Everyone has been affected by the recent outbreak of COVID-19. Schools have been shut down, businesses have shortened hours or have completely closed, and people have been asked to stay home more when possible.
It can be hard to deal with such a sudden change, especially if you’re a parent. Your kids went from following a structured schedule with school and outside activities to being shut in the house for weeks on end.
This change can be hard on both parents and kids, so we’ve compiled a list of home activities for kids that can be both fun and educational, and help maintain a lighthearted mood in the house.
If your kids are feeling extra wiggly, have them complete an indoor obstacle course that stretches all the way around the house! Grab anything they can jump over, climb under, or shimmy their way through. Consider hanging things like a hula hoop from the ceiling, or stringing yarn across the hall to make things extra exciting.
Kids will love doing this course and can even compete with one another for some fun sibling rivalry. Keep track of who can complete the course the fastest with a timer. You can all take turns adding a new obstacle throughout the day (or week depending on how long you keep it up). Think of it as having your very own Ninja Warrior course in your home!
If you want to help teach your kid about responsibility, fostering a dog or cat could be a great way to do it. Many animal shelters are asking people to foster an animal during this time of quarantine to help prevent the shelters from overflowing. This is a great solution to help both you and your kids have someone else to focus on.
Because you’ll be fostering an animal, you’ll only have them for a short period of time. There’s no lifetime commitment to a foster animal, but it’s a great way to give the animal a nice home to stay in instead of a cage all alone. And who knows, maybe you’ll end up loving your furry new friend and adopt them into their new forever home!
Think of this as an Easter egg hunt, just around the house with different objects. To change things up a bit, rather than just giving your kids clues, have them complete a task first in order to earn a new clue. This could be a great way to encourage them to work on homework or do chores while adding some fun into it.
Once the kids have completed their scavenger hunt, have them make one for you too! They’ll have a blast hiding things and watching you search for them.
Landscaping combinations of plant and grass
Spring is here and it’s the perfect time to plant some seeds. Planting a garden is something you and your kids can check on together daily. Take some time to show them how to water the plants, why they need proper sunlight, and how certain insects can help make plants grow through pollination. Watching a garden grow is exciting for both you and your kids!
The best part?
You can harvest whatever you plant and incorporate them into snacks and dinners. Have your kids choose what types of seeds they want to plant (and be sure to do some of your favorites too) so they can be excited to have it as a snack once it’s fully grown. You can also have them help you create little signs, labeling each seed you plant so they can keep track of everything.
It’s important for kids to practice their writing skills, so here are a few activities they can do on their own or with a sibling:
This is a great activity for kids to do to practice their writing skills. Their pen pal could be a cousin living in a different state or even a friend from school they don’t get to see as much anymore. It’s a great chance for them to reconnect with others and allows them to write down their feelings and share them with a friend.
Once they’ve finished writing their letter, have them decorate their letters and envelopes with stickers and drawings. After you send their letter, each day they can check the mail with you and have something to look forward to reading.
Why should kids wait until they’re older to write a book? Why not start now?
Have your kids take some quiet time to scribble down their ideas for a book. Once they’ve got the idea and they’ve written it out, have them illustrate it (or a sibling if they want to collaborate). When the book is all finished, gather the family and have them share their new masterpiece!
Are your kids natural performers? Have them put on a show for you! Your kids can write the “script,” pull out costumes to wear, and then put it all together for a show-stopping performance.
Here are just a few ideas of shows they could put on:
Have some fun with this one. Pop some popcorn and get ready for some laughs. For some added fun, record their show and send it to family and friends to enjoy too.
Whether you’re doing something fun or educational with your kids, remember to first and foremost stay safe. Wash your hands, encourage your kids to wash their hands, practice social distancing, and spend some time with your family. We’re all in this together and will get through this! The idea is to create some positive memories along the way that you kids can look back on with some fondness
03/26/2020
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