Fun Ways to Keep Kids Entertained on Rainy Days
By Suzanne Tanner, creator of AbleSafety.org
When the weather isn't conducive to playing outside, it's tempting to let kids watch TV or play online. However, research shows that the average daily screen time for U.S. middle schoolers is 3.6 hours. That's far above the recommended amount, as excessive screen time can impact cognitive development.
What are your other options to keep kids entertained? As Yellow Wood Academy will tell you, every child is different, so you should first consider their individual interests. If you're unsure where to start, the following activities combine fun, education, and creativity.
Dress-Up
Many kids role-play as a natural part of their play:
Pretending to be parents
Pretending to be a doctor, police officer, or other professional
Pretending to be a favorite book, movie, or TV show character
This role-play helps children develop social skills, practice empathy and explore self-expression. Dressing up is a fun way to get kids into the role-playing mindset.
Make Art
Art is a form of self-expression, making it an excellent creative outlet for kids too young to verbalize their feelings. Even older children can explore their inner worlds through painting and drawing. Additionally, art supplies are generally affordable, so this activity is great for families on a budget.
Bake Something Delicious
Baking provides kids with a sense of accomplishment and something delicious to eat. Of course, parents need to supervise children and assign them age-appropriate tasks. For example, toddlers can gather cooking utensils and shape cookies, while older kids can measure and combine ingredients. Little ones can also help clean up and decorate baked goods once they've cooled.
Make an Epic Fort
Every kid should build a pillow fort at least once. It's a great way to develop problem-solving skills and creativity; in the end, kids and parents have a comfy place to relax and watch a movie or read a book.
There are as many ways to build a pillow fort as there are families. However, a few universal tips ensure you have the most fun:
Choose a spot where the structure won't get in the way
Utilize furniture that you won't miss for a while
Use as many pillows as possible
Your kids will likely want to keep the fort up for a while, so plan on living with it for at least a few days.
Break Out the Board Games
Board games offer hours of fun for the whole family. Competitive games can help kids develop cognitive skills, and cooperative titles help them practice working as a team. Tabletop role-playing games offer a variety of benefits, including improved social and math skills.
Try Science Experiments
Science experiments are great kid-friendly activities since they're educational, hands-on, and curiosity-sparking. NASA has a long list of resources for parents, including crafts and activities they can do at home.
Designate One-on-One Time
As a busy parent, finding one-on-one time with your kids can be challenging. However, getting this personal time is essential to children's emotional well-being. Regular, designated quality time can also make the household more harmonious since it can alleviate attention-seeking behavior.
To ensure your kids get this attention, create daily or weekly rituals:
Cooking together
Cuddling before bedtime
Going to the park on the weekend
Entertaining kids when they can't play outside is a tall order, but there are many fun indoor activities. As long as you spend quality time with your little ones and explore their interests, they'll remember these days fondly.
A little bit about Suzanne:
Suzanne Tanner is following in her mother’s footsteps to become a physical therapist. Growing up, she watched her mom work with patients of all backgrounds: individuals who were born with physical limitations and wanted to become stronger; people who suffered a trauma and were working to rebuild strength they’d lost or figuring out a new way of life after losing some of their physical abilities permanently; and senior citizens whose abilities had changed with age. She started her site, Able Safety, as an extra credit term project, but she decided to keep it going as a passion project. On the site, she shares tips, resources, and exercises for people with disabilities and seeks to empower and inspire people to live life on their terms no matter their abilities.
Feel free to reach out to AbleSafety.org or info@ablesafety.org