The coronavirus (COVID-19) has brought many changes to our lives, among them is the ability to spend more time together as a family! With school out (or online) and non-essential stores and places closed, you may be wondering what you can do with your family to ease the boredom (or ease your stress!). Take this opportunity to help your children develop active, healthy habits that will last a lifetime. This will help keep the young ones entertained and keep your stress levels down. Though the situation may be tense, you can make it a fun family-centered time! We have researched and found 10 healthy activities to do at home with kids:
- Plant a Garden: A garden can consist of herbs, vegetables, or flowers! Research and find what grows best in your area. Have each member of the family pick their favorite plant. Designate a place in the yard (or make a place in the house with containers) to dig up the dirt and teach your children how they can grow things with their own two hands! Once the plants have grown, you can show them how to make good use of what you have grown together.
- Cook Together: Cooking with kids, whether you are following a recipe or just being creative, promotes healthy living. It introduces scientific concepts, increases focus and attention, and helps kids to learn an important life skill. Let each family member help set up a meal plan where everyone picks their favorite food to cook. Work together to make the dish come to life! This will be a fun activity to do together and help everyone to eat healthier and gain new experiences.
- Make Art: Have everyone find their inner artist. Whether you are sitting inside or under the shade of a tree, everyone can participate. Select an object for everyone to paint, draw, or even write about. Learn how everyone views the world in different ways. You can make a home-made art museum and display the work on the walls or on the fridge.
- Put on a Show: Let your kids have a creative time of their own. Help to set up a stage in the house. Have everyone show off a talent, such as singing or dancing, or even hold a comedy show. Magic shows, puppet shows, or any kind of silly show is welcome. This creates a fun bonding time where everyone can learn more about one another.
- Camping: Whether indoors or in the backyard, have a fun camping trip. Turn off all the lights and pull out the tent. Take time to stare at the moon and stars together as a family. You can each take turns learning a constellation and finding it in the sky. Bring flashlights and make camping snacks like s’mores and roasted hotdogs. Just because you may be in self-isolation doesn’t mean you can’t experience the great outdoors in your own way.
- Make Popsicles: Making homemade popsicles is a fun and easy activity. They can be made with fresh fruit and you can use coconut milk to make then gluten and dairy-free if need be. Without the added sugars and artificial flavorings, homemade popsicles taste delicious and are a very healthy alternative to store-bought ones. You can find a fun recipe here.
- Yard Work: This is the perfect way to involve the whole family and check things off of your to-do list at the same time. Though it may be difficult to round up older kids to help with the work, you can turn the yard work into smaller projects where everyone can pitch in. If you have little kids, there is nothing they love more with yard work than pretending t mow the lawn with mom or dad. Yard work helps keep up activity and expend energy, giving everyone the workout they need to stay healthy and happy.
- Animal Races: Kids have a lot of energy that needs to be expelled each day. Though school playgrounds are closed, they can still have fun ways to run around and use their energy. Instead of just letting them run around the house, organize a race in the living room or backyard. Switch between different styles of running for each race. Start with hopping like a bunny, then waddle like a duck. Have everyone pick their favorite animal and show how they move for each round of the race.
- Scavenger Hunt: Though this activity takes a bit of preparation, it is a very rewarding experience for everyone involved. Make a list of things to find and write a clue about each one. Hand each child a list of the clues and let them loose to find their inner Sherlock. Kids can race each other to find each item for a fun prize at the end.
- Sock Skating: If your family loves to ice skate or rollerblade, the fun doesn’t have to end just because you are stuck inside. If you have hardwood or laminate flooring, put socks on to skate around. Have everyone try tricks, like spinning or seeing who can slide the farthest. For an extra challenge, stick a piece of wax paper under each foot to make it even more slippery! For more active things to do at home, we wrote a Top 10 list here.
