I work from home part-time and my kids stay home with me full-time.
It’s nuts.
Most days I wake up at 5:15am to get some work in before they’re up at 7am, squeeze in some more during naps/quiet time, and finish it up (if I have the energy) once kids are in bed. I do my absolute best to NOT work when they’re awake because kids have this sixth sense called “productivity.” Children know when it’s bath time because they use their senses: they hear the water running, they can see it pouring, they can touch the warm water.
And whenever a mom is trying to be productive, kids can not only sense it, but it’s like catnip to them. When they sense productivity happening they need every question EVER answered IMMEDIATELY, they need you to grab something in their closet, wipe their bottom, get them something to drink, button their pants, turn a toy’s sound on, turn a toy’s sound off, teach them to spell their name, explain why choking is bad, explain why breathing is necessary, explain what death is, draw an owl for them, read a book, and that’s just in the first 15 minutes of you trying to work. So I work when they’re happily unconscious.
But sometimes, there’s something I need to get done ASAP, and need the kids to give me a few minutes to be productive without interruptions. Yes, my kids watch TV/play on the iPad, trust me! And yes, they know how to entertain themselves, but that doesn’t mean they’re always willing! Sometimes I just need a screen-free activity that will captivate their attention and keep them somewhat quiet for a while.
“I Spy” is a popular game in our house, at store, on walks, etc. It something that keeps them occupied and on the hunt! That’s why I created a scavenger hunt for the Mall of America, so I could get a good walk in on rainy or snowy days and keep my kids happy. My kids also stay strangely entertained by looking out our window: a school bus parked on the street, garbage trucks driving by, the bunny living in our backyard named Hippity Hop eating the clover. If each of those things can occupy my kids for ten minutes, and then if I could combine them somehow, and they could stay busy long enough for me to finish this post…BOOM! Window Bingo was born!
Window Bingo is a simple scavenger hunt: when you see something out your window, mark your card and the first person with five in a row gets a bingo! Here’s the beauty of this…you can use this at home while making dinner, working, folding laundry, if you’re sick on the couch, or need some QUIET. The kids can play until there’s a win, or play for 15 minutes here and there throughout the day. Just long enough to drink a warm cup of coffee in peace. You could also take it in the car and use it on a road trip, or just for a walk around your neighborhood! All five game cards have both pictures and words, so your kids do not need to read to play. My kids are 4 and 1.5 years. I don’t think my 1.5 year old could do it alone, but he would sit and watch the window if his sister was doing it!
So for all the working mamas out there struggling to keep the kids busy so you can be productive, for the stay-at-home moms who need a moment’s peace, and the working moms looking for something to do on a rainy day, it’s time for a little BINGO!
