Being cooped up inside isn’t everyone’s dream. For the introvert, it’s not a big deal, but if you have extroverts living among you, it’s a totally different story. So how can you get everyone engaged, so that you can connect as a family and have some much needed fun without driving yourself crazy? Here are 3 creative ways to stay active and have a great time together, whether with your own little ones, your grand kids or even your older kids.
Make something
It doesn’t have to cost a fortune to be creative and make something. You’d be surprised what you can find around the house, or during a quick jaunt to the Dollar Store. Kids love to be creative! And so do adults! But what to make? Oh that’s the easy part! Get your wet suit on; we are going to dive into some ideas!
- Messy fun: Yes, this does sound like alot of work for you as far as cleaning up, but it doesn’t have to be. Think ahead and put down a large sheet or play in the empty bathtub! With what you ask? Homemade play dough, slime, mud or snow! There are a ton of recipes online. And if your kiddos are old enough, they can help make it too! Be sure to look for age appropriate recipes as there are some great ones out there that are safe for toddlers who like to put everything in their mouths.
- Origami: This can be far more complicated than paper airplanes and swans. I have actually done this with my foster son and we had a blast! We watched You Tube videos on how to make masks, swords, and even a fighter jet airplane out of paper! Afterwards we colored our masterpieces and then played with them! It was a great way to bond and a bonus lesson in following directions.
- Obstacle course: There are so many fun things that you can do! Relay races (we did one with eggs), baby food tasting (higher the points, the less sweet it became), bug catching (plastic bugs in a very large bowl of green oily spaghetti), blindfolded basketball free throws, even a food fight with mashed potatoes! Be creative, get moving, laugh, be silly!
- Crafts: A paper plate, paint, glue and glitter can inspire creativity within any child. Add in popsicle sticks, googly eyes, feathers, and yarn to make a stick monster! Old socks? Make hand puppets! Or how about painting rocks and then going to the park to place them for others to find and take home.
Play
Playing can include many things. It’s not what you play that matters. It is the fact that you are doing it together as a family. Even us introverts can get into the fun. Play doesn’t have to be just for kids. Again, let your creative side flow and come up with some things your family won’t be able to resist participating in.
- Games: There are so many choices! Make adjustments to yard games and play them inside! Trashcan basketball, ball pong, corn-hole, tic-tac-toe with bean bags. Board games are always fun. Try new ones! Some of our favorites were “Don’t Wake Daddy” and “Life”. There are also new subscription games like “Hunt a Killer” for older kids to play with you and a new box comes each month! Great way to keep in contact with young adult kids too. Even a good ole game of gold fish can be a wonderful way to spend time and chase away boredom. If you have a dance video game, or any that will get you up and moving play it with older or adult kids. We had a Michael Jackson dance off that lasted for hours on the Wii.
- Dress up: Kids love pretending. Get some old clothes out or dig into some old Halloween costumes. Find old sunglasses, wigs, hats, gloves, there is no limit. Old costume jewelry is always a big hit. Aprons, ribbons, belts. Whatever you feel comfortable letting your kids get into. Have them put on a play for you, or sing and dance. Be sure to take pictures or videos! When my kids were a little older, we dug out Halloween make-up and practiced our talents on making ourselves as scary as possible!
- Pretend: Younger kids are full of imagination. Get out some items and play grocery store, or take stuffed pets to the vet. I went dinosaur hunting with my grandson. We fed the dinosaur food when we found him hiding under the bed and hid from the scary T-Rex when we heard him coming. Let them take the lead and just have a great time.
Together time
Any time you spend together is quality time. Watching videos is probably one of the highest rated together time activities. But what else can be done when watching movies gets boring or if no one can agree on what to watch next. How about thinking out of the box to activities you have probably already done before but doing it with a twist.
- Campfire stories: If you have a fireplace, a faux fireplace or a TV with a fake fireplace playing, you have the main ingredient for campfire storytelling. Make some microwave smores (extremely easy and takes 15 secs); make a pallet of blankets or sleeping bags on the floor with comfy pillows, turn out the lights and let the spooky stories flow! If the kids are really little, spooky may not be the best idea, so do silly stories or fairy tales instead.
- Pictures: Kids, no mater what age, love to look at pictures. Dig out photo albums, old videos, or boxes of pictures. Spread them out and reminisce. You will be laughing, talking about memories, and discussing stories about relatives that the kids may not have been able to meet. It’s a great way for kids to discover where they came from ethnically!
- Baking or cooking: My granddaughter looked forward to helping with dinner. Find tasks that little ones can do like stir, pour ingredients into a bowl, set timers, etc. Older kids can help cut, stir or mix and be more involved in the cooking process. Even if it’s just putting a frozen pizza in the oven, they will be proud that they helped! It is not only a way to bond with your kids or grand kids, but it’s also a way to teach valuable skills that they will need when they move out on their own one day. You can pass down family recipes, find new one’s to try, or cook for a family in need.
My time as a mom of little ones has come to pass, but I still remember all the things we did together. And the greatest part is, my boys remember them too. You don’t have to spend money to create memories. Now I look forward to creating new memories with my grandchildren and keeping my grown kids close to me as well. I would love to hear your stories!
