Play the Waiting Game

by Lauren Reeves on 28-03-2014 Kids Education
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Play the Waiting Game

To be a parent, you are often required to have the patience of a saint in order to deal with crying and whining kids. Over time, we get better at handling their tantrum and wait for it, we eventually reach a stage where we no longer sees it as a chore. On the other hand, it is just as important for kids to learn the art of patience from a young age. It teach them the importance of having self-control and staying calm in the face of frustration or boredom.

There are kids activities that can help little ones to learn the art of patience. Let the waiting game begins....

  1. Challenge them with a game of chess
    Most people would associate playing chess with strategic thinking and enhancement of IQ level but miss one of the key requirement to succeeding in chess - patience! Playing chess help kids to concentrate and observe their opponent’s every single move in order to plan their counter-attack. As playing chess involve deep thinking for a long period of time, it will certainly help your kids to deal with frustration!

  2. Make a Wish List
    Kids today tend to have the attitude of wanting things right here, right now. They don’t believe in waiting patiently for things to happen over time. One way to teach your kids to appreciate the ‘waiting process’ is to help them create a Wish List scrapbook. Every time your kid mention something that they want, help them to find a picture of it from magazine or Internet and have them include it in their Wish List scrapbook. Over time, you’ll see their patience level increase instead of demanding “I want it” straight away

  3. Learn to play a musical instrument
    My husband has been playing the guitar since he was 10. It is something he enjoys doing in his downtime and with the kids. Our girls enjoy learning simple chords from their dad and hum along to popular pop songs. I see their patience level improving over time - from “I give up, it sounds horrible!” to “I think I’m slowly getting this!”. Learning a musical instrument takes a lot of dedication and patience and it is definitely a hobby that will benefit your kids for the rest of their lives.

  4. Take a lesson from Mother Nature
    If you have a backyard at home, take the opportunity to grow some simple herbs or your kids’ favourite flowers and vegetables together. Teaching your kids how to nurture plants with the right amount of water, fertiliser and sunlight will teach them an important life lesson in waiting for rewards. Take them on a day trip to the nearby National Park National Park and explore and appreciate nature together.

  5. Good food comes to those who waits

    I remember when I was little, my Grandma would surprise us with a different cake every weekend. Grandma would often get the kids in the family to help her with little tasks such as sifting the flour, whisking the eggs while she prepares the oven. We all admire her patience in explaining to us each of the steps involve in making the cakes as well as the amount of time she took in perfecting each cake. I now do the same with my girls by arranging our own mini bake offs. If you’re not much of a baker yourself, consider joining a cooking school together.

  6. Learn to make something by hand
    Learning to make anything from scratch is very rewarding. For kids, making something with their own hands provide them the freedom to let free of their imagination and create something that is unique to themselves. Even if they find the process frustrating, they will hold on until the end to see the final product made by their own hands. Help your kids to find their area of interest - it could be candle making or ceramics !

So, the next time your kid starts whining that they want something now, try one of the suggested kids activities or look through our ActiveActivities directory for suggestions of other fresh ideas to keep them busy and waiting.

Lauren Reeves

Lauren has two very excitable school age kids, as well as a full time corporate career. She manages to juggle the two roles and (mostly) maintain her sanity with the help of her ever-supportive partner. Lauren particularly loves cycling, as well as taking nourishing breaks in quieter parts of New Zealand. She lives with her family in Auckland and began blogging for ActiveActivities recently.