Be Spontaneous
Hey! Thanks for stopping by! We’re so glad you’re choosing to hang out with us for a little while. If you’ve been following along, one of our recent articles talked specifically about the importance of creating a routine for your children.
While this is very important in trying to maintain a sense of calm and normalcy, there should be some wiggle room in that routine for some fun and spontaneity. We’d like to give you some ideas that will hopefully open up some opportunities for you to have fun with your kids.
It is our hope that as a single parent, you’re able to teach your children the importance of creating a new normal. A normal that is unique to your new way of life. Among the busy scheduling and running here and there, we encourage you to find creative ways to get your kids to smile, giggle, and laugh uncontrollably.
It’ll be good for all of you. Listen, we know you don’t want to be referred to as Boring Beulah, Mundane Mel, or Repetitious Rhonda, right? Right! You want to be known as Lively Lucy or Witty Wanda! Take a peek at this list of ideas and let’s dance!
Outdoor Activities
~Plan A Picnic
~Go Camping (in the backyard)~Take A Hike
~Go Swimming
~Swing With Your Kids At The Park
~Visit A New Park
~Race Around The Block On Bicycles
~Have A Skipping Contest
~Race To The Mailbox
~Create A Nature Scavenger Hunt
~Water Balloon Fights
~Late Night Walks Under A Full Moon
~Fly Kites
~Create An Obstacle Course
~Go Geocaching
~Run Through The Sprinkler
~Blow Bubbles
~Plant A Garden
~Paint Rocks & Hide Them In The Community~Draw With Sidewalk Chalk
~Watch The Sunset On The Hood Of The Car
~Get Up Early & Watch The Sunrise With Hot Cocoa
~Snowball Fights~Build Sand Castles
On A Budget
~Create Contests
*Who can get dressed the quickest?
*Who can tie their shoes the fastest?
*Who can make their bed the neatest?
*Who can finish eating breakfast first?
~Play Some Music
*Wake up songs in the morning
*Silly songs out of nowhere
*Dance music when the kids least expect it
~Dance
*You don’t have to know what you’re doing; just move
*Encourage your kids to join you
*Turn off the lights and have a flashlight dance party
~Write Notes / Doodle
*Sneak a note inside a coat pocket
*Add a note to the lunchbox or snack bag
*Write in an assignment notebook
*Draw silly pictures on post-it notes and stick
inside a book
~Join Your Kids For Lunch At School
~Create 1-on-1 Dates With Kids
~Have Child Read To You While You Cook
~Kitchen Science Experiments; Get Crazy
~Blog About Your Fun*Write about and document your cooking experiments
*Share any crafts made and offer other ideas
*Let your kids take pictures of their creations and post them
~Turn Your Kitchen Into A Restaurant
*Have kids make a menu
*Teach them how to set a table properly
*Eat on the finest china you own
*Everyone dresses up in fancy attire
*Instruct children how to clean up (including washing the dishes)
*Talk about table manners
~Serve Breakfast Foods For Dinner
~Create Fun Desserts
~Write A Family Journal
~Decorate/Rearrange The House With The Kids
~Paint Bedrooms
~Have A Game Night
~Serve Popcorn and Ice Cream For Dinner
~Put Together A Family Time Capsule (& hide it)
~Create Secret Handshakes With Each Child
~Visit The Library
~Bubble Baths
~Paper Airplane Flying Contests
~Make The Stuffed Animals Have Conversations
~Prank Phone Call Relatives (in silly voices)
~Make Crafts or Cookies For Your Neighbors
~Put A Puzzle Together~Pretend To Cast Silly Spells
In The House
~Make Forts
*Use blankets and chip clips or clothespins*Use cardboard
*Sleep in it with the kids
*Get out some flashlights and tell stories in the dark
*Shadow puppets~Let Kids Help With Meals~Read To Your Kids
*Act genuinely interested in the story
*Change your voice to give characters some differentiation
*Dress up as a character
*Take turns reading
*Continue discussing the book in the coming days
~Watch TV together
~Play Hide-and-Seek
~Camp In The Living Room
~Have A Pillow Fight
~Create A Scavenger Hunt
~NERF Wars
~Play Dress Up
~Tickle Fights
~Play Show & Tell
This list is meant to be used as a guide, as it could go on and on. Go ahead and add your own flair to it! You likely have some great ideas that you already use. You’re a brilliant mom and have an Ace up your sleeve; now you have more! Just remember to mix things up. Have fun. Smile often. Try to be spontaneous often, but don’t be too predictable.
The most important thing is that you are doing things with your children and to them, that means more than anything. Play and acting silly with your kids is seriously beneficial. It can be one of the best ways to bridge the communication between you and them. Now, set your phone down and get to work on your first activity! You won’t be disappointed when you see the look of shock and happiness on the faces of your loves!
by Lyric Anders, Writer