As children across the country are staying home from school in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, many parents are scrambling to adapt to these unprecedented measures.
It can be overwhelming trying to think of ways to endlessly keep children occupied. Start by reviewing your child’s school routine.
When do they have art class?
What time is snack?
Use the framework of their disrupted school schedule to create a routine that works from home. The good news is there are simple and stress-free activities available to help curb boredom and encourage active, engaged learning. Our team at Montana Psychiatry has rounded up a list of activities for parents and kids to do together- for FREE!
Mo Willems and the Kennedy Center “Lunch Doodles”- Mo Willems, American writer, animator, and creator of children’s books, will be virtually inviting children into his home studio for a “lunch doodle.” The daily event will give kids a chance to draw, color, and explore new ways of writing. Check out The Kennedy Center on YouTube to draw with Mo every day at 1 pm EST.
Crayola Free Coloring Pages allows you to enjoy a variety of free coloring pages you can print at home HERE
Play-Doh Activities are great if you some cans laying around, check out Pinterest for hours of fun. There are plenty of also Play-Doh (and slime) recipes on the Internet if you’d like to make your own.
ABCmouse.com is offering its lessons in different subjects like math, science and art for free thanks to UNICEF. All you have to do is go to ABCmouse.com/redeem and type in the code “AOFLUNICEF”.
Scholastic Learn at Home is also offering their lessons for free. You can choose activities within from grade levels between PreK and 6+. These include e-books kids can read along with, and educational videos under their “Watch and learn Library.”
Google is offering free virtual tours of more than 1,200 museums across the globe through their Arts and Culture platform HERE
The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden The zoo plans to live stream several animals and exhibits beginning Monday at 3 p.m. EST.
Kid-Friendly Cooking If your child loves to help out in the kitchen, check out the Academy of Culinary Nutrition’s top 25 kid-friendly food blogs
Hit Up Your Game Closet because there’s no better time than the present to start an official family game night (or two). Whether it’s a classic game of Monopoly or that 1,000 piece puzzle you’ve been looking for the time to complete, use your time at home to create simple memories.
The list of engaging activities goes on and on especially as spring approaches. Don’t forget that it’s still important to maintain sleep routines even though they don’t have to get up early for school. COVID-19 creates a time of uncertainty for us all but minimizing panic talk can help keep your kids calm and focused.
Most importantly, as we move forward in social distancing, change your mindset. Don’t think of it as “stuck at home” or being “cooped up”. View this time together as an opportunity to slow down and practice gratitude.
