Parents across the country are racking their brains on how to keep their kids entertained, but one dad might have finally found the perfect self-isolation activity. Twenty-nine-year-old Bradley O’Riordan of Brentwood, Essex, went viral on TikTok recently after he fashioned his own at-home arcade claw machine — using his 3-year-old daughter, Paris.
This isn't the first time that O’Riordan has had to get creative while staying at home with his family.
In fact, on his TikTok page Brad&Jade, it documents several hilarious attempts to keep busy, including making his own bowling alley out of old beer bottles, using frying pans for some indoor tennis, and the dad of two with girlfriend 28-year-old Jade Mitchell even somehow managed to turn his living room coffee table into a fully functional air hockey table.
But it's his latest creation that has really caught attention online.
Using a trash can and a bathtub full of prizes, O’Riordan created an arcade-style game featuring his toddler as the main claw, SWNS reported.
As part of the game, Paris dangles above the bathtub full of toys trying to snatch one.
In a video posted on May 9, O’Riordan can be seen holding Paris' ankles while his other daughter, 11-year-old Lacey, works the "joystick" below.
O’Riordan explained that and his girlfriend started making TikToks to keep their young daughters entertained during lockdown.
The idea for this one "just came to the top of my head that I could make a teddy catching machine," he said.
Although it looks complicated, O’Riordan said that the claw grabber was actually easy to make.
“We printed the control [panel] and then I got a screwdriver — I got my brand new bin and punctured a whole in the top," he explained.
At first Jade was reluctant about him using their brand-new trash can because it was "a titanium-silver fresh bin that I paid £60 (about $74 USD) for," O’Riordan said, "and I just punctured a hole in it. I didn’t care."
He could afford to not worry about the trash can because O’Riordan was positive their video was going to be a hit.
He told his girlfriend that he knew "this is going to get a million views so it’s worth stabbing a hole in the bin!" he remembered. He was pretty much right. His video has since racked up 1.5 million views on TikTok and was a smash online.
"Love this," one person wrote in the comments. "She knew what she wanted and she was not letting go bless her awwwwwww."
"This is genius, laughed so much," wrote another .
"Best TikTok I've ever seen," a third person added.
We can't all be the creative geniuses that O’Riordan is, but this is certainly a good reminder that parents are truly going the extra mile for their kids during their extended time at home.
