When your child takes a day off or a break from attending childcare in North Ryde, this can be a challenge for you as a parent, given that they are used to a routine and structure. The situation could be a lot harder for you if you are working from home and have to balance between your tasks and babysitting.
Babysitting naturally requires fun activities or you will end up with a fussy child. Many parents, unfortunately, have no idea how to go about this. For your sake, we have rounded up creative and fun activities that will keep your child occupied while at home. Read on to learn about them.
Look For Creative Toys
Children love fun activities. Making this fun constructive is a plus to their growth and development. Having them create something from the toys keeps them distracted for a long time and also builds their imagination.
Both bought and homemade toys that require attention and concentration create great home activities.
Here are some ideas:
Have your child play and learn with dollhouses. They can build and have fun with them. Another idea is to buy or make playdough and then show them how the different activities they can have with it.
Such activities give them a chance to sink into their little world of reasoning, ultimately adding to their skills.
Create A Game Box For Them
Exploring the game box is assured fun for any child. A game box allows your child to play many games and switch at will.
You can make it fun and personal by creating one at home with easily available materials like carton boxes and child-friendly paint.
The box can include colouring books, alphabet puzzles, numbers, play cards and even their photos. The advantage of this is that your child can get to choose what to do.
Delegate Important Tasks
Letting your child do a task they perceive as important excites them. They want to feel responsible and will look forward to your feedback on the simple tasks they complete. From helping you put dirty clothes in the laundry basket to helping you prepare meals, simple tasks can keep your child occupied in ways you'd never imagined.
You can also ask them to draw and colour their members of the family or create images with stickers. They can come up with their favourite characters from cartoons. Make it special by hanging their creations in their rooms.
Completed tasks not only keep them busy but also develop their intellectual skills and sense of responsibility.
You can talk to your provider of childcare in North Ryde for more ideas on the tasks you can have them complete according to their age.
Release The Chef Within
Your little one will love helping out in the kitchen. Instead of distracting them with your phone, invite them over for simple and safe tasks in meal preparation.
You can offer them some plastic containers to help you thoroughly wash vegetables or mix ingredients for baking.
Apart from teaching them how food is made, this teaches your child to respect the process. Buy your child dummy utensils for the times when you are not cooking. They can pretend to cook and even come up with imaginary recipes.
Venture Into Painting
Young children love colours. Playthings of different colours, textures and shapes are fun for them and they can easily pass hours tossing them around.
However, it is painting that creates the best opportunity for your child to play with colours. That is why centres that provide the best childcare in North Ryde have painting programs in their schedules.
Allow your child to be messy as they mix colours to come up with different artwork. They can paint pictures of people around them, their pets, environment...the list is endless.
If you are worried about their clothes, an apron and water-soluble paints will have you covered.
Pretence And Mock Play
What does your child dream of becoming? As much as they are too young to recognise their talents, you can know through pretend play.
All you have to do is ask your child what role they would like to play. This can range from shopping and nursing to handling calls and all other stuff they see adults around them do. Make it more fun by role-playing with them.
Be their audience if they want to sing. Let them treat you with their dummy doctor's stethoscope or even listen to them give you guidance on how to operate a gadget at home.
According to child experts, such activities help establish an early career path for your child. It also shows you how much information your child has in the field they are most interested in. All you need to do is purchase age-appropriate tools and play along.
The list of educational and fun activities for children at home is endless. The trick is to select a few that are best for them and think of ways to keep the activities creative and unpredictable. If you need help on what activities to choose, contact your childcare provider or any centre that offers the best childcare in North Ryde. Borrow from their experience in engaging toddlers and preschoolers so that you can help your little one learn, grow and develop better at home.