Are you an enthusiastic, imaginative parent?

[Anotherducker]

Help!

What can I do to encourage my primary aged children to come off screens? I need ideas.

They are bored to tears of walks. I can throw some money at the problem, I’m seriously considering buying a trampoline.

No.

Bribery.

I've found some success with showing them cool YouTubers doing stuff then emulating it.
Works with hide and seek, house pranks, extreme sports, crafts etc.

They respond well to food IME. That’s it. That’s all I have.

I want to say no but the other day I got them to draw what they wanted for tea instead of just asking them.

We ended up making homemade pizza and I felt like supermum

Trampoline for sure. Maze books, dot to dot? My 6 year old recently spent ages colouring in one of those adult colouring books (even though he normally hates colouring) whilst listening to a David Walliams audiobook. Could try something like that?

P.s. no, I'm neither enthusiastic or imaginative.

Ha! No.

Nope not at all. But I do feel quite proud as I have managed to get DC into doing the rspb bird watch and trying out different foods to see which birds enjoy them more. They have even been tallying it up so I feel very smug about the whole thing lol. In all seriousness though what are they into? The dad lab on Instagram and probably Facebook does loads of science experiments which my DC are keen to try! We have also decided to make one new meal a week and they find th2 ingredients & method etc and order it then cook it themselves (with supervision) last week they done 2 courses and made me a menu!

How old are they? We're still managing walks/ scootering but I am having to find new things to do on the walks (finding bridges for pooh sticks, hills to scooter down etc). My children are still young though (6 and 3) so find these things exciting.

Depends on the ages.

With 5 - 9 year olds we had a book of walks suitable for children with maps for them to lead with and special things to look out for like a bridge with brass sheep on or a hollow tree etc.

We also did things like designs on plain white T shirts with fabric pens, and plasticine modelling competitions.

😂 thanks for the ideas so far. Top marks to supermum activities that haven’t been met with groaning.

They are 11 and 9 so basically moany to most of my suggestions.

My DCs are exaxctly 11 and 9 too!

I have encouraged them to CONSIDER (only consider mind you) a popcorn and dvd afternoon.

They are still considering it.

Making sushi? We had a fab time for a couple of hours last weekend, children similar ages to yours. Bought a kit from Ocado.

I was ok for about a 6 month window when they found things like visiting the ducks, a block of ice or making jam tarts exciting.
But i have zero ideas for older children like 9 upwards

God no! I can manage to get him off his screen to watch ‘Superstore’ on Netflix with me but that’s about it apart from walks.
I keep thinking I should do stuff but I’m fed up as well so no motivation 🤷‍♀️

Yes, but it's exhausting. We play pirate games, desert island games, schools.... using all the toys as part of our make believe. DH thinks I'm bonkers. Try to do the same with learning, but after a while I'm done

Baking?

Nope. However we have managed two lego build battles this weekend. 15 minutes, subject of child's choice (wheeled or winged vehicle and a drill ). Took about an hour in total really.

They are watching YouTube now though...

Top Trumps is good for a few minutes. Or Would You Rather.

Floor is Lava if you don't mind your living room turned upside down.

Top Trumps? God you’re kidding. DS3 has paw patrol top trumps and I truly thought I was going to cry. It was the longest shittest game ever. I gave him the secret hidden emergency biscuits to make him stop. And that’s how I’m parenting. With sugar.

I’m in a funk too - home school (on my own) and wfh is exhausting enough in the week, I’ve got little energy to get them doing anything else at the weekend!!

I tend to give them smaller blocks of screen time and then say they have to be non screen for a bit. And try to get them to amuse themselves!! Mine are 6 and 8

With my first two I was but they never had screens, I was younger and I didn't have fibromyalgia!

My youngest gets way less input from me but I'm aware of it so I try to do short bursts of stuff that I can deal with eg we had a bath together this morning. We might do a puzzle or draw a picture. She likes to push me on the big basket swing in the park which means I don't have to do much.

I feel bad still, I used to take the older two on treasure hunt walks and make a collage and we'd sing songs all the way. She definitely doesn't have the sane experiences and she's an iPad addict!

@Pascha

Top Trumps is good for a few minutes. Or Would You Rather.

I like 'would you rather'.

The only way i can get DS1 to go for a walk with me is if I promise to play 'would you rather'.

He has a learning disability and on one such walk he told me his 'deepest secret' which was that he had a crush on a classmate.

:) Happy memory.

In lockdown one we did lots of baking. Can't be bothered so much this time round. Also made cheesecake with the eldest which she enjoyed.

We made various worlds out of cardboard boxes, dinosaurs land and an aquarium, we put stones in and they drew sea creatures.

Mine got lots of inspiration from maddie moat let's go live. It's on YouTube lots of craft and sience stuff.

Eldest likes the adult colouring books . We do them together its quite relaxing.
They are 8 and 5.