The year 2020 will be one for the books. Everything is in a state of disarray thanks to the virus. Most businesses have remained closed down, countless employees find themselves unemployed, school is canceled, which means that if you are a parent, you are not only responsible for ensuring that your household is running smoothly but you are also now the teacher, principal, coach, and the lunch lady all rolled into one.
Oh, and you still have to keep up with the demands of your job too. So no big deal right? If your kids are like most others, you must be racking your brains looking for ways to keep them entertained. Understandably, you want to cut down on the increased screen time, but then again, there is also important stuff that needs doing.
So if you are having a hard time thinking of fun ways to keep your family busy and entertained during this difficult period, here are tips on how to keep them on their toes during the lockdown:
Play outside
Whether or not you have a yard, it is still important that you find ways to spend time outdoors safely. The benefits of spending time outdoors cannot be denied but it will all depend on your comfort level and how badly affected your region is. If you have a yard, find activities that will allow your family members to burn off their excess energy and frustrations from being cooped up for too long.
For instance, an outdoor ping pong table can allow you to hold regular tournaments that include all the members of your family. Hiking is also an excellent contact-free activity that can allow you to commune in nature while bonding as a family.
Host a dance party
If you’re still not up to going outdoors or if you don’t have access to a yard, worry not, there are plenty of other activities that you can try indoors such as a dance party. Host a dancing competition among your family members or consider trying other contactless games such as Limbo or musical chairs.
Plenty of online streaming services will give you variety when it comes to selecting music for your playlist. If you would prefer, you can also use your collection. Draw out the assistance of your entire family by enlisting their help to set up the performance space.
If dancing is not your speed, then have everyone in the family write down movies that they would like to stream in strips of paper that will later be placed on a jar. Whenever you want to have impromptu movie nights, simply take turns selecting movies from the jar until all the titles are done.
Pull out that puzzle
You can never go wrong with puzzles or board games of some kind. Whether your kids are 2 or 12, puzzles will keep your family occupied for a good amount of time. A complicated puzzle might even buy you enough time to send that work report that you’ve been meaning to. What’s so great about puzzles is that there is a wide range to choose from classics such as Guess Who and Uno to newer additions such as Giant Jenga.
Don’t have access to board games? No problem! Simply give your kids a few colorful markers, some construction paper, and anything else that they would need to design their own games that can be played by the entire family later on. To make things a little more interesting, you can even assign them a theme such as Candy Land or alien an invasion- anything that requires them to think critically and creatively will do just fine.
Organize and arts and crafts session
Your children and family members will enjoy the idea of letting their creative juices flow in a much-needed arts and crafts session. Gather up as many supplies as you can, including markers, crayons, glue sticks, glitter pens, colored pencils, and anything else that you may need to make the session a success.
You can also find used supplies around the house that you can use for your arts and crafts. This is a handy activity when you are looking for educational yet fun ways to distract your family or turn their attention away from their devices. Plus, it’s always nice to incorporate an activity that will reinforce what your children usually learn at school.
Visit a museum
Thanks to technology, you don’t have to leave the safe confines of your home to experience a little culture. Since you can’t visit your favorite museum during these difficult times, why not take a virtual museum tour instead? Perfectly suited for the entire family, a virtual tour is an ideal way to create a balance of culture, fun, and education during the lockdown.
Plenty of museums all over the world are now offering virtual tours, you just have to pick one that interests you the most. And these tours are not just relegated to museums. You can also take field trips of amazing institutions around the world that will enable your family to explore planets such as Mars, learn about extinct animals from zoos and aquariums, and even get a rare opportunity to see how space works from the space center. This is the sort of screen time that you don’t have to feel bad about.
Final Thoughts
In locations that have been impacted severely by the Coronavirus outbreak, schools and businesses remain closed down. While your family’s life pre-lockdown may have rotated around social and family gatherings, parties, zoos, libraries, and playgrounds, the lockdown has isolated us from all these things in the interest of public safety, which has forced us to come up with inventive ways to keep ourselves entertained while indoors.
So what can you do to brighten up these gloomy days? With all else that you are tasked with right now during the lockdown, we want to help make things a little easier for you. These tips above should occupy your time while helping your family feel stimulated while they’re stuck at home. You’re welcome!