Are you running out of fun activities for kids? Kids like doing stuff that are for adults; it gives them a sense of entitlement or promotion. They also like creating things and watching their parents create. Nevertheless, it’s good to know that most toddlers are happy to just be able to do any activity with their parent; it’s their mum or dad’s presence and attention that matter to them most. Therefore, there really is no limit to the number of fun activities for kids if you know how to think out of the box. Here are a few that might inspire you.
Plant some fruits and veggies
Letting your kid dig up some backyard dirt may sound a bit messy but did you know that gardening is a great alternative to going to baby “gym”? Studies reveal it’s like weight training for little ones. Moreover, kids are more likely to become interested in eating veggies and fruits they’ve planted themselves – an added bonus.
How can toddlers help in the garden? After putting on them a pair of toddler shoes and little gloves, allow them to loosen up soil for you. Toddlers love to mush their hands in soil. Sprinkling water on pots and plants is also fun and doable for them. You can also check out these 23 spring garden craftsto take gardening fun one step further.
Mum-and-baby yoga
Ever heard of mum-and-baby yoga? If you have a four-year-old who loves dancing or posing, then she’s your best bet for a yoga partner. No need for her to soil her clothes and toddler shoes for this! Switch on YouTube and search for a neat kids yoga or postnatal yoga classes (yes, yoga classes for baby and mama are different from routines for slightly bigger kids). There might also be a studio in your area, like the one in Auchenflower, which offers YogaBaby and Kids Yoga.
Have fun sweeping dry leaves
Put them is toddler shoes or sandals, give them a mini rake, and ask them to form a mountain of leaves and branches on one side of the yard. If you have a two-year-old who’s too small for that, he can pick leaves one by one and put them in a bin. For colorful kid-sized brooms, rakes and other tools, check out Twigz’ long garden tools. It doesn’t matter if your little one does not move as fast as you or the others, this is good exercise and family bonding time for everyone.
Cook together
You can bake muffins, cake or cookies, or even cook together! Some of the things kids can do in the kitchen are mixing, pouring, rinsing, crushing or pounding, sprinkling, serving, and cleaning. Older ones can also do measuring and setting up.
Need help mixing? One of you can pour while the other can mix. Need your veggies rinsed or the pepper crushed? Your four-year-old can do that. Or let your little girl shape the cookies and line them up on the cookie sheet. Who says kitchen work can’t be one of many fun activities for kids? The great thing with this is that they would be more excited to eat it if they helped prepare it. Check out these toddler-friendly recipes.
Walk the dog or look for them
Don’t worry if you don’t have a dog, gear him up in toddler shoes and a jacket after breakfast or dinner and tell him you’re going for a walk to see the neighbors’ dogs, or the neighbors’ cats (some toddlers adore cats). As you walk down the street, you can also play a game like first one to see a dog gets a point, or just practically any game you can think of. It’s also a good time to teach your kids to be observant of what they can see in their neighbourhood, like trees, shrubs, other kids, etc.
Do the laundry game
Kids would love to help you fold clean laundry. Turn it into a game by asking, “Whose clothing is this?” Then they can guess and fold. When sorting dirty laundry, you can ask them “Is this dark or light?” and then they can dunk all white’s in one bin and all dark ones in another. There are more laundry game ideas in this post.
Dance crazily to loud music
Crank up the CD player, clear some space in the middle of your family room, and tell your kids you’re going to have a dance party. Kids can take turns maneuvering a flashlight as if it were a strobe light while all of you dance your heart out for an hour. Here’s a pop song playlist to make that family dance party a sure hit.
There are loads of other fun activities for kids. You can go swimming, hiking, or try out a new sport together. It really depends on what’s convenient and available to your family. Remember, even the simplest thing done together can be extremely worthwhile because it is quality time with each other.