One thing that we have learned about 2020 is that it’s hard to be inside all of the time. But there are things that you can do so that you and your children don’t go TOO crazy. Below are some things that you can do to keep your kids entertained when they can’t go outside.
Cardboard Palace
If you are like a lot of people, this year has been the year for having stuff delivered. Chances are that you have a ton of cardboard boxes. You can use these to make your child a house. Even if there are only small boxes, you can use them, paper, glue and markers to make them into boats, dollhouses or robots. There are so many options out there.
Pillows & Cushions
Use couch cushions and pillows for creating a great obstacle course. You can also use them to play the floor is lava game. Of course, you also can make them into a fort. There are a lot of great things that you can do with them.
Indoor Picnic
Just because you are inside it doesn’t mean that you can’t have a picnic. Get out the old picnic blanket, or just a blanket, and put it on ground, like you would a regular picnic. Then break out the paper plates and sandwiches and have fun. Best part is, no ants or bees!
Go “Camping”
This goes along with the pillows and cushions idea up there. You can put some blankets over chairs or even over the cushions. Tell the kids they’re camping and give them marshmallows and flashlights. They’ll have a ball!
Make Artwork
Have some dry erase markers? They work great on the windows.
Tiny Bubbles
Go into the bathroom and let the kids blow some bubbles. You also can encourage them to take a bubble bath for a while. The child gets clean and has fun. Win-win situation for sure!
Snow Graffiti
If it’s snowed, put food coloring and water in spray bottles. See what your children can do to make the snow more coloring.
Exchange Kids
Now, this can be fun for the parents and kids, but only if you trust your neighbors. See if your neighbors would be willing to take your children for a few hours and you would take theirs. Then get together afterwards for snacks and a movie. Parents can enjoy some wine.
Have a Scavenger Hunt
This is a great thing to set up while your kids are playing in the snow. Make a list of the things they have to find. When they come in, give them the list and tell them to go look for the items.
Science Experiments
If your children are older, try doing some science experiments at home. there are a lot of great choices on YouTube that you can find to make it fun and educational (shh don’t tell the kids).
Puzzles
You may think that your children are too young to play with puzzles. But it’s really surprising how well even kids as young as 4 are able to do with puzzles that are 500 pieces with mom helping.
Have a Movie Day
This is a lot of fun and easy because there are so many streaming services right now that you don’t even need a lot of DVDs or even cable. Do it up right. Have some popcorn, let them have some soda, if you have it, and even maybe break out that last bit of Halloween candy that you have been hiding. Turn off the lights, put some cushions or pillows on the floor and have a fun movie day.
Have a Pajama Day
There’s no better day to have a pajama day than when it’s nasty outside. Everyone gets into the act, even the parents, and you can have breakfast foods all day if you want. Cereal, eggs, pancakes, waffles, etc.
Musical Chairs
Okay, this one is old, but it still can be a lot of fun. Get some chairs and put on your children’s favorite songs. Then have everyone play, even the parents.
Karaoke
If your children or older, or even if they aren’t, this can be a lot of fun. There are plenty of apps that let you do karaoke. Just be forewarned – you may be hearing “Let It Go” for hours.
Play Games
Now, we’re not talking about those games on their tablet or on the video game console. We’re talking about those board games like you used to play (yes they do still exist!) Get out the old Candyland, Chutes and Ladders, Sorry, Yahtzee, Uno (this one is great for teaching kids about colors and numbers), and more. They’ll have fun and you’ll have fun remembering your childhood.
Bake Cookies
It doesn’t matter if you still have cookies leftover from Christmas – the best thing about cookies is that they can be frozen! So bake some cookies and let your kids decorate them.
Nonelectronic Things to Do with a Sick Child
If your child isn’t feeling well, whether they are confined to bed or not, it can be hard to find things that they will want to do. But here are some tips that you can use to help them stay entertained and to get their mind off of how they are feeling.
- Read Lots of Books – One thing that your child is going to love doing is having you read to them. It doesn’t matter how old they are – if they aren’t feeling well, sometimes having a parent read to them is comforting.
- Create a Fort – What’s even better than reading a book? Reading a book in a fort. There are a lot of great fort ideas that you can choose from.
- Play – This is simple but it’s going to be a huge hit. Take some time to play toys with them. Kids love it when you get down onto the floor or sit on their bed with their favorite toys.
- Look at Pictures – Now is a great time to look at the pictures of your child when they were young.
- Bath Time – If your child is achy and stuffy, having a warm bath can be so soothing. It’s good especially for fevers and they can play with favorite water toys.
- Movie – This is technically an electronic, but you’re doing it together, so it is different. Find one of the movies that you’ve not watched for a long time and watch it while snuggled up.
- Milkshakes – Based on how sick the child is, a fun way to make a child feel better is to make them milkshakes. It can sooth their throats.
- Crafts – There are a lot of crafts that you can do and it can help your child get their mind off of being sick for a while. Think about the things that they like and then look online for crafts that have to do with it.
- Coloring – When a child’s sick, one of the best ways to keep them entertained is by coloring and drawing pictures. If they are confined to bed, look for washable markers so that if they get on the sheets, they will wash out.
These are just some of the things that you can do with your kids when everyone is confined inside. You probably can come up with some of your own, too. If you are looking for things for your house or fun things for your kids, we have lots of great bargains in our store. Take a look and see what we have.
