The coronavirus has parents and children staying home together all day. Many people have grown bored with watching TV and movies, reading and playing board games. Here are some other ways to enjoy spending time together.
Have Fun Inside
Cooking and baking can be fun ways to bond, and they can teach kids about nutrition. Pull out some of your favorite recipes, look for new ones or make up your own using ingredients you have on hand in new and unexpected ways.
Entertain yourselves by singing and dancing while everyone is home. Perform a popular song or dance routine as a family or make up your own. Another option is to work together to rewrite the lyrics to a popular song in a fun way that reflects your own personalities, feelings and experiences.
Enjoy the Great Outdoors
If you have a backyard, go exploring. Work with your kids to identify the species of plants in the yard. Consult books or online resources if necessary. Take photos of animals you see. Your kids may enjoy creating collages or other art projects using photos, leaves, acorns and other objects they find outside.
Challenge the whole family to a sack race or a three-legged race. An obstacle course can be another fun way to get some exercise if you have enough space in the yard. Set up challenges that require family members to run, jump, climb and balance. The obstacles don’t need to be complex or difficult. Just work with what you have and incorporate a variety of movements.
Try These Activities Inside or Outside
Camping can be fun for the whole family. If you have a tent and the weather is warm enough, pitch it in the backyard. If not, set up a makeshift tent in the living room using furniture and sheets. Then the whole family can gather to tell stories, read books and share snacks.
Have a treasure hunt. Make a series of clues that your kids need to work together to solve in order to proceed to the next clue. Reward their cleverness and cooperation with a prize that they can share.
Scavenger hunts can be fun, too. Compile a list of items to find around the house and/or yard. Make them simple or complex, depending on how old your kids are. Family members can compete individually or in teams. You can create teams consisting of one parent and one or more kids, or you can pit kids against parents.
Manage Stress by Looking for Ways to Enjoy Family Time
Social distancing has given people a lot of unexpected time together. That can be stressful or it can be an opportunity to bond and reconnect. Look for fun ways to take advantage of the time you have together and create memories you will be able to look back on and cherish.
