Six Indoor Activities for Kids (besides TV)
Regardless if they’re two or 12, one thing is certain; children need stimulation. Children are notorious for being energetic and rambunctious, so keeping their minds occupied should always be a parent’s top priority.
No matter how organized you are, there are bound to be times when they’re unable to get outside to play. Whether it’s bad weather or you just don’t want them playing outside today. Either way, children need to be kept occupied and the answer isn’t always television.
There are plenty of fun things for your child to do indoors that doesn’t involve watching TV.
Read on to learn a few indoor activities for your children to do.
Coloring Books
A cheap, yet very effective way to keep your child stimulated is having them use coloring books. They can embrace their inner artist by giving life to the page with their choice of color.
And the best part is that the options for coloring books are almost limitless ranging from space to unicorn coloring pages. Coloring books are a great way for children to express themselves using their favorite colors to color in their favorite picture.
Cleaning Up The Play Area
This one may seem more like a responsibility than an activity. However, once children start picking up toys they haven’t seen in a while, they’ll want to continue the search. Not only will this give them a sense of responsibility, they’ll also be kept occupied wondering what else they’re going to find.
In addition, helping your child clean and organize the area will strengthen their bond with you. Nothing means more to a child than having the person they trust the most play with them.
Arts and Crafts
There’s more to art than simply coloring in a page. Arts and crafts projects can be rather lengthy, which is guaranteed to keep your child busy. Similar to coloring books, there are a lot of easy, fun projects to choose from.
It can range from creating a paper mache bird to simply making macaroni art. If your child wants to do a bigger project, you’ll need to help them out.
Puzzles
Nothing works the brain more than a good puzzle. We don’t mean those puzzles you see people do on the bus or metro. Puzzles like sudoku are a little too advanced for children. However, a good sized jigsaw puzzle is another story. However, you don’t want your child feeling overwhelmed with their first puzzle, so be sure to start with something small.
Furthermore, puzzles don’t always have to be jigsaw puzzles. They can be simple brain teasers like elementary math. Puzzles are not only fun on a rainy day, they also teach children to recognize shapes, learn how to concentrate on tasks, develop patience and helps them take pride in their achievements.
Books
Books are considered to be one of the best indoor activities for a child. Not only does it edify their minds, it’s also a great source of entertainment. In fact, books are similar to television. Both have characters, a setting and a compelling story that hooks your child’s attention. However, the one difference is that books help children learn more than a TV show can. When faced with a word they don’t know or understand, they’ll feel compelled to find out what it is and what it means.
To make the experience more memorable and enjoyable, you might want to consider having parent/child reading time. Reading the same book benefits both you and your child. You, as the parent, will be more involved in your child’s learning and your child will have a stronger bond with you.
Board Games
This is mainly for children who are at least seven or eight years old. Take out a board game and play with your child. There are tons of fun and kid-friendly board games to play.
Some classic board games include:
- Candy Land
- Connect 4
- Guess Who?
- Monopoly
- Clue
- Life
As you can see, there are tons of fun indoor activities for your child to do. Granted, every child is different and has their own personal preference. But what’s important is that they’re stimulated and kept happy.
