Things to do with kids at home: 5 ways to keep them entertained during lockdown

Children are a gift from nature – beacons of a bright, prosperous future. But, keep them at home long enough with nothing to do and they can enter a juicebox-fuelled frenzy that no amount of coffee can help you cope with. Don’t worry, we’re here to help. Check out these fun things to do with kids at home!

5 Ideas for kids’ activities at home

1. Build a robot

A lot of toys offer instant gratification, but might not entertain a curious mind for as long as you’d like. But, when it comes to building the toy from a kit, that curious mind is likely to stay focussed for much longer.

Take Tobbie the AI Robot, for example. This cool little robot comes in kit form and includes a step-by-step instruction manual. Then, when he’s built, he has clever object-avoiding modes to experiment with. So, your kids will have loads of fun building him and then loads of fun playing with him… all the while giving you some quiet time to collect your thoughts (and the sofa cushions that are now strewn about your house).

There are loads of items like this in the Robots, Toys, and Construction category at Menkind. Your kids will be able to build working engines, robotic arms, and loads more! These types of toys promote STEM learning, so your kids will be gaining knowledge while they play. Nice.

2. Have fun in the garden

Just because you can’t take the kids out, doesn’t mean you can’t take them outside! There are way fewer breakables out there and it’s a good opportunity to carry on the educational fun.

Items like Ant World, Worm World, and the Live Butterfly Garden are great for play, but also teach your kids about the natural world. Or, if they just want to blow off a little steam, there are always fun inflatables like the AbZorba Ball and Gladiator-style Duel Battle!

Want a few more ideas for fun in the garden? Check out our Family Garden Fun category!

3. Play some family board games

So, cartoons are about as good at holding your kids’ attention as a sieve is at holding water? Yep, thought so. Get them engaged and interacting with each other. How? With exciting board games!

Games like Jumanji help them escape the lockdown and run through the (imaginary) jungle, while Beat That! offers loads of interesting challenges with the use of unassuming objects. Or, a game like Avocado Smash will keep their brains sharp and their reflexes snappy… right? ‘Cos it’s snap? Yeah, nailed it. 

Not quite what you’re after? You’re sure to find what you’re looking for in our Family and Party Games category.

4. Develop a new hobby with the help of creative toys

If your kid has a creative streak (or you’d like to nurture one), there are loads of toys that offer them a chance to develop some serious skills while thinking they’re just playing.

Is your kid a budding movie director? They’ll love the green-screen, app-friendly StikBot Zanimation, then. Is there music in their blood? Try the Digital Drum Sticks. Want to develop a bit of hand-eye co-ordination? Shooting polystyrene balls out of the air with the Air Shot should do it!

Looking for even more inspiration? Check out our Keep the Kids Entertained category!

5. Relax with some retro gaming

Just because we said ‘gaming’ doesn’t need to mean that our whole educational angle has to go out the window. You can school your kids in the ways of the arcade generation with the help of some retro consoles. Be sure to say words like ‘rad’ a lot. That makes you look really cool in kids’ eyes.

Plug ‘n’ Play consoles like the Sega Mega Drive, Space Invaders, Frogger, and Double Dragon plug right into your TV for instant awesomeness. But, if you don’t want to give up your TV (and the soap operas that you’re becoming increasingly addicted to), you don’t have to. There are mini arcade machines that include the screen! Check out Atari Pong, this handheld console, and the RED5 Mini Arcade Machine.

Think that’s all we’ve got? Heck no. Check out this Retro Gaming at Home category!