Technology is an amazing asset today. However, sometimes you may want to get your family back to simpler times when smartphones, laptops, and tablets were not around to kill time. Without these things, what do you do? What at-home activities can be engaging and benefit your children?
Don’t worry. You’re not alone in this! Modern parenting is tough, but you can do it with a bit of guidance! This article breaks down some of the most popular at-home activities your kids will love as you take them away from their screens.
Once you’ve tried these at-home activities, get out into the Twin Cities area and save with Twin Cities Kids Club!
Science Experiments
Science experiments are one way to take your kids away from their screens. Children are naturally curious and eager to explore things around them.
Hence, you should take advantage of this and nurture their love for science early. Brain development 
is a continuous process and is sensitive to experience at earlier ages. The following science experiments are worth trying at home.
- Making a Volcano
A volcano experience is an excellent way to take your children away from their ‘Cocomelon’ cartoons. It’s a great way to satisfy their curiosity by allowing them to ask questions and learn new things.
Materials
- 2 tsp of dish soap
- 6.5 tbsp of warm water
- 1.5 cups of white vinegar
- One empty 2-liter plastic bottle
- Food coloring
- ½ cup baking soda
- ½ cup of cold water
Instructions
Fill the empty bottle with vinegar, food coloring, dish soap, and warm water. Then, make a slurry by mixing ½ cup of water with ½ cup of baking soda and pstt!
Eruption Time!
Slowly and carefully, pour the slurry into the bottle containing the mixture and step back! Watch as the volcano erupts and spits out colored lava! This is the perfect time to watch the awe in your kids’ faces.
The volcano erupts when the acetic acid in white vinegar reacts with sodium hydrogen carbonate in the baking soda to produce carbon dioxide. The gas increases pressure inside the bottle while causing the dish soap to foam, resulting in a lava eruption.
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Making Slime
Slime is a popular toy among kids, and adults, too! I mean, who doesn’t like the fulfilling sploosh and elasticity? Making slime with kids helps fine-tune their motor skills, improves their ability to focus, and is a great sensory activity. It also allows them to get creative as they interact and learn.
In addition, you don’t have to purchase expensive materials because you can use what you have. Here is a basic slime recipe:
Materials
- ½ cup of shampoo
- ¼ cup of corn starch
- Food coloring
- 5T water
Instructions
Pour 1/2 cup of shampoo into a bowl and add ¼ cup of corn starch. Then, stir using a spoon to mix well. Add three drops of food coloring and continue stirring. Slowly add five tablespoons of water and stir until it thickens. Finally, knead the slime for five minutes as you check its stickiness. If the slime still feels less sticky, you can add cornstarch, and voila! Your slime is ready.
Physically Stimulating Activities
Physical activity is essential for the health and development of kids. It helps strengthen their bones, muscles, and lungs. It also improves balance and coordination, maintains a healthy weight, and boosts confidence. Below are exciting activities for different ages.
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Animal Walking
Animal walking is a fun activity for kids between 2-and 4 years old, and it’s a great way to teach them coordination by crawling, slithering, galloping, and hopping. Have your kiddos pretend to be their favorite animal all afternoon!
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Jumping Puddles
Let your kids put on waterproof gear and jump in the water and muddy puddles in the backyard. It’s fun, fine-tunes their jumping and coordination skills, and gives them a much-needed dose of fresh air.
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Gymnastics/ Tumbling
Your kids don’t have to be future gold medal winners to enjoy some tumbling. Take the couch cushions from the living room and make a mat to practice somersaults or cartwheels. Make sure to supervise if your kids are inexperienced. Who knows, maybe they’ll want to sign up for gymnastics after this! Save on classes with a Twin Cities Kids Club deal at IGM Gymnastics!
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Bowling
Bowling is a great pass time for kids of all ages, away from their screens. Apart from improving their socializing skills, bowling can help boost self-confidence, and it’s a great way to bond as a family. You can do it at home using water bottles and a giant DIY ball to knock them down. The kids can compete against each other or you as they improve their focusing and coordination skills.
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Dance Party
Turn on the tunes and get rocking! Everyone loves a good old fashion dance party.
Take it to the next level by dressing up as your favorite pop star or dressing up as your own artist persona. The kids can create a choreographed dance or freestyle. When you host a dance party as an at-home activity, there is no wrong way to dance the night away.
Creative Tasks
Creative tasks support your kids’ social, emotional, cognitive, and physical skills. It also helps develop their motor and problem-solving skills and increases their attention span. In addition, they can express themselves and build self-confidence. Examples of fun creative tasks include drawing, cutting and gluing activities, and escape rooms.
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Drawing
Drawing helps develop fine motor skills, improves hand and eye coordination, and increases attention span in kids. It also teaches them problem-solving and boosts their self-confidence.
You will need crayons, markers, and paper. Let the kids draw their favorite shapes or anything they can remember from past events. You can also tell them to close their eyes and draw what they can imagine.
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Escape Rooms
Escape room games help kids bond and improve teamwork, problem-solving skills, and creative thinking. You can create your kid-friendly escape rooms at home.
Remember, your goal is to improve your kids’ problem-solving skills and bonding. Hide candy, toys, or treasure boxes in a lockable cabinet and create puzzles to identify where you’ve hidden the keys.
You can give simple clues to the younger children and more challenging clues to the older kids. At the end, the kids will be excited to solve the puzzles and retrieve the treasure boxes.
You can get all of your family members involved with this activity, even the family dog! Pretend your pooch is your hard-working police dog and solve those clues together!
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Tea Party
It might seem a little old school but treat the kids to an afternoon tea party. This at-home activity can be done with water, juice, or real tea. You can make real snacks or just pretend. Tea parties are an excellent way for kids to use their imagination and spend time away from screens.
The Best At-Home Activities for Less Screen Time
Screens can be engaging and a helpful way to entertain your kids. However, it is vital to ensure your kids take time and turn off the screens. We hope this list of at-home activities for kids inspired you to get outside or play indoors with the kiddos. When you’re really stumped on what to do, take the kids to a fun location with a killer deal from Twin Cities Kids Club.
Are you looking for the best deals for family fun? The Twin Cities Kids Club is the place to be. Sign up for the club online now — it’s free!
We have provided Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the surrounding areas with the best family entertainment deals, news, and events since 2015. We are passionate about connecting families with local businesses for fun and entertainment. Join Twin Cities Kids Club today and receive local discounts on family activities and programs.