12. Teamwork Games
When you think of video games, explosions and violence might be the first thing on your mind. But there is variety, with many niche and popular games being played by all. Just look at classics such as solitaire, that is something that everyone can play at any time. A classic but also entertaining online and offline. Instead of parking them in front of a screen to play Fortnite, look into alternative games that rely on solving puzzles through teamwork.
These are non-violent games that rely on a group working together to complete a level. It is a great alternative to guns blazing gameplay, and puzzle games are usually light enough to be played on weak hardware- that is the main reason the puzzle category is popular on smartphones, tablets and smart TV’s. If you have any of the above, park your kids in front of it and watch a new part of their brain get a workout.
11. Finish A TV Series
There are plenty of great television shows that go unfinished, all for different reasons. When people gravitate towards new and fresh, the old episodes of reliable shows are unwatched. Kids can catch up on shows that they previously abandoned to get closure on the series. There is also a good chance that the show had a spinoff. In this case, finishing the original series is required watching. A lot of the great twists in television history happened during the end of a shows run. Missing out on the end means that you lose out on a lot of the little things that lead to the final conclusion. Kids will be glued to the television set if they have even a small vested interest in the series.
10. Learn A New Language
Kids can learn the foundation of a language in the time it takes you to come back from a short trip. This may seem like an odd thing to list as ‘entertainment’, but keep an open mind. Several language learning platforms have blended social media into language learning to expedite fluency. Think of it as a way to blend pen pals with education. Instead of chatting online about mundane things, kids can get educated in another language while still getting their social media fix. Multiple language types are available, with streaming video options available if you have a good internet connection.
9. Shopping
Shopping online is a big thing, whether it is for physical or digital goods. Since you can monitor what your kids buy online, it takes some stress away from the process. You can set them up with their own accounts so that they can buy important items for school. This is great for kids that like to do their own back to school shopping. For security, parents can even set it up so that items can be added to the cart but not checked out. Depending on how much stuff they need for school, the shopping experience can last from half an hour to several hours- it just depends on what type of little shopper you have.
8. Educational Games
Educational games are a lot different than they were a decade ago. In this short time, educational games went from something kids avoided to something they actively play. It isn’t a trick and has more to do with developers getting creative with gameplay design. Find a game that fits a child’s weak area in school and see if they take to it. There will be a couple of duds here and there, but once they find a good game, it will stick. Repetition with entertainment is a hundred times better when it includes an educational component. Games of this type are available on different hardware setups, so it is versatile enough for any home.
7. Apply For College
Not only can they apply for college, but they can apply for the numerous scholarships and grants available. It’s never too early, and the last thing you would want is complications getting into college. With all of the web surfing required to get this done, a strong internet connection is required. Aggravation and rage are a possibility if they get disconnected during the middle of an application. Everything involved in college applications can take several days, so this is an activity to both love and dread. The fun part is getting to see all of the 3d campus models online for potential colleges. The downside is having to spend countless hours getting the necessary digital paperwork to get accepted.
6. Movie Marathon
Movie franchises make billions from name recognition. They are fun flicks that can be watched multiple times with similar enjoyment. The main target of movie franchises are kids, and it usually happens around summertime. This is where the term ‘summer blockbusters’ came from. While you’re away, kids can spend multiple hours watching (or rewatching) blockbuster movie franchises. There is nothing more entertaining than grabbing a blanket and eating snacks. And the better the snacks, the greater the experience. No one wants to go without proper snacks through a Marvel franchise movie marathon. Keep the refrigerator stocked, and the kids will be happy with any movie marathon.
5. Discover A New Series
How many times have you been given viewing recommendations by friends or family? And if you have any type of television service, it gives you recommendations based off of what you already watch. With all of these ignored new shows, there is bound to be an incredible series in the middle of all the recommendations. Kids can use your time away from home to dive deep into some of these tv shows and find out if they have a new favorite. With a little patience, they may develop some recommendations of their own.
4. Co-op Games
For pure entertainment between two people, co-op video games are hard to beat. The size of games nowadays is huge, so a fast internet connection is recommended. With this setup, your kids can play offline and online games together as a team. Using their favorite VoIP solution, they can chat with each other while strategizing in the game. You can set up strict parental profiles to keep them from playing games that you deem inappropriate. There is also the option to set up an automatic shutoff timer to keep them from playing longer than you want. Certain internet providers have these options built into their core service.
3. Clear Out The DVR
A common problem of any household that pays for DVR service is that they don’t use it properly. You set it up to record your favorite shows but never watch them. In fact, you’re more likely to spend more time deleting shows to make space than actually watching the shows stored. To get around this problem, kids can watch previously recorded shows to make room for newer recordings. This is an easy way to clean out the DVR while getting the entertainment value you’re already paying for. Take the time to teach your kids advanced DVR functions so that the shows auto delete after they’re watched.
2. Picture Show
If you have a cloud drive or USB stick, then going down memory lane can be a lot of fun. Kids spend hours looking at pictures and videos each day. Being able to watch the best parts of their life on a screen is an engaging experience. There is always a memory that is worth reminiscing about, along with a story that makes everyone laugh. And if there are no memories to look through, make some with the power of a phone. Even a generic smartphone has a good enough camera to make some cool photos or videos for a cloud server.
1. Get Creative
Kids that are into art and crafts can take their interest digital with a variety of programs. Create t-shirts, postcards, drawings, paintings or whatever comes to mind. This is a family-based activity without any type of skill ceiling. Kids of any age can get entertainment out of arts and crafts, even if it is their first time. Record the entire process or take pictures so that you have a memory to show off later on. Make sure to have enough space in your cloud storage to keep all of these great memories.
Wrap Up
Take advantage of all of the modern entertainment tools in your home by following this list. Your kids will never run out of things to do, and in turn, you’ll get more value out of your electronics. With a little planning, there is an unlimited amount of way for kids to have fun.
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