We are bouncing around between hot humid and rainy cold weather here in Ontario, and it's driving my kids a little bonkers. They want to get outside, and 50% of the time it's just not possible, and after a blistering week of lots of outdoor play... they are bereft. Best ways to keep my kids busy when they are cooped up?
As the weather finally warms up, here’s a ridiculously fun spring activity for kids:
Go on a little outdoor scavenger hunt and collect all kinds of interesting bits from nature:
Then bundle them together with elastic bands, string, or tape onto sticks to make your own homemade paintbrushes.
Every “brush” makes a completely different pattern and texture. Pine branches make soft streaks, flowers stamp little bursts of color, and leafy branches create wild abstract prints.
Bonus points if you:
Paint outside
Look up which trees the leaves came from
Compare textures
Make a whole “nature paint set” with different brush types
It’s messy, creative, ridiculously cheap, and somehow keeps kids busy way longer than expected.
Honestly, some of the nature brushes turn out cooler than actual paintbrushes. 🌼
We have an “I’m bored” jar with my kids, and honestly, it works way better than I expected.
The rule is simple: if you come to me complaining that you’re bored, I hand you the jar. Inside are popsicle sticks with activities written on them. Some are fun (“build a blanket fort,” “draw a comic,” “dance party”), some are independent projects, some are things we can do together, and some are chores.
You have to pick a stick and do the activity before coming back to complain again.If you come before you are done... I dig out a chore one and you get that one.
Turns out my kids are deeply motivated to suddenly become creative and self-sufficient once there’s a chance they might pull “sort the sock basket” or “wipe down the baseboards.”
The funniest part is that it actually helps them learn how to entertain themselves. The second they hear “go pick a stick,” they magically remember ten things they want to do instead.
Highly recommend for anyone stuck in the endless summer loop of “Mommmmm, I’m boooored.”
If any of you have little kids who love lego, I highly recommend showing them this site. This is the official lego site where people can submit their creations to be made into real lego kits.
Here in Canada, it's just cold enough that being outside is miserable. So I've been on the hunt for something exactly like this.
This week, my boys and I are working on making our own submission. We are going to be refining a piece until we feel it is good enough to submit. I'll be updating here throughout the process, and I'd love to see others participate as well.
For many of us, this season is the worst. It's nice enough that your children want to be outside.. but cold or rainy enough that maybe they shouldn't be.
They have been cooped up all winter, and that lack of vitamin D and fresh air is starting to get to you all.
Here is my tried and true idea for how to get those wiggles out.
Build an obstacle course
Use masking tape, chairs, hoola hoops, pots and pans, anything really. Masking tape can make balancing lines, chairs can be obstacles to go over or around, hoopa hoops can be used to signal where you need to do jumping jacks or spins, pots and pans can be places that you need to bounce a ball into, or maybe a place they need to make a song. Be as creative as possible, and when in doubt, ask the kids, they'll think it's great.
Spread them across an area, and don't be afraid to spread across your entire house. When it comes to the kids doing the activity, cheer, heckle, and be hilarious. Put on your best broadcaster voice and get way too into it. Let them know it's ok to be silly and let those wiggles truly go.
Let them know... if they try really hard at it... you will make it worth their while. They have exhausted their store of energy and ability to entertain themselves. Now's the time for you to prove that you can rouse it. I know you're exhausted too. But just think. They'll sleep so well tonight.
Good luck, parents. You can make it through this!
Have you guys seen the trend going around on social media right now with the "Tower Of" game? This game is incredibly adaptable for kids.
The idea is you think a particular category, and the other person has to guess it by asking "Can I have?". If the thing fits in that category, they can have it. If it doesn't, you say no.
For example: My category "Mammals". I can have a beaver, I can't have a lizard.
The examples are endless and it's such a fun way to get kids thinking and playing together.
K5 is always my go to first stopping point for educational printables. These ones on emotional learning are so fantastic. I have a lot of autistic and ADHD children, who often struggle to find words for their feelings and most definitely struggle to relate to others in a 'normal' way. Resources like these really helped.
What resources are you wishing you had as a parent that we, as the Keeping Kids Busy subreddit, could help compile for you?
When my children were little, they loved this game. I often wished that there was a video I could put on so I didn't have to be there pushing the button to stop and start the music. This one fantastic and teaches animal names at the same time!
This week spring has hit in full, and my kids are... mostly frustrated. Rain has kept them indoors while trees are putting out their first leaves and flowers are starting to bloom. The cabin fever seems to be hitting even harder now there is light at the end of the tunnel.
With that in mind, I tried this simple zumba video with my kids today and we all giggled our way through it. I recommend giving it a try!
I'm looking for board games that you can play with a crowd of kids. I have a group of kids ages 4-13 who love to play together, but often we are scrambling trying to find games that everyone has fun with. What are your favourite games for a crowd of varying ages?