Spending time with your children is always an amazing experience. It allows you to bond, catch up and learn what changes they are experiencing. However, there are times when all you want is some time alone, may it be to rest or accomplish a task without interruption.
Expressing this to your kids may not always work if they have nothing to do. To keep them occupied and entertained without handing them any electronic gadget, here are some activities to try.
Art and Craft Projects
Creative projects will keep your kids engaged for a long while. However, for them to do these activities independently, they have to be simple and age appropriate. Keep things simple so that your little ones can indulge on their own and also clean up after they are done.
Coloring is quite appropriate for all ages. For younger kids, give them various shapes to color using crayons. For older kids, make it a bit complex by giving them color-coded diagrams. With this one, different parts require different colors, and they have to pay attention to get it right.
You can also have them make cards. Stock on necessary supplies for them to experiment with, such as aqua pen varieties, watercolors and fluorescent markers.
Reading
Reading is a fun activity that is likely to instill love for books among your kids. However, independent reading may only be appropriate for children above eight years. At this age, their vocabulary is sufficient, and they have acquired some level of proficiency in reading, which allows them to follow the content.
For children below this age to enjoy the process, opt for illustrated books with simple storylines. Also, make sure that you are giving them material that is appropriate for them. Do not send struggling or reluctant children off with some difficult book or one that they do not understand. You can make the process easy for them by allowing them to pick their own books.
Toys and Games
While these sound obvious, the proliferation of electronic devices means that kids interact less with toys. If you do not watch out, they will spend all their free time behind a screen. While some reasonable screen time is okay, too much of it will affect your children’s social skills and minimize their physical exercise, which are important for their development.
Set time for them to interact with puzzles, board games, construction toys, career-related play sets, trains and trucks, among others. Since kids lose interest in toys quite fast, you can put some of them away for some time and give them back later. This sets a rotation schedule, and seeing toys they haven’t seen for a while will spark interest.
Outdoor Activities
Outdoor games give your children a chance to engage in physical activities. However, the appropriateness of this option depends on how your home is set up. In most cases and depending on the age of the children, you will need someone to watch over them as they play.
Kids can enjoy sliding, running, skipping rope, blowing bubbles, playing hide and seek or even come up with their own games. They can also play with a pet dog or take it for a walk if it is appropriate.
With the above activities, you empower your children to live independent. This helps both parents and kids to spend some time alone when needed, and when there is a chance to spend some together, you will all learn to appreciate it.
