5 creative and affordable ways to keep your kids engaged at home

The Phase 2 Heightened Alert restrictions may be coming to an end soon (fingers crossed!) but the kids aren’t going back to school until after the June holidays.

Since they’re home most days with the current situation, this means having to come up with new ideas to keep children entertained and happy without breaking the bank.

Here are 6 creative activities under $100 to beat the boredom blues.

1. Virtual games about personal finance

While there are countless virtual games, we’ve handpicked a few that help your kids learn how to be responsible with their money.

A quick online search and you’ll find many intelligent online platforms and apps that are designed to teach children how to manage personal finances in a fun way. Many of these games are free and cover a wide range of topics and industries.

Recommended games:

• P2K Money: Teaches children the value of money and how to make the right choices with their money
• Financial Football: Visa and the National Football League teamed up to create this interactive game that teaches kids money management skills
• HIP Pocket Change Kids: The US Mint has a few free games available on its H.I.P. Pocket Change Kids site, including coin memory match, math jam and space supply

2. Glamping at home

With limited outdoor activities, there’s always the option of glamping — a vacation trend that marries outdoor camping with the comforts of home. Glamping at home might just be the summer escape that your family needs for the weekend.

If budget is not an issue, check out Glamping City to rent their Do-At-Home Package for $300. Alternatively, there are more affordable products and lounge tents from Lazada ranging from $7.79 to $62.88 to create the perfect, cosy glamping experience.

ALSO READ: 10 best resources in 2021 to keep your kids occupied

3. Do-It-Yourself art jamming

If you and your kids are looking for a creative outlet, what better way to spend an afternoon than trying your hand at an arts and crafts project? You don’t need to be an artist to lead this activity because you can easily purchase DIY home kits with all the necessary tools, materials, and instructions to help guide you along.

Check out The Fun Empire which offers a variety of home kits such as Terrarium, Art Jamming, Leather, and Clay Workshops at $25 to $40 or Epic Workshops’ Stay Home Experience Kit at a discounted price of $32. A search on Lazada will also present several at-home art jamming kits from $25 to $48.

4. Learn to bake

Getting the kids into the kitchen to bake up a storm can be educational and fun, not to mention the delicious bakes are great for family bonding over tea.

There is no need to do extensive research for recipes or wonder where to buy the ingredients, as many online retailers are offering home bake kits to make sure you’ll have a fun time with your children without having to worry about all those cumbersome details.

ALSO READ: 12 fun kid-friendly activities to do at home during phase 2

Look out for online stores like Bakeri and Bakein1 for their comprehensive baking kits with easy-to-follow recipe cards packed alongside numbered and pre-measured quality ingredients for a fuss-free baking experience.

Their recipes such as cheese tarts, walnut fudgy brownie, lemon chia seed pound cake and ondeh ondeh cupcakes will surely keep the kids excited. Prices for these baking kits range between $18.90 to $38.

5. Make your own soap

Showing your kids how to make soap is a crafty idea that also helps keep the germs at bay. Not to mention, these make great customised gifts since your kids can choose different shapes, scents, and colours. Start with simple ingredients that are skin-safe, food-grade, or natural blend options to prevent allergies.

If that sounds too complicated, purchase a DIY kit from Sugar and Spice priced between $29.90 to $49.90. The kit comes complete with soap bases, soap making colourants, essential oils, rubbing alcohol, soap making mould, and easy-to-follow instructions.

This article was first published in ValueChampion.