Keeping both yourself and your kids at home and entertained can be a fun and rewarding experience. Here are six tips to help you create enjoyable and engaging activities for the whole family, ensuring everyone stays entertained and happy.
This is a collaborative post.
1. Get creative with arts and crafts
Arts and crafts are a fantastic way to engage your children’s creativity while also providing a relaxing activity for yourself. Gather some basic supplies like paper, markers, glue, and scissors, and explore various projects. You can make greeting cards, paint pictures, or create collages from magazine clippings.
Encourage your kids to think outside the box by suggesting themes or challenges. For instance, you can have a “nature” theme where they create art using leaves and twigs collected from the backyard. This not only keeps them busy but also helps them appreciate the environment. Additionally, you can find countless craft ideas, coloring and tutorials online to keep things fresh and exciting. Don’t forget to check out our ideas too, we have loads in both our free, and premium site. 90% of the shop is free if you sign up too – and that’s also free!
2. Cook and bake together
Cooking and baking together is an excellent way to bond with your kids while teaching them valuable skills. Choose simple recipes that they can help with, such as cookies, pizza, or homemade pasta. Assign age-appropriate tasks like stirring, measuring ingredients, or decorating.
Make the experience educational by discussing the ingredients and their origins. You can talk about the importance of healthy eating and how different foods contribute to a balanced diet. Cooking together not only entertains but also instills a sense of accomplishment and teamwork.
For added fun, consider themed cooking days. For example, have an “Italian Day” where you make pizza and pasta from scratch. Or, celebrate different cultures by exploring their cuisines together. This activity combines learning, creativity, and delicious results. Don’t forget we have an amazing cookery section on the KiddyCharts site for you to take a look at.
3. Play indoor games and puzzles
Indoor games and puzzles are great for stimulating the mind and keeping everyone entertained. Classic board games like Monopoly, Scrabble, and Clue are perfect for family game nights. They encourage critical thinking, strategy, and friendly competition.
For solo activities, introduce your kids to card games. Playing solitaire can be a fun and relaxing way to pass the time. Additionally, jigsaw puzzles are excellent for developing problem-solving skills and patience. Choose puzzles with varying difficulty levels to keep the challenge appropriate for different age groups.
Create a dedicated game area in your home where all your board games and puzzles are easily accessible. This encourages regular play and makes it convenient to start a game whenever you have some free time.
4. Engage in physical activities
Staying active is crucial for both physical and mental health. Incorporate physical activities into your daily routine to keep everyone moving. Set up an obstacle course in your living room using cushions, chairs, and blankets. Time each other as you navigate the course, and see who can complete it the fastest.
Have a dance party in your living room. Create a playlist of your favorite songs and let loose. Dancing is a fantastic way to burn energy and have fun together. You can also try following along with online dance tutorials or fitness classes designed for kids.
For more structured activities, try family yoga or stretching sessions. These activities promote flexibility, relaxation, and mindfulness. Many online resources offer free yoga classes tailored for families, making it easy to get started.
5. Explore educational activities
Educational activities can be both fun and beneficial for your children’s development. Set up a mini science lab at home with simple experiments. For example, you can create a volcano using baking soda and vinegar or grow crystals from saltwater. These experiments spark curiosity and teach basic scientific principles.
Reading together is another excellent educational activity. Choose a variety of books, from fiction to nonfiction, and take turns reading aloud. Discuss the stories and characters, and ask questions to encourage comprehension and critical thinking.
Interactive online resources and educational games are also valuable tools. Websites and apps offer a wide range of activities, from math and reading games to virtual museum tours and language learning. Incorporate these resources into your routine to keep learning fun and engaging.
6. Set up a home theatre
Creating a home theatre experience can make movie nights extra special. Choose a family-friendly movie, pop some popcorn, and dim the lights. Arrange comfortable seating with blankets and pillows to create a cozy atmosphere.
Take turns selecting movies to ensure everyone’s preferences are considered. You can also explore different genres, from animated films and comedies to documentaries and classics. Discuss the movie afterward, sharing your favorite parts and any lessons learned.
For an added touch, create a “concession stand” with snacks and drinks. Let your kids pretend to be the concession stand operators, taking orders and serving treats. This playful element adds an extra layer of fun to the experience.
If you need some ideas and resources for your home theatre to keep entertaining kids at home easier, then we do have some ideas for you on site. From alien puppets, to imaginative play finger puppets, we’ve got you covered.
Entertaining yourself and your kids at home doesn’t have to be complicated. By incorporating creative activities, cooking, games, physical exercise, educational pursuits, and movie nights, you can create a diverse and engaging routine that keeps everyone entertained. These activities not only provide fun but also offer opportunities for learning, bonding, and building lasting memories together. Whether you’re crafting, cooking, playing solitaire, or dancing, the key is to stay flexible and enjoy the time spent with your loved ones.
Here are some other ideas for you indoors from our site – we have included 100 things to do at home which was created due to rules in 2020 – its a great resource for anytime though with amazing ideas for helping entertaining kids at home anytime:
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Take care,
Helen
Helen
Helen is a mum to two, social media consultant, and website editor; and this site is (we think) the only Social Enterprise parenting magazine!Since giving up being a business analyst when juggling travel, work and kids proved too complicated, she founded KiddyCharts so she could be with her kids, and use those grey cells at the same time.KiddyCharts has reach of over 1.1million across social and the site. The blog works with big family brands (including travel) to help promote their services, as well as offering free resources to parents of kids under 10.It gives 51%+ profits to Reverence for Life, who fund a number of important initiatives in Africa, including bringing running water and basic equipment to a school in Tanzania.Helen has worked as a digital marketing consultant (IDM qualified) with various organisations, including Channel Mum, Truprint, Talk to Mums, and Micro Scooters. She loves to be creative in the brand campaigns she works on.Get in touch TODAY!