Too much time indoors can lead to cranky, stir-crazy kids. But you can keep them occupied with kid-friendly, educational activities that appeal to their imagination. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Pitch a tent and build a campsite

When bad weather cancels your camping plans, pitch a tent in your living room. Use a table, chairs and sheet to create a tent or fort in your dining room or living room. Lay a blanket in front of the tent and make a circle using potatoes in place of rocks, and a flashlight or lantern for a fire. Get the whole family involved and take turns telling entertaining stories. Pack your favorite campsite treats.

Embark on an adventure

From your campsite, go exploring through the jungle of the living room. Encourage your child to use their imagination. What animals do they see? Do they hear any strange sounds? How tall are the trees? Will they need to cross a river? If so, will they need to build a bridge? If a bridge is needed, let them use some throw pillows to use as crossing stones. Remember, if you’re excited, they’ll be excited too. A great adventure story, like the serial story “Quetzalcoatyl,” can get their imagination going. This tale about a magical sea creature and the boy he befriends can be found each month in the pages of the free children’s newspaper Kidsville News!

Create a journal

Ask your child to describe their adventure – or just their day – by writing, painting or drawing on a series of pages. Get them to start from the beginning: what they had for breakfast, what they found in the jungle. You can use a hole punch and yarn or string to put together a journal to help them recall their exciting day.

– Courtesy of Family Features