whole time. Postponing washing hair until the end also keeps it dry longer keeping them warmer.
- Watering plants. Suggest your child waters all the outside plants. They can either use the hose on low pressure or a watering can. There are quite a few watering cans that are smaller for child use. Depending on how well they do let them attempt inside plants as well.
Verbal play
Sometimes it’s hard to get down on the floor and play with your kids. Maybe you are making dinner, you are caring for a baby or you aren’t even at home with your child!
- Practice Counting. During car rides or at home when my daughter is getting restless and starts complaining I will start number practice by having her pick odd or even and we alternate counting 1-100. Sometimes she counts all by herself and I just listen as well. Engaging her brain usually turns her attitude around easily.
- Play “I Spy” with letters. You can go along with the alphabet and spy things in ABC order, something starting with an A, B, C and on down to Z. But you don’t have to follow the exact alphabet either. You can go out of order and say something like “what do you see that starts with the letter C?, what starts with a R? Follow whichever method you like best.
- Listen to Audio books or watch books being read. Sometimes hearing a book can be fun to. Most local libraries also have access to digital libraries and audio books. Check one out before subscribing to a service. Listen to them in the car or during quiet time. There are also quite a few video versions of books on You Tube. Have their favorite books be read to them by a friendly voice.
Busy Boxes
Busy boxes are a great way to keep your little ones entertained with their own little contained box. Busy boxes are easy and fun to make. Fill a shoe box with things your child can play with on their own. Think about finding easy puzzles, little figurines or cars and coloring book play packs. Busy boxes can become part of your routine when you need to make dinner, fold laundry or make a phone call. When my son was born I made a few busy boxes for my daughter who was just turning two at the time. These boxes were a great way for her to keep busy while I was nursing or putting the baby down to sleep.
Outside Play
If you do have access to a yard there are a ton of options of things kids can do independently. Like I mentioned we don’t have a yard attached to the house to send the kids out to play. We have to walk to a park or play with them in the alley. If you can get outside here are some great ideas of things to get some wiggles out.
- Toss. Give your kids a ball or a frisbee and let them run in the back yard. They will be fine solo for a little bit while you get a few things done. If you are going to a park bring a ball along and play in the grass for a while.
- Hide and go seek. A classic game that can be done inside or outside but gets more fun outside! Hide and go seek is a great way to play in the yard and get out of the house. Make limits on how far they can go if you are playing in an unfenced area.
- Picnic on the grass. Pack a small lunch and snacks and have a picnic on the lawn or take your picnic to a local park. Lay on a blanket and watch the clouds or incorporate a game of “I Spy” while eating.
- Play in a tent. Set up a tent in the yard and play for the day or plan to spend the night. Just like building a fort a tent is a new environment for all the toys they normally play with. They will also love moving their pillow and blanket in for the night.
- Go hiking or for a walk. Look for local trails or nature somewhere near your home. Often times there are trails near parks. Make sure you are wearing sturdy shoes and bring water. Have fun exploring the plants, trail and anything else you can find. When your child gets tired take a break and look around for rocks or try to be still and quiet and wait to hear or see birds.
- Have a relay race. I used to encourage my kids to run from tree to park bench to drinking fountain and back anytime we went to a park. As my kids grew up it became a competition and some one always ended up crying. Now I make each child spread out and give them a series of objects to run to before touching the hand the next child who then completes the same course or a new one. Making a relay race course can be done anywhere it is safe to run, a yard a park or a closed street. Keep the course simple and keep in mind the memory of your child. My daughter will remember everything each child has to do. But my son and I usually forget if it gets too long.
- Sidewalk chalk the front or back yard. Kids love chalk! We just decorated the sidewalk this week and it was a great way for the kids to get outside. Have your child draw their favorite characters, favorite foods and animals. Trace your child and have them fill in their outfit and have them trace you to do the same.
Extra Tips
If you give your child an activity or project and they start complaining make the activity more appealing by making it an important mission, delivery of the activity is key. Craft time can turn into a project for mom, dad or a grandparent. Have them craft with that person in mind. If they think it is an important job they wont complain as much.
Next time they are feeling creative have them write down all their favorite activities and put them on sheets of paper in a box. Then when boredom comes around again have them go to that box and pull an idea out. They can’t grumble if its an idea of their own right? Of course sometimes they will pull an idea and end up doing something completely different because they didn’t like the activity they choose, but at least they made the choice themself. This is great growth to independence and keeping themselves busy.
Rotate toys to keep them new an exciting. We visit my moms house weekly and they always love the toys over there because they only see them once a week. Changing toys daily would be a huge task at home. So I try to box up toys once a month and store them in the garage. Then bring them back out in a few weeks or when they have forgotten about them. This gets them excited about something they already have without me buying something new.
Make it easy for your kids to feel independent. Have their toys easily accessible, have crafts and other activities easy for them to reach as well. Set up an area that’s well-stocked with games and projects and toys for them to do their own thing.
I have struggled between constantly entertaining my children, leading activities, letting them play independently and just handing them devices so I could get things done. I would love to say there is a balance, but some days lean more heavily on activities or devices than others. Do what is best for your family, you know the inner workings best!
Hopefully these ideas are helpful. If you have any ideas please share them so we can try them too.