8 Clever Ways To Keep Kids From Getting Bored Indoors
It’s nice to get stuck indoors all warm and comfy during a rainy day, snowy weather, or even during a pandemic. But when screen time no longer amuses your kid, they’re quick to say ‘I’m bored’—two words that can fill any parent or caregiver with dread.
Boredom isn’t all bad. According to experts, boredom can mean two things: they want your attention and they’re ready to try new things. When you hear them say it once or countless times, it’s their way of saying they want to do something different with you.
Clever Boredom Busters
If you’re not sure what can keep them entertained aside from their toys, don’t fret. Here are eight clever ways to keep your tiny tots busy. These activities provide endless fun and can even double as teaching moments without them knowing it.
1. Get Active
There’s no better way to release your kid’s pent-up energy than exercise. Even those with toddlers at home can try this out to keep them moving in ways that can develop their motor skills and help them appreciate what their little bodies can do.
Of course, workouts are better when you’re in the lead, so kick up your sweats and go matchy-matchy. Show them that being fit and active keeps their bodies strong and healthy. Help them develop their self-esteem at a young age.
2. Science Whiz, Home Version
Watching how-to science videos are nice, but it’s better when you do it. Sure, they can be pretty messy, but homemade volcanoes, simple lava lamps, even toothpicks-and-marshmallow towers can satisfy curious minds and engage their senses.
3. Play, Play, Play!
When kids are bored with their toys, you can introduce them to other types of play that won’t only pass away time but also help them develop various skills. Playing with your kids strengthens your relationship and helps them develop resilience.
Join in the fun with indoor scavenger hunts, obstacle courses, or charades. Make them a racetrack and parking lot from washi tapes. Or build a fort with pillows and blankets. You can even have teatime with stuffed toys or pretend to be a grocery cashier complete with paper money and coins. You can also dress them in costumes and make them a firefighter, pet doctor, or pilot.
Aside from unstructured play or games, you can use a playtime approach to teaching kids hard stuffs like math or science. This will unleash their creativity and make learning more fun.
4. Get Artsy
Crayons, glitter, and paint are your best bet to counter boredom. Frame their collage, hang it up in their room, or make an art gallery when you have a collection. Paint kindness rocks and use them to decorate a rock garden. You can also create play dough sculptures or create a gratitude or vision board to hang up in their room.
Make crafts that are in line with the season, like Easter eggs or Halloween decorations. You can use recycled materials to make tissue box monsters, tin can wind chimes, or mini-lid banjos for a mini-concert afterward.
5. Help Out In The Kitchen
All the hype from games and science experiments can make them hungry, so why not head to the kitchen and make something everyone will enjoy? Little hands can help you make sandwiches or cookies. Use cookie cutters or molders to create snack art and dish up attractive and yummy treats.
You can also help with milkshakes or smoothies. If your kids are older, they can help you prepare meals in time for dinner or for a weekend family time. Encourage them to come up with a week-long menu of foods they can make.
6. Read Up and Make Stories
Books can entertain bored kids. Have an impromptu storytelling session with some props to make it more enjoyable. If you have costumes available, dress your kids and have them act out portions of the story. You can use puppets for your mini-theater.
You can create a story of your own and have them design a cover page. Consider interesting storylines such as a naughty pet’s adventures, a typical school day, or a family vacation. Ask everyone to pitch in ideas, and you’ll be surprised at how the story will end.
7. Teach Them To Journal
You can introduce writing to help kids ease their boredom. Writing can help alleviate stress and anxiety and can help them improve their writing and communication skills. Aside from writing day-to-day activities, you can encourage them to write to grandparents and other relatives living far away. Younger ones can make cards you can send out. They can send letters of thanks to military veterans or active personnel.
8. Learn New Skills With Online Classes
Make the most out of screen time by hooking up with online classes to learn new skills. For example, have your kids learn cooking or baking while older ones learn how to code. They may even find it interesting to learn a new language or create videos of their tutorials.
Conclusion
Staying indoors can be a fun and memorable time for kids when you provide them with different activities that channel their energy and creativity. There’s no way kids can complain they’re bored when you play, explore, and create with them.
