Games you can play from the couch!
My very favorite kid TV show is Bluey. So much to unpack about this particular kids show and why I love it, but I’d say the number one reason I love it is because it is relatable! Have you ever been so exhausted that you just CAN’T entertain your toddler/young child? Well, so has Bandit! In the episode called Hospital, Bluey and Bingo are taking turns being rambunctious requesting for dad entertain them “Again! Again!” and dad says “Is there some game where I just lie really still on a comfy bed or something?”
”Hospitals!”
This one is probably my favorite couch game to play and honestly what inspired this blog! And its super simple! You can buy a cute little doctor’s kit and entertain the kiddos for a good bit!
Lay down on the couch and let you little one’s imagination run wild! Pretend to have a fever with some cold symptoms… what’s the remedy for a cold? Fluids and rest! What do you probably need right now? Fluids and rest! It’s the perfect solution for a mama (or daddy) that just needs a little break!
Make-Believe Animals
It sounds simple, but it…is…magical.
Have your child pretend he/she is a dog.
You can spend hours throwing pretend bones while also telling him to sit, speak or roll over. Watch them run all over the house (wearing themself out) pretending to catch imaginary balls, while you sit on the couch and…well…do nothing.
And when he gets sick of playing dog, let him pretend he is a cat. Or horse. Or monkey. Or elephant. Or…you get the idea. This will also help kids learn what animals like to eat, noises they make, etc.
It’s a win on a lot of fronts.
Go Fishin’
“If you aren’t quiet, the fish won’t bite.”
The same rule can apply to couch fishing! This one requires just a touch of simple set-up:
Cut various sizes of fish out of construction paper and put a paper clip where the mouth should be.
Tie a string to a stick and attach a refrigerator magnets to the other end. (These clips work beautifully.)
Scatter the fish near the couch, and voila! Instant “fishing hole.” (Bonus: once you’ve made it, you can store it for easy use next time.)
If you want to add a layer to this game, write something on each fish that you would then “catch” – a silly word you would use in a sentence, a number so you can keep score, things you would include in your “fish tale” story once all the fish are caught, etc.
Or, for when you really just can’t break out the scissors, you can buy this one.
It’s Showtime!
Kids LOVE an audience. How many times have you heard your daughter say, “Watch me! Watch me!”?
Now is the perfect time to do just that.
Ask her to put on a dance show! Pull out a few twirly skirts or superhero capes for “costume changes” and then you can play the all-important role of audience. Find some of your favorite songs on Amazon Prime Music and clap along while they rock to the beat.
Encourage her creative side by calling out random dance moves (“Do the coffee pot!” “Do the tree climber!”) and let her interpret it as she will. Giggles are sure to ensue.
Go on an Indoor Safari
There is something about flashlights and laser pointers that kids just love. Why not take some time to enjoy those simply fascinating battery-powered torches together?
Depending on what is available (or on your son’s ability to not point it in your face), grab a laser pointer (these are made for cats (I like this one because it doesn’t have button batteries), which works well considering your little one might still be in cat mode) or a mini-flashlight for each of you, lie down with the lights out and choose from a couple of fun activities:
“Race” each other around the room.
Give him simple riddles of things he can find with the light in the room.
Make shadow puppets.
Point at something and ask her to tell you stories about it or explain why she likes it.
Send the kids on an indoor treasure hunt.
Hide/peek your child’s favorite stuffed animals around the room, turn off the lights, hand them a flashlight and let them go on a “safari”! Don’t forget the animal noises!
Create Your Magical School Bus
Just like the Magic Schoolbus takes Ms. Frizzle’s class just about anywhere, so can your magic couch.
Pretend to be a bus driver and make each seat on your couch a different seat on the bus (or put pillows around as extra seats). Have your daughter find stuffed animals for passengers and then let imagination take over.
Drive or fly to exotic locations and ask her what she sees.
Pretend to pick up her friends.
Sing traveling songs or staples like The Wheels on the Bus.
She, of course, can get on and off and go places, but you are the driver – you stay on.
This also works for playing spaceship. You can’t go outside into space because you don’t have a suit on, but she sure does! You can run the controls while she goes on a spacewalk.
Plus, during space launches, don’t all astronauts have to lay on their backs?
And doesn’t the g-force sometimes cause people to pass out for a bit? I think so!
There you have it!
Some couch-friendly activities that will let you take that break from running around while still getting some sweet face-time with your little one. Just because you are exhausted and he wants to do laps around the house hand-in-hand, doesn’t mean you can’t both be happy.
Now, I’m not suggesting moms have a pass to lay on the couch all day every day, but sometimes even getting out of bed is considered a win. Hopefully some of these ideas will help keep the balance in your home!
These couch-approved activities should help you out in those moments when you just can’t, but they are also engaging enough for the majority of your days when you can, too. You can join her on that spacewalk or go on the hunt for “pop up” fishing holes all around the house.