We know how tempting it can be to just plonk the kids down in front of the television when they’re bored or whining. However, when it comes to activities that help with learning and development, TV watching provides the lowest form of entertainment! Even playing video games is better because they involve cognitive engagement and improve fine motor skills to an extent.
We’ve compiled a list of awesome activities for kids aged five years and up that will support their cognitive, social and behavioural development.
Get active
By the age of 5, kids are just reaching the point where they have the concentration and attention span to shift from unstructured free play activities, like running, throwing and swimming, to more structured team sports.
Starting your kids off with organised sports such as football, tennis or martial arts at this age has many benefits. Kids will make friends with their teammates, build their confidence through improving their skills and be more likely to maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older.
Read a book
Many parents struggle to get their kids into the habit of reading, but there are lifelong benefits of becoming an avid reader from a young age. Reading helps children develop their imagination and language skills, and through regular reading session you will quickly see your child’s vocabulary evolve to include words from books they love.
Additionally, reading is an excellent activity to introduce when you’re trying to encourage solo play time for your little one. This will help your child learn how to amuse themselves so they won’t always be demanding your attention.
Get creative
There are endless ways that kids can get creative, and they often love toys that give them a platform to express their ideas such as LEGO and Play-Doh. For parents with really creative and imaginative kids, get them to try making crafts out of household items (with adult supervision, of course!) or get them art supplies and start cultivating their independent sense of creativity.
Get outside
We know, we know – it’s hot here in Singapore and kids often want to stay in the cool comfort of their home, but you’ll see that once they do dare to venture outside, they usually have a blast! The outdoors opens up a whole range of adventures that you cannot have while you’re inside. You can go to the beach and build sandcastles or walk around your local park and collect unique rocks.
If it’s really too hot during the day, get outside in the evening instead. Point out constellations to your little one and teach them about space. These are memories they won’t forget any time soon.
Healthy living
Kids need a lot of energy to explore the world around them! That means mum and dad have to make sure that they are eating healthily and getting enough vitamins and nutrients in their daily diet.
A key nutrient for kids is DHA which is an essential fatty acid known as omega-3 fatty acid. This omega-3 fatty acid makes up 15% of all fatty acids in the cerebral cortex and plays an integral role in contributing to the building blocks of the brain by facilitating the creation of and communication between brain cells.
Parents should feed their children a DHA-rich diet in order to take advantage of its beneficial properties, however, with many DHA-rich foods being unpalatable to children, such as fish oil, this can be a difficult task to accomplish.
Scott’s DHA Gummies are a dream come true for parents who are struggling to get their kids to ingest enough DHA per day in their diet. Kids will love eating these gummies which are available in exciting shapes and delicious fruity flavours – even the picky eaters! Just three gummies a day delivers 40mg of DHA!
Scott’s DHA Gummies are suitable for kids aged 5+ years, however, Scott’s Emulsion can be used to supplement your child’s daily DHA intake from 12 months+.
Find out more about Scott’s DHA Gummies from the video below.
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