Big Kids Need Interaction Too

Just because a child is old enough to occupy themselves, doesn’t mean that they should be expected to do so the majority of the time.  Host families have a certain expectation of activity and involvement for their children. Get the kids engaged and active. You can be more fun than the TV or a video game.

 

Problem:
But, my kids don’t want to do anything but watch TV or play video games.

Solution:
Instead of saying,  “Would you like to (fill in the blank with any activity)?  The answer will often be, “No.”

Try this, “Now we are going to (fill in the blank with any activity.) or “Would you rather do  _____ or ______?”  Make sure both the choices are good options.
Your chances of co-operation are greatly increased. Even kids who are reluctant to try new things will usually get in the spirit of things and have fun, if you pick a good activity.

Problem:
I don’t know what to do with school age kids.

Solution:
Look for ideas online. Google “activities school age kids” or “activities tweens”. Below is a list of some ideas to get you started.

  • Cooking
  • Making things (check craft stores like Michael’s for kits and models that are age appropriate)
  • Going fun places (pottery painting, jewelry making, farms, museums, mini-golf, go-karts)
  • Sports (soccer, tennis, swimming, bicycling, roller skating, ice skating)
  • Let them teach you to do something they enjoy. Kids this age love being the expert.
  • Get outdoors and visit local parks.  You can even make a project of reviewing all the local parks (what kind of equipment they have, is there shade, water fountain?)  They can write this up and keep, so they remember which ones they want to go to again and which ones to skip in the future.
  • Let them help you search and plan some activities.
  • Check on the APIA Pinterest page and here on our cluster blog for ideas.
  • If you have a GPS, try taking them geocaching. Here is a website with all the details.

Note: Always get permission from your host parents before taking the kids places.

Photo: Killian77

145 thoughts on “Big Kids Need Interaction Too

  1. IAS Coaching in Bhopal

    Unique IAS Study Circle/Coaching institute is one of the oldest and top institute for the best preparations of UPSC /IAS/IPS /MPPSC in central India .The courses for UPSC /IAS/IPS /MPPSC are available in Online as well as offline mode.

  2. revalinda

    pokerdewa adalah web penyedia event event yang sangat menarik untuk di coba karena akan menambah pengalaman anda di bidang perjudian online
    poker dewa

  3. التردد الحراري

    علاج العمود الفقري بدون جراحة
    من أهم مزايا التردد الحراري أنه إجراء آمن بأقل قدر من المخاطر والمضاعفات، مقارنة بالخيارات الجراحية التقليدية. كما أن النتائج غالباً ما تكون فورية أو تظهر خلال أيام قليلة، حيث يشعر المرضى بتخفيف ملحوظ للألم وتحسن في الحركة. يُعتبر التردد الحراري خيارًا مثاليًا للمرضى الذين يبحثون عن علاج فعّال ومستدام دون الحاجة إلى جراحة أو استخدام طويل الأمد للأدوية المسكنة.

  4. Michael

    https://shannonreptileshomes.com/

    Shannon reptiles homes. We are a family-owned business operated out of Florida and have been operating in the U.S. for the past 9 years. Each year has been spent providing exclusive animals and unbeatable service to our customers. We sell live animals, supplies, and feeders. Our

    Reptiles are a diverse group of cold-blooded vertebrates that belong to the class Reptilia. This class includes snakes, lizards, turtles, alligators, and crocodiles, among others. They are characterized by their scaly skin, which is made of keratin, helping them conserve water and thrive in various environments, ranging from deserts to lush forests. Reptiles are ectothermic, meaning their body temperature is regulated by the external environment, a trait that influences their behavior and habitat choices. Their adaptability to a wide range of ecological niches has allowed reptiles to thrive in most terrestrial environments on Earth.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *