Most parents want to make sure their seven-year-olds are engaged and entertained at home. This usually involves creative activities that can keep your child engaged, but also be educational.
Keeping your seven-year-old physically engaged and intellectually stimulated is very important for development. It is not always easy to find activities that can be done at home, which is why this article was created. Read on to learn more about great ways to entertain your seven-year-old.
Book Readings
Reading books out loud to your seven-year-old is a great way to entertain them while being educational. Allowing your child to pick out a book they would like to listen to will make them more engaged. They can have an expectation of what they will get out of the book as they already have an interest in the subject.
Choose books with bright illustrations to keep them interested and awake during the story. Furthermore, use different tones of voice for individual characters to add a theatrical touch.
Finally, for the books which require further explanation, use the opportunity to start a discussion.
Independent Reading
At seven-years-old, it is not uncommon for kids to know how to read. This is an excellent opportunity to encourage more independent reading.
Letting them pick out books they would be interested in helps build imaginations. Once they have picked the book, designate a specific reading spot where they can make the reading time special. As they’re reading, involve them in a discussion about the book afterwards to further develop their learning.
This will help them remember details better and allow for further conversations about the book if needed.
Art/Crafts
Art and crafts are great ways to encourage creative independence. Letting your seven-year-old pick their own projects will allow them to take initiative and get creative.
If needed, find project ideas online and give your child the loose guidelines for what the project is about. Supply them with paper, crayons, markers, paint, collage materials and whatever else would be applicable for the project. Explain what the project is and let them have artistic liberty with the outcome.
After the project is finished, hang it up and give them praise to help build their confidence.
Outdoor Activities
Outdoor activities are great ways to get some fresh air and have some stimulating activity. This could be anything from playing with a ball, going on a bicycle ride, or having a picnic.
If the weather isn’t too hot and there is some shade, try to take advantage of the outdoors. If there is a nearby playground, safely supervise your seven-year-old as they explore the equipment. This will help develop motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
Make sure to keep an eye out for any incoming weather, as you don’t want to be caught in the rain.
Educational Games
There are a plethora of educational games you can buy for seven-year-olds or make yourself at home. You can play these games with your child or give them the tools and let them play independently.
This will help develop their skills of problem-solving, analytical thinking, and creative decision-making. Some examples of excellent educational games are mathematics based games, spelling games, comprehension games, and games related to current events.
Creating Experiences
Giving your seven-year-old an opportunity to explore their own sense of creativity and inventiveness is important. Creating small experiences, such as a pretend cafe, or a tea party are great ways to help them to develop leadership and independence.
Have them dress up, set the table, practice politeness, and think of some menu items them and their friends would like to eat. This can be a great way for them to use their imaginations in a practical setting.
Cooking Together
Cooking is a great way to teach your seven-year-old some important life skills. Choose some easy recipes together that they would be interested in making. Give them the job of measuring ingredients and mixing them together; this is a great way to get them to immerse themselves in the activity while making something delicious.
If they are feeling more advanced, have them help you with more complicated aspects of the recipe. As a bonus, have them set the table, which will help develop other important dexterity and social skills.
DIY Projects
Do-It-Yourself projects are great ways for seven-year-olds to use their imaginations. Give them something specific that they want to make and start from there.
If needed, you can twinkle houses, fortune tellers, build a birdhouse, or a puppet theatre. Wooden or plastic boxes are great for this and you can find plenty of tutorials online for them to follow. Depending on the child and their interests, the DIY projects could be a great way to spend the day.
Board Games and Card Games
Board games and card games are great ways to encourage togetherness while still having fun. This could be anything from traditional board games such as Cluedo, Monopoly, or Jenga. Card games could be something like snap, crazy eights, and rummy.
Preparing these game gives your seven-year-old an opportunity to have their strategic and memory skills tested. If you have more than one seven-year-old, you can have them play together and learn the important qualities of sharing and taking turns.
Virtual Adventures
Most seven-year-olds are familiar with a variety of technology, so taking advantage of this to create fun activities can be great. Virtual field trips online can be a great way to get your child to learn about a certain destination. To make this extra personable, write up a poster of the destination for them to look at as they are exploring.
The same can be done with documentaries, giving your child the opportunity to expand their knowledge on a certain subject.
Yard Activities
The yard is full of opportunities to have some fun. Whether it’s a water balloon fight, an obstacle course, or a scavenger hunt, let your child create the day’s activities.
Have them get creative and come up with something new each time. This will give them a sense of accomplishment and pride when the day is over. It will also bring the family together by doing something fun that everyone can be engaged in.
Movie Days
While it’s important to keep your child active and engaged, sometimes having a movie day can allow for a little shut-eye. To make it fun and interactive, decide a theme for the movie day, such as a certain actor or band. Have your seven-year-old pick out some snacks they would like to have while they’re watching the movie.
This will help them create an expectation for the activity and help get them into the right mood.
Conclusion
Keeping seven-year-olds entertained at home is important and this article provided fifteen different activities that can help you do that. Readings, both book and independent, are great ways to entertain them while still being educational. Arts and crafts, outdoor activities, and educational games can be great opportunities to help them develop further.
For further fun activities, creating experiences, cooking together, DIY projects, board and card games, virtual adventures, yard activities, and movie days are all great ways to help your child keep entertained at home.