Idle hands are the devil’s plaything—at least, that’s how the saying goes. And as a parent, you don’t want your children to get caught up in something that doesn’t positively serve them. There’s a difference between being occupied and being constructively occupied. Check out these constructive tasks to keep your child busy.
Encourage Them To Write
You never know. You might have the next Mark Twain or Toni Morrison in your house. It all starts with a pen, some paper, and a little imagination—which children have in spades. Encourage your kids to start journaling and writing down a few thoughts.
It’s their journal, so they have the freedom to write whatever they want. Make sure you present the idea to them this way so they feel free to express themselves openly. The topics could range from a retelling of their day to great tales of adventure. Either way, they’ll be preoccupied in the best way.
Teach Them To Paint
Picasso had to start somewhere, and so does your child. Even if painting doesn’t become a passion for them, it’s a great way to keep their hands and minds busy. The best part is the mess they make. They don’t do it to be defiant—it stems from a place of curiosity.
Get your child some paint, a few canvases, a smock, and a very large tarp. Set them up in a space where they have a view of something beautiful with plenty of sunlight. They might not paint a picture of the backyard, but placing them in this setting is extremely healthy. Just make some room on the refrigerator for their masterpiece!
Introduce Them To Building
“Bob the Builder” was popular for a reason. Kids love seeing how plain and ordinary pieces transform into something greater. It’s like watching the steps behind a magic trick. Set them up with their own tools, and start off small with something like a blanket fort.
After they make over the living room, they could transition to something a little more complicated, like a model bridge. Studying the different types of bridges could help them find an interesting model and see if they can replicate it.
Start a Hobby Collection
Being a collector is beneficial for several reasons. In the long run, some of the most impressive collections could venture for a pretty penny. But for a child, the rewards are priceless.
Collecting inspires creativity, improves organizational skills, gains social recognition, promotes relaxation and stress reduction, and builds a desire for knowledge. As we said: priceless. And the great thing is they can start collecting something as innocuous as rocks. Once they find something that truly fascinates them, they’ll develop a passion for it. And then the possibilities are endless.
Keep your child busy in the most constructive and beneficial ways possible with these tasks. Check out our podcast and let us know how it goes!
