fashion kids

Keeping the kids busy at home

It’s safe to say that it can get tough entertaining kids at home, even if you have access to all the time, patience and resources you need. Especially if you have a few to take care of, with different ages and interests, you might need to get extra creative to keep them busy (and happy!) while stuck indoors.
 
Key tips? It’s easy to ask too much of yourself, fall short of expectations and feel like you’re not doing enough. But kids are often naturally curious, fun-loving and keen to take the lead, so keep things simple and roll with the punches… you got this! 
 

Getting Messy

It’s an oldie but a goodie, and a truth universally acknowledged that children love nothing more than to make a mess. Handily, there are lots of different ways to indulge them. Pick something you know you might enjoy too and get cracking – whether that’s cutting your own potato stamps, finger painting or experimenting in the kitchen! Making and baking are fantastic ways to encourage your child to express themselves, and better yet having space to be creative can boost brain development and keep little ones’ mental health in tip-top shape. 
 
For some fun ideas, try adding food colouring and vegetable oil to a sink full of water! As well as offering a great invitation to play, it can also work as an at-home science lesson on density for the older ones. If food is more your thing, whip up a batch of fairy cakes and encourage your helper go wild with the icing! Stock up on your baking essentials here. This Cupcake Starter Kit is a fab place to start for any budding baker.

  


Reusing What You Have

Imaginative play can provide hours of fun for little ones and give them an opportunity to play out different scenarios and practice their developing social skills. Role playing toys like Playmobil and Lego are a great way to help them get into it while working on their motor skills at the same time. 
 
Saying that, you don’t need to spend a fortune or fill up your cupboards to keep them happy. Save up some items you would otherwise have put out for recycling – old kitchen roll tubes, cardboard boxes of all sizes and egg cartons all have their uses to a child of any age. You could also try keeping old clothes, bags and sheets for costumes and props, and use furniture and blankets to build dens to hide away in. 
 
Top tip: Jot some prompts on cards for older kids to guide them on their way. But remember not to get disheartened if they decide to do their own thing! 

Scavenger Hunts

Treasure maps and clues are an easy way to get your brood excited, and they’re great for sneaking in learning opportunities too! Grab a pen and paper and draw simple a floor plan of your home (fine artistry not required!). Tuck treats or old toys into unexpected places and let the kids run wild as they collect them. They can even turn the idea on its head and hide things for you to find in turn.
 
For an educational twist, hide a letter in each place and help your explorers string them together to make an easily recognisable word or phrase. Or, to keep things fresh, make a list of items to look for instead of a map including simple prompts like “Something soft”, “Something you love” and “Something that rhymes with _______”. Pre-schoolers might also like the opportunity to search for items that are a specific colour or start with the first letter of their names. The options are endless! 



Author Name
Leela,
01/04/2020