School’s been closed for some time now and the majority of children is bored and doesn’t not know what to do with the free time. Lots of kids will spend hours in front of a screen unless there are other kids around that they can play outdoors with. Younger kids will most probably keep on wanting their mom’s attention and involvement.  For sure you’ll hear the word “mom, mommy” much more now than while they were at school. Meanwhile while you, mom, are running around trying to take care of everything and everyone, you are also trying to find ways to keep your child busy. Maybe now is a good time to sort out their clothes and toys.

There are toys your child no longer plays with, let alone those they’ve never attracted their interest, and clothes they’ve outgrown or haven’t even tried once. Find a day that’s convenient for you and your child and play “The mountain with the three rivers” game together. Start with their toys. Put everything in the middle of the room and form a mountain. Young children especially enjoy this one a lot. Choose a name for your own mountain – names can vary depending on your child’s age.

Then form three rivers: one with the toys your child absolutely loves and wants to keep, one with the ones they want to give away and another with the ones they are not sure about yet. Don’t forget to name the rivers too. Now let the fun begin! Which river will be bigger / smaller? Which river will have more / less turns? Which river will be calm / rough? Remember to define together the criteria in advance.

Keep in mind that this game can take hours. Because your child will want to play a bit with some toys or maybe tell a story about some others. So relax and enjoy it. After all, it is a super opportunity for bonding! When you are done not only will you be more relaxed but your child’s room will also be lighter. And your child will feel that their opinion and decisions do count!

Have a discussion about where to give or donate the items your kid has chosen – to a cousin, to a friend’s child? Can you think of an institution or organization where you will go with your child so as to showcase another way of life? The choices are endless!

PS. You can play the same game for clothes, books, anything you like. And do not forget to do the same with your own clothes, “toys”, etc. 🙂