Kids get bored pretty quickly, don’t they? There’s little standing in the way of a developing child and their never-ending need to do something new and interesting, possibly even more wild than their previous adventure.
Fortunately, as a parent struggling to keep up with the vivaciousness of your younglings, you are not doomed to watch them run around endlessly without you, nope, you only need to let your inner creativity run free in order to come up with exciting activities your entire family can enjoy.
The best part is these little adventures can be as laid back or as energetic as you like. Here is how you can choose the right family activities and keep everyone, including yourself, endlessly entertained.
Indoor activities for toddlers
Toddlers are quite different than school-age kids and teens in particular in that their attention spans can actually last longer, allowing them to focus on one task for prolonged periods of time - you simply need to ignite their imagination. This gives you a perfect opportunity to popularize some indoor activities such as good old hide and seek.
Tried that one already? No problem, you can play the timeless “monster” game, where you chase your kid around the house, but not before you’ve made colorful costumes together depicting their favorite cartoon characters. So maybe let daddy be the ghoul and you can be the beautiful queen.
When the dust has settled and the kingdom is saved, you can spend the rest of the afternoon baking cookies and finger painting. But don’t just paint on any old piece of paper, rather treat your child as Picasso in the making, and treat them to a real canvas - you’ll want to save the work of art you’ve made together.
Outdoor activities for toddlers
When it comes to toddlers and outdoor fun, the possibilities are endless, much like the scope of their imagination. From teaching the kids to ride a bike, to chasing the ball with your dog around the backyard, creating a fun-filled day is easy with small kids.
If you’re feeling especially proactive, you can decorate the backyard to portray an enchanting fairytale setting where you can roleplay with the entire family. Just make sure the dog has an important role too.
Indoor activities for bigger kids
Now, this is where trouble for you might begin. School-age kids and teens are full of energy and life, yet their attention spans have been shortened by modern technology, and they would often rather spend their time in front of a computer screen.
So, get them out of the house and challenge their insatiable spirits! There are so many fun indoor activities for you to choose, from bowling and paintball (aim for the head) to climbing an indoor rock wall with the entire family, and making a competition out of it too! Whoever reaches the top first, pays for the ice cream.
Remember, older children crave excitement in a more realistic way, so make sure you challenge them both physically and mentally.
Outdoor activities for bigger kids
At some point, parents will have trouble staying relevant in their children’s lives, and the worst thing you can do when heading out with your kids is to be overly protective or too clingy. Kids want to experience self-sufficiency and independence at this age, and this becomes even more pronounced when surrounded by other people or god forbid, their peers.
Therefore, coming up with fun outdoor activities for bigger children is more of a psychological game than about the nature of the activity itself. They will let you get away with anything, as long as you play by their rules.
So, whether you’re rollerblading, tossing the ball around at a picnic or maneuvering an obstacle course, be sure to give them their space and they will respond with love and affection.
Finding new or reinventing old ways to spend some fun time with your kids shouldn’t be a troublesome chore, rather it should be a fun and rewarding adventure for the entire family, regardless of their age. Be sure to follow these simple tips and you will have no problems organizing unique activities your entire family will love.
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