Desperate for some “me time” with the kids being home more often than usual? You’re not alone.
In an effort to find out which activities keep kiddos entertained the longest so parents can get their hands on a little alone time, experts at DIYs.com performed a quick study. The company sent 1,635 parents of children ages six to 10 years old a variety of craft activities and asked them to record the time and noise level of their kids while crafting.
photo: Sigmund via Unsplash
In addition to the variety of 27 common crafts sent to parents, DIYs.com also sent them a timer and a sound level meter so they could track the noise level and how far it reached. Once it reached 60 decibels, the level of an average conversation, they were asked to stop the timer, as the noise indicated the child was likely no longer engrossed in the activity.
Good news parents: there are a plethora of activities that will keep the kiddos entertained and quiet for at least half an hour! The results show that paper weaving, slime, origami and jewelry making all equaled 30+ minutes of quiet time.
data from DIYs.com
The study also shed light on the activities that sound good in theory, but really don’t equal a ton of alone time. Crafts like printing shapes, finger painting and lanyards are great for a quick activity, but not if you’re looking for an extended amount of quiet.
While not all activities are equal when it comes to keeping your kiddo’s attention span active, there are many benefits to crafting regardless. Stefan Gheorghe at DIYS.com shares that the activity enhances children’s decision-making skills, improves self-esteem and provides a source of relaxation––something we can all use now and then.
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