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With schools closed and children having little to do, this essentially means parents will need to come up series of new and fun ways to keep the kids entertained at home. So as family, its gets important to find creative and innovative ways to cope with this lockdown and enjoy the great indoors with kids! All this while some of us try to work remotely.
So we have thoughtfully collated series of unique and interesting ideas to not only keep everyone engaged but also develop your kids’ creativity. The best part about these activities is that it allows you to explore your imagination with the simple stuff such as bed sheets, towels and pillow covers you already have in your house. You and your kids can have fun by using your usual household items and create something fun and extraordinary out of it. Here are some fun family activities:
Lights, Camera & Shadows!
Bring out the entertainer in your kids with a light and shadow show! Keep some lamps/lights behind a white bedsheet that acts like a screen. Let your kids explore their creativity with finger puppet shows from behind the sheet and you have your very own movie directors in the making!
Time Well Spent, In A Tent! The easiest and a very fun idea is to make an indoor tent out of bedsheets so your kids can have their own imaginary adventures as they play or choose to relax. To build a bedsheet tent, all you need is tie a rope from one end to another end of a room. Put a bedsheet on it and shape it in a downward V to make a tent shape. Put some heavy items like books or weights to keep the bedsheet from moving and so that it is held firmly in place. It can serve as a reading nook or a playhouse corner for your kids.
Ready, Target Steady & Go!
Use a bedsheet and make 4 knotted ends on it. Create a hammock style basket which can be used as a target for ball throwing or kicking. This will ensure that it will not bounce off and break things in the house. You can make it more challenging by decreasing the size of the hammock style target if you have bigger indoor spaces.
Hop on the bandwagon!
The age old fun of using a simple bedsheet to pull your child can never be boring. All this game needs is a bedsheet and someone to sit on it as the other person tries to drag it across the floor. It’s fun for everyone involved. And the child pulling the sheet will expend energy and use muscle power while indoors and the child sitting will have to use core muscles to avoid getting toppled. A sure way to help siblings bond and play!muscle power while indoors and the child sitting will have to use core muscles to avoid getting toppled. A sure way to help siblings bond and play!
Something fun & fishy! Time for some fish toys!
Using fabric from an old bedsheet or pillowcase, cut out two fish shapes, and fill with little round magnets and some wadding for puffiness. Ensure that the magnet is stitched between the two wadding in a 1 “square. Cover with two fish shaped fabrics and stitch it all around in the same fish shape. For a simple fishing rod, attach to a stick and add a thick rope and to its end. Stick another magnet at the end of this rope. If you would like to make it more fun, add a reeling tool to pull the rope up. Now your kids and make some toys of their own and go fishing while indoors!
Make your bed, lie in it!
You don’t have to spend a fortune on a portable bed for small kids. All you need to do is sew 4 pillowcases together, insert pillows and you have a bed for all purposes.
Easy to clean as the pillows just come out and covers can go for a wash. Either use same or even multi colored ones to make fun colorful beds.
Start, Some Towel Art!
We all have many towels in our home. And this is the time to make some creative use of towels! In this activity, let your kids channel their inner artist and make shapes of objects or animals using towels.
To make a towel snake, follow these steps:
- Step 1: Fold two corners diagonally until they meet in the centre.
- Step 2: Fold one long edge into the middle.
- Step 3: Starting with the long edge closest to you, roll the towel into a long, cylindrical shape.
- Step 4: Holding the pointed end with one hand, use your other hand to twist the ‘bottom’ of the snake around itself twice.
- Step 5: Fold the pointed end down slightly to form the head.
To make a towel swan, follow these steps:
- Step 1: Lay the towel flat in a ‘landscape’ orientation so it forms a rectangle.
- Step 2: Fold the top corners inwards until they meet in the middle.
- Step 3: Roll the outside edges inward to the middle.
- Step 4: Make a downward fold about a third of the way up the ‘arrow’ shape, and an upward fold about two-thirds of the way up. This should form a ‘Z’ shape.
- Step 5: Lay the ‘Z’ down and squeeze the corners to keep the curves in place.
To make a towel crab, follow these steps:
- Step 1: Fold the long ends of the towel inwards so they almost meet in the middle.
- Step 2: Repeat the process, folding inwards once more so they almost meet in the middle. Then, unfold on a third of the towel.
- Step 3: Roll the open end of the towel.
- Step 4: Holding the roll securely, find corners of the towel on both sides. Using a twisting motion, pull them out and curl them into the shape of claws.
- Step 5: Fold the remaining end halfway towards the roll. Fold again to make the crab’s shell.
So now you know that old bedsheets and pillowcases can be reused to make excellent household items and even toys. In this lockdown, make proper time to bond with your kids with fun activities using old home linen. Keep their young minds occupied and develop their creativity - a bonus!