SIMPLE GAMES TO KEEP KIDS BUSY

Simplegames10

Simplegames10I feel this calling to help moms out there in any way I can with my platforms.  I’ve been trying to come up with ways to help in a super positive and supportive way.

Yes, I’m so grateful we’re healthy and have this platform to connect with one another, but on the other hand I’m scared and have moments of anxiety.  Then trying to entertain (mostly Oaks) during this time has been a challenge, but it’s also been fun to connect and get creative with our time.  I’ve enjoyed this time together so much, but there are moments where I feel out of control and wish there was something I could do.  I wanted to share some ideas with you of fun things to do with your kids to get through this time.

Kids for the most part are pretty easy to entertain.  It’s just time consuming and exhausting for us, but one thing I’ve learned is to get silly.   That helps lighten the mood no matter what you’re doing.

  1. Dance Party.  This is an easy one.  Turn on your favorite jams an dance like a maniac.
  2. Build a cup tower.  Get red solo cups and stack them, then knock them down with balls or run into them.  You can even take it to the next level and get a sharpie and number them, or put letters on them and see who can hit certain letters.
  3. Marble Tower.  This is literally the best toy I’ve ever bought.  Because A. it’s fun for the parent to build, so therefore your happy energy feeds off to them and they’re much happier, therefore you’re bonding. And Oaks loves this so much.  They’re so many different ways to build it.  I keep the marbles up and away out of reach and don’t have Liv around while we’re playing.
  4. Play Soccer inside or outside.
  5. Color eggs
  6. Bake Cookies. Let them join in and help you. 
  7. Bubble machine: that way you don’t have to do any of the work
  8. Play hide and seek. Oaks can play this for hours.
  9. Go on a bear hunt.  Set up stuffed animals and hide them all over your house, turn off the lights and go on a “bear hunt”.
  10. Make paper airplanes
  11. Stack Blocks
  12. Inside Bowling
  13. FaceTime playdate with a friend or family member they adore
  14. Scavenger Hunt: use their favorite snacks or toys
  15. Play monsters in the closet. 
  16. Hide plastic eggs all over the yard, for an early egg hunt.
  17. Throw frisbies.
  18. Hide stuffed animals in trees outside and go on a hunt.  Toss balls at them.   Oaks thinks its the coolest.  
  19. Give them a cleaning rag and have them wipe down the baseboards and say whoever does it fast enough, gets a treat.  This is a win win.
  20. Get a large bowl or deep dish pan, fill it with water and bubbles and let them play with the toys in the water.  You can even have them “clean them off” with the dish scrubber.

If you have the means, I made a list of Oaks favorite toys for 3-6 year olds that a lot of you thought was super helpful.  If not, tons of free things that you can do, or even find around your house!