Right now, we know that a large obstacle to having your home cleaned is simply having your whole family home and being unable to leave during your Hive Helper appointment! Although our helpers are always willing to work around these obstacles, we understand that you may have more peace of mind if your kiddos are occupied and out of the way of your helper. We’ve compiled a list of several activities for you to try out so that your home can continue to stay sparkling clean during these times!
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Outdoors
The simplest solution, if the weather allows, is to pack up and head to the backyard. The key is to bring a variety of activities so that your child doesn’t feel the need to head inside for something else.
-Pack a picnic basket of snacks and drinks. This way you can take a few snack breaks and even have a little fun with it - maybe throw in a fun blanket with some play plates and teacups and throw an outdoor tea picnic!
-Have a sidewalk chalk party. Encourage your children to write encouraging messages to neighbors or draw cheerful scenes to make passersby smile!
-Set up a camping tent (or drape a sheet over a tree or overhang for a makeshift tent) and have a mid-day camping adventure! Bring a stack of books and cozy up together for some “bedtime” stories.
-Gather some fun items for an activity basket – bubbles, squirt guns, coloring books, sport balls, simple games like Jenga or Hopscotch. Switch every 15-20 minutes so they stay engaged and excited!
-Set up a giant obstacle course using ropes, swingsets, hopscotch, etc. Time each other or even divide up into teams if you have enough family members!
-Organize a nature hunt. Have children find a certain number of acorns, leaves, bugs, flowers, rocks, etc!
Indoors
If you are confined to a playroom or bedroom, there are still plenty of options for keeping kiddos occupied.
-Writing out a schedule for children to see can help them not get “bored” or run out of ideas. It also helps give them a time reference to know when they are free to roam around the house again.
-Several of the outdoor activities can still take place indoors - make an indoor tent or fort and have a reading party, have an indoor picnic or tea party, or have an activity basket ready to go.
-You could also have a crafting party, and spend time painting, coloring, or making something even more involved if your children are older! Making bracelets from beads and string, gluing together popsicle stick creations, or decorating paper bag puppets are all great ideas that are relatively mess-free.