If your entertainment options are limited due to unforeseen circumstances, don’t panic or pull your hair out! There is no need to go hiding in the bathroom with cookies from all the little inhabitants of your household either, as a popular commercial suggests. Weather dependent, below you can find some fun activities to do with your kids, spouse, roommates, or parents while being at home to create a stronger bond with your family. You can use these ideas any time of the year!
This is a great activity for “D” Styles: direct, decisive, and driven.
We don't have to be in school to learn. There are so many free resources for children and adults to use while at home and online. If you ever wanted to try a new craft or hobby but just haven’t found the time, now is the time to accept the challenge. Grab those knitting needles from the closet, dust off those watercolors that have been sitting in your desk drawer, or start watching the History Channel or National Geographic. Also, check out these free school resources online. Being inside the house with others is also an excellent opportunity for everyone to learn their DISC Personality styles. Learning about the DISC model and your housemates’ DISC styles will help everyone understand how to communicate with each other better. PeopleKeys has plenty of options and resources for you to browse through. Not only do we offer DISC assessments, but we offer resources specifically for students and children, too.
This is an excellent activity for “I” Styles: impulsive, talkative, and fun to be around.
If the weather allows, put on some old clothes and get ready to get your hands dirty! Spring, Summer, and warm Fall days are a great time to get ahead of the game on gardens and landscaping. Kids love getting into things we don’t want them to, but they will have an excuse to play in the dirt with a garden party. If you have seeds, early Spring is a great time to start those seedlings. If you live in a colder climate or even if you want to grow a garden during the winter months, you can start your garden inside by using an old milk jug. Cut the old milk jugs in half, and the kids can decorate them with markers or paint. When ready, get some dirt and plant the seeds. Put the top part of the jug back over the bottom, and you’ll have your very own greenhouse. Kids can watch the seeds start growing, which helps them understand how plants, vegetables, and flowers grow and the cycles they go through. Make a watering schedule and create a garden journal together, complete with drawings of what they think the full-grown plants will look like.
This is a great activity for “S” Styles: compassionate, team players, and soft-spoken.
Some of my favorite memories when I was younger are cooking with my mom and grandma. Bust out that old, red Betty Crocker cookbook from the shelf. Pick out some tasty treats everyone will be able to make and enjoy. If you have a favorite recipe from a family member, share that recipe with your kids. Remember, you can not only have fun but use this as an educational experience to teach your children about conversions and measuring cup sizes. Try making Confetti Cake Batter Cookies, Oreo Dirt Cups, Puppy Chow, or Unicorn Ice Cream.
This is an excellent activity for “C” Styles: careful, logical, and precise.
Most of you have heard or seen how to “Marie Kondo” your home. You can watch her show on Netflix or videos on YouTube, read her book, or join a Facebook Group about her. If you’re feeling like your home is overcluttered and you’re holding onto too many things, get rid of items “that don’t spark joy.” Anyone can help with this, or you can do this on your own. Whether it’s a cluttered closet, overfilled garage, or unorganized pantry, Kondo can give you tips on how to tackle it all. For some people, organizing and cleaning is a great stress reliever. Putting your conscientiousness into it is key. If you make a game out of it with your kids, they might not even realize they are actually helping you clean.
These are just some activities to get you started. Taking a DISC personality test, as mentioned above, will not only give you insight into your family members' communication styles but can also open up a whole new way of viewing each other through a different lens. It will give your family its own unique behavioral language of understanding, and you can work together to creatively come up with more activities each DISC profile enjoys to deepen family bonds.