31 Things For Your Kids To Do Outside While You Get Your Outdoor Product Photos Taken
Having a small business as a mom, especially one that is managed from home where the mixture of personal and business-oriented tasks is all around you at all times can leave you feeling overwhelmed, confused, and asking yourself, “what the heck am I even thinking for trying to do either of these jobs successfully?” The laundry piles higher, the dishes seem to multiply on an hourly basis, and, if you’re a mom, the cleanup of kids’ toys feels endless and yet, the items on your work to do list never stops growing, am I right? Plus, being an artist and needing time to even work your way up to feeling inspired, some simple things feel dang-near impossible.
So let’s simplify something for a moment. What’s the number one thing that can help you sell more from home?
Answer: selling online.
Yes, vendor events are great, if you’re into that sort of thing, but again, who has the time?! And, if you’re a mom of younger children, sometimes you don’t want to be away from your babies and your husband who works full time all week long for a Saturday afternoon full of heavy-lifting, lots of setup, long hours, and sales numbers that are uncertain. Selling online gives you the freedom to work on your terms, opens you up to bigger markets, AND can be done while still enjoying your kids’ childhood.
That means, the next question is… what’s the number one thing that can help you sell something online (especially one that’s hand-crafted)?
Answer: product photos.
There’s no denying that good product photos can do wonders for your brand, your business, and, at the end of the day, your bank account. “But where’s the time to take them between cooking, shopping, watching my kids, and my full time job?” you may be thinking to yourself.
Well, my strong, beautiful, creative friend, the answer to that question is: take them at the park.
Parks are a nature-inspired artist business owner’s dream. There’s trees, there’s bushes, there’s sunlight, and there’s a big space for children to play and I have created for you a list of 31 things your kids can do while you get those amazing photos. Here we go…
Hopscotch - whether made with sidewalk chalk or simply some leaves and sticks strategically placed on the ground, hopscotch can be created in so many ways with infinite challenges and obstacles to overcome. It can keep kids busy for at least 30 min to an hour while you get some good shots in.
Sidewalk chalk - need I say more? Get a box, let them go nuts.
Collecting rocks - my kids have always loved playing in the dirt and finding something unique and beautiful about almost every rock they find. Let you kids go on a rock collecting hunt while you collect your best pictures.
Nature scavenger hunt - needs to be prepared ahead of time but, don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. Cut and paste the following list, print it out, and you’re done! (These do not need to be collected, simply checked off, don’t worry)
Something green
Something blue
Something green
Something brown
Something white
Something red
Something round
Something smooth
Something shiny
Something scratchy
Something small
Something big
Something that crawls
Something with 4 legs
Something pretty
Something pointy
Something that flies
Something fluffy
Something wet
Two similar rocks
Two similar sticks
Something tall
Something short
A stick longer than your hand
A stick shorter than your hand
A flower
Something smaller than your thumb
**Bonus, if you want to get really crazy, turn this into a bingo game that they can cross off!
Counting scavenger hunt - have them count how many birds they see, how many rolly pollies they see, how many flowers they see, trees, bugs, litter items, people, benches, etc.
Ring toss - this does require some props but, don’t stress, even a paper plate can become a ring to toss if you cut the middle out of it.
Picnic - can either be a snack picnic or a full meal, bring something they can eat themselves, nothing that might require you to clean up after them after every bite like yogurt or extra-sticky dips.
Basketball (either with hula hoop or bucket) - similar to ring toss, this does require props but all you need is an object and a target for the object to land in or on.
Abstract nature mosaic pictures - bring some blank paper and glue (don’t worry, the glue won’t be used until you’re ready), have your kids collect pieces of nature, and tell them that, when you’re done, you’ll help them make a mosaic using what they found
Build a house with sticks & leaves - have them build their own small houses using sticks for the walls and leaves for the roof. They can create them for fairies, leprechauns, or bugs looking for a new home.
Read books - this is a favorite in our house. Get a stack of books, a blanket, and let them be under a shady tree.
Drawing - also a favorite in our house, just need some paper and crayons
Board games - grab a stack from home that they can either play on their own or with each other; if you’ve only got one with you (this is for ones that are aged 4 and over), they can totally play themselves from both sides!
Fly a kite - for older kids but still a good option
Fly paper airplanes - this one’s more simple but either bring paper for them to make the planes there (perhaps provide a sample one if need be) or make them ahead of time and let them fly them around outside
Feed birds - this one will require some side-supervision if there’s water nearby, even if you have older kids, but still a fun way to keep them entertained
Bird watch - have your kids count how many birds there are and notice the differences in each one; even have them come up with stories of what the birds are doing
Draw what they see - have your kids draw pictures of what they see at the park
Pretend camping - have a small tent? Let the littles camp out in it with books, snacks, and coloring paper. It’s an added fun element for them if they have their own space to work in!
Dance party - let the music play while you get your photos; it will give you something to keep your spirits up and also help them get out their wiggles
Play catch - easy, find anything they can throw back and forth. Plastic balls can be found at either Walmart or Target for less than $5 and it can keep them busy for hours.
Ride bikes or scooters - if there’s safe space for this at the park and there’s room for them in the back of your car, bikes or scooters are a great way for them to keep themselves occupied outside
Write a story - if they’re old enough, have them write a story while you click away; you never know, it might be the next Pete the Cat or Pinkalicious
Play rock paper scissors - may not last as long but can certainly take up a third of the time with the next two ideas
Thumb wrestle
Arm wrestle - as long as it doesn’t lead to angry wrestling (I don’t know about your family but ours can get pretty competitive)
Play frisbee - this one’s great because it usually involves running so they stay entertained AND get tired by the end
Make a dirt activity station - I have one of these set up at home and it consists of an old, plastic muffin tin and a shovel; my daughter scoops dirt and ads in rocks and leaves and will stay busy for almost an hour
Obstacle course - an obstacle course can be created with pinecones, sticks, trees, leaves, you name it. Have them create their own! Want to make it competitive? Offer a prize to whoever creates the most unique one
Bowling - requires props but you can make a DIY bowling pin pretty quickly, just look it up on Pinterest .
Between all of these ideas, your kiddos should be able to keep busy for AT LEAST 30 minutes while you get some photos. Don’t forget, get all angles and maybe even a few videos. (I teach all of this inside my Artisan Coaching Studio in case you’re interested in learning more!)
Being a mom doesn’t mean you have to sideline your dream of selling your art and making a business of it. There are lots of ways to balance and if you need more help, we have an amazing community of women artists, just like yourself, inside our Creativepreneur Collective that would be happy to share their tips and tricks with you.
Until next time, mama… happy creating <3
Read also:
15 Things To Do In 15 Minutes For Your Online Art Sales
