It’s not always possible to leave your child with grandparents, and if you have to run errands on a weekend when daycare or school is closed, you may have to take your child with you. These outings can be difficult for the child – waiting in lines, long waits, chaos – all of this can spoil their mood, make them bored, and even irritable. In this article, we will discuss how to keep your child entertained during waiting periods, so that these moments are not only fun but also productive.
Options for single-player games for children during waiting periods
A responsible parent won’t leave their child alone at home. Therefore, if they take their child somewhere with them, they may feel like the only option is to hand them a phone. This method is effective: the child can really get absorbed in a game for an hour or more. However, smartphone games don’t always have a positive impact on a child’s mental and intellectual development. There are several types of solo activities available. Let’s take a closer look at how to entertain your child during waiting periods.
Construction games
This type of developmental game during waiting time will be relevant for both preschoolers and elementary school students. The packaging with geometric shapes is often compact, so it can be taken anywhere. In addition, the child will not need a lot of space. Building structures and geometric shapes using cubes, rings, cylinders, and bricks will awaken imagination, logical skills, and creativity in the child – he or she will not even notice how quickly time flies during the assembly process.
Educational games
Puzzles, mosaics, and other logical puzzles usually fall under this category of games. Educational games are also available in book form, which is very convenient to take with you. Therefore, this option for playing in queues and on the road will be quite appropriate. Printed collections contain:
- logical tasks;
- math problems;
- exercises for developing attention;
- exercises for developing linguistic abilities and many others.
Therefore, to avoid thinking about what to occupy the child within the queue, carrying a collection of educational games with a pen or colored pencils is a very convenient option.
Games for children and parents during waiting periods
If you’re with a child during a waiting period, such as sitting in a long line, it’s much easier to pass the time with various activities. There are many options for keeping a child entertained in a line. Moreover, the process of communicating will bring pleasure not only to the child but also to you. We have picked out several interesting games to play in a line that you can take note of:
- Find all the items of one color. The essence of this game for children during a waiting period is that the parent chooses a certain color and then voices it to the child. The little one must find all the items in the room that are characterized by the chosen color. After all the objects are found, you can guess the next color for the child.
- “Drawing on the palm.” The concept of this entertainment is that you draw the chosen object with your finger on your palm, and the child must guess it. Then you can switch roles. This game develops imagination and logical abilities in young children.
- “Connect the dots.” For this game, you should bring a notepad and a pen. The rules are as follows: the adult puts dots on the paper in a random order, you can even abstractly guess a certain shape or object. Then give the pen to the child and ask him/her to connect the dots with lines. You will be surprised at how differently the child can interpret the object you have guessed. When he/she understands the essence of the game, let your child guess something independently and suggest placing dots on the sheet of paper, and you try to connect them. This option of spending time will definitely not be boring for you or your child, and the question of what games to play with children will no longer be urgent.
- “Transformations.” Surely every adult has some tissues in their bag. They will be a great prop for this fascinating game. The flexible texture of the tissue allows you to turn a flat piece into any interesting shape, such as a tie, a bird, a plane, or a butterfly – there are many variations. You can craft it yourself or with your child – it’s a great way to develop not only their imagination but also their motor skills.
- “Favorite Characters.” This game is probably one of the most loved by children because it’s easy for them to remember their favorite characters from fairy tales, cartoons, and movies. So, suggesting that you spend time with your child in this way, even in the most boring environment, you won’t have the question of what to play with your child. The essence of the game is that you name a work and take turns listing characters. Whoever gives up – loses.
- “Crocodile.” This is an unchanging classic of group games. Its advantage is that it only takes two participants to have fun. And if someone decides to join you, time will fly by unnoticed. In the game, the child imagines a certain animal, person, or any other desired object that they must depict using body language or gestures. The adult, accordingly, needs to guess it. According to the rules of the game, the child and the adult must switch places when the object is guessed.
Such simple but entertaining games will brighten up not only your child’s leisure time but also yours. It will be enjoyable for the adult to watch their child’s discoveries without putting personal affairs on hold. There are many entertainment options, so you won’t have to rack your brain about what games to play with your child.
Together with psychologists, we have selected the most interesting entertaining games for children during the waiting period. We hope that the stereotype that a child can only be occupied with gadgets will be dispelled. You can develop your little one anytime and anywhere!
