Genius budget-friendly hacks to keep the kids entertained while at home

By Katrina Springer, The Organised Housewife

Stuck for things to suggest when your children say for the 100th time today they’re bored? I hear you! “I’m bored!” is a phrase many mums and dads have become accustomed to hearing of late, especially whilst many of us are stuck at home with stir-crazy kids – and a little respite from the four walls we call home.

Boredom busters don’t have to be expensive or fancy, and don’t have to include placing your child in front of a screen either. I’m a firm believer that boredom can actually be the source of a ton of creativity for you and your kids – you’d be surprised at what fun is waiting for your child right under the dining table or in the kitchen cupboard.

Below you’ll find a few ways that I have beat the boredom beast over the past few weeks to help inspire imaginative (and budget friendly!) play in your children.

Have a holiday at home

Just because we are not allowed to travel at the moment doesn’t mean we can’t make the most of the space that we do have to pretend! Why not pull out the tent or the swags and camp in the backyard under the stars instead? You could even make your own tents with a few pieces of plywood and some cloth or blankets. Or even challenge your kids to create their own backyard fort using a table and sheets. Stay up and tell stories, or if the kids are a little older you could even allow them to camp in the backyard overnight.

Movie marathon

Let the kids pull their bedding into the lounge room and stay up late watching movies. Better still, join them on the floor for their campout, and feast together on popcorn and lollies! This activity is probably best planned on the night before a relaxing day at home, as the little ones may be a bit tired.

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Make art – but think outside the box!

Getting creative with the kids needn’t mean simply crayons and a sheet of art paper!

Creating a drawing space at home where the kids can go to draw whenever the mood strikes will help alleviate some of the “I’m bored” comments. Lay out some pens, crayons, coloured paper, and other craft-y items from your kitchen cupboard (like GLAD Aluminium Foil to make a robot with a carboard box) and let the kids imagination run wild.

Chalk on the street

Drawing on the driveway or footpath with chalk is so much fun! Let the kids create a hopscotch, artworks, or play naughts and crosses. Give them water pistols when they are done and let them squirt it all away!

Make your own paint

Don’t limit the fun of painting to the act of putting brush to paper! Instead get the kids involved in the act of making your own non-toxic paint using all edible ingredients (here’s a recipe I love that uses ingredients you’ve probably already got in the pantry!). It’s quick, cheap and super simple to make.

And, if you’re not feeling the mess of a good painting session, try a mess-free version for younger kids by using some recycled card and dotting blobs of different colour paint over it, cover it with GLAD Wrap, and sealed the edges with masking tape. Kids can use a brush or their fingers to move the paint around.

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Put on a performance

Encourage your kids to put on a show and to think big! Let them design a home-made set, create props and arrange ticketing. It will keep them busy for hours, and is a great activity when you have a house full of lots of children of varying ages.

Paint leaves or rocks

Run out of art paper? Never fear! Go for a walk with your child through the neighbourhood and find some nice big leaves or smooth rocks to paint instead, then think up some creative ways to display your gorgeous bright artworks. Or lay some GLAD Cook and Baking paper over the leaves and have your kids trace or colour over them to create beautiful patterns.

Have a cook-off

Cooking with the kids is a great way to fill up a morning at home – and they get to eat their hard work at the end of it all! Here are some of my favourite recipes to make with the kids.

• Pikelets – let the kids help make breakfast with a super simple pikelet recipe like this one. They can be easily whipped up in minutes and taste delicious!
• Bliss balls – they’re delicious and are great for kids because they usually require no cooking and can be made with any number of yummy combinations of fruit and nuts that you already have in the fridge – plus children love to get messy and hands on as they help to roll them out. Here are a few of my fav bliss balls to make with the kids
• Muffins: What kid doesn’t love muffins?! They are fun and easy to make, taste delicious and are also great for popping in the freezer in a GLAD SNAP LOCK Reseal Bag as a ready-to-go morning or afternoon snack. I love these Chocolate Chip and Zucchini Muffins because they taste so yummy, yet come packed with veggies that the kids won’t even taste!

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