As a single parent there never seems to be enough time in a day to get done all the things that inevitably come our way. But if you are reading this, spending time with your kids most likely ranks fairly high on your list of to do's. Children of single parents desire and need the extra love that we all want to provide for them, but as is often the case it can be difficult to just think of things to do!
We at SingleParentChat.net have come up with some things that we like to do with our kids. Most of them are relatively easy, and cheap or almost free. The best fun doesn't have to come with sticker shock attached to them. We hope that you will find some useful tips and come up with your some of your own ideas as well!
- Fingerpaint the floor. Only if it's linoleum of course. Make sure you are using washable fingerpaint, because acrylic and oil paints are probably not going to come off that easy. And while you think your three year old is a gifted artist, you might get tired of the masterpiece in a few weeks. But think how much fun it is to smear paint all over the floor, and then pop the kids in the bath afterwards!
- Put on some music and dance. Kids automatically do this. What makes it a fun family activity is you doing it too. You can even play some of your music (hey, the 80's had the best dance music, right?) and show them how it's done. Or get instructional videos or DVDs and teach everyone how to square dance.
- Build 'em up, and knock 'em down. Show off your skill in building a house of cards, or a serpentine trail of dominoes. When everyone gets involved, who knows what heights or twists these activities will take?
- Go to the park. I know, you probably take your kids there, anyway. But this is family fun, remember? That means you need to go down the twisty slide; climb the rock wall; see how high you can swing; or hang upside down from the monkey bars. Make sure the playground equipment is safe for adults, of course, and then have fun!
- Go wild at a toy store. We figured this out when our oldest was about a year old. We didn't tell her we'd been doing it before she was even born. Go into a toy store and try out every toy. Push every button. There is nothing like a whole shelf of Chicken Dance Elmos in motion. This can easily take an hour or two and won't cost anything unless your toddler falls in love with something and you can't say "no".
- Have family bowling night. You probably haven't bowled since high school. But to a five year old, it's all brand new. Kids of any age will get a kick out of you wearing funky bowling shoes and showing off your high kick spin ball or whatever your signature bowling move was. A lot of places have lanes with gutter guards so children can actually score some of the time. Hint: your score gets better with gutter guards, too! And bowling alleys with black light and loud music will score big points with your preteens. Family bowling night usually costs just a few dollars.
- Don't forget board games and jigsaw puzzles. Really, it's amazing what you learn about your child when you relax and put together a puzzle or play a board game. Sharing an activity like that unlocks the communication gateway with just about any age child.
It takes conscious effort to slow down. We are always in a hurry, one eye on the clock, half our mind on the agenda, and rushing from work to home to other activities. But spending more time having fun with your children will never be time wasted.
Playtime Ideas
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