Keeping them busy and out of trouble

"If they are not busy being productive, they are busy being destructive"

If you know me personally, you might have heard me quoting this a few time.

 I bet you have had days when you are trying to get something done around the house and your attention was on that particular task and all the sudden you realized that the house is too quiet and that only means trouble. You go and check what your little ones are doing to find out how "creative" they have been. 

From the time their little eyes are open, most kids will need something to do, something or someone to love and something to think about.

Something or someone to love
We are all created to long to love, and be loved. All precious little ones need a loving environment to grow and flourish. A sterile cold unloving home that, provides shelter and food, isn't enough to the well being of kids. They need love.

 Children need to be able to love. From loving family members, a pet, and  a special toy, we need to be able to let them being able to love.

Something to do
Kids do have a way to keep you on your toes. I am always amazed on how creative my little girls can get if I leave them with nothing really specific to do, and by creative I mean finding new ways to make a huge mess.

When I'm saying something to do, I am not talking about having them in tuns of organized sports, classes and activities and you look more like a chauffeur then a parent. I do not see anything wrong with any of these, the kids are taking part of some sports, classes and structured activities but it does not take over our life.

What would be some worthwhile things to do:

• Doing some craft. 
• Building a house with blocks
• Taking care of a garden or flowers
• Working on making your home beautiful
• Playing games like hide-and-go seek, hopscotch or pretend play (pretend house, school, coffee shop, spaceship travel ...)
• Organizing a show, puppet, drama dance for the rest of the family to sit down and enjoy.
• Doing chores
•  Helping others in need
• Building a blanket fort or transforming the bedroom into a camping site (what kids does not love to sleep on the floor under a tent)
• Reenacting a stories from a book

All these things can be done at home, with little effort, and will help keeping them busy in a good way.

Something to think about

Engage your children in conversation, do be afraid to ask them questions and encourage critical thinking. Whether it is after you have read a book or watch a show, take time to have a discussion about it. I think this is the fun part of homeschooling, being able to have a little peek into how your kids brain and how the little wheels are turning in there. 

How about you, what is the best way to keep your little one busy in a productive way?