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Video ideas for 6.5 yr boy, and keeping him busy in general
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I’m curious if anyone has any suggestions for videos for a 6.5 year old boy. He has really outgrown the preschool shows (I tried to keep that going as long as possible haha!). He is showing interest in some secular shows that I am not comfortable with. That stuff is advertised everywhere! That is how he knows about these things. I’m hoping for several conservative and Christian friendly ideas as my kids watch a little each day. Or maybe y’all could motivate me to drop videos altogether, that would be ideal! I have all boys, the 6.5 yr is my oldest. I just fear that if I don’t settle them down with a video now and then they might rip the drywall off the studs in my home… If you know what I mean! ;). I guess in general, I need ideas for keeping him busy. This is what discourages me about homeschooling, I’m not sure I can keep them busy all day, every day! Thank you so much.
You don’t. I’d stay away from videos as much as possible and get more OUTDOOR time. Lots and lots and lots. Then, set up a relatively safe environment with “stuff”-legos, art supplies, blocks, whatever. Then THEY keep themselves busy. You are not an Entertainer. You are a mom and a teacher. Keep a few videos for when they are sick or it is raining. That’ll make it a treat.
I agree with Bookworm! There is no way you can keep boys busy and you shouldn’t try.
I see escalated behavior with my boys – out of control, goofy, attention problems – when we watch more TV and videos. Right now we allow one video per week on Friday nights (family movie night) and 20 minutes of video games on Saturday. They also get some time when I’m sick : ). That’s it.
When they have been away from media, their play is amazing. Today they played at the park with friends for 2 1/2 hours and were sad to leave. Then they played in our sandbox with water for another 2 hours making up all kinds of stories as they went. There were also cars/trucks, art, etc.
And, no, my boys aren’t calm children. A couple are but many are “all boy” and need that outdoor time. My 16 year old was even out a bunch today building a shelter on the mountain in our back area. They are SO much calmer and more content when they get out.
Since your boys are used to videos, they will probably have a weaning time where you see a lot of asking for media and distracted behavior and, maybe, even some acting out. Stick with it and it will improve! This is the easiest season to wean from media since it’s so nice to go outside!
-Rebecca
They do get tons of outdoor time still. They just watch a little after breakfast and a little after lunch. Then we are outside pretty much the rest of the day. I would love to see videos decrease though. I just don’t know what to do with them while I am getting ready after breakfast or putting the little down for a nap and cleaning the kitchen after lunch. That bicker and ransack free time is blissful (and sanity saving!). Chore training would be ideal as they are always asking for “jobs” but I am so not good at chore training! Or any of this really :(. Thanks for the replies!
We have really liked Popular Mechanics for Kids. It’s like a field trip in a box. Physics of amusement parks, lobster catching, gold processing, behind the scenes stuff, spies, underwater diving, training for astronauts, how sound systems work, survival skills, how money is made, etc… My kids (ages 5, 8, and 13) have learned a ton. I think the set of 4 seasons was about $50 on Amazon–one of the best $50 I’ve ever spent.
We do one video a day, while I cook dinner. And usually at least one child doesn’t watch and comes to help me cook. For boys,
These are old but my kids love them. Hard Hat Harry, and Mighty Machines are favorites with the boy and girl in my house.
“I just don’t know what to do with them while I am getting ready after breakfast or putting the little down for a nap and cleaning the kitchen after lunch.”
Call it quiet time and do it with an audio book. I bascially replaced the little bit of video time we were doing a few years ago with this amazing activity (and now I have serious book lovers!) There are hundreds of audio books available for free on bookshouldbefree.com in the “Children” section. Look for: Fifty Famous Stories, Aesop’s Fables, and Beatrix Potter (many short stories within these…so you can keep the child on this without having to find a new title). I keep a hard copy of these three compilations handy so that my kids can try to follow along in the book a little as well. They will also keep a sketchbook beside them as they listen and sometimes sketch a little as they listen. I have a laptop so I just take it up to the kitchen with me at our lunch break, plug in headphones (headphones ensure child stays in one place and settled down) and bingo I’ve got quiet time, either to make lunch, or for after lunch during my clean up. It’s the greatest thing – anytime I need my little ones (4.5 and now 7) to quickly get quiet and occupied for me, I can just find the story online and settle them in.
Of course this is not to replace outdoor time…I would lean to increasing outdoor time first and then go to alternate indoor activities, as suggested above.
Good luck. It gets easier (SO much easier) when they really begin to read on their own, and enjoy reading for pleasure. As my eldest boys put it to my younger two “you guys will not believe how amazing it is when you can read…really read, not just from your school reader…but ALL kinds of other books…It’s BETTER than watching a movie or any video!” The day I heard my oldest boys say this, I tell you in all honestly, we unplugged the TV altogether and the videos are put away and used only for rainy days now.
Blessings,
Angie
I can share what my 7 yo likes. We do use carefully selected videos, with time limits. I think 30 min. – 1 hour each day is fine. We watch nature shows some like BBC Planet Earth or Blue Planet. Netflix has Magic School Bus. Classic Mister Rogers are great. They are on Amazon Prime and some are on pbskids online.
Some days you could use an audio book and Legos, coloring books, puzzles, etc. It is better when they start to read more on their own.
I also recommend using quiet time for this purpose. My children are allowed to iisten to audio book, rest, or any quiet (not messy) activity during quiet time each day. It took about 1-2 weeks to get them to easily comply with this change in our routine and was life changing for me (I really need this time to catch up and recharge my battery). I started with 20 minutes and increased in increments of 10 minutes slowly to get to our current time of 60 minutes (though two of my kids commonly want to keep going in their quiet time another 20-30 minutes). In our house, if you are not quiet at quiet time then you get to practice throughout the day while the rest of the kids are enjoying a fun non-quiet activity. My kids never need any practice at this piont but we are 2-3 years in to this routine and they are 8, 9, and 13 now.
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