There are things you have to do, things you need to do and then things you want to do. It often seems like the have-to-dos and the need-to-dos take up most of our waking hours, and the want-to-dos get pushed back again and again. Wouldn’t it be great if you had a little block of time in your week to sit down with your kids and do something creative?
Ana who has a website called Babble Dabble Do has an article on her site called, “5 Easy Ways to Find Time for Family Creativity” that offers some helpful ideas on sneaking a little time during the week for some family creative fun.
- Set aside 15 minutes in your week – She says 15 minutes is plenty of time for most kids to do a simple project. Check your calendar and see if you can find one day/week when 15 minutes of creativity can be included and put it on your schedule.
- Prep in advance – Plan a project. (There is a list of 80 projects on this site if you need suggestions.) Make a list of what you will need and gather it all in advance. If your kids are old enough, they can help with the prep.
- Save that chore – This is such good advice! “If prioritizing a chore over creative time with your kids tempts you, DON’T DO IT! Prioritize fun!
- Device-free days – Ana and her husband allotted 2 no-device days a week for EVERYONE in their family. These days allow more time to spend together as a family. She said there was definitely whining at first, but now the kids are playing together more and being creative on ways to spend their time sans electronics.
- It doesn’t always have to be a project – You don’t always have to sit at a table and do a project says Ana. She says there are lots of ways to inject creativity into your family’s daily life. There is a list of 42 creative prompts that you can print out that will encourage seeing the world with fresh eyes and being able to think of new solutions and develop confidence in both success and failure. Some examples from the list are wake up early and watch the sunrise, learn a new word and use it in conversation, buy the coolest $1 item you can find and rub a balloon through your hair and check it out in the mirror!
Remember, creative time with your kids shouldn’t be hard. Keep things simple and enjoy!
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– Becky Lynn is a writer for EllisDownHome.com. She and her husband Bob enjoy spending time with their 8 grandchildren and traveling. Becky loves cranking up the music and heading to the kitchen to try out new recipes or cook for an upcoming party. She is passionate about continuing to be a life-long learner!
