10 ways to keep your children entertained the first few days of 2021
If the kids are already whining about being bored and the year just started, don't worry! Here are 10 simple yet fun activities to try out.
THE holidays stretch before us with many days to be filled and bored children to keep entertained.
And, after a year of lockdown, many of us have run out of ideas, plus we’re facing a second wave which means a lot of entertainment centres will be off limits for a while.
Not to worry! Here are some fun ideas to keep the little ones engaged this holiday.
Switch on the sprinkler
If you’re not lucky enough to have a pool or be near the ocean, then you’ll be amazed at how much joy a simple sprinkler can bring. Dress the kids in their swimming costumes and lather them in sunscreen before sending them out for some fun. Try move the sprinkler around so you’re giving the garden a bit of water as well.
Party games
There’s no reason why party games have to be limited to just parties! Get the kids to help with the preparation and play some old classics like ‘pass the parcel’, ‘pin the tail on the donkey’, ‘musical statues’ and ‘musical chairs’. There is lots of fun to be had, and you can organise easy prizes such as not having to do certain chores.
A cooking show
Get the children involved in the kitchen activities by pretending you’re all on a cooking show. Depending on how flamboyant your kids are, you could even make them dress the part before tackling the kitchen duties, and film it for friends and family. They just need to remember that cleaning up is an important part of this particular cooking show!
Start a vegetable garden
Whether you have a garden or not, you and the kids can develop some green fingers this holiday. If you do have a garden, choose a patch and then get them to prepare the soil before planting some seeds. These can be leftovers from existing fruit and vegetables in your home, or bought from the shop. If you don’t have a garden, then use some pots or consider a vertical/roof garden. There’s always a way!
Create an obstacle course
Preferably an outdoor activity, but this can certainly be done indoors if required. The kids can create their own obstacle course using old boxes, wood, buckets, chairs, toys… really anything that can be safely jumped over or navigated around. Then you can time them performing the obstacle course, whether it’s on foot, by bike or skateboard.
Camping adventure
If you have a tent – great! – if not, then borrow one from a neighbour. There is nothing quite as thrilling for young kids as getting the opportunity to sleep outdoors. You can even invite the neighbouring kids and make a night of it, complete with a braai and outdoor games.
Go on a treasure hunt
Hide a few toys around the house or garden and give the children clues or a map to navigate their way to the treasure! This can really be as simple or elaborate as you like, and once you’ve done one, you can let the kids design their own treasure hunt.
Make a movie
If your kids are into this sort of thing, it can take a whole day. They need to come up with the story, assign characters, dress up and film themselves with an app like Windows MovieMaker. This is not only fun, but is a really great way to make memories for future viewing.
Hire a jumping castle
This is another activity not solely reserved for kids’ parties! To minimise the cost, get a few friends on board and organise a jumping play date. It’s a great way to get rid of excess energy and is always a firm favourite with the kids.
Movie day
Wait for a rainy day, get the children to build a fort, make some popcorn and treats and let them watch a few Christmas favourites in the fort – either on TV or on a tablet. This is a really good one to keep saved up when you’ve had a few busy days and all need some time out.
As author, Gretchin Rubin, said: ‘The days are long but the years are short’.
Don’t waste this holiday time with the little ones. Take advantage of the time they really want to spend with you and just have some fun yourself!
