Although we are hopeful that stay-at-home orders will be lifted by the start of the summer, many are still choosing to avoid mass gatherings and maintain social distance. What does this mean for your children? In recent months schools across the nation have closed and our kids have been at home to learn remotely. Unsure of how long current guidelines will remain in place, summer camps and daycares may not operate under normal procedures by the start of summer. Rather than being bored at home for the entire season, we have created a list of suggested activities for the entire family.
Weekly Game Nights
Whether you are a fan of board games, or just have a competitive spirit, everyone can enjoy a family game night. Break out the cards, multi-player video games, or board games. You can even come up with a series of physical challenges and call it the “Summer Olympics”. Make the evening even more interesting by adding stakes to your game. The losing player could wash dishes for the week, or maybe the winner gets to choose dinner one night the following week. A weekly activity gives the family something to look forward to.
With the temporary closure of schools, keeping your children reading throughout the summer is pertinent. Make it fun by playing “Reading Bingo”, a downloadable template with different reading scenarios that your child can mark off as they go. Giving them prizes for completion can add motivation to this activity. This will also keep them busy while you complete tasks or continue to work from home.
Many Museums and attractions have created virtual tours of their facilities for us to enjoy without leaving home. Discovery Education has created virtual field trips (no permission slips required) to allow parents and teachers to take their students on extraordinary experiences. WeAreTeachers.com has also developed a list of national parks, volcanoes, farms, and aquariums that you can view virtually.
Backyard Field Day
Without the structure of P.E. class, it can be hard to ensure your kids are receiving enough physical activity each week. Many schools host their own Field Day towards the end of the school year, but due to current circumstances, many kids are missing that experience. Coordinate a Field Day right in the comfort of your backyard. Games like ring toss, relay races, and tug of war can be easily implemented at home. Check out this article for a list of field day games.
Get your kids excited about science by conducting kid friendly experiments. These experiments can be created with common household items. Remember to take precaution and read all instructions before proceeding with any activity.
Develop Your Skills
For those with older school aged children, science experiments and reading bingo may not be as appealing. Encourage your kids to take this time to develop a new skill or ability. This can be fun, but it can also help high school students determine their college major or prepare for a career. SkillShare has a number of free courses and offers premium courses free for the first 2 months. Topics vary from art and design to writing and calligraphy. For those students who are more interested in STEAM programs, MommyPoppins has a number of activities from coding classes to robotics.
Keeping your family entertained while maintaining social distancing guidelines can be a challenge, but also provides the opportunity to be creative and most of all have FUN this summer!