11 Things to Do with Children at Home Due to COVID-19

We know that things are stressful for many families right now. To reduce stress, here are some simple things we have put together that can assist with keeping children busy while they are home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We would love for you to share your stories through our Facebook page including activities you have completed off this list or things you are doing to keep your family busy.

1. Coloring Pages: We have been printing coloring pages off the internet and having the children of attorneys and staff color them to send to first responders, medical providers, nursing homes, our local church, etc. We color them and leave them in a sealed envelope before 48 hours before placing them in the mail.
2. Putting Together a Puzzle: Parents should find something in common with their children and buying a puzzle with a child’s favorite Disney character or a peaceful picture of meadow might be a good way to have some quality time together. Parents can explain to their child to start with the corner pieces/edge pieces first and then work their way in from there. It is a team building exercise by putting common pieces together and then working together. Additionally, the completed puzzle can be glued together and then used as art in the child’s bedroom in a nice frame purchased at a local craft store.  
3. Reading Children’s Books: We have picked our favorite children’s book and had the children read them to our cellphone camera. We have shared those videos with friends and family members.
4. Game time: We have engaged in playing board games and cards. We love to play a game called “Trash.” We aren’t sure if everybody knows how to play, so we are putting together a tutorial for people to watch and share which will be posted on the firm’s Facebook page. All it takes is a deck of playing cards. We play with children as young as 4 in our family. You just have to be able to count from 1 to 10.
5. Science and learning: We have asked family members and friends to collect wrappers from food and drinks that they are enjoying. It is an unwrapped item (fruit/vegetables/meat), we colored pictures off the internet and obtained information from myfitnesspal.com  We cleaned out the materials, after letting them sit for 28 hours. We used poster board and created a chart of sorts showing information regarding calories, sugar and carbohydrates.
6. Collage/Education Board: We collected all the old magazines from our offices and allowed the children to cut out pictures and letters to create a collage. Some of our staff have picked topics related to educational topics to make it fun for the kids. The life cycle of a frog is one example that has been used.
7. Cooking Together: Let the children pick a new recipe from a cookbook or website. How about garlic bread pizza (https://www.thelazydish.com/quick-easy-mini-garlic-toast-pizzas/)?
8. Organize and Declutter: Let’s face it. Most us could use a little less clutter in our lives and a little more organization. Give the kids an incentive, such as ice cream at the drive through to spend an afternoon going through their toys and clothes to donate to the less fortunate. We aren’t saying get rid of things they are playing with or can wear. We are suggesting that other people are struggling, and it sends an important message to children that helping others is important even when things are difficult at home. If you don’t want to donate, how about selling the items and collecting the money for something fun in the future?
9. Digital Vacations: A lot of places are now available to visit digitally. Let the kids pick a couple locations and then take them on a digital vacation. Read about the place from an internet search, watch a video about the place, color pictures of the location, etc. Make it fun for the kids! You could do it as a pre-planning for something to do when things open up. Have them look at hotel prices, mileage, mapping, etc. Use it as a learning tool.
10. Update Rooms: After you’ve organized and decluttered the house, how about getting a gallon of paint and giving the kids bedroom a new coat of paint or something as simple as an accent wall. The parents don’t do it alone. The kids need to help. This is all about teaching moments. It gives them the ability to learn common sense things that cannot be taught in a book. Maybe allow them to get a couple new things to update the space. It could be something small or something they purchase at a secondhand store. It does not have to cost a fortune.
11. Get Outside: Although group sizes are limited and playground equipment is prohibited, green space is open. Go to a local store and buy a ball, spend time kicking it around in a park with lawn areas. Pack a picnic, fly a kite, grab a frisbee, blow up some water balloons. It is about quality time which you often miss when things are busy!