7 Minimal Effort Kid Activities with Big Rewards

Listen, I have a confession to make. I am sometimes a lazy mom.

Introverted personality combined with anxiety and depression and chronic illness have made me more than exhausted or wore down at times. Even at my healthiest I have days where I am just NOT feeling it.

I have an only child – and for me that means I am the lucky recipient of playmate a lot of the time. So what do we do when we are feeling exhausted, run down, and guilty for not being the perfect mothers we all wish we were?

I’ve created a list of 7 activities to do with your child that require minimal effort and big results! Because let’s face it, all they really want is some quality time.


1. Coloring

Yes, I know this is basic, but do you know how many times I was so depressed that I couldn’t gather the energy to get out of bed? Exactly… bring the activity to the bed.

BONUS. Art therapy isn’t just for kids! It’s therapeutic and causes relaxation and focus. This is a mindfulness practice that has been shown to cut down on headaches, and reduce stress and anxiety!

See this article published by CNN.


2. Would You Rather?

This is a spin-off of the board game that admittedly we have never actually played. My daughter is a little older, but since she was about 7 we would lay in bed and makeup questions starting with “Would You Rather?”

Most of the time it would end up being some ridiculous food versus another ridiculous food, but as she’s gotten a little older the questions can get a little more creative. It doesn’t even really matter what you ask, or what they ask. The point is that you are engaged with them.

BONUS. It has lead to some pretty interesting conversations that we probably wouldn’t have had if we didn’t play.

Check out thefamilydinnerproject.org for sample questions.


3. Sharks, there are sharks everywhere and the bed is the only safe zone!

Now that my daughter is older, this one doesn’t quite cut it, but I can remember her as a toddler up to about 4 when I struggle to get out of bed and we would play this game for hours. SWEET!


4. Pasta, Glue, and Paper

This was actually one of those moments prior to my first surgery when she wanted to go to the park and play, but I couldn’t because I was so sick with my Ulcerative Colitis. We improvised and she ended up having a lot of fun being creative!

5. Make REALLY EASY recipes.

I found a couple of 2 and 3 ingredient recipes that were actually very yummy, easy to make, easy to clean up, and made my daughter feel super accomplished after! BONUS: We need carbs when we feel low, right? Actually, no, but damn it sounds good! Here are our favorites:

3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

2 Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins


6. Facials and Manicures!

This is another good one. She felt uber special getting pampered and you know what? So did I! When we are tired or depressed we tend to neglect ourselves and our skin.

What better way to get back on the bandwagon than incorporating it into some guilt-free, lazy parenting tactics?

7. Easy Card Games

War: If you’ve never played it, you should. It is an extremely simple game that requires no actual skill…perfect for an exhausted mom. Checkout instructions here.

Slap Jack: This is another favorite in our household. Easy, fun, and requires minimal effort! Checkout instructions here.

I hope some of these are useful reminders that we can spend quality time with our kids when we are depressed, anxious, and sick and tired of being sick and tired. A little creativity and going back to basics works wonders. Have a blessed day!

Jackie Ferguson is an RN and mom(ish) blogger. She is a single mom who is trying to thrive through anxiety, depression and chronic illness through intentional living and mindfulness.