As a mom, I’ve felt extra responsibility to keep my kids entertained during quarantine. I’m sure most parents can understand the struggle to spend time with their kids and keep them engaged with activities that don’t involve staring at screens for hours! Since self-isolating with my family I’ve realized we all need activities or hobbies to keep us busy, especially Ella and Logan—online homeschooling is only interesting for so long for them! Activities keep the kids’ creativity flowing, and lets you spend quality “fun time” with them. Family bonding is important to keep in mind right now, and fun activities diffuse any tension you might feel from being around each other all day (which is okay; that’s normal)!
- Baking Cookies & Cakes
Baking is a great way to teach your kids cooking skills, and making something sweet is always fun to do together. Cookies or cakes are great ways to engage them with kitchen basics like measuring, too—they might even help out with the dishes! Plus, the promise of a delicious treat keeps them motivated and is something everyone can enjoy.
- Coloring & Drawing
Sketching has been a great way for Ella and Logan to unleash their inner artists—and some energy—during this time indoors! If creating full drawings isn’t your kids’ (or your) speed, there are tons of online coloring sheets and templates you can print at home too; coloring is especially calming to do, even for adults! I find these allow my kids and I to be in touch with our creative sides. It also lets their imaginations run wild, which is beautiful to see!
- Nintendo Switch Video Games
Playing the Nintendo Switch has become a popular activity in our household during quarantine! The battle game Fortnite has particularly grown on Ella, Logan, and even me. It’s fun to play as a family, especially because it lets us be competitive in the name of good fun (and any violence is gore-free). This has definitely kept my kids occupied so I have more time to work—though we do have parental controls to reduce their daily screen time!
- Virtual Yoga
Yoga has been one of the best exercises I’ve done during quarantine to stay balanced and refreshed, and the kids are enjoying it too! This is a great exercise everyone in the family can do together. It’s easy, relatively slow-paced, and a great way for you and your kids to stretch and release any physical tension you’re feeling.
- Online Dance Classes
Dancing might not seem like something your kids might enjoy, but it’s been so freeing for my family and I to do together! I think in-person dancing can be challenging because it seems like there’s always a “right” or “wrong” way to dance, which could raise self-conscious feelings. However, I’ve seen Ella and Logan be more focused after they’ve joined my virtual dance classes. At home, dancing has let all of us release our inhibitions, move at our own paces and just have fun! It’s a fantastic activity for releasing physical energy and building confidence, too.
- Family Book Club
Nothing provides the kind of escape that a good book can! Reading has always been one of my family’s favorite things to do; even though we all love a variety of genres, we all love to read. I’m planning to do this with Ella, Logan and my husband soon, alternating who picks the book every couple weeks or so with regular discussions in-between. Having a “family book club” increases family bonding, opens discussions about the chosen title, and lets everyone take a mental escape from this quarantine! Plus, reading is great for kids, and letting them pick the book and lead discussions about it gives them experience in leadership and decision-making.
- Playing with Legos
I don’t know how to describe it, but there’s just something about playing with Legos that’s fun for kids and adults alike! Maybe it comes from “The Lego Movie,” but Ella and Logan have loved to play with Legos (sometimes for hours!) during this quarantine. When I join them, we’re all exercising our brains and experimenting with creativity together. This is a great activity if you and your children just need some time to flex your cognitive muscles, or simply build some fun creations together.
- DIY Art
I love drawing and coloring with Ella and Logan, but there’s nothing like a fun DIY project to engage us with new ways to make our own art. This can range from jewelry making to thumbprint painting or origami, but we always love making unique creations and sharing them with each other! DIY crafts are great for my kids to learn new ways to express themselves artistically, too. They also let me get creative with what we can make from supplies already at home, which any mom can appreciate.
- Paint Kits
Painting never goes out of style, and is another art-related activity that parents and kids can both enjoy. There’s something very calming and old-school—at least, I think so—about painting that just soothes the soul! Paint-by-number kits allow people to develop creativity on their own, rather than feel confusion over what to paint. Adults or kids that aren’t artistically-inclined can still enjoy painting with them and tap into their inner Van Gogh! The finished canvases will look really sharp, and are great for younger or older children (and for hanging as wall art in your home, too!).
- Magnatiles
Magnatiles are one of the best building activities I’ve done with Ella and Logan during quarantine. These magnetic tiles can be arranged in just about any shape or creation you can think of, which I love—there’s no restrictions on what you and your kids can build together! Plus, they’re easy to clean up thanks to their larger size and bright colors; no Legos underfoot here!
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