Are you interested in working remotely? FlexJobs released its 8th annual list of the “Top 100 Companies to Watch for Remote Jobs in 2021” This list is based on an analysis of approximately 57,000 companies and their remote job posting histories in the FlexJobs database between Jan. 1, 2020 and Dec. 31, 2020.
Computer/IT and healthcare continue to be the most promising career fields for remote-friendly jobs, while the financial industry has also enjoyed sustained growth of remote job opportunities. Customer service and sales also remain strong prospects for remote jobs.
“The coronavirus pandemic has permanently reshaped the workplace and how, when, and where people work,” said Sara Sutton, Founder and CEO of FlexJobs. “Business models have been forever disrupted with the realization that remote work is smart, strategic, and sustainable for companies to embrace, improving not only the bottom line but also providing benefits to the overall workforce.”
“FlexJobs has been compiling our Top 100 Companies to Watch for Remote Work list since 2014, and although the circumstances for the rapid and massive adoption of its practices are extremely unfortunate, we are excited to see so many more organizations deeply integrating remote work both now and for the future,” Sutton concluded.
The top 10 companies that made this year’s Top 100 Companies to Watch for Remote Jobs list include:
It’s 4 p.m. and you finally close the laptop as your child’s virtual school day ends. Or, maybe your child physically went to school today but had limited time at the playground. And it shows. They need action!
Physical activity helps a child stay regulated (process and adjust to their environment) and promotes the maturation of their nervous system. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, it is even more important to make children’s physical wellbeing a priority to combat the potential negative effects on their physical, social, and psychological health. Physical activity in children is even associated with higher academic performance!
These top 10 afterschool activities are perfect for getting the wiggles out of your kids, no matter what materials or space you have!
1. Obstacle Course
Give your child a minimum of 3 to 4 steps. Get creative with what you have at home (both indoors and outdoors) when coming up with tasks at each “station”. A few ideas to start with: throw balls into a laundry basket, do 10 jumping jacks, jump in and out of a hoola-hoop, crawl under chairs. Try getting your child to complete as much of the course as independently as they can. Challenge them to remember each step in the sequence (and in the right order) to help develop their memory and other cognitive skills!
2. Simon Says
A classic! “Simon says do a handstand.” “Stand on 1 leg.” A simple game of Simon Says can help promote body awareness as your child engages in different movements. They’ll also have to use their auditory comprehension skills to follow the directions and listen for whether or not “Simon” said!
3. Ball Bounce
Bouncing on a large exercise ball against a wall can give your child just the amount of physical input their body needs. To add some cognitive demands, ask your child to sing their ABC’s while bounding, or go back and forth naming different animals for each letter of the alphabet without repeating.
4. Animal Walk Relay
Make a “path” around the house using tape, flags, or colorful dots. Have your child get from point A to point B by pretending to be the animal you name. Bear walk, bunny hop, crab walk, frog jumps – this one’s sure to work their muscle strength and coordination!
5. Go for a Ride
Kids can take a ride on their bike, scooter, skateboard, or whatever they choose! For an added language benefit, play “I Spy” while riding to help improve your child’s vocabulary by understanding and using descriptive words.
6. Towel Tug
Lay a towel on the floor and weigh it down with objects. Or, have a sibling sit on it! Have your child pull the towel across the room. Keep them motivated by asking them to make a prediction of how many times they think they can do this!
7. Scorpion Game
Parents—here’s a new sensory-motor game that also gives you time to interact with your kids! You pretend to be a scorpion, holding a pool noodle as your stinger and keeping your eyes closed. Your child is the squirrel that has to try and “rescue” stuffed animals from the ground by picking one up and running it back to the other side of the room. If your child gets “stung” and you tap them with the noodle, they must do an exercise you choose (jumping jacks, star jumps, or sit-ups, for example).
8. Dog Catcher
Make two bases across from each other, connected by a path of pillows. You are the dog catcher and your child is the puppy. He or she must rescue their stolen “bones” (balls) or animal friends (stuffed animals) by taking the pillow path to your base and back when you pretend to go to sleep. If your child wakes you up or accidentally steps on the floor, the dog catcher (you) have to try and tag the puppy!
9. Lava Floor
Pretend the floor is lava! You and your child can make a path in the living room to get from the couch to the door without touching the floor. Use pillows, bean bags, and other objects you find to help your child practice their balance, coordination, and creativity!
10. Jump Up!
A great way to give your child’s body some vestibular input (balance and awareness of their body’s position in space)? Jumping! Kids can jump on a trampoline or on a mattress you put on the floor.
Some children may have trouble with balance, coordination, strength, are constantly moving, or become easily distracted. If you have concerns in these areas of your child’s development, an evaluation by a physical therapist or occupational therapist can help. TherapyWorks is a company that provides these services (in addition to speech therapy, feeding therapy, and social work) via teletherapy. You will be connected with a therapist who specializes in your areas of concern and can provide more tips for at-home activities for your child!
Sprang, Ginny & Silman, Miriam. (2013). Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Parents and Youth After Health-Related Disasters. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness. 7. 10.1017/dmp.2013.22.
I'm a mom entrepreneur and Co-Founder of TherapyWorks, a pediatric therapy company that provides services via telehealth. I recognized the need to make high-quality pediatric therapy more convenient after one of my own children needed therapy and launched TherapyWorks with my Co-Founder, an experienced speech language-pathologist, with that in mind.
With COVID restrictions and cold weather coming together to limit outside time, Portland parents are pressed for indoor entertainment A Kids Book About has a solution that gives parents something to do with their children while helping them address challenging topics that families are faced with in 2021. This local Black-Owned-Business publishes books that help guide bold conversations that focus on life’s most challenging and empowering topics in a positive way. Read on to find out more!
photo: via A Kids Book About
About A Kids Book About
Launched with a mission of publishing books that help facilitate fearless conversations between kids and grownups about life’s most important and empowering topics, A Kids Book About was founded in 2019 by three Portland dads. Built on the belief that kids are ready to have challenging conversations, this Black-Owned-Publisher released 12 inaugural titles ranging in topic from racism to creativity to depression to feminism.
Parents have been so taken with this Portland business that in the first year alone their bestselling title “A Kids Book About Racism” sold 50,000 copies. A Kids Book About now has more topics than ever. You can buy them one at a time online or sign up for a subscription. The subscription options include:
One Book Option delivers one book to your home a month for $16.95
Two Book Option delivers two books to your home a month for $29. 95
Three Book Option delivers three books to your home a month for $39.95
A Kids Book About authors are from all kinds of backgrounds and identities and they aim to explore themes like racism, feminism, belonging, COVID, depression, body image, adventure, failure, and more.
photo: via a Kids Book About
Titles to Add to Your Home Library
The following are some of the titles by A Kids Book About that we think you should add to your home library. They are appropriate for kids five and up.
“A Kids Book About Racism” It’s never too early to start talking to your kids about racism, and this book was written to be an introduction for kids on the topic. Inside, you’ll find a clear description of what racism is, how it makes people feel when they experience it, and how to spot it when it happens. “A Kids Book About Racism” was written by Jelani Memory. This Portland dad is an African American entrepreneur, thinker, and constant learner.
“A Kids Book About Optimism” Kids need optimism now more than ever. Have you ever struggled with how to talk to them about positive thinking when things get tough? This book is a fun exploration of how to engage an optimistic and empowering mindset and how to make choices that lead to more opportunities, positivity, and joy. “A Kids Book About Optimism” was written by Meir Kay. This author is all about spreading positivity and kindness, whether that’s through his viral social media videos, hosting The Great Day podcast, or public speaking engagements.
“A Kids Book About Feminism” An important conversation for children of all genders, this is an unapologetic take on feminism as a thing that everyone can embrace. It addresses ideas around equality, bias, and discrimination because of gender. It also empowers young girls and boys to embrace feminism and show up for others when they’re being treated unfairly. The author Emma Mcilroy is the Co-Founder & CEO of Wildfang. Wildfang is one of the fastest growing retail brands in the USA and exists to help every kind of woman become the best possible version of herself, smashing gender roles and the patriarchy in the process.
“A Kids Book About COVID-19” The world has never seen anything like COVID-19 before: it’s affecting everyone and kids need to talk about it! This book is written by scientist Malia Jones who is an academic, researcher, social justice advocate, and mom. She studies disease outbreaks and wrote the book in an effort to provide some answers and start discussions about what each of us can do to help keep our communities safer during the coronavirus pandemic.
Teachers have been paying out of their own pocket to provide vital resources to their students for years. With the Coronavirus pandemic, that statistic has only worsened, but a new partnership between Rebel Girls and First Book is setting out to help this holiday season.
Rebel Girls, a girl-driven edutainment brand known for its’ podcasts and books is partnering with First Book, a female-led nonprofit to honor and support teachers. This Giving Tuesday, the duo is helping both teachers and low-income students in two special ways.
photo: iStock
From Tue., Nov. 17th though Thur. Dec. 31st, purchase a Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls book on RebelGirls.com and Rebel Girls will donate a book directly to First Book! This partnership will give an opportunity for girls in low-income areas to be inspired by women who are changing the world in real life.
On Tues., Dec. 1, Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: The Podcast will release two special episodes featuring teachers from the First Book community. You’ll also get to hear from Rebel Girls CEO, Jes Wolfe and First Book CEO, Kyle Zimmer.
For the last 25 years, TIME for Kids has been a go-to source for millions of elementary students in classrooms. When the pandemic hit and schools were forced to close, the school-based publication became available at home for the first time. Today, they launched a new premium digital subscription designed to keep kids learning, help them understand the news and connect them to the world from home.
“The mission of TIME for Kids is to create a safe and engaging experience for kids to explore the world on their own,” said TIME for Kids editor in chief Andrea Delbanco. “With the continued uncertainty around kids going back to school amid the coronavirus pandemic, TIME for Kids has built its first-ever home product to be flexible for the needs of all families and to provide a fun resource and tool they can turn to help support remote learning.”
The TIME for Kids subscription designed for home use includes digital access to new editions of TIME for Kids each week, as well as access to every issue of TIME for Kids that has been previously published in 2020. Every week, subscribers will also receive a special TIME for Kids newsletter to serve as a supplemental guide for the content in each new issue, with helpful curriculum, conversation guides, resources, and engaging activities to make the most out of every issue of TIME for Kids at home. Subscriptions are available beginning at $19.99 per year through an introductory offer.
This new TIME for Kids subscription is the latest offering from TIME for Kids that aims to help families, kids and teachers navigate the ongoing uncertainty around kids going back to school amid the coronavirus pandemic. Most recently, TIME for Kids unveiled a new subscription, designed specifically for teachers, that connects the print and digital TIME for Kids experiences and enables flexibility between the in-classroom and remote learning experience for students. In March, when schools initially closed due to coronavirus, TIME for Kids was made available digitally, for free, and in multiple languages including Spanish and Chinese, for the first time with the launch of the TIME for Kids digital library, which has been accessed by over 350,000 people in all 50 states across the U.S. and more than 140 countries around the world.
Who runs the world? Kids! When it comes to innovative and creative ideas, the younger generation is changing the world like never before. From clothing that detects cancer to creating chemical-free products for people of all ages, our future is bright with these kids-invented products. Keep reading to see our faves.
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools online, Alex and Ben Joel were concerned by the articles they read about potential learning losses due to distance learning. So they did something about it. Their motto is simple: Bridging the educational divide with free, online, one-on-one tutoring for elementary school students. We caught up with the dynamic duo to find out more about their service, what inspired it, and how Intutorly is helping change the world, one kid at a time.
Rebel Shields
Rebel Shields
When eight-year-old Summer Soleil's dad got sick with Covid-19 on Easter Sunday, the whole family had to quarantine on separate floors of the family home. Everyone would need to wear face coverings 24/7, and no one wanted to wear uncomfortable face masks the whole time. So Summer set out to solve the problem, coming up with the idea of a face shield. Together with a nurse who was treating Covid patients, the duo designed a shield from the perspective of a medical professional. The result is over 20 amazing designs that includes emojis, animal prints and more that make wearing them fun.
Owen Larkins was 12-years-old when he wanted to give his dad the ultimate birthday gift. Wanting to give something that was unique, but inspire his dad to share memories, Owen developed Dad's Game. With the help of his brother and mom, he created a game concept and board packed with questions. After his dad fell in love with the game, he and Owen went on to create Dad's Game, a personalized game that allows families to create one-of-a-kind gifts with their own photos and questions!
Nicholas' mom wanted him to do something constructive during the coronavirus pandemic––so he started a business! The six-year-old used his love of making craft planes and started Creations by Nicholas, where he now sells planes and kits. Not only does the entrepreneur love sharing his passion for crafting, but he's also giving back. His Kits for Kids program gives free plane kits to children of first responders and one dollar from sale goes to the Triple Heart Foundation, which helps NICU's all over the United States.
Ella Casano was diagnosed with Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia Purpura, or ITP, when she was seven-years-old. ITP causes the body to destroy platelets in the blood. No stranger to IVs, Casano understand the fear and intimidation young patients often feel around these bags. The teddy bear bag covers cleverly camouflage the bags, while still making it possible for parents and medical staff to see the medication or blood products inside (each Medi Teddy has a mesh back). Casano and her family started a Meddy Tedi GoFundMe fundraiser last summer to raise money for the first order of 500 bears. Instead of directly selling all the products, Casano decided to donate the teddy bear bag covers to children in need.
After launching her cruelty-free beauty brand at the tender age of nine, Zandra Cunningham focused her efforts on selling her products at a local farmer’s market. Fast forward to 2019 and the teen is not only leading the green beauty initiative, but she is encouraging teen girls to pursue their interests in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) through the brand’s “Science Behind It” program. Zandra Beauty is all about chemical and cruelty-free, vegan, plant-based products, and currently sells over 50 skincare products, including deodorant, body wash, and artisan soap bars.
When her six-year-old Kameron came home from summer camp smelling like a grown man, mom Chantel got to work developing an all-natural hygiene option. Together, the two of them crafted Play Pits, a kid-friendly deodorant for children with that is free of harsh chemicals, parabens, aluminum, parabens, and synthetic fragrances. The all-natural product is made for kids but strong enough for adults, and comes in three delightful fragrances that keep kids smelling like kids (without the stinky part).
Alaina Gassler took home the $25,000 prize at the Society for Science and the Public’s Broadcom MASTERS (Math, Applied Science, Technology and Engineering for Rising Stars) science and engineering competition with her revolutionary design that could change car safety. Gassler designed a camera that will project on to a car’s A-frame pillar, an area known to cause blind spots for drivers all too frequently. The 8th grader’s project isn’t done yet, either. Phase two involves LCD monitors that will allow the brightness to change, making the projections even more helpful during different times of the day and in unique weather conditions. Now that Gassler is $25,000 richer, those changes can now become a reality.
Entrepreneurial spirit can strike anyone, at any time, no matter their age. At just seven-years-old, first grader Kaden Newton already started his own charity organization in early 2017: Mac & Cheese and Pancakes. And he has collected well over 24,000 “kid-friendly” and “kid-approved” food items, like (you guessed it) Mac & Cheese. That’s nearly 28,000 pounds of food collected in two months time. He’s received items from Egypt, Puerto Rico and almost every state via his Amazon Wishlist. Read more about it here.
Many women have a love/ hate relationship with their bras, but there’s nothing to hate about a bra that could help its wearer discover signs of breast cancer. An 18 year-old student from Mexico has designed a bra that can do exactly that, after being inspired by his own mom’s battle with breast cancer. Julian Rios Cantu invented the EVA, which can detect breast cancer. The young entrepreneur runs his own company, Higia Technologies, and built the bra to primarily help women who are genetically predisposed to cancer. The bra is equipped with about 200 biosensors, which can map the surface of the breast and then detect changes in shape, weight, and temperature. The data can then be sent to a computer or mobile app for analysis. The idea is to replace self-diagnosis, which isn’t always effective.
The Kid Who Planted One Million Trees (Make That One Trillion)
When he was just nine-years-old Felix Finkbeiner had a goal: to plant one million trees in his home country of Germany. He was in the fourth grade. He started with just one tree, in front of his own school. His campaign quickly went viral and gained media international media coverage. He was soon invited to speak to the European Parliment and attend UN conferneces. He reached his goal of planting one-million trees in German in 2011, at the age of 13. But he was not done. To date, Finkbeiner is 19. He founded Plant-for-the-Planet and his organization, together with the UN’s Billion Tree campaign, has planted over 14 billion trees in more than 130 countries. So he’s got a bigger goal: one trillion trees. Plant-for-the-Planet has trained over 55,000 “ambassador” who are trained in workshops on how to become climate activists in their own home town. Most of his trainees are between the ages of 9 and 12!
The Science Subscription Box Created by an Eight-Year-Old
Created by an eight-year-old, Angeleno Max (now nine) invented this monthly subscription kit to entice kids ages 5-10 to develop a love of all things science. Each kit revolves around a storyline starring Max and his younger sister Grace. They discover their grandfather’s secret time machine and use it to travel back and meet famous scientists and inventors, like Thomas Edison or the Wright Brothers, who will help them solve a science related mystery. The stories are inspired by The Magic Treehouse series, explains Max’s mom, Jacki, who helps Max run his start-up company and bring to life all his amazing story ideas and experiments.
By age 11, Mikalia Ulmer has done more than many adults have in their lifetime. She’s an entrepreneur, protector of the honey bee, educator and student. She is the founder of Me & the Bees Lemonade, a company that uses her grandmother’s special recipe for lemonade with flaxseed and honey. She started selling her special lemonade recipe at kids’ entrepreneurial events and on roadside stands, and later won a deal on “Shark Tank.” Mikalia sells Me & the Bees Lemonade at Whole Foods Market and several food trucks and restaurants. She also gave the introduction of President Obama at a United State of Women forum. But her drive goes beyond making a profit. She donates a percentage of the profits from the sales to local and international organizations fighting to save the honeybees.
When Will Lourcey was seven-years-old, he saw a homeless man holding a sign that read “need a meal.” When Will’s parents explained to him that there are so many people in the world who don’t have food to eat, this Ft. Worth kiddo decided to “be a doer, not a watcher” from that moment on. He wanted to make a difference, so Will gathered some friend, made a plan, and he started FROGs (Friends Reaching Our Goals, Inc.). This kid-run organization sets out to inspire and mobilize other others to make positive change. As a result, Will and FROGs has provided more than 500,000 meals for the hungry through local food banks and FROGs Dinner Club. They’ve helped pack 80,000 backpacks with food through Backpacks for Kids, and served more than 10,000 families through the Mobile Food Pantry.
What kiddo doesn’t want to set up a lemonade stand? Teach your little ones a humanitarian lesson by encouraging them to donate proceeds from their summer stand through Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation and fight childhood cancer “one cup at a time.” The foundation was started by Alexandra “Alex” Scott who was battling cancer and vowed to raise money to fight the illness. By the time Alex died in 2004, she raised $1 million and has inspired kids across the country to sell lemonade for a great cause. Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation makes it easy to get started. All you need to do is register your lemonade stand’s location, date and time. You’ll receive a free fundraising kit in the mail and a personal fundraising coach to assist you with any questions.
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to limit options for activities, families across the country are looking to the outdoors to keep kids entertained and engaged. If you’re like me, you probably know several people who have even embarked on lengthy road trips in rented or hastily purchased RVs. There are plenty of articles extolling the benefits of outdoor time for kids, but what about the parents? As we look to meet the needs of our children and partners with minimal help from a “village,” could venturing outdoors provide a boost to our own health?
My experience indicates a resounding “yes” to this question, and here’s why:
1. Dedicated Family Time. I have a confession to make—I hate pretend play, and I don’t think I’m the only one. When I’m at home, there are only so many rounds of “Restaurant” I can play before the mounds of laundry seem more appealing. When we’re on a hike or at the beach, however, connection feels easier and more organic. I, too, wonder whether that heron will catch the fish she’s hunting, or whether our stick will reappear on the other side of the bridge as we lob it into the creek. Seeing the glee on their faces when the stick floats off brings a lift to my heart. All of us come away from (most of) our outdoor adventures feeling connected and loved.
2. Practicing Mindfulness. As adults, finding that elusive five minutes of peace often feels impossible, especially with co-workers, children, and partners constantly checking in. The practice of “Forest Bathing,” or experiencing the forest with our senses, can help to reset some of the stress that accumulates throughout the day. If your kids are like mine and can’t stop chattering long enough for you to just breathe, ask them to help you by doing things like listening for birds chirping, noticing different shades of green in the trees, sniffing the moss on rocks or dipping hands in a creek.
3. Gym-Free Exercise. Gyms are not my happy place even in the best of times, but during the pandemic, they’ve become more difficult to safely access. To add insult to injury, my kids foiled my attempts to complete a 10-minute workout video by climbing all over my non-existent abs. A banana slug might beat us to the end of the trail, but walking with my kids (usually while carrying or pushing them in a stroller) gives me an opportunity to exercise for which I wouldn’t otherwise make time. I also tend to eat more nutritious snacks on a hike and pick up some Vitamin D through our cloudy Pacific Northwest skies and ample layers of sunscreen, providing bonus health points.
4. Continuous Learning. Don’t hate me, but I’m about to tell you that the constant chorus of “why” from our kids isn’t always bad. As I look at the events of 2020—a global pandemic, a racial justice uprising, a record hurricane, and wildfire season—I’m reminded of how exclusion has impacted our outdoor experience. Indigenous people’s expertise about the stewardship of their ancestral lands is not heeded. Black people do not have equal access to green spaces for exercise or heat relief. Scientific research about the spread of disease and climate change is ignored. I often stumble trying to explain these things to my four-year-old, especially when she asks why they are true. When we hike together, I end up researching which tribe’s ancestral land we’re on, or why some fires help regenerate growth and others destroy entire forests. I will never be perfect, but my clumsy attempts at distilling those hard concepts for her end up helping me learn, too.
5. Community Service Opportunities. Studies have shown that volunteering decreases the risk of depression, provides a sense of purpose, and reduces stress levels. Unfortunately, many volunteering opportunities exclude children for safety reasons or take place indoors, making them hard to participate in during a pandemic. Luckily, volunteering and getting outside can be family-friendly! A trash-spotting scavenger hunt for kids on your next hike or neighborhood walk (don’t forget gloves and a trash bag to pack it out!) can be a great way to help your community. If picking up trash is too gross for you or your young kids might “help” too much, consider spending some outside time gardening together and donating produce (or homemade goodies using the produce) to neighbors.
Leaving the house regularly for some time outdoors will get harder as we move towards winter, but the benefits are real for both parents and kids.
I'm a Seattle transplant originally from California via stints in Massachusetts and France. My husband and I love showing our two young children the Pacific Northwest's natural beauty and toting them around the world for the occasional escape.
Probably one of the most thumbs-down things about the coronavirus pandemic is being able to see your neighbors and nearby friends, but not being able to get closer than six feet to them. If you and your crew are feeling the disconnect, don’t stress! With a little creativity, you can get back to feeling as tightknit as ever within your community. Scroll down to see our super fun ideas for bringing your community together without actually being in a crowd.
The thrill of this hunt is getting to do something active with your neighbors while still respecting each other’s space. Organize a community-wide search by first picking and sharing the theme of the hunt—like animals, states, painted rocks, etc. You may need to prep a little by enlisting the neighborhood to put objects in their windows or on their porches. If you have a competitive crew, add a time limit and a hashtag for sharing pics of your finds.
2. Play Tic-Tac-Toe.
Keep your X’s and O’s socially distant by playing through a glass door or window. Create a Tic-Tac-Toe board with masking tape or an erasable marker on the glass. While you play, one opponent is inside the house, and the other is outside. This sneaky set-up also works with Connect Four and Pictionary.
If you feel like all you’ve been doing during this entire pandemic is cooking meals, give yourself (and your neighbors) a much-needed break. After checking on community interest and getting approval from any housing associations, contact a few trucks to see who might be available to set up shop for a couple of hours. To keep lingering crowds to a minimum, you might want to have the truck stick to mobile- or pre-orders only.
4. Have a social distance dance party.
Who knew busting a move with neighbors during a pandemic could be so simple (and ridiculously fun)? All you do is pick the neighbor with the best playlist to blast the music (make sure non-participating neighbors are okay with the ruckus) and invite everyone to showcase their dance moves in their driveways. Kick it up a notch by playing driveway freeze dance.
Allison Sutcliffe
5. Start a fairy garden.
Do you believe in magic? You will after creating a fairy garden in your yard. Open it up to other enchanted friends by keeping the garden in a high traffic area—near your curb or a sidewalk, for example. Then, any passersby can help decorate the fairy garden with little items: pinecones, stick teepees, or stones for benches or garden paths.
6. Do a sidewalk chalk obstacle course.
From spins and twirls to squats and hopscotch, these chalk obstacle courses are not only fun to do, but they can become a community art project of sorts, with neighbors adding directives to it—“do a yoga pose,” “run in place,” “clap 10 times”—as they go.
iStock
7. Show an outdoor movie.
Mainstream movie theaters may be closed, but you’ll barely skip a beat by setting up a projector and an outdoor screen in your yard. Make it BYO by inviting neighbors to bring their snacks (buttered popcorn and Twizzlers … holler!) and sit on their blankets, six feet apart.
8. Make a trade (from a distance).
Save some money while getting to know your neighbors by conducting swaps of various things—clothes, books, toys, etc. Keep it contactless by setting it up online (try: Nextdoor.com or Facebook Marketplace), and being clear on a drop time and place.
Randy7 via Pixabay
9. Set up a free little library.
A little free library is a triple threat. It can bring your community together, curb book clutter and help nix the "summer slide." Set up is super simple, too—get creative and build your own (it's just a larger-looking mailbox) or buy one pre-made from The Little Free Library organization. Bookworms unite (without actually uniting)!
10. Host a virtual happy hour.
Let’s be honest here—this one never gets old. After you’ve shuttled the kids to bed or set them up on a Netflix watch party with their friends, grab a glass of your favorite beverage and snag some face-to-face time (through the interwebz) with your neighbor-friends. Don’t forget to make a toast … to health, happiness and community.
If your kid is bummed that they can’t go to their favorite play space, then bring the play space home to them. follies is a new building toy that empowers children to create their own play space anywhere they want. D.C. based architect and mom Chloe Varelidi launched this new life-size building toy to get families through the pandemic and long after.
With follies, children ages 4 and up can create their own play space anywhere they want. Each follies kit includes big-sized building shapes that children can connect within minutes to build unique structures.
“I love building my own world with follies” said Diego, a preschooler and one of the children Varelidi and her team worked with to co-design follies.
“Children are rarely given permission to create their own play space. Often they are told by grown ups where they should play and what that space should look like.” Varelidi said. “That’s why we wanted to design something that empowered children to build their own kind of playground from scratch.”
Perfect for both indoor and outdoor play, children can use follies to build spaceships, playhouses, puppet theaters and anything else they can dream up. The building pieces are made from non-toxic, recyclable plastic which is washable. The brightly colored structures look good even when scattered in the living room. .
“Play is essential in keeping our children healthy and happy. It is in fact a right enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.” Varelidi said. “However playgrounds can cost several thousands of dollars to install.” Designed as an affordable alternative, follies hopes to bring back play for children everywhere. Plus, follies offers an innovative alternative to playgrounds for families and communities who can’t access them during the coronavirus pandemic.
Committed to social impact, follies has also released an open-source version of the toy geared towards communities in the global south. With pilots of follies run in refugee camps in Greece, and a commitment to donate kits to the Homeless Children’s Playtime Project in Washington, D.C., as part of the kickstarter campaign, follies is a commercial toy that dares to make a difference.
A job with a flexible schedule is the most desirable flexible work arrangement second only to remote work. To highlight the types of companies that hire for flexible schedule jobs, FlexJobs has compiled the top 30 companies hiring for flexible schedule jobs this summer. This list is based on an analysis of over 52,000 companies and looks specifically at their flexible schedule job posting histories in FlexJobs’ database between Jun. 1, 2020 and Jul. 20, 2020.
Especially as many schools consider distance learning this fall due to the coronavirus pandemic, flexible schedule jobs could dramatically help working parents and other caregivers balance their professional and personal responsibilities during this unprecedented time
“Flexible schedule jobs are a great work flexibility option that puts employees more in control of their day so they can create their ideal arrangement, which may even change day by day,” said Sara Sutton, founder and CEO of FlexJobs. “Especially as many schools consider e-learning this fall due to the pandemic, flexible schedule jobs could dramatically help working parents and other caregivers balance their professional and personal responsibilities during this unprecedented time,” Sutton concluded.
Courtesy of FlexJobs
A “flexible schedule job” refers to jobs that allow workers to vary their hours and mostly be in control of the hours they work. Companies hiring for flexible schedule jobs offer a range of opportunities across many industries and career levels. Additionally, many flexible schedule jobs also allow for remote work. There are primarily six different types of flexible schedules:
Completely Flexible Schedule
A completely flexible schedule is just that, a fully flexible schedule. These types of schedules give the worker control over start times and end times. For some, this means putting hours in early in the morning, then a few in the afternoon, some more late at night, and finishing out the rest of the scheduled hours on the weekend.
Alternative Schedule
An alternative schedule is one in which work hours are scheduled outside of the typical 9-5. Second shifts and night shifts would qualify, as would weekend shifts. These types of schedules free up the normal daytime business hours.
Compressed Workweek
The compressed workweek takes your typical 40-hour, Monday through Friday and compresses it into fewer days. Rather than working five days a week, a compressed schedule will lengthen the hours on three or four of those days, allowing for an additional day or two off per week. The most popular compressed schedules are three 12-hour workdays with four days off and four 10-hour workdays with three days off.
Results-Only Work Environment (ROWE)
Similar to the completely flexible schedule option, the ROWE option is focused more on results and productivity rather than the actual time put in. This means that as long as you get your work finished, and the end product is something to be proud of, you can work whatever hours it takes to complete it, even if it is less than the full-time status.
Split Shift
A split shift schedule means that you are splitting your hours throughout the day. For example, you may put four hours in during the morning, two more mid-afternoon, and end your evening putting in your last two hours. Another variant is putting in four hours in the morning and then four hours at night. The split shift schedule simply means that your schedule for the day is split to allow for other life happenings in between.
Flex Time
Many companies offer a flex-time option, and it usually pertains to starting and stopping times. Flex time offers workers the option to start their schedule earlier or later, but the hours are worked concurrently, and the schedule remains constant, usually until an official change request is submitted or a review is conducted.
