As much as you would love to spend all of your time with your children, there may just be too many other things that also require your attention. It would be nice to take them out to the park all day or to let them have playdates with other kids their age, but work and house chores could get in the way.
Of course, you could always stay at home with them but when they get bored, will you really be able to get anything done? With these indoor activities compiled by The Bitbag Team, you can keep your kids entertained for hours on end. Plus, these are all educational hobbies that will help them develop and nurture their potential. Now, you can rest easy knowing that they are being just as productive as you.
Making Accessories
Get your child into crafting. This activity allows little ones express their creativity. Plus, they'll get to walk away with cute accessories that they proudly designed themselves, which they can wear or share with their loved ones.
DMC's Threadship pack is a multipurpose arts-and-crafts set that they can use to make a friendship bracelet with their tiny hands. It includes 36 six-strand skeins in bright colors (8.7 yards per skein). They can also use it to explore other projects like scrapbooking, card making, and more.
Playing Memory Games
Memory games help improve your child's attention, concentration, and focus. Playing this type of game will also help them develop their visual recognition, attention to detail, and critical thinking skills.
Made of high-quality wood, this Wooden Memory Game from Apollo Box is safe for kids to play with. It requires them to find all the identical color or pattern pairs, which makes it a great activity for children to play either with you or by themselves.
Solving Puzzles
Puzzles develop memory and planning skills. Children will need to remember shapes, colors, positions, and strategies to solve them.
To make this activity more enjoyable for your children, opt for this DIY Wooden Music Box from Apollo Box. It embodies the same concept as basic puzzles like jigsaw puzzles, but will result in something beautiful that can also play music. Some boxes might have choking hazards, though, so make sure to only get this for olders kids or let them assemble it under your supervision.
Learning Instruments
Playing an instrument isn't just a fun hobby; it also stimulates the brain cells and improves essential life skills like memory, patience, and perseverance. Children who learn to play instruments also end up with enhanced hand-eye coordination, boosted self-esteem, and a sense of empathy.
If you want to encourage your child to take an interest in instruments, this 21-inch wooden ukulele from Fat Brain Toys is a great place to start. It's crafted from real wood with strong nylon strings that will make your little one feel like a true professional.
Painting Masterpieces
When painting, kids can convey their ideas, express their emotions, and use their senses to create a masterpiece. This educational activity also teaches children to explore colors, processes, and outcomes.
The I'm an Artist! Ultimate Easel Set from Fat Brain Toys is a double-sided easel packed with supplies and accessories-everything your child needs to start making their first work of art. One side features a magnetic dry erase board while the other side features a blackboard for chalk where they can practice the alphabet and spelling. It comes with an 18-inch paper roll, magnets, a box of chalk, four paint brushes, a dry-erase marker with and eraser cap, four bottles of paint, and a tray for storage. Paint cups with spill-proof lids are also included so you won't have to worry about your kids making a mess.
Pretend Cooking
Children imitate their parents because they're curious. If you prepare dishes for your family every day, your child might wander around the kitchen as well. To prevent accidents like your kids touching hot pans or spilling something, why not get them their own pretend kitchen? This way, they can come up with their own recipes and menus, as well as explore different ingredients, utensils and appliances. It will also encourage them to read, write, and memorize along the way.
Aosom's Qaba Kids Corner Pretend Kitchen Playset has a realistic design with all of the appliances of a modern kitchen-a sink with a faucet, a microwave, a range hood, a cooktop, a refrigerator, an oven, a dishwasher, a telephone, a kitchen accessory set, and more.
Playing with Dollhouses
Dollhouses help develop a child's mental and manual skills. It encourages them to use their imagination and come up with scenarios as well as how to handle them. As a result, it develops their problem-solving and story-telling skills.
Surprise your little one with Aosom's Qaba Kids Wooden Dreamhouse Villa. This multi-level dollhouse comes furnished with a dining table and two chairs, a kitchen, a sofa, a stool, a bed, a piano with stool, a toilet, a bathtub, a wardrobe, and a dressing table.
Coloring
Coloring is usually part of pre-school activities because it develops kids' motor skills, encourages their focus, and nurtures their creativity. Well, there's no reason why they shouldn't continue this at home because it;s also a relaxing hobby that reduces stress and anxiety.
While they're at it, it can also be a great opportunity to learn about diversity with Crayola's 3-in-1 Colors of the World set. This set includes 24 Colors of the World Crayons, 24 Colors of the World Broad Line Markers, and the 48-page Colors of the World Coloring Book.
Playing Dress-Up
Playing dress-up at home engages your child's memory and vocabulary as they envision the characters they are playing. It also helps with their emotional development and they get to explore gender identities and learn imitation. They even acquire problem-solving and decision-making skills as they improvise on how their story goes.
Whatever the role your child wants to play, you can find a costume for them at Costumes.com.
Reading
Encouraging your child to read a book might be challenging, but it can also be very rewarding as they learn to be more open-minded and more aware. It can also improve their emotional and social development by helping them understand various emotions as they associate their feelings with the characters. Additionally, it can teach them words that will help them express themselves better. The key lies in finding a story that may spark their interest.
"The Girl with Two Dads" is one such story. This heartwarming tale follows Matilda and Pearl who are two bestfriends with different-looking families.
