Activities for Kids During Coronavirus Quarantine and Social Distancing

Due to the coronavirus quarantine, kids are stuck inside, and many parents and guardians are perplexed on how to keep their kids stimulated.

There are many activities that kids and parents can enjoy from home without venturing outside. Some activities include standard board games, arts and crafts, cooking food, and video sharing, but others are more innovative and interactive, such as visiting a museum online.

Board Games

Board games are a great opportunity to dodge boredom because they help your child think and solve problem. They also provide an opportunity for kids to spend time with the entire family and create new memories for years to come. They also influence kids to follow the rules, use math, grammar and sharing as a learning tool for everyday life. Most board games don’t require batteries, so you and your family can play for hours on end. Easily accessible, reasonably-priced board games, can help them while killing some much-needed time.

Cooking Food

Cooking is a staple in every household. You need to eat, right? Preparing a meal with and for kids can be fun while also teaching them a lifelong, essential skill like cooking. Some easy-to-make foods that are fun for kids are cookies, pizza, lasagna, S’mores and even ice cream. With a click of a mouse, you can get an ingredient list and perhaps even a video of someone preparing the food. Yes, you’re going to get messy, but your kids will love making food and memories. Remember that cleaning up the kitchen may not be part of the appeal, but kids should be in on that part too.

Here is a video we did on making a simple alternative to Rice Krispie Treats using vegan marshmallows:

Reading

Reading is essential for kids. Some kids hate the idea of reading, but if you introduce them to a book that they like, they are sure to be glued to the pages, sometimes for hours. Some good books for kids that are popular are: “The Hunger Games,” “Series of Unfortunate Events,” and the “Harry Potter” series. If your child prefers to be read to instead of reading alone, this is a great opportunity for family bonding. Audiobooks are also great for kids because they can multitask while listening to audiobooks and read-along books as well. Some companies like Storyline Online and Barnes and Nobles are offering them for free.

Arts and Crafts

Arts and craft can be a great tool to keep your kids occupied, for these activities are fairly inexpensive and stimulates kids’ brains. Arts and crafts also allow kids to express themselves in a unique way while providing a great way to spend time with the family. JTV offers complete jewelry-making kits that can be ordered online and delivered to your home. Whether its stringing beads, painting or drawing a picture, or molding clay, your child will be happy that they are making something beautiful.

Video Conferencing

Video sharing is a great way to keep your children occupied during the coronavirus outbreak because they are interacting with people without potentially getting sick. All you have to do is subscribe to a video sharing website like Zoom and have a webcam or phone and you’re ready to go. These video conferencing services have long since been popular in the business world as a means to conduct meetings, but some are free during the coronavirus quarantine. Your children can see their loved ones and friends with just a click of a mouse without ever actually going anywhere.

Interactive Online Platforms

Utah’s Natural History Museum is currently closed but is holding online classes that start at 9:30 a.m. MDT for middle school-aged children (typically 4^th – 7^th grade).  The recently launched Research Quest Live offers virtual tours and free access to daily online science classes taught by museum educators.  If you’re not able to make the classes, the video will be uploaded on the website for your child’s viewing pleasure. Children can also take a virtual night tour of the museum by assessing their YouTube channel.

Tracey Collins teaches virtually at NHMU

Plant a Garden

One way to spend quality time with your kids while also accomplishing something beneficial for the whole family is to plant a vegetable or herb garden. Amy Enfield, a spokesperson for Bonnie Plants, has some ideas for kids who need a little encouragement to get involved:

• Let them pick: Have your kids help choose what vegetables you plant in the garden. Maybe they already have a favorite. If not, they’re more likely to try something that they helped grow.
• Let them help: Keep them involved with the everyday activities of the garden from planting to watering to harvesting.
• Plant a theme: Choose plants to create your own pizza garden or salsa garden. Then use your harvest to make those dishes in your kitchen (with the kids’ assistance).

Parents can order the plant seeds online.