Best parenting blogs to keep kids entertained
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Since spring is taking its sweet time getting here, many parents (myself included) are running out of ways to entertaintheir kids indoors. Boredom sets in, and they inevitably grow tired of the toys and gadgets that once kept them busy forhours.
Don’t fret – Metro’s got you covered with a roundup of amazing parenting blogs jam-packed with indoor activities forkids. The best part? Most of them have an educational twist.Read on for a handful of blogs that’ll keep your little ones entertained while also teaching them a thing or two.
If you’re a Pinterest junkie, I Heart Naptime is definitely for you. Of course we love this blog for all its greatactivities for kids, but it also has an added bonus – amazing resources for parents. The site is half cool arts and craftsideas for children, half recipes and DIY projects for grown ups.
I Heart Naptime is known for its stellar seasonal projects. For example, kick off spring by letting your kids help makecookie butter popcorn(while you learn how to create a super-festivespring wreathfor your door). Just one warning: it’sdangerously easy to get lost on this site for hours.
We highly recommend Kids Activities Blog for anyone who has toddlers. Don’t get us wrong; their big-kid activities areequally awesome. It’s just that parents of toddlers will be stoked to find this treasure trove of creative activities forlittle ones.No-cook play doughrecipes and instructions for makingLego rainbowsare among the site’s coolest posts.
“For me, kids activities started out as a necessity. I have three boys and learned very quickly that keeping them busy was asmart parenting strategy!” says Holly Homer, the creative genius behind Kids Activities Blog.
One other thing we love about this site is its parenting resources. There’s an entire section earmarked forparenting tips,including advice for curbing temper tantrums.
Run by an Australian mom-slash-teacher, Learn with Play at Home is loaded with educational activitiesfor kiddos. The main idea here is to promote learning through different types of play. The site features everything from math and science games, to cooking with kids.
“As a teacher on family leave, I found myself really drawn to finding ways that I could play with my children and encouragethem to learn at the same time,” says Deborah Alter-Rasche, the mom behind Learn with Play at Home.
One of the best parts of this blog is its section devoted to independent activities for kids. For example, Alter-Raschesuggests creating a busy box your child can dig into while you tend to housework.
This blog is perfect for scratching your child’s STEM itch (Science, Technology, Math, Science). Some of the coolestactivities include creating hexbug mazes, making balancing robots, and building homemade marble runs.
“I love sharing activities with parents and teachers that are meaningful and engaging,” says Chelsey Marashian, who runsBuggy and Buddy. “When children are having fun creating and thinking, they are developing confidence in themselves thatthey will carry with them throughout the years.”
Buggy and Buddy also touts literacy and creative play activities (as well as free printables). Hands down, Marashian’sfavorite activities are those that encourage children to make predictions and inspire critical thinking.
“There’s nothing better than seeing the excitement in children as they brainstorm all kinds of new ideas inspired by anactivity they are taking part in,” she says.
