Things to do at home to keep the kids busy

This is our first blog filled with things to do at home and this one is overflowing with suggestions, links, ideas, and inspiration!

Sensory Play:-

This is a great option for kids of all ages and you can be so flexible based on things you already have at home and cater to the child’s interests.
For preschoolers, a great ‘go-to’ is just a tub filled with some form of sensory material like rice, coconut, or lentils (anything food based and dry is ideal and that will be easy to vacuum up if the kids make a mess and also nontoxic and not a choking hazard) and add a few cups, funnels, scoops and sit back and relax while they scoop, pour, measure, tip and rummage their hands in the tub. (pic source busytoddler.com). Step it up by ‘hiding’ a bunch of small plastic animals and sending them on a mission to find them all. These Wild Republic animal sets are of great value to add to sensory play of all kinds. For older kids, sensory play can mean all sorts of things! Bi-Carb soda on a tray with droppers and colored vinegar in ice cube trays is awesome – just be sure to supervise. A great one if you want the hassle taken care of for you is our Sensory Sand kits – available in two sizes here and are a ready-made all-in-one solution!

Independent Play:-

A skill that some kids develop earlier than others is playing independently, and while it’s certainly something that just happens more and more as they get older there are ways to gradually increase the time your kids will spend on activity alone. Our best outcomes have been when there is a clear intention or activity and not just a general ‘go and play. So you might find you spend time setting up activities throughout the day or getting things ready but this is all part of the children developing their own skills.
Puzzles are another one that is perfect for any age. The older the child the better able they will be to complete it without guidance or help and if you really want that little break then make sure you pick one they can do without help no matter the age, rather than making it a challenge. We often encourage challenge puzzles as its better value for money long term but there’s also a place for ‘quick and easy’ achievable puzzles which allow you and them that solo time. Check out our kid’s puzzles here and the collection includes everything from 2-piece wooden puzzles, floor puzzles like the world one shown here, peg puzzles, and right up to puzzles for 9-year-olds.
Single Player Games are another way to encourage the kids to work things out themselves and Smart Games are very good at making games for as young as three-year-olds, in themes that are appealing and age-appropriate and right up to adult brain teaser challenge games. The important part is to initially sit with them and show them the game, explain the process, the rules and how to work through each level – the kids pick it up pretty quick but often skip to the ‘play’ before actually understanding how to which can lead to frustration just like trying to put Ikea furniture together without looking at the instructions!!

Art & Craft:-

Art, making, building, and creating are all great ones to have in your back pocket but it’s good to think ahead and plan for it as they can often be messy either in terms of things like paint or just mess and clutter!
We’ve found over the years that half the fun is actually making the mess, so for younger kids embrace the mess, consider it part of the activity and just be ready for clean up at the end. Half the fun with my kids was washing the paint off their bodies in the bathtub and watching the bathwater change colors!! Start keeping old sheets to lay on the floor under messy activities, cardboard boxes for box creations, and get a stash of paper or cards that can readily be created upon and turned into cards and gifts for relatives.