5 Ways to Keep Your Kids Entertained During Quarantine

Spring break plans were cancelled, and the Easter holiday spent at home. If you’re tempted to just turn on the television and call it a day, here are five ideas for things to do with your kids that will get you all playing together, whether you’re stuck inside during quarantine or a bad weather day.

1. Do a scavenger hunt together. 

You can put some boundaries on it (only in the living room, or the yard, or the basement) or let everyone hunt throughout the house. Make a list of things to find, give everyone a basket or bucket, and set a timer. If you have toddlers, you could pair up and work together. You can have items be collected, or you can photograph each thing and look through all the pictures together. Some examples: Find something blue, something with a cat, something round, five of the same thing, and something that starts with the “SSS” sound. 

2. Get everyone moving with an obstacle course. 

Set up an obstacle course through the living room or out in your yard. Include many kinds of movements: places to tiptoe, jump, bear crawl, walk backwards, and roll. If you have hula hoops, jump ropes, or balls to toss into laundry baskets, this might be a great time to pull them out! If you want a little competition, you can time everyone the first time through and then send everyone through again to try to beat their first time (competing against your own time rather than against your siblings makes it challenging but not discouraging for younger siblings). 

3. Make some floor art together. 

Tape long pieces of paper to the floor and get down to draw or paint together. You can make maps, or tell stories, or trace around each kid and then let them fill in their clothes and features. When you are done, you can hang them up on the wall to enjoy for a little while. 

4. Try a game of hide and seek or sardines. 

Send everyone through the house to find new places to hide. For hide and seek, choose one person to hide their eyes and count to thirty while everyone hides, and then try to find everyone. The last person found becomes the new counter. For sardines, one person finds a hiding place while everyone else closes their eyes and counts to thirty. Then they all go to find the person hiding. If you find them, you squeeze in and hide with them. The last person to find everyone hiding together becomes the next hider. 

5. Set up a video tea party with a friend or relative. 

If you have young children, it’s good to understand their limitations when it comes to video calls and keep it short and sweet, but it is also important in this time to stay connected to the people we love and can’t visit. Having a cup of tea and talking to Grandma while she has one too can be one way to do that. 

Planning a little time to play and connect during this time can help us all keep our spirits up!