Things to do with kids during corona virus quarantine

Less than four months ago nobody could have predicted that our lives would look so much different today. Who knew that such a small creature like the new virus could isolate the entire planet and make us all stay at home in our quarantines? But, if not knowing what to do with ourselves and our children at home is your biggest problem at the moment, consider yourself lucky. Millions of people around the world are sick and since there is not a cure in sight, this might take a while. If you haven't done that already, it is about time to take a look at some ideas for things to do with kids during corona virus quarantine. 

The time we now get to spend with our kids is a gift 

How many times have we felt guilty for having to put our careers in front of our families? Now is the time to make it all up to your kids and really watch them grow. For very busy parents, this is the time to get to know their children - sad, but true. Consider this the silver lining in the difficult situation we are all a part of. Don't let this time go to waste. The entire planet is dealing with the same problem, and luckily, there are many creative people ready to share their ideas and solutions for spending time at home with kids. This quarantine doesn't have to be a prison.

Social distancing is a must, but that doesn't mean you should be indoors all the time

Fresh air and some physical exercise are as important to your health and immunity as proper nutrition. If you are lucky enough to live in a house instead of an apartment, use all the perks that a garden and a backyard can offer. Try to get your kids interested in gardening. That will keep them entertained, boost their activity, and they will learn something new. This is something even the apartment dwellers can do. Balconies can be homes to mini gardens your children are responsible for. Or, if you do not have a terrace or a balcony, you can involve your kids in watering and repotting houseplants.

Gardening is a great activity for kids

You can go cycling or jog with your kids, just as long as you do not choose busy places where you will meet many people. For that reason, hiking can be a fun family activity, especially if you have a forest nearby. Be careful to follow the rules of social distancing at all times when you go outside. 

Reading is a great activity to do with kids during corona virus quarantine

One of the best ways to spend some quality time with your kids during corona virus quarantine is to read to or with them. The youngest kids who are still not able to read by themselves can also enjoy audiobooks - hundreds of them are available online at the moment. Similarly, there are millions of online books for older children if they do not have hard copies at home.

Reading is a great activity to do with kids during corona virus quarantine

You can organize a book club once a week when the family would gather and discuss the book of the week. To make this activity more interesting to your children, let them choose the books you are going to read. 

Turn your house into a theatre or a playroom

Preschoolers simply love role-playing. Encourage them to act the scenes from their favorite fairytales or cartoons. Help them make their own theatre and don't be ashamed to participate in their plays. Those are the moments your children will remember this quarantine by, so why not make them as fun as possible? If your home feels too cramped, you can even consider getting rid of the things you do not use at the moment. Now that your entire family is home at all times, you probably feel like you can use some more space in your home. You can ask your friends and neighbors for help finding the best storage unit for your needs. Why would you stumble upon your skiing equipment when you can store it safely and leave some more room in your home for your kids to play?

Board games can keep you occupied for hours

Playing board games is one of the best family bonding activities. People usually play them at weekends or during holidays, but this is the perfect opportunity to make every day feel like a holiday. Teach your children some of the classics - Monopoly, Snakes and Ladders, Scrabble, etc. These games are certainly great activities to do with kids during corona virus quarantine.

Why not make every night a movie night?

We agree that kids should not have too much screen time, but after all, these are unprecedented circumstances. Many parents are working from home and handling both conference calls and kids' curiosity at the same time can be a little bit too much. Cut yourself some slack and let them watch TV or play video games a bit longer than you usually would. If you can find time to watch something together with your kids, you should do it! Don't feel guilty - the quarantine is stressful for kids too, not only for us. Adjusting to this situation is similar to getting used to a new city or school.

Luckily, due to the global lockdown, many channels are unlocked, so you can enjoy a movie night with your entire family whenever you feel like and usually for free. Make some snacks, sit back and relax!

What about cooking and baking?

If your kids are interested in making food, you should encourage them to learn some new skills now. The younger ones can help with preparation, while the older ones should be able to make some simple meals. This can be rather helpful, especially now that almost all restaurants are closed and we depend only on our cooking. Even if you are new to cooking from scratch, don't worry. There are millions of online tutorials you can follow to make whatever you would like to.

Teach them how to help you now that you depend on home cooking

Keep a positive attitude

Kids can feel when we are stressed, even when we think they can't. If they see us checking the news every ten minutes, they will see that we are scared and naturally, they will feel the same. It is important to stay safe and positive during the pandemic so that, once this is all over, we have the energy to pick up the pieces and start over. 

Photos used:

https://pixabay.com/photos/kids-window-children-playing-2160396/

https://pixabay.com/photos/baking-children-cooking-education-1951256/

https://pixabay.com/photos/seedling-gardening-greenhouse-5009286/

https://pixabay.com/photos/child-fun-family-love-play-baby-3046494/