Are your kids bored and need a bit of entertainment? Check out these things for kids to do instead of watch TV .
C’mon, admit it. You sometimes use the television set as a cheap babysitter. That’s ok…we ALL do it sometimes!
Ah, but it’s a double-edged sword, because kids who watch a lot of TV have trouble keeping themselves entertained, which in the long run makes your job harder!
If you’re trying to limit the TV viewing in your household, you might need a little inspiration. Try these screen-free activities guaranteed to keep the kids busy… at least for a little while!
Things For Kids To Do Instead of Watch TV
1) Make paper airplanes
This one can be pretty addictive!
My daughter loved making paper airplanes as an assignment in science class when we were first doing virtual school, right after the shut down.
Buy your kids a book on the fine arts of paper airplane making, and then put your feet up and read a book.
2) Make a tower with toothpicks and peas
This is one cool reason to encourage them to play with their food!
You can use marshmallows in place of peas as well.
3) Make homemade ice cream
Put two parts milk and cream and one part sugar in a coffee can with any flavorings you want.
Put the lid on the can, then put it in a bigger can and pour ice around the smaller can.
Put rock salt on the ice.
Put a lid on the big can and give it to your kiddos. Have them roll it back and forth for about half hour or until it turns into ice cream!
4) Magnet Search and Find
Give them a magnet and instruct them to run it all over the house and see what they find.
Loose change is fair game.
To add an extra challenge, see if they can count the change in order to keep it.
5) Yellow Submarine
If you have bunk beds, put blankets around the lower one and make a submarine.
Choose a yellow blanket, if you have one. Then sing the appropriate Beatles tune.
6) Play First Family Savings and Loan
Save your cancelled checks and fake credit cards that come in the mail.
Supply your kids with a calculator, pencils, small table and Monopoly money.
This was one of my favorite ways to play as a kid!
7) Build a mini log cabin with twigs
8) Have a tic-tac-toe tournament
The magic of tic tac toe is in the simplicity. A piece of paper and a writing utensil is all that is needed for an activity that many kids really enjoy … unless they lose a lot and turn into sore losers.
9) Make your own soda.
10) Make a card for Grandma.
Get out the rubber stamps, art supplies and construction paper and make a greeting card for Grandma or another loved one.
11) Bake a cake
Buy the kids an easy cake or brownie mix and let them loose in the kitchen.
Turn it into a learning experience about personal responsibility by telling them they can enjoy the fruits of their labors as long as they clean up the mess.
12) Make up a treasure hunt
Buy cheap dollar store toys and hide them in your closet.
Make a list of items they must find outside on their treasure hunt. Some examples are a white rock, a feather, a red leaf, and a penny, just to name a few.
Tell them an exciting booty awaits when they bring all the items to you. (Plus, I’m sure they’ll get a kick out of the word booty.)
If a list isn’t challenging enough, try coming up with clues and hiding them to find in sequence until they reach the “treasure chest.”
13) Make a blanket fort
Put old blankets over the backs of chairs or over a table to make a tent.
Have your kids grab their flashlight, pillow, blanket and books and camp out for the day (or night).
What are your favorite things for kids to do instead of watch TV? Do you have a favorite boredom buster?
1 comment
This list could also be called things to do with your kids, or friends, or just out in the real world – it’s all about getting up away from the tube. Thanks for sharing.
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