8 ways to keep a single child occupied at home

Kids and restlessness are “a thing.” Many kids find it difficult to focus on a single task or activity for long, as they get easily distracted. This is one of the factors that make it difficult for many parents to maintain decorum at home when their kids are around, especially pre-school aged kids. Things get even worse if you are a work-at-home mum that needs all the quietness and concentration you can get. But not to worry, in this article, you will learn about eight amazing activities that can help keep your restless kid busy for hours so that you can commit yourself to other essential tasks at home.

1 Picture books

Your kids can benefit a lot from picture books. It can keep them engaged for several hours. Next time you go shopping, buy a picture book for your kid and let him just glance through while you concentrate on other important aspects of your life. No doubt, the pictures will keep him preoccupied for hours. No need to guide the child or tell him what the pictures represent. Just let him figure that out by himself. Picture books can improve the visual literacy skills of the child. The content can also teach a child how to synchronize the structure and sequence of a story. More importantly, the contents of picture books can encourage creative thinking in your kids.

2. TV is not so bad

Too much of television may not be good for a kid, but watching interesting and educative programs on TV can transform your child into a truly ingenious person. It also keeps him preoccupied so that you can have adequate time for other important tasks of the day. Your kid can learn about various subjects via the TV, like things, animals and places without having to leave the comfort of your home. You can activate parental guidance so that the kid can only access quality programs that can build him into a balanced adult. Also, make sure the child doesn’t sit too close to the TV screen.

3. Invite his friend or cousin over

Kids can play all day when they are in the company of other kids like them. If any of his friends or cousins of the same age group are available, you can invite them over to your house so that they can play together. Alternatively, you can take your kid to the house of that friend or cousin, provided the other parent is cool about that arrangement. Naturally always make sure an adult is present to watch over the kids as they play. An adult person can guide them and prevent any accident or mishap. You also should know that laying with other kids can broaden the knowledge base and imagination of your kid.

4. Coloring pages

It’s time to go shopping. Buy coloring books (or just download them from Topcoloringpages.net) and a lot of crayons or color pencils. Sit the child down and ask him to paint or draw anything he likes in the book. A coloring page doesn’t just keep a child busy, but also promote his mental development. For example, using the coloring pages will develop both sides of the child’s brain and help him to assimilate better. Your kid will get the benefits when he starts school. Coloring keeps a child in a meditative and thoughtful state for hours, which will further improve his ability to understand concepts.

5. Sorting

Sorting can compel your kid to think deep. In the end, the child will get wiser and smarter than many kids of the same age group. Give him a group of similar objects and ask him to categorize these objects. For example, you can give him a box filled with vehicles and ask him to sort them into construction vehicles, emergency trucks, and race cars and so on. Also, you can let the child organize loose change into copper, silver and so on. Make sure the vehicles or changes are many so that the kid can get busy for a long time organizing them. You can keep him interested for hours by compensating his effort periodically.

6. Busy box

If you are looking for the perfect way to keep your kid occupied while cooking dinner, then this is the perfect thing to do. All you need for a Busy Box are ribbon, pencil and a box.  This toy is cheaper than any other toy you may ever come by, and it can keep the kid busy effectively for some time. Aside from entertaining the kids and keeping him busy, the busy box can also home-school your kid. It equally has a therapeutic effect. You must bear in mind that busy box rarely keeps the kid busy for as long as many of the other ideas described above. Be that as it may, it can engage the kid for that precious ten minutes you need for folding laundry or making dinner.

Your busy box idea can take different forms. You can use any of the items highlighted below:

• Fabric scraps
• Stuffed toys
• Musical instruments
• Recycled lids
• Wooden toys
• Kitchen utensils
• Books
• Beads
• Balls
• Discovery bottles
• Fabric circles

7. Water to the rescue

You can also keep your kid busy using water. Kids love to play with water and it can keep them very busy and preoccupied for as long as you want. Just sit the kid on a chair or footstool close to the kitchen sink. Run water into the sink and plug the drainage. You can add other items to the sink water, like measuring cups, spoons, suds, and sponges. This idea is a perfect choice if you want the kid to play indoors all day long.

8. Kitchen staple reimagined

Your kid will fall in love with the idea of opening the kitchen cabinets and emptying their contents. You can include a colander to the mix, and your kid will find it interesting for a long, long time. You can weave pipe cleaners in and out of the little holes and leave the kid to pull out the ends and stick them back in.

Conclusion

All the activities mentioned above can keep your kids busy for hours on end. The items required for each of the tasks will not cost you an arm and a leg. Consequently, you can keep the kid busy at almost no cost. Are you a work-at-home mum and you need some tranquillity while tending to the kids? You can employ any of the strategies described above to keep your kid occupied for as long as you want.