Running out of ideas to keep your kids busy? Need a distraction yourself? You’ve come to the right place.
Keeping the kiddos busy and happy is a top priority for all parents as we all do our part to stop the spread of the Coronavirus and stay compliant with CDC recommendations.
All of these links can be found on our website, with new links added each day. Once you cross these off your list, come back and we will have more, just keeping checking the page. We promise! It’s our commitment to you.
Here are our top 10 recommendations from the moms and dads of Star Staffing:
1. Write a letter
Our teacher mom recommends having kids do the “spell your name workout” or spend time reading and writing. She suggests having the kids write a blog, journal, or letter to a grandparent in another city or state. For older kids, this can also be a good way to process what’s happening.
2. Make it, then eat it!
Now is a great opportunity to teach our youngsters to cook. Bread, cookies, even dinner can provide many teachable moments. Have older kids follow a simple recipe, only asking for help when needed. For younger kids, there are many options that don’t require any baking or cooking at all so they can tackle the recipe from start to finish. Click here is a great recipe resource.
As a bonus, they may be making your lunch for a change!
3. Keep learning
In addition to any schoolwork your child has been given, you may want to enlist the help of some online learning tools to keep their brains engaged. Here are some of our favorites:
- https://www.huffpost.com/entry/free-online-learning-activities-for-kids_l_5e73848dc5b63c3b648bc968
- https://www.gonoodle.com/
- https://www.adventureacademy.com/
- https://www.funbrain.com/
- https://pbskids.org/
4. Get some exercise
Yoga is a great indoor option to get some exercise. This link has resources for preschool-age kids. Maybe your child will find a new hobby!
5. Dinosaur lovers?
“Rescue the Dinosaurs” is one of our favorites. For this fun activity, you need some small dinosaur figurines and some ice. Simply freeze the dino figurines in an ice cube tray and let the kids become archaeologists and dig them out. Getting hungry? How about letting the kids add footprints to some homemade sugar cookie dough to make dino fossil cookies? YUM!
6. Outdoor art
One popular activity we love is sidewalk chalk. Create a mosaic using tape or draw your family. Any age level can partake and as a bonus, no cleanup!
7. Read, online!
Almost every library has ebooks available and is making it incredibly easy to register even with the doors shut. You can search by subject, author, keywords or age brackets. Let your child find something that looks interesting to them. Click here to check out one local option.
8. Phone a friend
Younger kids who aren’t yet on social media may be feeling lonely. A virtual playdate via facetime or zoom could do the trick. It may be hard to hand over your phone, but helping your youngsters stay connected will boost their spirits and hopefully their creativity.
9. Board games
Dust off your monopoly board or get out a deck of cards. Re-discover some of your old favorites and introduce them to your kids. You can even make up new rules or variations to the games to keep it fresh.
10. Build a Fort
Many of us are getting our necessary items delivered, which means boxes! Use the biggest box you have or combined a few to create a fort, castle, or story box! Let your child decide what they want to make and how they are going to decorate it. For older kids, a fort can also be fun using furniture, blankets and whatever else you have on hand.
We hope these ideas make the Covid-19 quarantine a little easier. Do you have an activity that has been widely successful with your kids? Please share it with us!
For more ideas, check out the Star Staffing resources page! We will be updating these links as new information and new ideas become available. Save the link as a favorite on your web browser, and refer back to it as and when needed.