What To Do With Your Kids at Home

Life is not always rainbows and butterflies. That’s what 2020 has taught us. In fact, this year is just getting started and a lot has happened already that it’s exhausting. With the ever-increasing threat of coronavirus, most of us are left without a choice but to stay home. 

On a normal day, staying at home sounds like a luxurious escape from the hectic work schedules that we’re all used to. But staying at home for such a long period of time due to home quarantine? It could surely dampen anyone’s mood!

And there are the kids, who had to skip school and stop seeing their friends for a while. Not to mention, you have to keep them busy and entertained or else… well, you get the idea! But worry not! Trust us here at XFasten to give you some fun activities you can do with your kids while at home.

1. TRY YOUR HAND IN BAKING

Are your kids always hungry and begging for a snack? Kids can be hyperactive no matter the situation and as such, you have to deal with their voracious appetite! But instead of you doing all the work in the kitchen, why not use this opportunity to enlist their help?

Not only will it teach them new skills at such a young age, but it’s also a great bonding activity that’s sure to be both fun and rewarding. It’s a win-win, right? If this is your kids’ first time trying their hands in baking, start with simple and easy goodies such as chocolate chip cookies, snickerdoodles, and banana bread.

You can even whip out a huge batch of baked goods for the whole week! Just store the dough in an airtight container or plastic bag and make sure to label them so you know which is which. Put them in your freezer and bake them whenever the cravings strike. 

2. HAVE A LEVELED UP FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT 

Because of the ‘stay at home order’, most non-essential businesses are closed until further notice. Unfortunately, movie theaters are part of non-essential businesses. We know, it’s such a bummer - especially if you’ve been itching to see that latest movie that you’ve always wanted to watch forever! 

Luckily though, there’s our trusty streaming services and DVDs to keep us company. But why not take it to the next level by holding your own family movie night? And we don’t mean just sitting in front of the TV with your popcorn tubs ready.

We’re talking about an at-home movie theater experience! You can even turn this into a fun game. Here’s what you’ll need: 

• Play money
• Customized movie tickets
• Snacks and drinks 
• A list of family-friendly movies (you can either print this out on a piece of paper and laminate it to make it rigid. For this purpose, you can use the XFasten Laminating Sheets). 

Start by giving out an equal amount of play money to the participants. They’ll be using this money to buy tickets and food from your makeshift concession stand. First, have your family decide on which movie to watch via the voting system. 

Afterward, designate a “ticket booth” in a small corner of your room. Before the participants can proceed to the “theater”, they have to buy their tickets first. The price of the ticket is up to you. The same thing goes for the concession stand. 

Make the overall atmosphere extra cozy by putting out extra blankets and pillows so the whole family can watch comfortably. 

3. GET CRAFTY

If you’ve always wanted to be crafty but never really got around to starting a craft project, now is actually the perfect time to do it! So get those art supplies out and get your kids involved because it’s time to get busy.

Whether you’ve wanted to create a scrapbook to record all of your family’s wonderful memories, start a bullet journal, or create stunning masterpieces out of the ordinary things around the house, doing arts and crafts projects is not only an ideal way to pass the time but it’s also a great way to exercise your kids’ imagination and creativity. 

Who knows? You might discover your kids’ artistic talents just by doing simple projects. 

4. CAMP UNDER THE STARS

Do your kids love camping? While it’s not exactly the perfect time to go on an exciting adventure with your family, you can always DIY it right in the comforts of your home. All you need is just a little bit of creativity, lots of imagination, and an ample space in your backyard!

Get all of your camping supplies out and set them up outside. Complete the experience by preparing camping-friendly meals (don’t forget the marshmallows!) that you and your kids wouldn’t mind sharing over a home campfire and fun conversations. 

You can also make backyard camping even more exciting by throwing games such as scavenger hunt, charades, duck, duck goose, and obstacle courses. Get more camping games ideas here. 

5. PLANT A GARDEN

Planting a garden is an activity that takes a lot of time and patience, but the rewards are surely worth it once you see how bountiful it turned out to be. Share that fulfillment with your kids and get them involved in gardening. 

You can plant fruits, vegetables, and even set up your own herb garden. Ask your kids to help you out with the planting, fertilizing, and watering. While you’re at it, you can decorate your pots with different colors and designs to make it more visually appealing to your kids.

6. HAVE A BINGO TOURNAMENT

Love to play bingo? Now you can play bingo anytime with your kids by having an at-home bingo tournament! It’s a great weekend activity over a barbecue that will surely keep your family members entertained for hours. 

What’s great about having a bingo tournament is that you don’t need to buy anything to make it possible. You can simply print out your own bingo cards using a generator or if you’re feeling extra productive, you can even make your own! 

7. PLAY INDOOR GAMES

There will be times when the weather will be not so nice outside and you have no choice but to stay indoors instead of basking in the sun. Add to that the quarantine, and you really have to think of ways to be busy and entertained while cooped up inside. 

But hey, being stuck inside can also be so much fun! Instead of letting your kids play video games or tinker with their tablets, why not try to play an indoor game? The possibilities are endless, really. You can play board games, build castles out of boxes, or if you want to be more physically active, why not play a game of hopscotch or 4 square? 

All you need is a set of colorful tape like the XFasten Multicolored Masking Tape. It comes in 6 vibrant and vivid colors such as black, pink, blue, red, green, and yellow. With its non-toxic and hypoallergenic adhesive, it ensures your kids’ safety and comfort while they enjoy creating arts and crafts projects. You can also get this on Amazon. 

8. TEACH FIDO SOME NEW TRICKS

Now that school’s been canceled and all you busy parents have to work from home, you’ll now have more time to give Fido some extra lovin’ and attention he needs! And what could be more fun for you and your kids than to teach him new tricks?

Take note, though, that this may work for dogs who are relatively young. For dogs that are older, you may need more time and patience for him / her to get the trick right. Always remember to have some dog-friendly treats ready to motivate your four-legged friend to do better. 

See, not only you’ll be teaching your kids a sense of responsibility, but you’re also taking care of your dog’s mental needs in the process. 

CONCLUSION

Being stuck at home doesn’t need to be boring. Sometimes, we all just need to think outside the box in order to get through the quarantine. During these hard times, we could only do so much. But let’s all stay home, stay safe, and stay healthy. 

Do you have any fun and creative activities that you do with your kids at home that you’d like to share with us? We’d love to hear it from you in the comments below!