The ultimate guide to keeping your kids entertained this winter
The chilly winter months mean families are set to spend more time together indoors – here are a few ideas to keep the kids busy and entertained.
For many families, the arrival of winter can be a stressful experience. The cold, wet weather means less time playing footy in the garden and more time together in the house. Pent up energy and too much time in one place can often lead to children – and parents – ending up with a case of cabin fever.
We have come up with a few ideas that will help keep the family entertained and happy the next time it’s too wet to play outside.
Get crafty
Kids love the opportunity to be creative and there are plenty of activities that won’t make too much mess. Find new and original ideas from Aussie bloggers like recreating Sydney Harbouri out of paper, or stick to the traditional clay or collage route. Use bin bags to protect the kitchen table and keep the crafts to one area of the house. For older kids, it’s a great opportunity to learn new skills like making their own jewellery or experimenting with paints.
Use your imagination
If there’s one thing children are great at, it’s using their imagination. Try putting together a ‘dress-up’ box from a selection of your old clothes, throwing a sheet over two kitchen chairs to create a den, or building a spaceship from some old cardboard, and watch as whole worlds, stories and characters unfold before your very eyes. According to the Department for Health, imaginative downtime is just as important for kids as physical activity.ii
Spend time in the kitchen
Cooking or baking can be simple and fun for kids of any age. As well as getting stuck in to mixing, kneading or icing, it provides the opportunity for them to learn about food and safety when in the kitchen. Get together to try out an old family favourite, or something new. Aprons and adult supervision will help keep things tidy!
Board games for bored kids
Board games don’t have to be old fashioned. While there are a few classics that have stood the test of time like Snakes and Ladders or Cluedo, there’s a whole host of other games available that incorporate some of your kids’ favourite characters from TV shows and movies like Frozen, Peppa Pig or Cars. For older kids, card games can help to while away the hours and provide an outlet for any competitive tendencies!
Screen time
While screen time is a staple of any child’s downtime, the Department of Health suggests that for children aged two to five years old, screen time should be limited to an hour per day. This precious hour of movie-watching or Minecraft can be extremely productive for parents who can use the down time to tackle important household tasks and life admin.iii
The next time you get a moment of peace, it’s worth taking a simple step that will tick one more thing off the list of jobs, and an important one at that. By reviewing and updating your current insurance policy, you can put your mind at ease knowing that your family will be covered financially should something happen to you.
i https://www.danyabanya.com/sydney-harbour-bridge-craft/
ii http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/FDA02573841924E0CA257BF0001F3E8E/$File/gug-hw12.pdf
iii http://www.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/gug-carer-toc~gug-carer-sedentary
