Children of all ages, bless their hearts, have so much energy that parents sometimes just fail to keep up with them. And as every parent knows – there’s nothing scarier than a bored child. Unless they are entertained, kids can easily turn into small cranky people who make impossible demands and cry about anything and everything. So, if you ever feel like you need some extra help to keep your kid busy and entertained, check some of these ideas out.
Have fun with edible plasticine
Children simply love to play with plasticine. However, when they’re still too young, you run the risk of them having a nibble at it when you’re not looking. So, to play it safe, you should make your own, edible plasticine. Mix half a cup of unsalted butter, 1 tbsp of thick cream, ¼ tsp of vanilla extract and 3-4 cups of powdered sugar. Divide the concoction into smaller sections and color them with food coloring. Get the rolling pin out, find some cookie cutters and get down to plying.
Keep them busy with educational toys
Another fun way you can keep your kids busy is with interactive educational toys. These are meant to keep your kids engaged while offering some knowledge in return. Depending on your child’s age, you can find numerous appropriate options like these microscopes for kids at FuntasticToy. Kids seem to really enjoy these types of toys and they will be thrilled to share what they’ve learned with you. You can even take things a step further and give them a small reward every time they manage to overcome an obstacle.
Have some fun outside
If you have your own backyard that’s entirely child-proof, you can create a scavenger hunt for your little ones. Take some of their favorite toys and hide them in your backyard. You can even include some other items that are completely kid-safe. Either write down the things you have hidden or make small pictures of the items if your kid still can’t read. Once they find all the items reward them with freshly baked cookies or their favorite snacks. This activity is great even for bigger children and it allows you to get even more elaborate with your hiding attempts.
Build toys from ordinary household items
Furthermore, you can also spend some quality time with your kids while making toys out of stuff you have lying around your home. For instance, you can take a yoghurt lid and glue some bottle caps on it to make a face with eyes. Use twine or some other type of string to make the mouth. Add some yarn to the top of the lid to make hair and glue a wooden stick or straw to make a handle for this mask. There are numerous other fun ideas you can easily draw inspiration from. Don’t forget to have fun!
Make fun paintings
On a similar note, you can make some fun paintings with your kids and hang them later in your kids’ room as wall art. Get a container that is somewhat bigger than the paper you intend on using. Cover the floor of the container with shaving foam and swirl some gel food coloring over the foam. Use a toothpick or an orange stick to create patterns and distribute the colors to your preference. Once you’re happy with the design, pay a piece of paper over it. When the design transfers, flip the paper and leave it on a flat surface to dry. Once completely dried, frame your works of art and find a proper place to display it.
Thanks to the power of the internet, parents nowadays can find some amazing tips and tricks, as well as toys, that will keep their kids entertained. If you didn’t find any of these ideas entertaining enough, browse the web and find others that might work better for you and your kid.