My goodness, these sure are fascinating times, aren't they?
With COVID-19 impacting nearly every aspect of our daily lives, including school closures in areas that have been most impacted by the outbreak, parents everywhere are asking themselves, "What now?" No social gatherings? No birthday parties? No playgrounds? What in the world are we supposed to do day after day?
We're interrupting the chaos with a few fun ideas for activities to keep you and your kids sane during school closures!
Puzzled about how to pass the time? Puzzles seems like the perfect answer! They take up a good chunk of time and both parents and children can enjoy this activity together! This Family Puzzle - Hello from Around the World has 500 pieces to challenge your kiddos' skills! It's cute and cheery and is sure to bring some sunshine to your day!
Now, I get it. Activities with your children are great and all. But we parents are going to need some alone time to quickly eat a piece of chocolate in a dark closet to recharge every now and then. Right? Right.
Cue the independent play! Squigz 2.0 from Fat Brain Toys are perfect for holding kids' attention and expanding their curiosity and creativity.
As a kid, I loved riddles and mysteries! This Sleuth and Solve book would have been right up my alley, and it's perfect for getting the thinking juices a'flowing! It includes 20 clever mysteries and the clues to solve each one. Make it a family affair as you share your conspiracy theories and solve the puzzles. The mind-bending mysteries encourage critical thinking, logical reasoning, and other awesome skills.
Just because school isn't in session doesn't mean the history lessons have to stop! Introduce your children to real-life heroes throughout history who changed the world with their bravery and big ideas. The Ordinary People Change The World book collection includes the incredible stories of Jane Goodall, Rosa Parks, Albert Einstein, and more!
Speaking of history, we are living it! For those of you with older children, encourage them to journal about all that is happening around them and how they perceive it. This is such a unique circumstance that is worth keeping record of!
Keeping a day-to-day schedule to provide some structure to the day will be important, but a variety of activities will keep boredom at bay.
Hang in there, you powerful parents you. Take it one day at a time. Keep the chocolate close by.