70+ Ways to Become the MacGyver of Social Distancing While Your Kids Are Out of School
Otherwise known as: “72 Ways to Keep Your Kids Entertained During The Quarantine”
Ok, I know the media has completely saturated the webs lately with coronavirus (covid-19) info and you’re probably sick of reading about it (I know I am), but I just want to pop on here and remind you that social distancing is our best bet in fighting this thing. We owe it to ourselves (and our parents and grandparents and the old lady that you stand next to in like at Kroger… she just wants wine and clorox wipes like the rest of us) to do our best not to spread this thing.
As of today, March 16th, my kids’ schools have closed for 2 weeks + spring break… so we’re out of school for 3 weeks. This is not a snow day, people… this is not a time for kids to go hang out with their friends. The least amount of people you come into contact with - the better. That means no organized playdates, no parties, no sleepovers, no friends coming over to play.
Social distancing is all about creating space.
Ok, today marks day 3 of social distancing for us (day 1 of no school) and I don’t know about you, but I’ve been scouring the internet for ideas to keep my kids entertained. We do have assignments that the school sent home, but knowing my kids - they’ll finish that on day 3 (to be done with it… overachievers). Yes, my girls are older (17 and 14), but just because they’re older doesn’t mean I want them to just watch DAYS of tv (or tic-tok videos). Ok, Who am I kidding? We’ll definitely watch our fair share of tv (speaking of which - did you know Disney+ is posting Frozen II three months early just because of the coronavirus? Yep, it’s available now), but I also want them to get outside and play, get some Vitamin D, and maybe learn SOMETHING (anything).
So below are 72 activities you can do with your kids during the time they’re out of school.
I’ve divided them up into categories to make it a bit easier to weed through.
**Did you know you can take a virtual tour of the Vatican? Yep - we’re TOTALLY doing that this week.
Outside
Go for a walk
Make a fort out of sticks and a sheet. Don’t forget to hang lights inside for ambiance
Have a picnic - in the front yard
Go camping in your own backyard. Set up your tent and fill it with fluffy blankets and pillows. Take lots of books and games and really make it an adventure.
Sidewalk chalk.
Make Mud pies
Catch tadpoles and watch them morph into frogs (takes about 3 weeks - perfect)
Play in the creek
Backyard scavenger hunts (look for red leaves, certain color flowers, etc.)
Make a fairy garden
Paint rocks for your garden
Plant veggies and herbs (it’s time for that anyway)
Flashlight scavenger hunts
When it gets dusk, grab a flashlight and catch small toads
See how many birds you can identify
Make a bluebird box and wait on the new tenants to move in (look for tutorial)
Look for 4-leaf clovers
Press little flowers between 2 books and use them to make bookmarks in a few days when dry
Collect pinecones and cover with peanut butter and seeds. Hang in trees for DIY recycled bird feeders.
Go fishing. Can use corn if you’re squeamish about worms or crickets.
Pick dandelions and make dandelion tea and herbal infusions
Inside
Play games
Clean out your game cabinet - you might find some fun games you forgot all about (we just did this yesterday, actually)
FINALLY get around to completing that huge puzzle you’ve been working on since Christmas (true story)
Get out your box of cookie cutters and bake some cookies. Make tons of fun colors of icing and let the kids go crazy decorating the cookies.
Facetime friends and family
Call your local nursing home and ask if you can facetime them - most elderly people in assisted living will have limited access to guests during this time too.
Have your kids write notes and draw pictures and mail them to local nursing homes.
Clean out your dressers and closets of clothes that don’t fit you anymore - kids too! Talking to myself here too… my 14 year old still has size 8 clothes in her closet.
Educational
San Diego Zoo has online Games, activities, crafts, and virtual zoo tours on their kid-friendly website… fun fact: Did you know Tigers can see six times better than humans at night?
Education.com has tons of online learning resources for all ages
Cool Math is one of my daughters’ favorites. They have free online math games, tutorials, and other learning opportunity for all ages.
Nitro Type has competitive typing games to increase typing speed and accuracy. I could use some time on here too!
EdHelper.com - Fun and educational learning workbooks separated by grade
Scholastic is more than just book fairs. They have online projects (by grade level) to keep kids reading, thinking and growing.
PBS online has some great Ken Burns documentary videos and learning opportunities. I’m looking forward to getting on here later…
Art
Download Free coloring books from 113 different museums
The MAKE Facebook page will be posting free art lessons every day for 2 weeks
McHarper Manor is going to be going live daily on Facebook with art lessons
Pick an artist, research their style, and create a piece of artwork inspired by that artist.
Draw something ordinary from around the house but make it extraordinary.
Scribble art: Make a scribble. What do you see? Turn it into a shape or create a pattern out of it.
Cut up old magazines and glue to paper for a fun collage
Draw pictures of your favorite things - food, songs, feelings, toys, etc.
Paint
Draw
Color
Do timed artwork: Sit around the table and set the timer for 60 seconds. Start drawing then when the timer goes off, move your drawing to the person on your right and draw for 60 more seconds. After however many swaps it takes for your drawing to come back to you, you have 60 additional seconds to finish the masterpiece.
Roll butcher paper out and do kid-silhouettes.
Do shadow portraits. Tape paper to the wall and have someone stand in front of it. Turn off the lights and illuminate the person to create a shadow on the paper. Then trace that person’s outline and create a masterpiece out of the silhouette.
Do watercolor painting with markers.
Pull out those Amazing Coloring books and GET BUSY learning about our Amazing States!
Shameless plug…
Tours
Yellowstone National Park has TONS of virtual tours
Monterey Bay Aquarium virtual tours
The Houston Zoo has tons of fun webcams
Georgia Aquarium webcams
Farmfood360 is a Canadian farm offering virtual tours and webcams
Tour the Tundra and see polar bears
Great Wall of China. Not sure if this is a virtual tour or just a webcam, but we’re checking it out later.
Tour the Boston Children’s Museum
Old Salem Exploratorium has a really cool online field trip series
Virtual tour and learning resources of the recent Alabama Constitutions exhibit at the Alabama Department of Archives and History
Learn about 200 years of Alabama quilts
The Cincinnati Zoo is having a Home Safari Facebook Live event every weekday at 3pm starting Monday, March 16th. HINT: today’s features the adorable Fiona.
Fiona at The Cincinnati Zoo
Cultural
The Metropolitan Opera is going to live stream operas every night. Click here for their schedule.
Virtual tours of the Louvre. Actually, I don’t need to look at this during the day… that’s all I’ll do!
Did you know you can tour the Vatican?
And the Sistine Chapel? AND you can zoom-in!!!!!
Tour Machu Picchu from the comfort of your sofa!.
Don’t know what Uluru is? Then you need to go check it out.
There you have it - my super list of 72 things to do during our social distancing shut-down.
Ok, to be completely honest, I didn’t compile this list all on my own (because we’re all about #TRUTH here…). You know, we artists like to stick together. We help each other out in times of need. We collaborate! We’re like a tribe… a super fun tribe of people who make pretty things. SO… when I was working on this post over the weekend, I asked a few artist friends if they had anything to add. And they gave me some FANTASTIC ideas.
You know, being a mom is kind of like that too. We’ve got to stick together in times of need… and we’re ALL in need right now. We’re all gonna need that extra glass of wine after the kids go to bed tonight (and every night for the next few weeks).
Let’s help each other out. If you have other ideas to add to this list, please leave it in the comments.
I raise my glass to the newly homeschooling moms (and dads) everywhere. But at a safe 6ft distance, of course. And don’t cough on me - I might lysol you down then sanitize myself with yet another glass of wine.
And if I find any Clorox wipes at Kroger, I’ll let y’all know.
My 3 angels this week were:
Sarah Noh of C&O Handmade is a homeschooling mother of 2 small kids. Sarah is a great friend of mine and I LOVE going to have tea parties with her and the kids. She’s always got something fermenting or brewing and I LOVE talking about new recipes with her. Take a look at her beautiful hand-lettered pieces at www.etsy.com/shop/candohandmade or on IG @candohandmade
I didn’t have a picture of Sarah, so I included one of her ADORBS little kiddos.
Art Lady Sonya (Sonya Clemons) is an art teacher and muralist living in north Alabama. Sonya teaches art to ALL ages and was really helpful with helping me figure out some art activities for the kids. Honestly, I’m pretty excited about some of these too… Go see her FABULOUS Alabama-themed artwork on IG @artladysonya
Rachel Wright is a fantastic painter who lives out in the country and encourages her 2 little kids to spend as much time outside as humanly possible. They have an awesome garden and a pond and I want to come hang out at Rachel’s house… Go check out her work at www.facebook.com/artistrachelwright/ or on IG @artistrachelwright