The pandemic gave many families no choice but to spend an incredible amount of time together. Although kids love spending more time with their parents and siblings, these unprecedented times made everything difficult. As we shelter in place, parents are left with juggling work and childcare. Since kids are not used to being at home 24/7, they needed to find ways to keep the children engaged. And for most parents, such a task is never easy.
Thankfully, one can make the most out of this time by thinking of activities that will keep the kids happy, healthy, and engaged. This involves finding out the interests of the kids. Using such activities to teach them different life lessons is the best way to optimize family bonding time.
Here are some ideas you can consider.
Baking with the Kids
If your kids love eating different baked goodies, baking can be the perfect activity for the family. With your guidance, they can start learning how to bake their favorite cakes and cookies. This enables children to use both hands, improve motor skills, and practice their bilateral coordination skills.
You can teach them organization and planning skills through baking. This is since choosing and following a recipe is always involved when trying to bake anything. This helps teach kids that with hard work and patience, they can enjoy a tasty treat as a result.
In case your oven breaks down in the middle of a baking session, show your kids how to act calmly. Use this opportunity to show the possible ways to solve the issue. You can also ask for their recommendations to encourage them to use their problem-solving skills.
If the oven is still fairly new, you can consider hiring expert appliance repair. This teaches kids that one does not necessarily need to buy a new appliance in case of a breakdown. This also teaches kids the importance of taking care of things and resorting to repair and maintenance before discarding still usable items.
Plant a Garden
There are lots of tasks involved in starting a garden and maintaining healthy plants. Allowing kids to engage in such activities promotes physical activity, lowers stress, improves mood, and fosters love and respect for nature. Spending time in nature also helps kids enjoy better sleep quality.
When we grow fruit-bearing plants and vegetables with the kids, they learn to appreciate unfamiliar fruits and veggies. They are more willing to try these out. As a result, they tend to choose healthier foods as part of their diet.
Gardening teaches kids the importance of nature and the hard work behind growing plants. They will learn planning, organization, and reasoning skills while boosting their focus and memory. It also helps build their sense of confidence after successfully growing plants.
Household Chores
One might think that household chores are never fun projects for kids. But in reality, most kids would love to help around the house. There are lots of age-appropriate tasks you can split among family members, including your toddlers.
We can start by teaching little kids to clean up after a productive afternoon playing with their toys. Provide them with storage boxes where they can put their toys and books back. Make the activity more fun by racing your kids on who gets to clean up the fastest.
Kids aged four through six can start learning how to take care of their pets. They can safely engage with activities like putting away groceries, setting the table, making their own bed, and sweeping the floor. With a bit of singing and music, even the most boring chores can be fun.
Household chores teach kids a sense of responsibility. They learn early on that keeping a clean and organized home will make them happier and healthier. It helps kids learn about teamwork, time management skills and build self-reliance and a strong work ethic.
Crafting
Kids are curious creatures. They would love to do some crafting with you and explore how simple materials can turn into beautiful creations. The crafting activities you can do with the kids will depend on their interests and abilities.
Crafting teaches kids that it is okay to communicate their feelings. This helps boost their creativity levels while helping them learn the importance of following instructions. They also learn how teamwork and sharing can help them build and complete different crafting projects.
Crafting also encourages kids to try something new. This tests and improves their patience, hones their motor skills, and challenges their creativity. You might be surprised by just how creative your kids are after a few crafting sessions with them.
This list goes to show families can have a great time bonding together without stepping outside of their property. They get to stay at home and keep the kids engaged while teaching children important life skills. With a bit of creativity, you will be able to think of other ways to keep the kids engaged and cope better under the new normal.
