Ask a teacher for some kids’ activities at home, and guess what? You’ll get activities that’ll wreck your house in an effort by the teacher to get revenge on you for sending your kids to misbehave at school for 7 hours every day. Well, here are some ideas from a teacher who wrote her take on this for us.
“When the heaven’s open (ed – yes really, a teacher put an apostrophe in a plural. What is the world coming to?) and the rain pours down, the typical cry from the 8 to 12 year old, now trapped indoors, is: “I’m bored. What can I do?” (ed – not mine. Mine pause for a nanosecond, then rip the iPad out of my hands, and before I can so much as spell “tablet” have locked themselves in their room so I can’t get it back). Well, you could be a typical 21st century parent and sit the child in front of the television, play station or computer, but this would not be the best for your developing child. (ed – oops. Fail.) Rather, turn to traditional children’s activities which enable the child to use his imagination, be in control and develop a self-empowering psyche at the same time. Your cry to me might be, “But that would involve parental supervision”, but if you choose the kids’ activities carefully and age-appropriately, this need not be the case. (ed- so teachers would like us to avoid spending time with our kids. Hmmm, interesting!)
You could empty your linen cupboard and your bag of washing pegs and leave an eight year old with these in the dining room, den or lounge – any room with furniture and space that could be used to erect a fort. Not only does your kid have to use planning and design skills, but he or she also has the chance to sit back and say: “Look what I have created!” The crowning joy could be when you allow your kid to sleep in his or her fort.
If you have more than one child in the home between eight and twelve, why not set up a role play situation as a kids’ activity. The elder child could be a teacher, the bedroom a school, and the younger child a pupil. Much fun can be had through these kids’ activities – and the elder child has a chance to assume a responsible or adult-type role. If school is not the thing, how about a work-place situation: a building site; an office; a supermarket – whatever takes your child’s fancy. Your home could also be a playground for indoor hide and seek. Children of all ages take great delight in hiding and then being found which subconsciously gives them a sense of security – they will not be on their own forever. I am sure if you cast your mind back to your childhood you will find a memory of hiding in the closet, under the bed, in the wash-basket or in a similar place.
Finally, great kids’ activities which appeal to all kids regardless of their creative talent are those which require some form of art-work. The eight year could have great fun tracing favourite super-heroes or Disney characters; the nine or ten year old could create a comic – all you need to supply is a photocopied comic with the speech bubbles blanked out; the eleven or twelve year-old could be given “paint-by numbers” set, or beads to make jewellery – your local craft shop will have ideas for you.
So, next time your child says “I am bored” when it is raining outside, don’t stress – just remember the above suggestions for kids’ activities and you will have a happy child in your home.”