You do everything in your power to help your children grow. From providing them the best education, enlisting them in sports academies to driving them to dance lessons, you leave no stone unturned to give them the very best. Your love manifests itself in countless ways that nurture your child towards becoming a better individual.
But an important aspect of their future is playtime. Research has shown that play is very important in enhancing the imagination and creativity of a child. According to Sergio Pellis, a researcher at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada, playtime is important in developing the executive center of the brain in young children which helps in planning.
When you merge family time with playtime, your family gets to bond better. It gives you the opportunity to teach your children important life lesson while having fun. After all, it is as they say, “A family that plays together, stays together.” Family playtime ensures that children feel nurtured and valued. Children who play with their parents tend to have closer relationships with them. They are also more forthcoming with the parents who they think are not just authoritative figures but close friends.
Unlike Valmark residents who have ample open spaces to enjoy games with their family, most Bangaloreans suffers from congested playgrounds, tiny play areas and non-existent open spaces.
But indoor play can also be fun and a great glue that brings your family together. Here are 5 indoor games classified according to the age of your child that you can experiment with over the weekend.
1.Forts (3 years to 9 years)
Forts made from blankets, bedsheets, and curtains can become a haven for you and your children to pass the afternoon as kings, queens, fairies and other magical creatures. Roleplay is a great way to engage children, adding a component of storytelling to the mix will make the game more interesting and fun.
Building an imaginary world together with your child will enhance your image as a fun and approachable parent. Make the world as fantastic as possible and prompt your child to add the details to the world you have built. This will increase their creativity and make them more interested in the game.
2. Hot Or Cold (8 years to 16 years)
A game in which a small object like a ball or toy is hidden by a player in a room. The other players need to figure out where the toy is. The player who hid the object will shout ‘hot’ if the other players get close to the toy or shout ‘cold’ if the other players are far away from the toy. The player who finds the toy first and hands it over to the player who hid the toy, wins.
The game can be further made interesting by using adjectives for hot and cold like – burning, scorching, warm, frigid, icy etc… This will help the children make up innovative new adjectives. The game is will also be entertaining to them since everybody has to move around.
3.Board games (10 and above)
Games of strategy and chance like Chinese checkers, Monopoly, Dungeons, and Dragons are great games to create an atmosphere of camaraderie between the family. It will enhance the strategic thinking capabilities of the children too.
It is also a great way for parents to teach their children that losing is also part of life and that you get to play again and win. These games will also help you determine the capabilities of your child. You can help them better themselves and sometimes you could better yourself.
4.Dumb charades (10 and above)
A staple at wedding parties and family reunions, dumb charades is a great way to make boring evenings fun. A game that needs no tools, charades can also help you understand what are the things that your children find interesting.
It will help open up their world to you, through which you can successfully bridge the age gap. Dumb charades is a great way to let loose your acting skills and just have fun with your children.
5.The Dictionary Game (15 and above)
A game that will test your vocabulary, the dictionary game is presided by a game master. The game master tells the other players the first letter and the meaning of a word. The other players need to guess the word to win. Such games can be played with older children. It is a game for quiet afternoons or lazy evenings.
This is by no way a comprehensive list, you can also try to get your children to play old games you used to play with your friends. Children are always receptive to anything that relates to the childhood of their parents. This way you can bond with them and also relive the memories of the past.
