Parent Talk / February-March 2008
Fun Ways to Keep the Kids Entertained
By V. Brown
As a parent it often seems one of the most time consuming jobs is that of entertainment advisor.
Whether it’s because my children are stuck inside due to bad weather, they’ve done everything and played all their games over a weekend or holiday period or they are just plain bored altogether, it seems I constantly need to come up with some new and exciting ways to keep them amused. The problem comes when no matter what suggestion I make it’s either dull or not much fun at all; while getting the kids to clean their rooms will keep them busy, for some reason it’s usually bottom of the list when it comes to their favourite activities.
I’ve since learned that the best way to keep them happy, and me from hearing the constant cry of “I’m bored” is to keep several different things on hand and let them use their imaginations.
For younger children it’s often a good idea to keep a box with a stock of items that can be used in a variety of craft activities:
Paper, pencils, glue and scissors are a must-have. To that you can also add things like scraps of material, old buttons, glitter, popsicle sticks and other recycled products like empty cereal boxes, magazines, plastic containers etc.
Depending on what your child starts to make you can also use things like shaped pasta, or send them off on a treasure hunt to find the right shaped leaf or twig etc.
By keeping these things on hand you can let your child dive through the box of goodies and see just where their imagination can lead them. As a parent, this can be very entertaining and rewarding to witness.
You may also want to keep a collection of old hats, clothes, shoes and jewellery as playing dress ups and holding fashion shows can be a fun way for them to spend the afternoon.
For the older child it can get a little harder, but it’s not impossible: let them try things like preparing the nightly meal (many will enjoy cooking) or using some of the craft material you may already have on hand and ask them to start a scrapbook of your favourite photos. Some kids will enjoy writing and illustrating their own stories, they may think it’s a silly idea to start with, but more often than not once they get started you’ll find they will happily work on it. If you have a video camera let them make a movie; whether it’s them acting out their favourite movies or creating something entirely new you may be surprised to see just what they can come up with.
While there are lots of other ways to keep your kids amused these are just some of my chosen methods and perhaps the next time you hear the dreaded cry of “What can I do now?” you can give one of them a try.
Adapted from www.ezinearticles.com.
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