How to Keep the Children Entertained (Part One)
One of the questions that I am most frequently asked when people find out that I home school my children is how I keep them entertained.
“Don’t they get bored?”, “What do you do with them all day?”, “It must be hard having them 24/7”, “You’re brave, how’s it going?” are only some of the questions that I’m asked often. I appreciate all the questions, concerns and statements that come my way, and from time to time, I’ve also found myself asking the same questions. Yes…I talk to myself.
Anyway, I have come to understand that while my children are my responsibility, I can’t do everything on my own; I am happy to ask for help and advice.
Now, let’s look at ways in which to keep the children entertained. I keep mine busy with:
- Home/school work, projects and worksheets
- Indoor/outdoor activities e.g. trampoline park or swimming
- Free play – where my kids do what they want but within reason
- Creative play including arts and crafts and using their imagination
- Cooking and baking
- Technology, tablets and TV (this is monitored and limited)
- Outings such as museums, parks, outdoor adventures, scooting and cycling
- Reading.
I encourage my children to work and play independently. Sometimes, they ask to watch TV and I tell them to go and play with their toys instead. I can’t stand when they ask for new toys when they don’t appreciate or play with what they already have. From my suggestion/command, they collect their toys from their rooms, get a blanket and engage in role-playing.
