As social distancing becomes the new (temporary) normal to help contain the spread of COVID-19, kids are finding themselves with much more time spent at home.
They?re going to get bored pretty quickly and it can be challenging for parents to find ways to constructively fill that time. So, with that in mind, we created a list of some teacher-recommended resources ? as well as some other fun, creative ideas ? to help the littles pass the time in a constructive, active way.
Make your house a gymnasium
Yes, most gymnastic classes and venues have been closed, but that doesn?t mean you can?t encourage dexterity at home.
Finding ways to keep kids active indoors can seem like a challenge, but there are some easy props you can use around your house to help kids burn a little energy! Use couch cushions in replace of a domino mat to help teach cartwheels and lateral movement. Place it on the floor, then have the kids place their hands on the cushion and hop their legs over from side to side. More advanced kids can do a full cartwheel.
Kids also love playing hot lava, something easy enough to do with a handful of cushions or tea towels on the ground that you have to jump to in order not to burn in the pretend fiery pit. Sure, your house will get trashed, but you can have your kids help create and clean it up.
Get creative with arts & crafts
Let the kids get messy with some splatter painting. For a cheap, easy, and fun outdoor art project, you cannot go wrong with?splatter painting! Or try your hand at making your own playdough. Your children will first get to entertain themselves as they prepare the playdough with?this?recipe. After making the playdough, they will have a fun craft to play with all afternoon.?
Indoor games
Have an indoor scavenger hunt. Who says you have to be outdoors to have a fun scavenger hunt??Try?a lego, puzzle piece or colour chip hunt for hours of active fun.
Balloon games are easy and fun! Don?t let the balloon touch the ground is a classic game that kids fall for every time. The rules are simple ? hit the balloon up in the air but don?t let it touch the ground. To make it more challenging for older kids, have them juggle more than 1?balloon, or tie one hand behind their back. Time them to see how long they can do it for, or if you have multiple kids, have them count how many times they can hit it back and forth?then see if they can beat their time or score! This game is great for improving arm strength and hand-eye coordination. Or the penguin waddle where you place a?balloon between your child?s knees and have them waddle across the room without dropping it!
Read
Reading can be fun for pre-readers, children learning to read, and kids who read well. Parents can use activities to make reading adventuresome as well as educational. Read aloud or act out the characters to keep the kid’s engaged. Audiobooks are also a great tool to use when you may need a little downtime yourself! Audiobooks are a great way to help children of any age discover the joy of storytelling and will help you fit more books into your children’s lives.
Go outside
You can still play with the kids in your backyard, or on the sidewalk in front of your house. Get some sunshine and fresh air on days where it?s nice enough to do so. Let them play on their own and create fun activities to engage their little brains. Kids love bugs, so try using a magnifying glass to crawl along the ground and see what tiny things you see along the route, which you can change every day! The fresh air will be good for everyone.