For weeks now I’ve been saying that my biggest worry is how I will entertain (and educate) my kids if the school closes. Every day their inevitable boredom looms larger on the horizon and I know it is a matter of when and not if. So what’s a desperate, busy, working mom to do? Beg her friends for ideas.
We BLUNTmoms have banded together to create a list of ideas to entertain kids during a quarantine. Hopefully you will find these as useful as we do.
Under Fives
- Crafts~ Diy playdoh https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAIAm6BF0fs
- These water wow! books https://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug…/dp/B009B7F6DO
- Music + movement~ Cosmic kids yoga- https://www.youtube.com/user/CosmicKidsYoga
- Story pirates podcast- https://www.youtube.com/user/StoryPirates
- Laurie Berkner Band- https://www.youtube.com/user/TheLaurieBerknerBand
And then when all of the above fails, throw them in the bath and let them play for an hour with random toys. They can also wash the dishes, sweep, wipe down the tables…any kind of busywork that makes them feel proud. Even though you’ll have to go back and redo those things, it keeps them out of your hair for a good amount of time!
Elementary School Kids
- Board games and card games and any kind of game they can play on their own. Connect Four, Dobble, Top Trumps, Uno, Kid Monopoly, Kind Trivial Pursuit, Brain Quest – now is not the time to moan over the price.
- Brain Quest Books – https://www.workman.com/brands/brain-quest – these are really useful if you want bitesize learning worksheets. The workbooks align with each school year curriculum and cover all of the subjects.
- Our kids are addicted to the Wow in the World podcast (and we don’t hate it either) – https://tinkercast.com/shows/wow-in-the-world/
- Dance off or dance party – pick your favorite playlist and challenge your kids to a dance off. It’s a great way to burn some energy and get everyone giggling. #Moonwalk #RogerRabbit #HammerTime
Older Kids
Ok, we know the last thing your middle school and teenagers want is to spend time with you…BUT…here is a golden opportunity to bond with those strange creatures we call kids.
- TikTok dance lesson – can your kids take on the ultimate challenge: teach mom and dad a TikTok dance? Prepare to humiliate yourself, it’s for a good cause.
- Neverending board games – BUT DID YOU DIE FROM DYSENTERY??? Now is a great time to introduce your kids to classics like Settlers of Catan or Oregon Trail.
- Switch off Netflix for a while and try these virtual tours instead – https://artsandculture.google.com/partner?hl=en
- Or maybe watch an opera? Who says we can’t emerge as better people? https://www.metopera.org/about/press-releases/met-to-launch-nightly-met-opera-streams-a-free-series-of-encore-live-in-hd-presentations-streamed-on-the-company-website-during-the-coronavirus-closure/
Got a suggestion for our list? Drop us a comment!
