Parents around the globe are facing unprecedented challenges juggling home and work since the schools have closed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Here are 9 ways to pass the time and get some work done with your kids at home:
1. Online Kids Parties. Many children’s party entertainers are launching online classes and children’s shows for families to enjoy. You can find many options for online parties on social media. Check out the Captain Fantastic parties in the UK, where they are hosting free 24-hour kids parties, allowing families from all around the world to tune in. They include a whole range of activities, like magic, nursery rhymes, superheroes, yoga, puppetry and lots more. Their first few sessions were enjoyed by thousands around the world.
2. Baking. Baking is an activity that the whole family can enjoy and has lots of psychological benefits like promoting family bonding, learning and reducing stress. “Picking up a few recipes and skills that you can use will be helpful for the rest of the lockdown and when life goes back to normal,” says Hilary O’Donovan, a mom blogger. “You don’t need to just make sugary treats. Try healthier options as well, like bread, banana muffins or courgette cake.”
3. Read. It’s time to dust off all those books that you have sitting on the shelf. You’re going to be stuck inside the house for weeks, so what better way to spend the time than reading? Reading is proven to reduce stress and will improve your child’s vocabulary and memory while building a stronger bond between you.
4. Play Board Games. Board games can be great fun but also have a huge range of benefits for the whole family. Playing together gives the family a chance to bond and laugh together. Studies have also shown that board games help you to bond, lower blood pressure, reduce stress and even boost your immunity. You could even try a jigsaw puzzle. Not everyone has the patience for them, but if you can persuade the whole family to work together, it can be a great way to spend the hours.
5. Try the LEGO Challenge. To add a bit of structure to play, and keep the kids entertained, try the thirty-day LEGO challenge that has been going around the internet. This 30-day plan lists daily challenges that you can give the children, from “design a space rocket” to “build a park”. By thinking about LEGO in a new way, children will be encouraged to think creatively. Hopefully they will become so engrossed that you may get a bit of peace and quiet too!
6. Enjoy Yoga. “If you’ve spent more time on the sofa than your feet, you might want to try some yoga to stretch those limbs,” says Rose May, a parenting writer. “There are loads of health benefits—improved mobility, greater strength and more balanced breathing, which all helps reduce stress.” Lots of yoga teachers are live streaming free sessions for the whole family to enjoy, and kids will especially enjoy Cosmic Yoga on YouTube that has themed yoga sessions based on Minecraft, Frozen, Pokemon and much more.
7. Visit a National Park. Google has created a program called The Hidden Worlds of National Parks. This means that families across the globe can stay entertained. The program covers five of the national parts across America and includes footage of landscapes and animals, which the children will love spotting.
8. Go to the Zoo. The San Diego Zoo is helping children to “visit” virtually through their network of animal cameras set up across the zoo. Popular highlights include the koala, polar bear and tiger cameras. The zoo’s website also has lots of activities, crafts and coloring pages for the children to download and do for free, which makes it an activity that can fill the whole day.
9. Create a Mini Tornado. The Scouts have created a whole host of over 100 indoor activities online that can help keep children occupied during lockdown. One of the most popular has been the “storm in a teacup” exercise, which helps teach children how tornadoes are made using washing up liquid, water, and sand.
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