5 ways to entertain kids when they can't go outside

 

Kids love being outdoors and it’s great when they’re able to get some fresh air in their lungs. However, there will be occasions when that’s just not possible, whether you’re stuck at home or on lockdown in a hotel due to the weather or some other reason. From fun with crafts and DIY hamster toys to getting creative with food, here are five ways to entertain kids when you can’t get outside.

 

 

1. Arts and crafts

Boredom is one of the biggest challenges you face when you’re shut in with kids. However, with a little creativity, you can keep their minds active and help avoid the inevitable grumbles. Arts and crafts are a great way of occupying children, and the more you let their creativity run free, the more entertained they’ll be. 

Perhaps best of all, you can make creative activities out of very little. If you’ve got paint sets, colouring books etc. that’s great, but sometimes all you need is a little cardboard. For example, cardboard robots or DIY hamster toys are really easy to make, and all you need is a cereal box or a tube from the latest used kitchen roll.

2. Story time

Sticking with the ‘let’s keep their minds active’ theme, telling stories is fantastic for passing time and encouraging children to come up with their own entertainment. 

A good game is to play story-telling tennis. The way to do it is you start off with an opening sentence or paragraph and then pass it on to your little one who can continue the story. The time will fly by and it’s great fun too. And failing that you can always reach for good old books. 

3. Make a den

Getting a little more physical now, what child doesn’t like to build a den? Just like with arts and crafts, making dens is really creative, and it’s a pretty active process too. 

How elaborate you go depends on what you have to hand, but it can be as simple as a few pillows, sheets and a couple of chairs to drape them over. From there, it’s all down to how far their minds will stretch.

4. Hide and seek

It may be an oldie but hide and seek is still a goodie. And it’s game that you can play almost anywhere. Just make sure you do a reccy of the space you’re in first, especially if you’re on lockdown in a hotel, to set the rules about where kids can and can’t go. Once you’ve got that established it’s time to start counting…

5. Get creative with food

Finally, food and fun: two birds, one stone! As a general rule of thumb, when kids get bored they tend to bang on about being hungry too, so here’s a way of combining the two. 

 

Have a root around the cupboards and come up with some crazy recipes – this is a time when cakes and biscuits are ok, in moderation of course. Anything that helps you overcome the grumps due to being locked down. You can, of course, make it healthier by basing your funky recipes around fresh fruit, veg and other good foods.

That’s it; five ways of keeping kids entertained when you can’t get outside. The next time you find yourself stuck indoors, give them a try.