The key to keeping your kids entertained and stimulated is to stick to a routine. There’s no better schedule to stick to than that which they are already used to doing at school. Making a blueprint for the up and coming days will help everything fall into place, this allows you to get things done yourself whilst keeping the kids busy and learning. Mr Lender has come up with some top tips to keep your kids entertained without just having them stare at a screen all day.
CREATE A SCHEDULE
One of the best ways to do this is to create a schedule clock so that your kids have something they can physically see, follow and they are able to look forward to things coming up. Use school as the framework, include when they should have breakfast, lunch and even snacks. Let them know when they have playtime and then break the rest of the day up into small chunks similar to how their school would do with subjects. Below are a couple of ideas showing things you could do for each chunk. |
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P.E
There are plenty of ways to keep your children physically active without leaving the comfort of your home. Things like online kids’ fitness channels that they can follow along with. The best thing is you won’t need any equipment, just a little floor space. You can find these channels via sites like YouTube and Vimeo. They can help your children with stretching and balance and hand-eye coordination. P.E with Joe Wicks is particularly popular at the moment. |
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ART
Let’s get creative! The perfect thing about art is that anything can be used as a canvas to work on. Why not get some use out of that recycling that has been sat on the side all week. The stuff you’d normally throw away can be used to make so many things. For example, you could use your old potatoes that need throwing away and cut them up to make into stamps. Get your thinking hats on, the possibilities are endless but if you feel you are running low on ideas then you can find some more ideas here. |
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HISTORY
There is a huge world out there. If you don’t have the luxury of transportation and have done the local museums a million times over, then why not take a virtual tour of some of the world’s most famous art galleries and museums from the comfort of your sofa. Places like the British Museum in London, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam and the Guggenheim in New York all offer these virtual and interactive tours thanks to Google Art and Culture. |
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FOOD-TECH
Most children love cooking, just make sure you’re prepared for a little mess. Keep it relaxed and have fun with them in the kitchen, the spills can always be wiped up later. If you’re unsure where to start then begin with some basic recipes. They will still be fun and it’s still a great learning experience. Things may take longer than usual, so set aside extra time for cooking. Ultimately, your kids will love the sense of achievement once you have finished cooking and they get to eat their masterpiece. If you are struggling with recipes then why not check out some ideas here. |
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SCIENCE
The World famous San Diego Zoo may be on the other side of the globe, but you are still able to digitally visit the zoo thanks to a number of animal cameras set up. They also provide activities such as crafts and coloring pages available for free on the zoo’s website. If you don’t mind a little mess and getting your hands dirty then there are plenty of experiments you can do using objects that you would find lying around your home already. |
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BREAK TIME
When your child is having playtime try to limit adult involvement, play is the child’s job not the adults. Kids need to play independently of adults, independent doesn’t mean unsupervised. That doesn’t mean you can’t bring some structure to playtime, why not try the 30-day Lego challenge that is making the rounds on social media. They will start to see new ways to learn and think outside of the box whilst giving yourself a few moments of rest. |
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LET THEM HELP YOU
Keeping kids occupied is no easy task, but getting them to try new activities will get them used to playing independently. Get them to help you around the house, if you are cooking and cleaning let them assist you. You could also give them manageable jobs for their age range. It’s also good to give them chores to help maintain the cleanliness of the house, as having them around all the time can create a lot of mess. It also teaches them that they have a role in keeping the house clean as well.
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