When your children are young enough to spend most of their time at home, it can be the ideal time to tap into their natural curiosity and make their days into learning adventures. When children use their imagination, they discover new talents or interests. By unleashing different ways to think, they become more ready to look forward to their upcoming time in school. Here are some creative activities that will provide learning – without wrecking your budget.
Widen Their World of Wonder
Children ask questions that show us their endless curiosity. In fact, an average four-year-old asks 437 questions each day! You can quickly look up answers on Google, but the next time your child asks, “Why is the sky blue?” let them make up a story about how they imagined the sky became blue.
Put Their Preschool Lessons to Work
If your child goes to preschool, you can ask them to share the content of their lessons with you. You can line up their dolls or stuffed animals and invite your child to “teach” the day’s lessons to the “class.” Remember: kids who go to a preschool will be about 33% ahead of the rest of their future kindergarten class.
Nurture Their Love of Nature
There are so many things children can see and learn when you join them outdoors. One activity you can enjoy together is gardening. Statistics show that 80% of American households enjoy working together on gardening activities. Any expenses you have for gardening tools are often paid back in garden-grown groceries.
Set a Limit on Screen Time
There are many creative TV shows and movies worth your child’s time. However, seeing stories already made up for them can limit your child’s imagination of how they might like a story to end. Watching TV also limits their physical activities and outdoor time. Children need to move around, and turning off the TV can motivate them to find more active things to do.
Let Them Be the Chef
By allowing kids to be part of your dinner prep activities, you accomplish many things. You can ask them for ingredient input, making it more likely for them to eat the meal. You’ll also be teaching them about measurements. Creating a meal together will build memories lasting for many years.
Use Each Moment Proactively
There will be many times you will be with your child, and you’ll see something simple that inspires you. For example, if you get a delivery of a large appliance, your child can use the box as an imaginary spaceship/house/car/submarine, etc. If your child draws a spontaneous picture, ask them to make up a story about the picture. When they watch a movie with friends, have them collaborate with those friends to reenact the movie.
Liven Up Learning at the Library
Your local library has more than books to open up your child’s imagination. Allowing your child to select books to borrow is a great start, but some libraries provide other activities. Some libraries offer craft kits or other kits where kids can more fully explore the subject of books they read. Another advantage of libraries is your child’s interaction with the other children who are also visiting there.
Parents have many golden opportunities to capitalize on their children’s interests throughout the day if they keep their eyes open. Working parents may worry that they have less time to explore their children’s creativity, which can lead them to be highly mindful of opportunities that arise during the time they have. Use part of each weekend day to dedicate yourself to interaction with your child. Most of all, remember that the best way to think of things to do to help kids use creativity is to listen to them to see where their imagination wants to lead them today.
