4 Ways to Keep Kids Entertained During the Hectic Holidays
December 9, 2022
A Lifelong Skill: 3 Ways to Guide Children to Play Through the Years
February 7, 2023New year, new ways to play!
The new year brings many adults adding goals to their resolution list. From eating healthier to exercising more regularly to reading more books to spending a few minutes each day meditating, there are many resolutions adults focus on during the new year. For parents, adding new play resolutions is a great way to connect with your children and refresh some play ideas as the year progresses.
Not only will this bring you and your family closer together, but it will also give parents, caregivers and children the opportunity to have play at the forefront of their priorities, especially as other life events – return to school, doctor’s appointments, extracurricular activities, and homework – bubble up to the surface. On top of that, it can be difficult to get outside during the wintertime due to unpredictable weather – but luckily, there are simple and easy ways to keep play top of mind – that doesn’t need to break the bank or take a lot of preparation.
Here are a few ways to incorporate play into everyday life and indoors.
Photo credit: Pexels
Racing Through Obstacles
To adults, obstacles are not usually considered “fun,” but creating an indoor obstacle course is great entertainment for your kids. Create this obstacle course using moveable furniture, pillows, blankets, and toys – anything soft and safe. Show your kids how to move through the obstacle course – maybe even pretending the floor is lava – and have them try and go through as fast as they can. Time them and try to get them to beat their record each time.
Ask them to switch up the obstacle course if they have a new creative way to move through the house. Allowing kids to get moving, even if just around the house, is a great way to keep them from a sedentary lifestyle and away from screens. Plus, the physical benefits of moving around and playing cannot be ignored – your kids are learning reflexes, flexibility, balance, and movement control skills.
Time to Make Believe
It’s time to put on a show – and parents are the participating audience! Have your child take the lead and encourage them to come up with a make-believe scenario. Are they an astronaut soaring through space? A chef creating a delicious new dish? A famous Broadway star opening their first show?
There are so many different make-believe scenarios that your children can make that will let their creativity to shine through. Allowing kids to use their creativity is a great way to enhance their confidence, intelligence, and their ability to articulate their ideas. Be sure to ask them questions about the world they have created – by showing interest in their ideas, you are giving them the space to build confidence and develop a sense of accomplishment that leads to higher self-esteem. This type of free play enhances their brain and cognitive skills as well, by introducing a new world and explaining that world to their parents.
Treasure Hunt, Treasure Hunt, X Marks the Spot
Parents know their children better than anyone – so what is a treasure your child would love to find? Is it their favorite sweet treat? One of their favorite movies? A treasured stuff animal? Set your children on the path to find their prize, hidden somewhere around the house or back yard.
This can come in the form of a map or riddles that your children have to figure out in order to continue the treasure hunt. Low on prep time? There are several online, printable treasure hunt prompts that you can use to save time without cutting down on the fun! You can use these prompts to have your kids travel around the home, finding different appliances or items in your house, which then leads them to the next clue. For example, “I take the dirty and soak them until clean, those grass stains and marks will no longer be seen” – washing machine!
Not only is this an enjoyable way to move around the house, but this type of free play helps children develop language and reasoning skills, encourages autonomous thinking and problem solving, as well as helping them to focus on tasks at hand.
Once they solve the riddles and have found their treasure, their favorite movie for example, bring out the popcorn and blankets and cozy in for a family movie night.
These unique, indoor activities are a fun and meaningful way to connect as a family and keep play as a top priority as you move into the new year. With all the other resolutions you have prioritized in day-to-day life, make sure taking a little bit of time each day to incorporate play into your kid’s day is top of the list.
