Trapped inside smaller spaces, staring day after day at the same walls walking the same square footage, and locked down in quarantine with you are small individuals. These individuals with short attention spans, varying waves of emotions both good and bad, and with little appreciation for relaxation. No, I'm not talking about your pets I'm talking about your children. Although I have yet to be locked inside with my little ones I can all but understand how monotonous each day can be for you and for them.
As adults we can rationalize what is happening where as those little people hopefully have no real clue and are innocently thinking they get to spend extra time with family. But all this time together, even for the kids, can start to awake cabin fever and you really can watch only so much tv. So here's a list of things to help pass the time in quarantine. Some you may have already attempted and/or heard of and others maybe you haven't and will try.
1. Make an a fort! Whether made of cardboard boxes, or a chair and blanket combo you can take a whole room and transform it into a fort of fun. It can be an indoor camping area, reading area, or make believe castle.
2. Create an obstacle coarse. Using painters tape or any kind of marking system you can, and all the possible toys, couch cushions you can cleverly make into an obstacle, put it all together and let your kids run circles around your house completing tasks along the way. Tasks can be anything like jumping x amount of times, making circles x amount of times, writing their name on a big board etc you get the idea. Throw all the ideas our there and let the kids run! And hopefully take a nap after.
3. Bake, cook, create. This is pretty self explanatory. Kids love to do what the adults are doing. Obviously you aren't gonna let them use sharp knives and hot stoves, but measuring/counting ingredients to put things together and seeing the outcome is some of my kiddos favorite things to do. So far we have made pizza, cookies, and play dough. The recipe I found used kool-aid packets for coloring and smell.
4. Read ALL the books. Kids love being read to and the older kids love reading to you. Even if they can't actually read they will make up the story and read to you. This is a fun activity anytime of day and doesn't exert much energy.
5. Virtual tours. So many parks and museums are now offering free virtual tours. Is there a place you've never been but would like to go? Now is the time to do it, but from home. Places like Yellowstone, and the Louvre museum have these tours available. Try it out and show your kiddos the outside world without the possible danger of catching the corona.
Baltimore Aquarium: https://aqua.org/media/virtualtours/baltimore/index.html
6. Online Fitness. Many places are still offering classes but again with the virtual theme. Sign up and let your kiddos do it with you. Everything from yoga to cycling. For cycling if your kiddos have training wheels just prop up the bike so the back wheels and training wheels are off the ground and let em ride.
Buti Yoga: (my favorite) https://butiyoga.vhx.tv/
7. Board Games. In these technologically advanced times it might seem old fashioned, but board games are great and kids love them. My son's favorite is Candy Land, Operation, and Train Wreck.
8. Start a Garden. Since this pandemic has come at a kinda great gardening time take some hours from the day and start a garden. You can get small seed starters to put inside your home, or Pintrest fun ways to create a raised garden bed. Also, a fun Easter basket idea is a kids set of garden tools.
9. Homework. Sounds awful I'm sure for kids. But weeks and weeks away from structured learning could be detrimental to any learning progress. My oldest is currently in pre-K so we have been doing basic spelling, days of the week, and time. My youngest who is a toddler has been doing a lot of imaginative play, and playing in the sink. Water is fun! There are also lots of free websites that can help with material for fun learning.
123 Homeschool: https://www.123homeschool4me.com/home-school-free-printables/
10. Get OUTSIDE! Staying inside day after day, even with activities, is brutal for anyone's psyche. Make time for outside play, even if it's muddy, get out some old toys, take a walk/hike, run around your own yard. Dig for worms, make that garden, do some spring cleaning prep. ANYTHING! Just get those kids and yourself outside to enjoy the fresh air.
This is a weird time in our lives, for sure far stranger than anything I've experienced. Try to enjoy this time with your family, and the break from the busy day to day hectic rat race we usually experience. If you are fortunate to stay home with your family, take advantage of that time, enjoy watching your kids grow and bloom. If you are an essential worker, we all thank you! Remember: maintain 6 ft social distancing when in public, if you are at all sick STAY HOME, cough/sneeze into your elbow, and WASH YOUR DAMN HANDS! Which hopefully you were already doing prior to the this outbreak...
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