How to for kids
70 Best and Creative Indoor and Outdoor Ideas
The Best Ideas for Kids/Dream a Little Bigger
The phrase parents dread the most comes in a short, two-word statement, but it packs a gut punch: "I'm bored." Those words can come at any time, at any place, no matter how many toys they have or no matter what the screen-time situation is.
But parents don't have to fear boredom any longer with this list of the best activities for kids in 2022, meant to cut ennui off at the pass. Most of them only require materials that are probably already somewhere around the house (though you might have to supplement with a specific art supply or two). They're designed to get kids to use their creativity and imaginations, or get them up and active, or have them practice certain skills like matching or memory or some combination of all of the above. But most of all, they're designed to be fun, which means they'll get so lost in their projects that they'll forget they were ever at a loss for something to do to begin with.
Not enough boredom-busters? If the kids in question are more into crafts than activities, we have suggestions for all kinds of crafts for kids in every season, including summer crafts for kids, fall crafts for kids and winter crafts for kids (and also projects for holidays like Thanksgiving, Halloween, Christmas, Easter, Mother's Day and Father's Day). If they're drawn more to the activities than the crafts, you can find more ideas for backyard games, at-home science experiments, learning activities for preschoolers, learning activities for toddlers, fun activities for toddlers and activities for 1-year-olds. No matter what they're into, they'll find something to amuse themselves.
Avengers Bookmarks
Crafts by Amanda
Turn their love of superheroes into a love of reading with these clever craft-stick bookmarks. Just note that they work best with jumbo craft sticks. (Don't worry if you can't draw free-hand — the tutorial has patterns.
)
Get the tutorial at Crafts By Amanda »
Bucket-List Wreath
Design Improvised
This is an activity that sparks ideas for future activities. The clothespins that make up this wreath have suggestions for fun days out written on them, like "beach day" or "go to the museum" — aka some "bucket list" items — and every time your family is staring down a day with nothing to do, you can always head over together and pick one out. Refresh the clothespins for summer vacation, for winter break or any other time you expect a lot of downtime.
Get the tutorial at Design Improvised »
Bubble Refill Station
Hello, Wonderful
Those bubbles? They run out in a heartbeat. By creating (and, if the mood strikes, decorating) a DIY bubble refill station, kids will have a useful work of art and a way to re-up their bubble solution supply without parental involvement.
Get the tutorial at Hello, Wonderful »
DIY Bath Bombs
A Beautiful Mess
Tweens and teens will love making their own homemade bath bombs (which is a great idea for a birthday party with a built-in favor).
Once they've perfected the technique, they'll love experimenting with shapes and fragrances.
Get the tutorial at A Beautiful Mess »
Felt Flower Bouquet
Happiness Is Homemade
The best thing about these felt flowers is they don't require any sewing. Kids can use them to decorate their rooms, put in a pencil cup or use as a bookmark, but they also make good Mother's Day gifts!
Get the tutorial at Happiness Is Homemade »
Backyard Treasure Hunt
Alice & Lois
Give them early map-reading skills by giving them a homemade path to treasure or prize. Then, flip it and have kids make their own maps for you to follow.
Get the tutorial at Alice & Lois »
Pool Noodle Pom-Pom Launcher
Kid Friendly Things to Do
What do you get when you combine a pool noodle slice and a latex balloon? You get something that sends pom-poms flying across the sky! The poms are so soft, you don't have to worry about damage as kids send them everywhere!
Get the tutorial at Kid Friendly Things to Do »
Spider Web Search
Jamie Reimer/Hands on As We Grow
These kids were challenged with finding bug stickers hidden along the string web.
Stepping in and around the web is great gross motor practice, and they were given a list of bugs to find, which also made it a matching activity.
Get the tutorial at Hands On as We Grow »
Finger Puppets
Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom
There's no sewing involved to make these fun finger puppets (but kids might need some help with the hot glue gun). Then they can make up their own stories and put on a puppet show.
Get the tutorial at Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom »
Bath Paint
I Heart Arts 'n' Crafts
With just two ingredients, you can whip up some DIY paint that doesn't stain bathtubs and rinses down the drain. Then your toddler artist will be so busy making a masterpiece that they won't notice their hair being scrubbed.
Get the tutorial at I Heart Arts 'n' Crafts »
Craft Stick Trivia Game
Dream a Little Bigger
Kids will love answering (or even coming up with) the questions for this extremely portable game.
Once it's done, you can break it out while waiting for dinner, at a doctor's office or anywhere else they might need to kill a few minutes. (Not a trivia fan? Don't worry — the tutorial has plenty of questions.)
Get the tutorial at Dream a Little Bigger »
Rainbow Walking
Emma Owl
This is the type of art project that also gets kids up and moving — a win-win. The developer of this craft even did another version on an apron as a gift for Granny.
Get the tutorial at Emma Owl »
Backpack Tags
Handmade Charlotte
Kids will be able to spot their backpacks a mile away when they have a personalized charm dangling from the zipper. They can also make some to give away to friends.
Get the tutorial at Handmade Charlotte »
Summer Fun Journal
Makes and Takes
The boredom-busting capacity of this homemade journal is two-fold: First, they get to make and decorate it themselves.
Then, they can use it to record their best summer memories.
Get the tutorial at Makes and Takes »
Paper House Village
Club Crafted
If the kids have so many toys, they might need a whole village to roam around in — and this one can be made with colored cardstock (littler ones might have to lose some of the definition in the window panes if they are too young to use a craft knife, but squares work just fine). A rainbow of houses is certain to look great in a playroom. This one was created to be a holiday village, but without the festive elements it'll just be a colorful town.
Get the tutorial at Club Crafted »
Sensory Sorting
Jamie Reimer/Hands On as We Grow
For this activity, two colors of buttons were placed in a storage bag filled with clear gel. Pushing the buttons into the proper spaces is a sorting activity, a color-recognition activity and a sensory activity all in one.
Get the tutorial at Hands On as We Grow »
Faux Flower Garland
Mike Garten
The secret to this flower garden is cupcake liners! When it's done, kids can use them as garlands around their rooms, or as a summery table decoration for a party.
To make: Have kids fold dyed cupcake liners in half and cut out petal and fringe shapes. Then fold a piece of floral wire in half and twist around the faux flower stamen. Poke the wire through the center of three to four paper liners. Finish it off by wrapping floral tape around the base of the liners and bringing it all the way down the stem.
Melted Pony Bead Wind Chimes
No Time for Flash Cards
Kids love seeing the cause-and-effect, before-and-after of melting down pony beads into different molds. When they're in a proper shape, the melted beads can be strung into wind chimes.
Get the tutorial at No Time for Flash Cards »
Fairy Leaf Puppets
Willowday
To start off this project, send kids off on a nature walk to have them gather materials and supplies.
Then, they can unleash their creativity at home to make these beautiful puppets.
Get the tutorial at Willowday »
RELATED: Autumn-Inspired Leaf Crafts That Can Be Made with Real or Paper Leaves
Pool Noodle Boats
The Best Ideas for Kids
When those pool noodles start to get worn out, give them a second life by cutting them into floating boats, decorated with straws and sails. The good thing is one noodle can make a whole fleet, which you can then sail in a bath or kiddie pool with small toys as the passengers.
Get the tutorial at The Best Ideas for Kids »
Colored Salt Art
Buggy and Buddy
With food coloring, salt and squeeze bottles, your family can hit the driveway, sidewalk or patio and make masterpieces inspired by artist Motoi Yamamoto. It's the perfect upgrade when sidewalk chalk gets boring.
Get the tutorial at Buggy and Buddy »
Marbled Paper
Studio DIY
This is a fun activity that gives kids a chance to dig in their hands as they make art.
Fill a tub with foaming shaving cream, add food coloring or paint on the tip, then swirl with a butter knife or stick, and when you lay a piece of paper on top, it comes away with a cool, marbled pattern.
Get the tutorial at Studio DIY »
Novelty Snow Globes
Aww Sam
With oven-bake clay, kids can put trendy items into globes and make a desk accessory with a cactus, donut, hot dog, pineapple or whatever they can imagine.
Get the tutorial at Aww Sam »
Sensory Bin
SDI ProductionsGetty Images
Fill a plastic tub with dry rice, raw pasta, Kinetic Sand or water beads, and let the kids go to town scooping, pouring and digging for little treasures you've hidden. These sensory bins expose them to different textures and helps them work on their fine motor coordination.
Get the tutorial »
RELATED: 13 DIY Sensory Bin Ideas to Get Kids Used to New Textures
Orange Peel Bird Feeder
Typically Simple
Kids can whip up these bird feeders from birdseed, popcorn and an orange peel.
When it's hung, give them a sketchbook and some art supplies and see if they can draw and identify the visitors that stop by.
Get the tutorial at Typically Simple »
Ice Dye Hoodie
Alice and Lois
You've done tie-dying, now see what happens when you ice-dye your hoodies and tote bags. A project best attempted with older ones, ice-dying involves pre-treating fabric, then putting powdered dye on top of ice, which makes cool patterns when it melts.
Get the tutorial at Alice and Lois »
RELATED: The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide to Tie-Dye Anything (and Everything) In Your Closet
Paper Chain Wall Hanging
White House Crafts
We know tweens and teens love nothing more than personalizing their rooms, and wall art made from paper chains is a versatile DIY for these purposes. They can use the tutorial to get the rainbow pattern, or sketch out their own ideas on graph paper.
Get the tutorial at White House Crafts »
Color Scavenger Hunt
I Heart Crafty Things
Help toddlers learn to recognize colors by sending them off on a hue-based scavenger hunt. This can work as an indoor or outdoor activity — all you have to do is send them off with a sheet of colors, and they have to find nearby objects that match.
Get the tutorial at I Heart Crafty Things »
RELATED: Creative Scavenger Hunt Ideas to Hone Your Kids' Observational Skills
"Space" Crayons
Minieco
There's just something about sparkly crayons in made in celestial-shape molds that makes coloring time extra exciting. Plus, you make them with the ends of old crayons that kids never want to color with anyway!
Get the tutorial at Minieco »
Pool Noodle Obstacle Course
Andrea Yi
You don't actually need to change into your swimsuit to have fun with pool noodles — you can use them to create obstacles that kids have to climb through, crawl under, balance on, or jump over.
Get the tutorial at Raising Dragons »
Jellyfish
Craftiments
Paper plates and yarn transform into these denizens of the deep. If you use glow-in-the-dark acrylic paint, you can even see their "bioluminescence" in action when you turn out the lights.
Get the tutorial at Craftiments »
Tattoo-Patterned Planter
A Kailo Chic Life
If you have a printer, you can get some printable temporary tattoo paper and use it to dress up old planters, mugs, pencil cups and the like. (And if you don't have a printer, you can just use a lot of little, store-bought temp tattoos.) Tweens will have a great time finding patterns that match their bedrooms or school supplies.
Get the tutorial at A Kailo Chic Life »
Lava Lamp
Aww Sam
Lava lamps are back, baby, in a groovy new way. And if you want the homemade look, you can do it yourself with vegetable oil, food coloring and antacid tablets.
Get the tutorial at Aww Sam »
Fairy Bells
Buzzmills
Decorate twigs with embroidery floss, beads and jingling bells to add a bit of whimsy to your yard. Listen to see if the fairies come out to ring the bells.
Get the tutorial at Buzzmills »
Sun Print Leaf Art
Design Improvised
It's an art project and a chance to brush up on their STEM skills all at once. Gather leaves or other interestingly-shaped natural materials on an outdoor adventure, and then use them to make prints on sun-sensitive paper.
Get the tutorial at Design Improvised »
"I Spy" Bag
Six Sisters' Stuff
Transform a windowed pencil case into an armchair treasure hunt with this no-sew project. Fill the case with poly pellets to obscure the treasures.
Get the tutorial at Six Sisters' Stuff »
Mini Lid Banjos
The Craft Train
These may not sound like the real thing, but they look adorable — and you can dress them up basically any way you want.
They're the perfect doll-sized instrument for a pretend band.
Get the tutorial at The Craft Train »
Friendship Bracelets
Marisa Edghill
These old camp crafts are back and better than ever. See if your fingers can remember how to make spiral staircases, chevrons, diamonds and waves, then teach your kids and let them pick their own color combinations.
Get the tutorial at Omiyage Blogs »
RELATED: Easy Friendship Bracelet Patterns to Dress Up Any Outfit
Flight School
Philip Friedman/Studio D
These paper planes are perfect for kids — just fold and let your imagination fly. Increase the challenge by making some cardboard targets for the planes to fly through.
Get the tutorial »
Paper Bracelets
Picklebums
We love a two-for-one activity: First, paint abstract shapes with watercolors, and then have older kids cut the paper into strips and fold them into wearable art.
Get the tutorial at Picklebums »
Thumbprint Family Tree
Philip Friedman/Studio D
Get in touch with your roots via a hands-on genealogical project. Dot the print-out template with thumbprint leaves, then start mapping extended relatives galore.
Get the tutorial »
Felt Elastic Bookmarks
Cutesy Crafts
With bookmarks this cute, they might even be motivated to do more reading. You can whip these up in a snap with some felt, googly eyes, glue and elastic.
Get the tutorial at Cutesy Crafts »
Glowing Fairy Jar
MomDot
Glitter and glow sticks make it possible to "capture" a fairy and watch as her magic illuminates a colorful jar. Shake it up for some more magic.
Get the tutorial at MomDot »
Owl Puppet
Merrilee Liddiard
Handprint turkey, step aside: A new paper craft can rule the roost.
Add string to the cup's sides, and you've got yourself a feathered cap, too.
Get the tutorial »
Race Track
Juliette's Garden
Take your washi tape stash to the floor to create a colorful, customizable race track for tiny cars — and a place to park them when playtime is over.
Get the tutorial at Le Jardin de Juliette »
Foam Paint
Dabbles & Babbles
This three-ingredient recipe is a little bit of art, a little bit of science. The paintable foam (which kids can pipe out of plastic bags) hardens overnight into super-cool, puffed-up masterpieces.
Get the tutorial at Dabbles & Babbles »
Temporary Tattoos
Hello, Wonderful
You can use printable tattoo paper to celebrate your kid's love of doodling by making temp tats out of her own art.
(And, go ahead: Let her put a few on you, too.)
Get the tutorial at Hello, Wonderful »
Glow Bubbles
Paging Supermom
Adding ink from a highlighter to some bubble solution makes bubbles that glow under a blacklight. Ready for some glow-in-the-dark fun?
Get the tutorial at Paging Supermom »
Polka Dot Slime
Fun at Home With Kids
Slime is the trend that's never going away, and the only thing better than making a mom-approved mess is doing so with the extra fun of polka dots. (Can you guess what they're made from? That's right, more slime!)
Get the tutorial at Fun at Home With Kids »
Mini Volcanoes
Momdot
This explosive science experiment (disguised as permission to make a mess) is a lot more palatable when contained in a glass dish. Add food coloring for colorful lava.
Get the tutorial at MomDot »
Artsy Collages
MollyMooCrafts.com
It's amazing how a piece of paper loaded up with watercolor doodles, stickers and pictures from thrifted design books becomes instant art when framed.
Get the tutorial at Molly Moo Crafts »
Window Art
And Next Comes L
Don't worry — we're not suggesting you surrender your patio doors to your kids' artistic ambitions. This activity only requires transparency sheets and water, so it's totally removable.
Get the tutorial at And Next Comes L »
Tissue Box Monsters
The Best Ideas for Kids
You probably have empty tissue boxes lying around the house already. When you're done, use the extra pom-poms to "feed" the monster. Turn it into a minute-to-win-it game by seeing how many pom-poms players can toss into the monster's mouth in 60 seconds.
Get the tutorial at The Best Ideas for Kids »
RELATED: Fun Things to Do at a Sleepover to Keep Them Busy All Night Long
Story Stones
Handmade Mood
Take rock painting a step further: After the paint's dry, the images on the stones become characters in a story everyone can tell together.
Get the tutorial at Handmade Mood »
Spiky Sponges
Endlessly Inspired
When skipping through the sprinkler loses its charm, pull out these homemade spiky sponges for a riff on water balloons that won't cause bruising.
Get the tutorial at Endlessly Inspired »
Nature Craft Bugs
The Craft Train
Your kids can use things they find in nature to replicate what they see in the great outdoors. The secret to this craft is using a coat of Modge Podge to make the bugs shiny (and keep the leaves from drying out).
Get the tutorial at The Craft Train »
Tie-Dye Spin Art
Mike Garten
Transform your salad spinner into a carnival-style spin art machine. Just make sure you fill squeeze bottles with washable paint, in case splatters land outside the coffee filter canvases.
Get the tutorial »
Origami Frogs
Itsy Bitsy Fun
These paper frogs really jump! When the fun of folding origami frogs is over, extend playtime with sidewalk games to see which hopper can leap the farthest.
Get the tutorial at Itsy Bitsy Fun »
Fairy Garden
Mike Garten
To you, it's just glitter; to them, it's magical pixie dust. Sprinkle some over your pint-sized garden and wait for the fairies to come out and play!
Get the tutorial »
Outdoor Concert
Fun at Home With Kids
Thrift store finds become a backyard music station (and save your everyday cookware from your little maestro's enthusiastic playing).
With a few modifications, you can probably set up an indoor version of this one-man band wall, too.
Get the tutorial at Fun at Home With Kids »
Magic Bubble Wands
Babble Dabble Do
Fashion straws into 3D shapes for an activity that's one part at-home science experiment, one part silly fun with bubbles. With practice, you can make square and triangular bubbles!
Get the tutorial at Babble Dabble Do »
Water Balloon Batting Station
iCandy Handmade
Because nothing says "summer" quite like a bucket of water balloons and America's pastime. Play ball! (And get soaked!)
Get the tutorial at iCandy Handmade »
Skee Ball
Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls
Dump out the laundry baskets for an indoor arcade game. Launched off a cardboard ramp, plastic balls score major points with bored kiddos.
Get the tutorial at Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls »
Funfetti Play Dough
Smart School House
Skip the cupcakes and make this sprinkle-packed, two-ingredient play dough instead. The mixture is even edible (but nearly all sugar, so don't turn your back on little ones for too long).
Get the tutorial at Smart School House »
Pool Noodle Water Wall
Teaching Mama
When they start using pool noodles as makeshift swords, tie the toys to a pegboard and hold a good, clean water race instead. Just be sure to keep the towels handy.
Get the tutorial at Teaching Mama »
Soap Boat
I Heart Naptime
File this under genius parenting hacks: A piece of rain gutter picked up at the hardware store becomes a slick racetrack when you add water and an adorable soap boat.
All kids get to make their own flag!
Get the tutorial at I Heart Naptime »
Rainbow Bubble Snakes
Housing a Forest
In a bit of bubble magic, a dish soap solution morphs into a crazy-cool growing snake. Add some food coloring to watch the snake emerge in cool colors.
Get the tutorial at Housing a Forest »
Kiddie Car Wash
Mom Endeavors
The old backyard sprinkler gets a major upgrade with this kiddie car wash, which uses PVC pipes and a hose connector to become the ultimate backyard car wash. Your kids will have endless fun running between the sponges and pool toys.
Get the tutorial at Mom Endeavors »
Falling Leaves Snow Globe
The Soccer Mom Blog
Who says snow globes are just for the winter? Kids can make this autumn variety with foil leaves and glycerin, and then use it when they need a moment of calm focus.
Get the tutorial at The Soccer Mom Blog »
Dress-Up Mermaid Tail
Ikat Bag
You'll probably have to help with the sewing on this one, but the kids can help design and craft their own slip-on, slip-off mermaid tail for pretend undersea adventures.
Get the tutorial at Ikat Bag »
Marisa LaScala Senior Parenting & Relationships Editor Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; she previously wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother.
Lauren Piro Senior Web Editor Overseeing all things home for GoodHousekeeping.com and HouseBeautiful.com, Lauren swoons over midcentury design and employs tough-love approach to decluttering (just throw it away, ladies).
70 Things to Do with Kids Now That We’re All Stuck at Home
Looking for fun things to do at home with kids?
When your kids are stuck at home, the hours may seem to drag on forever.
To help, we’ve come up with 70 awesome activities for kids to do at home. Most of the ideas on this list are activities you can easily set up with supplies you already have at home.
If the weather is nice, and you want the kids to play outside, try our list of 100 things to do outside at home.
Do you have a fun idea we should add to our “Things to do at home with kids” list? Email us at [email protected] and we can add it to our list!
70 Activities to Do with Kids at Home:- Play indoor hide and seek.
- Conduct a science experiment. Here are 31 easy science experiments using common household items.
- Make a batch of DIY Gummy Bears.
- Have a laugh with Alexa. Here is a list of some funny and kid-friendly things you can ask Alexa and Siri.
- Have an extra amazon box laying around? Here are 32 fun, creative, and educational things to do with a cardboard box.
- Ride a virtual roller coaster. For even more fun, stream the video to your TV and sit inside laundry baskets to for the full effect. Here are 30 of the best virtual rides.
- Try a new cookie or cake recipe. Bonus idea: Set up a camera or smart phone and film a cooking show!
- Make at play kit with items from around the house to enhance your child’s imaginative play. Here are some of our favorite play kit ideas.
- Make DIY fruit roll-ups.
- Practice a new lifeskill with your kids. Here are 81 Essential Life Skills to Teach Kids at Every Age.
- Play with blocks. We recommend the competitive STEM game Blocks Rock!
- Make a mancala counting game with an egg carton. Instructions here.
- Go camping in the living room.
- Play board games.
- Make DIY Strawberry Pop-Tarts.
- Design and go on an indoor treasure hunt.
- Plan a family garden.
- Make ice cream in a bag. Recipe here.
- Make slime. Instructions here.
- Set up an in-home nail salon and try some nail art techniques. Ideas here.
- Dress up in your best clothes and have a fancy dinner.
- Make a piñata. Instructions here.
- Make friendship bracelets.
- Make and blow bubbles. Instructions here.
- Teach your pet a new trick.
- Make rock candy. Instructions here.
- Have an indoor picnic.
- Listen to an audiobook or podcast.
- Try Cosmic Kids Yoga.
- Make paper fidget spinners. Instructions here.
- Create your own bingo cards and have a bingo tournament.
- Create a family tree.
- Let your kids write and direct a stop-motion movie. Learn how it works here.
- Learn and play a new card game.
- Teach yourself to juggle.
- Practice origami, or the art of paper folding. Ideas here.
- Play with magnets on a cookie sheet.
- Make a maze on the floor with painter’s tape.
- Play with sidewalk chalk.
- Play indoor volleyball or soccer with balloons.
- Have a pizza party. DIY Pizza Bagels recipe here.
- Make paper airplanes and see whose plane flies the farthest.
- Play dress up with mom and dad’s clothes.
- Make your own popsicles. Here is one popsicle recipe we enjoy.
- Go in your backyard and look for four-leaf clovers.
- Write a secret message in invisible ink. Recipe for lemon juice invisible ink here.
- Play “I Spy” inside or out the window.
- Clean out your closets.
- Facetime or Skype with family or friends. Here are some tips on making facetime meaningful.
- Have breakfast in bed.
- Have a tea party.
- Make a water sensory bag. Instructions here.
- Make some DIY play-dough.
- Create a nature scavenger hunt in your back yard.
- Play “The Floor is Lava.”
- Snuggle on the couch and read your favorite books.
- Rearrange or redecorate your room.
- Play in a bubble bath.
- Have a pillow fight.
- Have a family movie night. Here are 10 of our all time favorites.
- Make an indoor obstacle course.
- Have a family music night.
- Build a giant fort out of blankets, chairs and pillows
- Paint with Kool-Aid. Instructions here.
- Put on a puppet show.
- Make a scrapbook.
- Play marbles on the floor.
- Do a puzzle.
- Fold clothes together.
- Create a new dessert.
- Put on your bathrobes and play spa day.
- Play 20 Questions.
- Create creatures out of pipe cleaners.
Ideas here. - Make a treasure bottle. Instructions here.
- Decorate a T-shirt.
- Write letters to family and friends.
- Build a bridge or building with toothpicks or Q-tips.
- Play hangman or tic-tac-toe.
- Make a time capsule! One day your kids can use it to tell their kids all about this craziness.
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For children it is necessary to do as for adults, only better
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| … They cannot be deceived. They once or twice feel false and insincerity. They trust, open their eyes and expect a miracle. And it depends on us, adults, whether they will believe in a miracle or say: “The wizard is not real!” How to surprise today's boys and girls? Three-year-old peanuts and eight-year-old sensible personalities. Is it easy to put on children's performances, how the kids of the artists meet, what they say after the performance, says the director and producer of the Orange Sky Theater Antonina Lebedeva. |
It seems to be nothing. We offer them cartoons, vlogs, tablets, computers, less often, what can we hide - books. And, due to employment, very rarely - children's performances and performances. nine0006
— Antonina, your theater repertoire includes both adult and children's performances. You are not only a director, but also a leading theater actress. Tell me, for whom is it more difficult to set and play: for adults or children?
— It is difficult to answer this question unambiguously. It would seem that it is easier for children to play. Show a fairy tale, grimace and you're done. But no! Children should do the same as adults. Only better. It is a great responsibility to show exactly what our children need today.
And we try to stage both adult and children's performances responsibly and with full professionalism. nine0006
— What do our children need?
— They need kindness, warmth, sincerity. Something new that they didn't know about yet. We must set an example of responsiveness, loyalty to our word, teach friendship, mutual understanding.
— What performances in the theater repertoire are specifically for children?
— These are "Wonderful Byvalschiny" based on Boris Shergin's fairy tales, as well as Russian folk tales. In this performance, we scare and make you laugh, make you worry a little, laugh a lot, even mourn. But everything ends well. You can also note the "Wacky Tale". This is a staging from the collection of fairy tales by A. Afanasiev, staged by the wonderful director Vladimir Krasovsky. Today's children, unfortunately, know little Russian nursery rhymes and jokes, they have no idea how buffoons used to work.
Well, that's how we remember. In this performance, acquaintance with the world of Russian folklore takes place in the form of a game, which includes the audience. There is also a fairy tale "How a kitten was looking for friends." This performance is subtle, wise and very emotional. It has a lot of music. Actors work in the classical school of acting existence, characteristic of the Russian theater, the Stanislavsky Theater. nine0006
- Serious work indeed. Are you preparing something new?
— Yes, now we are working on a performance based on the work of Konstantin Paustovsky "Warm Bread". I can not say that this is only a children's performance. It's more for family viewing.
- Antonina, but this is a rather "experiential" work, complex. Will the children of Filkino pick up “well, you”?
Exactly, no. With the performance, we will try to convey the importance of warm relationships, talk about the fact that you can’t offend the weak, talk about love and participation, that Nature is a very delicate organism, and you can’t destroy it.
This is very necessary for children and adults. nine0006
— Is there any desire to take some contemporary work? There are many authors now, and there are also many well-published books. Seems like a big choice. Yes, it's fashionable.
— You know, I recently bought a book for my granddaughter. I chose several modern authors with beautiful pictures in good editions. When I started reading them, I was struck by the primitiveness of the plots and texts, the lack of artistic images. The child was frankly bored. I had to get from the shelf "time-tested" K.I. Chukovsky and S.Ya. Marshak. By the way, their granddaughter knows by heart. nine0006
- I think many mothers and grandmothers will agree with you. Antonina, what do young theatergoers say after performances?
— Oh, children are such a grateful audience! They applaud without sparing their palms. They always sincerely thank and leave, believing in a fairy tale.
These moments are worth working for.
- Antonina, when is the premiere expected?
— Very soon, follow the posters, we will definitely inform you about everything.
Elena Rozhkova
© Design. LLC Eksmo Publishing House, 2019
All rights reserved. The book or any part of it may not be copied, reproduced in electronic or mechanical form, in the form of a photocopy, recorded in a computer memory, reproduction or in any other way, or used in any information system without obtaining permission from the publisher. Copying, reproduction and other use of the book or part of it without the consent of the publisher is illegal and entails criminal, administrative and civil liability. nine0006
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There are no children who know how to clean from birth. Remember this, dear parents, and do not think that your child is somehow different.
This book will tell you how to teach your child to clean up.
For its author Nagisa Tatsumi, it is clear that people who are able to keep the house in order, not just know how to put everything on the shelves, but have mastered the three skills well: handle things properly, get along with others, and live an active life.
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“All parents have to think about how to teach their children to order. This is not easy. And kids don't like doing that. This book explains how to gradually teach a child to clean up the house, how to convey to him the idea that keeping clean is important. Moreover, the author of the book, Nagisa Tatsumi, is sure that there is a deeper meaning in cleaning: it helps the child to master the most basic life skills, teaches them to take care of things and live in harmony with other people. nine0006
Olga Chernova, editor-in-chief
“A book from the author who inspired me to write Magical Cleaning.
Marie Kondo
From this book you will learn
• How to teach a child to put away toys
• What help to require from a child, what tasks can be assigned to him
• How to teach a child to handle things with care
900 need your own room• Why cleaning is so important
Why do you need to put things in order?
This book will tell you how to teach a child to clean up.
But this is not a cleaning manual, although cleaning methods are also discussed here.
I divided all the tips into topics and provided comments to make them easier to use.
In the first chapter, I will tell you what parents need to do before scolding their child for a mess and demanding to clean up. You will learn how to gently involve the child in the cleaning process, how to prepare him for what he does not yet know how to do. nine0006
In the second chapter we will talk about children's things. What things does the child have in the room - that is, on his territory? What is the best way to store them? I think it is worth teaching a child to maintain order, starting with his personal belongings.
In the third chapter we will talk about the space outside the nursery: what needs to be done so that the child cleans up things that the whole family uses in the common area - in the kitchen, in the living room, etc.
In the fourth chapter, I deviate a little from the topic of cleaning and think about the nursery as a separate space. Does the child need their own room? How should parents treat her? nine0006
For me, the most important thing in putting things in order is not specific methods and techniques. I believe that through cleaning, people learn something more important - how to handle things, build relationships with their family, make decisions. I hope you will discover something new for yourself too.
Start reading from the place that interests you and try to apply what seems important and feasible to you.
Nagisa Tatsumi
Introduction
Household order and the most important life skills
Children don't like and don't know how to put things in order
It's hard to count how many times the mother of a child over two years old has to repeat these words – “put things in order”:
“Let's put things in order first, and then sit down at the table”.
“Your room is such a mess! Isn't it time to clean up?"
“Put things in order, the guests will come!”…
Often we scold the child: “Well, how many times can you repeat! Come on, quickly put things in order!”
Children don't like to clean up very much. Of course, adults who are crazy about this activity should also be looked for, but children just completely hate cleaning and do it poorly. nine0006
They are usually interested in taking their toys out one by one. When you are going to treat them with sweets, they willingly take out saucers from the buffet. They lay buckets and shovels in front of them to play in the sandbox, and when they choose what to wear, they dump everything out of the closet. Children do nothing but take things out, but the thought of putting them back into place does not seem to occur to them.
I think that this action itself - putting things in order - is not inherent in a person's genes. We have to get things one way or another, but we don’t need to put them back in place, respectively, and there is no such desire. It seems that people have learned to clean up only because, since ancient times, mothers constantly scolded us and forced us to clean up. So the problem with children is not that they don't want it, they don't know how to do it yet. nine0006
It seems that people have learned to clean up only because since ancient times, mothers constantly scolded us and forced us to clean up.
The child does not keep order. He is bad?
There are no children who would know how to clean from birth. Remember this and do not be upset that your child is dirty. Just because he can't clean up doesn't mean he's bad. On the contrary, it's okay. After all, he still does not understand the very idea of putting things in order, he does not know how this is done, and therefore your calls and instructions baffle him. nine0006
Feel sorry for the child when he is scolded or considered stupid, although the problem is simple misunderstanding. But he is no less sorry if he is not given a chance to become independent. Often the mother does everything herself, believing that it is faster or that the child is too small.
Adults should teach children how to clean as carefully and patiently as they teach them to talk or handle objects - a cup, scissors, etc.
This training is not easy and often leaves you at a loss. But there is no choice - you need to overcome these difficulties and explain to the child step by step what's what. He will gradually learn the necessary skills and eventually be able to do everything on his own. nine0006
Give up threats and blackmail
I often think how wonderful it would be to magically instill in a child the ability to clean up. It would be nice to have such a spell! Say: "Abracadabra!" or "Sim-salabim!" – and everything is getting better by itself. But there is no such magic, alas. When I see that everything is upside down in the nursery, instead of spells, threats break from my lips like: “C'mon, clean up, otherwise I'll throw it all away!” or “Until you tidy up, you won’t go to the second floor!” (on the second floor - a bedroom). My husband sometimes says: “If you don’t take care of things (you won’t clean them) - I won’t buy again!” And one of my friends scared the child like this: “If you don’t clean up, a giant Buddha will come and take you away!” Once in childhood, their child was very impressed by the huge statues of Buddha in the city of Kamakura, now parents just mention them, and it works. nine0006
There was a period in our family when we invented different monsters. If our son ran around the house naked after a bath, we would tell him that the "carrot monster" would come and bite off his "carrot". And when the kid played too close to the home stove, we scared him with a “burning monster”.
But no monster was found for cleaning, because it is difficult to find an analogy for this occupation. There is no such clear logic here, such as: if you run around without clothes, the monster will bite off your “carrot”, if you sit close to the fire, you will get burned. The fact that toys will break if they are not removed does not sound very plausible, and the fact that books will disappear is also unlikely to be very scary. nine0006
It turns out that we have only two options: either threaten to throw things away, or blackmail the child that you won’t buy him anything else, don’t give him sweets, don’t let him watch TV, etc.
But intimidation will not solve the problem until the child does not accept the very idea of putting things in order. He only reluctantly gives in to you so as not to be left without toys and sweets. His attempts to cheat, despite all the threats, are proof of this: he can simply shift things from the floor to the table or push them into drawers. Intimidation and conditions can be successful in motivating a child if he himself is not against cleaning, but with a child who does not want to do this, this is the last resort, and threats are unlikely to succeed. nine0006
Where to start?
Since there are no magic spells, parents will have to gather their courage and teach the child on their own. Where to start?
My friend does not know how to clean up well and believes that if she is incapable of doing this, then the child is even more so.
Indeed, parents cannot teach a child what they themselves do not know how to do. But even if a person is not strong in something, he can master it in order to become a good parent.
Surely each of us, having lunch with a spouse or with friends, accidentally puts his elbows on the table or takes a fork in the wrong way.
