You can entertain children in many ways; however, adults and older teens often run out of ideas when a bored child puts them in a bind. You can avoid this problem by becoming familiar with the different ways you can keep a child happy and busy. To give them a comprehensive education, try to focus on activities that promote useful skills and good habits, while limiting passive entertainment.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Entertain Them with Art
Step 1. Give younger children a coloring book
Coloring books are a great low-energy activity for young children. Just give them a book and some crayons, markers, or colored pencils.
- You don't need to buy coloring books from a store. Look online for free coloring book pages that you can print. If you don't have a computer or printer at home, find out if your local library has one available.
- There is no age limit for coloring books, but most children lose interest when they finish elementary school. Offer to color with older children to get them interested in the project.
- You can interact with a coloring child by asking questions. For 3-5 year olds, try asking them for the names of the colors they wear. You can also ask him the following about the image he colors: "What (or who) is it?" "How about we color this drawing lighter or darker?" "How about we mix colors?"
- Make sure to only give them coloring materials that are water soluble and non-toxic.
- Avoid markers and pens when using commercial coloring books. Many of these books are printed on a type of paper that markers can pierce, which will ruin the image on the next page.
Step 2. Encourage the practice of drawing in children
Drawing is something that people of all ages love. Give the children printer paper or a sketchbook and some drawing supplies.
- Young children may enjoy "drawing" with scribbles. Encourage them to develop their creativity and motor skills.
- As a child draws, ask him about the picture he makes. Don't ask him directly what the drawing is "supposed" to be, as this can discourage him. Instead, ask him to tell you what he draws.
- Older children may not like being asked so many questions. Save them for when your child shows you a finished drawing. You can give him an example drawing or ask him to illustrate a story.
Step 3. Look for manual projects online or in books
There are thousands of different activities that children of all ages can enjoy. Visit websites and blogs run by parents and teachers for ideas. They can be time-honored traditions or completely unique projects. The following are some examples:
- paper crafts (like snowflakes)
- a stone pet
- To paint with the fingers
- Store-bought crafts (such as jewelry models and kits)
Method 2 of 3: Enjoy the stories
Step 1. Read aloud to young children.
Until children learn to read on their own, it is best to sit with them and read aloud to them. You may need to record yourself as you read so that you can listen to yourself and make adjustments as needed. Practice holding the book in one hand and placing it in front of the child so that he can see the text and illustrations.
- Choose books with colorful, eye-catching pictures that don't have a lot of text.
- The younger the child, the slower you will have to read. Speak clearly and slowly, pausing on each page.
- Consider letting the child decide when to go to the next page.
- Older children may still enjoy having a book read to them if it is a complicated story, especially before bedtime.
- Reading to children from an early age often stimulates their brains and helps them learn verbal skills.
Step 2. Read with elementary school-age children
Once children begin to learn to read, usually at age five or six, encourage them to take a more active role.
- Keep reading the entire story to a child who is just learning to identify simple words. However, before turning the page, try to point to a word or two and ask if your child can read them. Stick with simple words like "red" and "dog" at first.
- As your child learns to read simple sentences, encourage him to read picture books to you.
- If he gets stuck on a difficult word, encourage him to speak it. If he can't do it, kindly tell him how to say the word.
Step 3. Help older children read on their own
As their reading skills improve, you don't always need to entertain them by reading directly to them. Instead, encourage their independence by asking them to read alone. You can sit down with them and read your own book to set an example. As an adult, it's your job to make sure they have what they need.
- Stock up on age-appropriate books and keep them in a place where they can always pick up one.
- Take the children to bookstores or libraries, and let them choose their own books.
- Participate in reading activities in the local community and in children's book clubs.
- If you can't find a children's reading program in your area, you can try starting your own. You may be able to apply for grants to help fund these activities.
- Give older children access to a dictionary so they can use it when they come across unfamiliar words.
Step 4. Encourage the children to create their own stories
Reading and listening to stories is fun, but creating stories can be just as entertaining, especially for young children. Ask the children to tell you a story. You can teach them how to tell a story by first telling a simple one. Then ask them to create one of their own.
- Support them as they tell their stories and ask them to answer questions like "What happened at the beginning?" "What happen after?" and "What happened at the end?"
- If you are trying to entertain some children, try playing a game in which everyone tells a story. Form a circle and take turns continuing what the last person said. If a child tends to get attention, try including a rule to limit each turn to one minute or one sentence in order to include everyone equally.
- When children begin to learn to read and write, they can begin to write simple stories. Give them a piece of paper or a notebook to write.
- Older children can begin to write their own stories to the length of a novel. At this stage, it may be a good idea to let them use a computer to write rather than write by hand.
Method 3 of 3: Play Games
Step 1. Play sports and other outdoor activities
If you entertain kids with a lot of energy, they may prefer more intense activities like sports. If you don't have a large yard, take a field trip to a local playground or park.
- Keep kids busy, active, and sociable by signing them up for an organized sports team.
- When they stay home, they can discharge their energies by dancing to fun music.
- If you are entertaining a group of children, you can suggest playing tag or hide and seek. You can play a game of tag, but don't play hide and seek unless there are other responsible adults present. You must not lose sight of the children and if it is your turn to "search" you will have to do it. Instead, you can be the "referee" of the game to make sure everyone plays fair.
- Take the kids on hiking trips and nature trails. Spending the weekend camping (even if only in your backyard) is also a good option.
- Cool off during the summer at the local public swimming pool.
- All children, regardless of their energy level, should get some exercise and spend time outside to stay healthy. In general, children and adolescents should get at least one hour of physical activity a day.
Step 2. Have some board games or a deck of cards handy
Board games are a traditional part of childhood and help entertain children. Also, at the same time, they teach them valuable life skills, like taking turns.
- Simple card games like "Go Fishing!" they are easy to teach even very young children.
- You or the children may want to establish "house rules" in certain games that may not be in the rules manual. While it can be fun for most children, it can be frustrating for others.
- Make sure the games are age appropriate. A 10-year-old will probably get bored with Candy Land, while Risk will likely frustrate a kindergarten kid.
- If you can't buy board games, your local library may have some available. If you borrow board games, make sure the children treat them well and avoid losing the pieces.
Step 3. Play video games with your children but set limits
While video games often get a bad rap with parents, they are a good way to entertain children when played in moderation.
- Join multiplayer games.
- Keep kids active on rainy days with video games that have a physical component.
- Make sure to pay attention to game scores and content warnings. Video games are like movies, not all of them are suitable for children. It's generally best to stick with games that are rated for everyone, especially those made specifically for kids.
- Studies have shown that playing video games for up to 1 hour a day is beneficial for children. However, there can be some negative effects when the daily play time amounts to more than 3 hours.
Advice
- Always ask first what the children want to do.
- Sometimes it is fun to ask your child what the rules of the games are.
- If you know what they like and what they don't like, use this information to your advantage when inventing games.
- Singing and playing music is another good way to entertain children.
- You may want to let older children surf the internet. If so, make sure to keep your kids safe with parental controls and to monitor their activity.
- One simple way is to put yourself in the shoes of the children (it shouldn't be too difficult.) Think about what the kids can enjoy and choose safe and enjoyable activities.
- Make sure to properly supervise children at all times.
- Playing dress-up with clothes and makeup (sure) is another fun activity. Just make sure the kids wear clothes that you don't mind ruining.
- Maintain a stable level of authority if you are the only adult in the group. Have fun, but if you let them get away with it, they are less likely to respect you when it matters.
- While too much screen time has been linked to issues like childhood obesity and behavior problems, you may want to let kids enjoy TV and movies in moderation. Limit this activity to 2 hours a day or less.