It’s easy for families to go a little stir-crazy while sheltering in place. The weather is warming up, but your kids are jumping off the walls! If you’re not careful, you can end up shelling out a lot of money to keep your kids entertained. Thankfully, there are plenty of fun and educational indoor activities you can do with your children without breaking the bank. Here are some great ideas to get you started.
Be Prepared with Rainy Day
If you need an effective way to pry your children away from their screens, have some secret surprises prepared. Look for gently used toys, craft supplies, board games, dress-up outfits, and indoor sports equipment on sites like eBay. You could even wrap up your budget-friendly finds so your kids can get excited about opening little presents.
Even if you’re not buying gently used, there are plenty of reasonably priced, kid-friendly board games to keep your kids entertained. Choose an age-appropriate game that offers some educational value as well. For example, the Castle Panic game is a strategic game that can also teach your kids about cooperation.
Download Educational Apps
Believe it or not, screen time isn’t that bad for kids at all — the content that your kids are consuming tends to matter more than the amount of time they spend glued to their screens. Download some educational apps, eBooks, and strategy games to your smartphone or tablet and let your kids play around for a while.
Break Out the Arts and Crafts
Your children will never run out of things to do once you break out the arts and crafts. Don’t fuss over pricey paints or specialty crafting tools; all you need is some basic budget-friendly supplies, including something to draw on, something to draw with, and something to protect your table. According to Blessed Beyond Crazy, creating art helps children build fine motor skills, explore their feelings, develop problem-solving skills, and bolster their self-esteem.
Bake Something Delicious
While spending time with your little ones, teach them something new and pass on your skills. Baking together is an amazing way to help your kids develop a greater appreciation for food while supporting their cognitive development and fine motor skills. To incorporate some math into your kitchen time, get your children to scale up the recipe to feed more people or ask them to convert ingredient quantities into different systems of measurement. If you’re hesitant about fueling your kids with sugar while they’re stuck inside, cook a healthy meal together instead. Then, you’ll have a delicious home-cooked dinner to share with your family, which is much more affordable than ordering takeout!
Get Moving
According to KidsHealth, children need at least an hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day and should not be inactive for more than two hours at a time — as if they could sit still for that long! Help your kids stay active with a variety of DIY indoor games. Play hide and seek, try to keep a balloon in the air, dance to music, or put on a kid-friendly workout video. Your children’s energy is sure to run out before you run out of ideas.
When your family has to shelter in place due to the COVID-19 lockdown, be ready with plenty of activities to keep your kids active and entertained. These days are perfect for bonding with your little ones over-imaginative creations or challenging games. What’s more, you’re bound to have some fun yourself!