With schools closing down all over the country in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, we know that parents are already struggling to keep their children (and themselves) from climbing the walls.
The current isolation isn’t like a snow day– kids can’t spend time together in the same way. You know you can’t let them watch TV or play games on their iPad all day, so what can you do? Never fear! We’ve come up with a few things you can do with your kids that are fun, entertaining, and informative.
7 Ways to Fight Boredom and Keep the Family Entertained!
1.) Set up their devices to keep them safe.
This one isn’t so much about what you can do with your kids as much as taking the time to make sure their devices are secure. Companies like Apple and Google have step by step instructions for making sure you keep your kids off of sites you don’t want them on.
2.) Do some online quizzes.
There are a million quizzes out there that will test your child’s memory of some of their favorite shows, movies, or books. They will help your child recall facts that will come in handy whenever they get back to school and have to take tests. At least these are fun, though, like this Harry Potter quiz.
3.) Come up with some new family traditions.
Use a page like this to come up with some fun new traditions for your family. For instance, you might designate one evening to be your regular family game night or movie night.
4.) Teach them some important life skills.
Some of these ideas might not be age appropriate for you, but you could teach your child how to do the laundry, how to change a tire, or how to mow the lawn. You’ll get a lot of mileage out of these when the time comes!
5.) Come up with your own schedule.
It’s a good idea to come up with a routine and stick to it when everything that has been a routine has been thrown out the window. This idea for a summer schedule can be adapted for times like this just to make sure there’s some structure to your days together.
6.) Do a virtual tour of a National Park like Yellowstone.
Many of the National Parks have virtual tours you can do together. It might whet your appetite and lead your family into thinking about plans for a family vacation when COVID-19 is behind us.
7.) Explore the MoMA or another art museum.
Several well known art museums, such as the Museum of Modern Art, have virtual tours you can do of the art work in them. You can check out the MoMA, or work your way through this list of 2,500 museums!
There is no shortage of ideas or tools for keeping yourself sane or your kids occupied during a time like this. Hope these help!
Keep the Family Entertained
Make the most of your time at home together.
