Today more than ever it’s important to find activities, games, toys and other supplies for our kids to keep them occupied and engaged. This is what ultimately will help them find their interests, develop skills and interests, etc. You’ve probably heard that it’s healthy for kids to get their hands dirty. This is both literally and figuratively. Exposure to dirt and germs helps to boost kids’ immune system, and activities that keep their hands and their minds busy are very important for child development.
Of course, with everything that’s been going on this past year, being exposed to germs and dirt sure sounds a little bit scary. Nevertheless, the fact remains. Of course, we need to protect our kids from viruses and other harmful things, but keeping them in a bubble doesn’t really keep them safe, and it may even do the opposite.
While playing in mud is beneficial and kids find it extremely fun, it isn’t the only way you could and should keep your kids’ hands busy. There are many activities that can get their hands dirty, while also helping them with their cognitive development, motor skills, their creativity, as well as helping them learn about work and responsibility all the while having a lot of fun.
Activities for a Healthy, Active and Engaging Childhood
There are many, many things you can do with your child or let them do alone which will get their hands dirty and their mind active and engaged. Cooking, drawing, playing with pets, feeding chickens, taking care of plants or planting, playing with active, educational toys and so on.
Cooking
For some of these activities, you don’t even need to spend any money. You already have a kitchen and everything you need in it. If you want to make things more interesting and challenging for them, you can get them something that will be just theirs, so they feel more involved in everything. You can get a lovely childrens apron for your little one so they feel like they are a real chef. Try to create games about cooking, play as if they were a guest in a cooking show, make competitions, etc.
Teaching your kid how to cook can be very beneficial for them. Take a kids apron and put one yourself, and start making some simple delicious meals. This can be a great and fun activity that you and your kids can do together. Not only can it spike interest in your child for professional cooking, or at least help them develop a new very important and useful skill, but learning any skill from a young age is a great way to positively affect your child’s mental, physical and personal development.
Cooking, in particular, can enrich your child’s vocabulary, as well as improve their language skills, their reading skills, their motor skills, teach them to focus, pay attention, listen and respect other people’s experiences and opinions, and so much more. A bowl, a fork, an apron, a few food products and some space in your kitchen can be the perfect way to introduce your child to mathematics, teach them how to read and follow instructions, and even give them some inside into other sciences, such as chemistry and physics.
Arts and Crafts
Another thing that can get your kids’ hands dirty while also boosting their creativity, and improving a lot of their skills, are of course arts and crafts. Kids have contact with different art forms since the day they’re born. They listen to music, they start drawing and scribbling since the day they learn how to hold a pencil, they love playing with colours, gluing things, cutting paper etc.
If you are trying to help your child become more active, creative, focused etc., with just a couple of supplies, which you can easily get online, you can introduce them to art in a more serious way. Just a few children art supplies, and a childrens apron, maybe an old sheet, or a plastic drop cloth, or other material to avoid cleaning too much, and you are good to go. You can go low budget and simply use whatever you already have, or buy some basic art supplies.
Nevertheless, if you are trying to get your kid into drawing, painting, modelling or sculpting, whether to make them love art, give them a new fun and healthy hobby, or simply because of the positive effects of learning art on children’s minds and bodies, you should buy quality children art supplies because fun supplies will help you get your child interested easier.
Having a choice of art supplies is also important because kids get easily bored with activities, hobbies, toys, games or anything. In essence, art supplies are one of the things that make getting kids into art such an easy task. Everyone gets excited about art supplies. When we see a marker, a brush, a pastel colour most of us immediately want to play with it, experiment with it or at least make a line on a paper. It’s simply in our nature to want to play with colours, we enjoy creativity, we enjoy the act of colouring, painting, drawing, modelling etc., so this can be the perfect activity for your child.
