Active kids in confined spaces are not a good mix and this could be the reason why entertaining your kids at home during weekends can be tough. You may be tempted to hand them a tablet or a phone just to stop them from jumping on the sofa or running in circles around you. But if you want to cut down on screen time as much as possible and squeeze in a little breather for yourself, here is a list of interesting activities to entertain your rambunctious kids and allow them to channel all that energy into something constructive.

1. Build a Pillow Fort

All kids love to have fun. But what every kid loves most of all is having fun with family – especially mom and dad. So, if you have a free weekend coming up, set aside time to build a giant pillow fort with your kids. Start by gathering all the pillows you can find in your home, even the small decorative ones on your sofa, and recreate the pillow forts you remember making when you were a kid yourself. Let your kids contribute to the creative process and improvise as you go along. Then sit back and watch your kids interact and entertain themselves with this latest invention.

 

2. Target Practice Using Recycled Materials

Are you tired of having to dodge Nerf gun bullets and projectiles coming at you? If you are, then try creating some DIY spinners for Nerf gun practice that are incredibly easy to make so your kids would stop shooting at you for once. But if you prefer a simpler solution, make a tower out of recycled plastic cups and place them against an unused wall in your home for your kids to practise their shooting skills. You will be happy to know that target practice is a great way to enhance concentration and calm hyperactivity in kids while keeping them busy for hours!

 

3. Scrub Down the Plastic Toys

Kids love to get wet and wild no matter where they may be. So why not use this to your advantage? Fill a plastic storage container or a plastic bucket with water, add in some mild soap and lather to create lots of foam. Have your kids dump their plastic toys into the soapy water and scrub them clean with a used toothbrush. This sensorial activity will keep your kids cleaning and scrubbing away in the toilets for a long time. The best part? Your kids are entertained and those plastic toys are finally getting the scrub down they need!

 

4. Invest in a Small Trampoline

Kids have a lot of pent-up energy that has to come out sometime and go somewhere, preferably far away from your glass cabinets. If you want to unleash your kids’ energy in a safe and controlled manner, consider investing in a small trampoline for them to go wild on under your watchful eye. After a good long jump, you will find that your kids are more willing to take a nap – leaving you plenty of quiet time to recharge.

 

5. Learn the Art of Origami

Screen time doesn’t have to be all bad. If you have exhausted all other entertainment options, you can still make screen time meaningful by using it to learn a new skill as a family. Origami folding is a beautiful art form that requires a lot of discipline but it is also a fun activity that is suitable for all ages. There are plenty of origami videos you can search for online to help you get started. Besides hours of fun learning how to fold their favourite animals, Origami is also an excellent way to fine tune your kids’ motor skills, sharpen their focus and improve their hand-eye coordination all at the same time.