5 Reasons to Do Activities with Your Kids

Ever since my kids were little, my friends called me the “Activity Mom”. When my oldest was a baby, I started doing activities with him and eventually started a blog to share my ideas with others. I’ve often had moms tell me they feel guilty that they don’t do as many activities as I do.

First of all, I am not a perfect mom. In fact, I am far from perfect. There are days where my kids have too much screen time and we don’t do any activities. However, I have found a lot of success with doing activities with my kids.

5 reasons to do activities with your kids

They keep kids busy

It’s no surprise that activities keep kids busy. When I prepare a structured activity for my child (i.e. craft), it gives them direction on what to do.

However, most of the time, I set up an invitation to play. This means I set out materials for them to play with and give them little instruction. I want them to be creative and use their imagination to play. For example, I will set out a sensory bin along with tools to play with it, such as funnels, cups, scoopers, and a muffin tin. This type of activity keeps them busy for a long time! (As a side note, my number one tip for using sensory bins is to set down a blanket on the ground so if the material spills, it’s easier to clean up.)

They enhance learning

Doing activities with your kids is an easy way to sneak in learning. I am a big advocate for learning through play. You can learn the alphabet, practice counting, or work on fine motor skills all without kids knowing they are learning.

You don’t need to make your activity time really formal; otherwise, it may result in a child being reluctant to do the activity. Casually invite them to participate and go from there. If your child isn’t excited to participate, don’t make them. Just try again another day. I recommend doing an activity based on your child’s interests. For example, if your child is interested in outer space, do an activity related to that, such as this alphabet puzzle.

They give structure to your day

I am sure you will agree that being a mom is tiring! Sometimes the day just never seems to end! I’ve found that adding activities to my day gives my day structure. It helps the time go by quickly, and I also find that we spend less time on screens (myself included!). I recommend setting aside time once a day to do this, such as in the morning or after naps. 

They provide sensory experiences

Sensory experiences are incredibly powerful. These experiences help children learn about the world they live in through their five senses. Providing opportunities for children to actively use their senses through sensory play activities is crucial to brain development. In fact, it helps to build nerve connections in the brain’s pathways. You could set up a sensory bin, create a sensory bottle, or even explore outdoors.

They help you bond with your child

Setting aside time for activities leads to building a strong connection with your child. Even though the days may seem long, children really do grow up quickly. My oldest is 8 years old and it feels like just yesterday he was a toddler. You don’t need to do an activity with them every single day, but adding in a few each week is great. I promise, your child will think the time together is pretty special!

Now you’re probably wondering what to do for the activities. I share a lot of ideas on my blog, Teaching Mama. I also wrote a book called Play and Learn Toddler Activities. The book is geared toward children ages 1-3, but can easily be used with older children. The book includes 210 activities for creating, exploring, pretending, engaging the senses, and simply playing. If you’re looking for a collection of activity ideas, this book is for you!

Giveaway!

The book is available on Amazon here. I’m also giving away a copy of the book to one lucky reader. To enter, leave a comment about one of your favorite activities to do with your kids. The giveaway closes Sunday, April 29. We will select a winner Monday, April 30. Good luck!

* Contains affiliate links

Angela is the writer and creator at Teaching Mama, where she shares hands-on learning activities for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. She is a former teacher, turned stay-at-home-mom to three wonderful boys, ages 8, 6, and 3. Angela and her family live in Ames, where her husband is a police officer. You can connect with her on Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram.