If you have young kiddos at home, you are probably familiar with what I refer to as the afternoon “witching hour.” You know that time of day when the kids are stir crazy and you just might be pulling your hair out trying to entertain and get dinner on the table!? Sound familiar? I am constantly trying to figure out creative things for my kids to do at this time of day to try and save everyone’s sanity.
In this day and age, television, movies, and video games are such an easy answer, but not great habits to create. So, I thought I would share some ideas to help keep the kids busy and hopefully self-entertained:
Play Doh – Kids love playing with this stuff! Get it all set up on the kitchen table and let them have at it!
Coloring books – This can be a quiet activity if you want the kids to wind down a bit. Tell them that you are holding a coloring contest and the winner will get to pick a healthy dessert that night.
Read or listen to a book – Find a quiet spot for the kids to relax and read their favorite story. The older kids can even read to their younger siblings. You can even download some of their favorite books and let them listen to it while they play with toys.
Puzzles – This is a fun way to involve the entire family! Set up a card table and have the kids pick out all the edges. After dinner, the entire family can get in on putting the puzzle together.
Make cards – If there is a holiday or family birthday coming up, this is a great time to let the kids create a homemade card. This is a more meaningful and cost efficient way to send greetings!
Assist with dinner prep – For the older kids, this gives them a chance to learn some basics in the kitchen. The younger ones enjoy simply pouring ingredients into the bowl! They all love contributing to the meal preparation.
Sensory Activities – Place some some items (spoons, balls, coins, etc.) into a bin of rice and let the kids dig them out.
Pots and Pans band – Get out some pots and pans and a wooden spoon and let them play away! This might be a loud distraction, but fun for the kids nonetheless.
Dance party – Turn on your favorite Pandora station and let the kids sing and dance until dinner is ready. An impromptu dance party even provides the kids with some extra physical activity for the day!
What is your go-to indoor activity that your kids enjoy?
by Maria White
