How to Keep Kids Entertained?

It really disturbed me to see young children nowadays are glued to handphones and tablets.  Some even have to be spoon fed as they couldn't take their eyes and hands off the gadget, even for meals.  One may wonder what are the parents of these kids thinking, letting them so hooked to these gadgets? The most common reason / excuse given  : they just can't sit still. 

 

Don't get me wrong.   Technology and gadgets are good but they need to be used with care and under parental guidance.  While using these gadgets for educational apps are ok, being hooked or addicted to the point children are oblivious to their surroundings and throwing tantrums when not given these gadgets are not.   Surely there are many other ways to keep children entertained?

Hb and I did not let our girls use these gadgets at all until very recently where hb installed a few educational apps for them.  Reason being that children still need to know about latest technologies, otherwise they will be very ignorant or what the malays called 'jakun'.   Usage is limited to only one app per day and the daddy has to hold the gadget, instead of the girls.  I, on the other hand, do not let the girls use my handphone or tablet at all.

 

So, in order to keep the girls entertained, we usually bring along books whenever we go out.  I would like to bring along some writing utensils too.  Just that they are too big, bulky and troublesome to carry along in my handbag.  So, an idea hit me :  make a mini pouch.  One side of the pouch consists of papers while the other side is to hold some pens or pencils. 

 

I set to work right away after getting the right materials :  a card holder, fabrics, velcro and some paper clips.  So here's the result :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The pouch is filled with a business card holder which provides it with a surface hard enough to write or doodle on.  Cardboards will also do the trick. However, using plastic based materials will make it washable.  Cardboards will be ruined once wet.

 

Filled the pocket with some colored pens.    Color pencils or pencils would be good too.  Just that they need regular sharpening and could cause a headache if there is no sharpener in hand when we are outside.   There is ample room in the pocket for a small toy in which I put in a finger puppet from Ikea.  It is not too bulky or heavy to carry in my handbag

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The girls love it and can't do without it these days.  Hb likes the idea of it too.