Parenthood is full of to-dos, and sometimes the busy-ness seems never-ending. With tasks constantly piling up, who in the world has time to play and frolic with her children? Well, believe it or not, we all do. And even if you think you don’t, you should.
Does this mean you need to involve yourself in everything they do? Should you stop what you’re doing and play with them every time they ask you to? Nope. Instead, try infusing fun playtime and silliness into your life and parenting by taking advantage of everyday activities that you already do. What this is all about is forgetting the to-do lists for a bit and having fun. Being silly will release some of those good, happy hormones and help relieve some stress. So go ahead—embrace your inner goofball and have some fun! Here are some great ways to enjoy life with your child(ren):
- Splash in the puddles. A rainy day doesn’t have to be a dreary day. Put on your gear and take your little one(s) outside. Jump in the puddles and have a great time!
- Take out the jump rope. Teach them some old jump-roping songs from your childhood. See who can jump the longest.
- Do the hula! Bring out the hula hoop and show your child your moves.
- Play basketball. Shoot some hoops and challenge your child to a game of Horse or Around the World.
- Blow bubbles. You can find some great recipes online for making giant bubbles!
- Make tattoos. Use washable markers and draw tattoos on each other. You’ll win the cool parent award for sure.
- Have a family scavenger hunt. Make a list of things to find and visit a playground or two to search for them together.
- Who can make the silliest face? See who can make the funniest face—and don’t forget to take pictures!
Another great way to instill fun into your days is during household chore time. That’s right. All work and no play can make anyone dull, so here are some creative ways to have fun while you and your child(ren) clean the house.
- Play music. While you’re at it, dance and sing along while you dust the picture frames. Sing into the mop handle while you clean the floors. Bounce around the house until your work is done. Music puts everyone in a better mood during chore time.
- Have a race. Start the timer and see who can get their duties finished first! Remind them, though, that the work has to be done correctly for it to count.
- Make it into a game. Shoot trash into the trashcan; toss toys into the toy box; slam dunk dirty clothes into the laundry baskets. Have fun with it!
- Have a water fight. Make cleaning the bathroom fun! Or splash each other with water outside while you wash the car or pull weeds.
Running errands can seem like a dreadful chore at times with your little ones, so why not get silly together while out and about?
- Race to the buildings. Or down the aisles. Pretend the shopping cart is a race car and watch the joy in your child’s face.
- Point out the worst clothing. See a silly outfit at the store that you’d never wear? Show your child! Or better yet, take it in the dressing room and try it on. It doesn’t have to fit—that’s part of the fun.
- Make the car ride awesome. Roll down all the windows, even on the Interstate. Wave to all of the passing cars and say, “Hi!” Play the music loud and sing along. Hold your breath when you pass graveyards. Play I Spy and see who can spot a pink car first.
Parents obviously cannot do these fun things all the time, and every parent needs a 10-minute breather on the bench away from the kids sometimes. Go ahead and enjoy the break, but don’t forget to play too. Release your inner goofball and have fun with it!
Kansas City mom and author Gina Klein can’t help but release her inner dork in all that she does with her two daughters…it’s just who she is, and they know it!