The past week has been full of changes like we’ve never seen before. Our government is taking unprecedented actions to keep us all safe amid the spreading Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak. We are all encouraged to practice social distancing, schools have been closed sending millions of kids home where in many households parents are also home now unable to work or working from home. While I am helping kids finish schoolwork in the morning, the fact that we can’t just head to one of our usual activities like bowling, skiing, baseball practice or ballet or even visit our friends, begs us to ask the question “How do we keep ourselves and our kids entertained during this time?”
- Learn a new skill: Take up crochet or knitting. Order supplies from amazon.com or michaels.com. Google you tube videos to learn. One thing you might consider is crocheting cotton washcloths to wash dishes with if you use disposable sponges.
- YouTube videos to learn how to play an instrument or a new language. Or checkout duolingo.com and become fluent in another language.
- YouTube a yoga class and do it with your kids, dog or cats!
- Take a walk with the kids. If you’re in snow country, build a snowman or a snow-family. Have a snowball fight. Practice your batting swing with snowballs.
- Order takeout and support your favorite restaurants. I am personally loving the option to order food and pickup curbside!
- Draw something. Pinterest is full of how to draw tutorials. I’m no great artist by my youngest love it when I draw something we find on Pinterest then they color it.
- Clean out your closets, cabinets, garage. Get ready for an epic garage sale season.
- Teach your dog a new trick, sit, roll over, play dead, shake…Montana Dog Company is offering online training courses!
- Visit the national parks online and through documentaries offered on Netflix.
- Plan a vacation. Research a route, places to stay and things to do for a road trip so you’re ready to go when traveling is allowed again.
- Write letters to your family…the old fashioned way. Have the kids draw pictures and help them write notes to their grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles. Put it in an envelope with a real live stamp and mail it! The people on the other end will love getting a little something special in the mail.
- Read a book aloud with your family then watch the movie for family movie night!
- Start crafting. Joann.com and Michaels.com has lots of ideas, projects and online classes to join in the fun. You can even order supplies and pick them up curbside.
- Go for a drive. Get out of the house and take a drive. Play the ABC game: find all the letters in the alphabet while driving. letters could be on signs, buildings, license plates etc.
- Visit a museum…virtually Southern Living compiled a list of 12 museums offering virtual tours
- Visit a zoo like the live feed at the Sidney Zoo
We may be restricted in what we can do beyond our homes or in activities that we just recently enjoyed, but we can find joy and entertainment in new ways. Who knows, maybe you’ll find that you enjoy life even more!
