It is often commented by adults that they wish they could have half the energy of children. Kids seem to have an abundance of get-up-and-go long after the adults have sought out coffee just to keep up with them. When the weather is cold and the kids are bored, sometimes we have to come up with activities to help them focus on something rather than just allow them to run rampant through the house.
Here are a few of our favourites:
1. Go for a nature walk – let them burn off some of that energy running around indoors and then come home and use what they have collected to make a nature collage of people, animals and plants.
2. Make up a scavenger hunt allowing the kids to roam outdoors to find a select number of items that you have listed for them. You can make it as long or short as you or their attention span allows.
3. Get your kids to make a book. This will depend on the age of your child – for smaller children you may prefer to source images online or from a favourite magazine and older children may choose to draw their own images to go along with their very own storyline. Or better yet write one together – you may be surprised at what you both come up with.
4. Grab some old socks and buttons and get your kids to make some sock puppets. Younger kids can use paper bags to create their own puppet masterpieces. Then you can allow them to make up and perform their very own puppet show.
5. Another great activity is to send your kids outside to collect some rocks and then allow them to paint them. They can turn them into rock pets, paperweights or just create decorative objects for their bedroom.
These are just a few ideas that will enable you to steer some of that energy into something positive and delightful in which you can share in with your child or children. For some more great ideas, check out this fun article on 41 ways to entertain your kids.
