As a parent, you know how important downtime is for relaxation and reducing stress. The same is true for your kid! It’s proven that our brains need time to pause, and downtime allows us to step away from obligations (including schoolwork!) to daydream. One of the easiest ways to do this with your kid is with good, old-fashioned cloud watching!
So, grab a blanket, some snacks, and maybe some sunglasses, then go find yourself a quiet patch of grass to let your brains rest. Cloud watching is great for all ages.
With so much easy access to screen time and other activities, it might be a challenge to convince your kid that these quiet spaces for rest are actually fun. If that’s the case, you might need to provide some gentle coaching to get them started.
Start by asking them to point out what they see in the clouds (like animals, people, or characters from a movie). If they have trouble, pick a cloud yourself and tell the about the shape you see. This will help get their imagination muscles working.
Ask your kid to tell you a story about the shape (or shapes) they see. As you listen to your kid make-believe and laugh, know you are gifting them with the space to dream. Imagination needs time and space to grow. This time together will give you both a recharge!
