There’s no doubt about it: trying to juggle working from home with children is challenging. Whether you’re teleconferencing, focusing on writing, or trying to balance a budget, having kids around your home office is tricky.
That’s why we’ve put together a list of activities to keep your kids entertained, so you’re able to focus on your work or take a break and relax with them.
First on this list is laundry. Laundry is the one chore – besides the dishes – that never seems to end. Teaching your kids how to do their own laundry and motivating them to stay on top of it will ease your stress in the long run, or doing it together can be a good bonding exercise too.
Start with simple regular shaped items for your kids to fold, such as towels or wash cloths and get them to roll them up, or fold them into smaller squares.
Manage your family’s laundry easier while teaching your children how to share the responsibility. Win win!
Yoga not only promises to improve stretching and flexibility, it also encourages deep breathing and relaxation. For our kids, yoga can also provide the same benefits to their physical, emotional and mental well-being. Practice yoga together with your little one for the additional bonding.
Enjoy your time with your family and keep boredom at bay with some finger painting that will keep your little one entertained at home during this circuit breaker period.
Tip: Use washable kids paints and do this activity on a big plastic sheet or in the bathroom for easy clean up!
Kids usually enjoy digging dirt, transferring things from one container to another and anything that involves some texture. Apart from having fun, your kid can also learn new skills while caring for plants.
Here are 3 gardening ideas to get you going. You can adapt them to suit any age group, and most can be made using everyday items.
1. Watering the plants.
Do not underestimate this simple task. It can give your kid a sense of empowerment and won’t it be great that you can check one task off your to-do list everyday?
Tip: Provide a lightweight plastic watering can for your kid so that he/she can carry out the task with little assistance.
2. Make a hanging basket
You will need a wire basket, a basket liner, potting mix, and a selection of small flowering annuals.
Simply fill the basket with potting mix and plant your flowers in the top.
To create a basket that is completely encased in flowers, cut slits in the basket liner and poke flower plants in from the sides and bottom.
Hanging baskets don’t last forever, but it will give you something to replant every holidays with your kid, and the results are instant.
3. Make a terrarium
Large wide necked jars make cute glasshouses for children’s rooms. Simply line the base of the jar with small stones, or gravel, then fill ¼ of the jar with potting mix, and put a few more decorative stones on top. Small white stones work really well. Plant a cactus or two in the bottom and it’s good to go.
Gardening can be a perfect stress buster and can inculcate qualities like responsibility and patience.
Adjusting to working with (very) young colleagues is truly challenging, but having some activities for your kids to play independently while you work will make for a happy and less anxious time. When work is done, family playtime will be all the sweeter. Have fun!