The world is a crazy place right now. With the virus going around Southern California, as well as other states, we have been asked to practice social distancing. Meaning social gatherings have been cancelled until further notice and we are asked to keep a 6 feet distance. As much as this news has been difficult it is also super important to ensure we do our part in not spreading it further. So my family and I are listening. As a stay at home mom staying in didn’t come as a big shock. I usually stay at home anyway but having the kids appointments kept me busy. If we were ever bored and had free time we’d find ourselves heading to Disneyland. Since appointments have been cancelled and Disney is closed until further notice, I came up with a few ways to keep your kids busy while social distancing.
We Are all just trying our best
Since I have a full house I’ve had to find creative ways to keep the kids busy while keeping everyone in my house sane. Including myself! Now, I won’t BS you. I don’t have a set schedule I follow down to the second. I let my kids have way too much screen time and fruit gummies are a constant snack. I’m here to tell you, THAT IS OKAY! No one is expecting you to be perfect now or ever really. If having a down to the second schedule works for you, great! If it doesn’t that’s great too. We are all just here trying to do our best. I do still try and mix some learning and creative time to make sure they have some variety.
Ways To Keep Your Kids Busy While Social Distancing
Here are a few tips to help you keep your kids (& spouse) busy while we all just try and figure this out.
1) Disney Plus
I know momma, I can hear you gasp from all the way over here. Whether you are completely against screen time or all for it..it’s okay! Especially during these times everyone is extremely stressed and anxious. So going off the norm even just a bit is okay and possibly needed. My kids are both 3 and under. They may not understand what is going on my toddler knows he can’t see Mickey Mouse anytime soon, so Disney Plus has been a savior.
If you need Ideas on what to watch check out My Must Watch Movies and Shows on Disney Plus
2) Learning activities
I try my best to mix in some educational activities. My kids are still too young to read and are barely learning to write but that doesn’t mean they can’t learn. Numbers and colors are a big thing in our house right now, so I try my best to incorporate fun ways to learn them. One of the things I did in the beginning with my oldest was actually super inexpensive and easy. What I did was grab a medium sized Tupperware and multi colored fuzzy balls. I’d group them with their respective color and would have my toddler pick up the group by color and place it in the Tupperware. We would even sing a little song to make it fun. if I asked him to pick up the blue “family” we’d sing, “hello blue family hello blue family let’s go home.” Effective, fun and super cute to hear them sing!
Make it fun
Amazon has a ton of fun and inexpensive activities that you can filter to accommodate your child’s age and grade level. Another thing we enjoy is letting our kids play with sensory toys. Kinetic sand and play dough are also a huge hit in our home.
3) Read a book together
Our Kids love to read before bedtime. Right now their favorites are Dr. Seuss’ ABC’s and Three Little Words based on Disney Pixar Finding Dory. Reading is a great way to unwind together and just be with each other. Make it fun and get creative with it.
4) Bake or cook together
My kids love to help in the kitchen. My toddler one day asked to make cookies and wouldn’t stop mentioning it until we finally did. watching their curiosity on how things come together is magical and I loved being able to make the best homemade chocolate chip cookies with them. This is great especially if you have a picky eater. If they are involved in the process of making dinner they are more likely to be excited to eat it.
5) Host a facetime/zoom dinner with family
Being stuck inside and not being able to see family who live on their own is hard. Especially if you and your kids are used to seeing them frequently. Having a virtual dinner party allows you and your kids a sense of togtherness even if no one is physically present. Having a bit of family time is also good for the soul.
6) Have an indoor picnic
Just the other day I wanted to switch things up so I decided to have an indoor picnic. So I built a fort right in the middle of our living room and we had dinner in it while watching a movie. This allows there to be some form of variety even if the setting is the same. The kiddos loved the fort and had fun playing in it while I made dinner.
7) Go Outside
But please keep your distance from other humans. We are fortunate enough to live in an area that has huge sidewalks and is somewhat hidden so isn’t very busy. Fresh air is good for your kids and yourself. We avoid parks, and only walk the perimeter of our street but it’s a great way to get out of the house without risking anything.
8) Independent play
Sometimes I just need a few minutes to finish what I need to do or just have a moment to relax. Independent play is perfect for moments when you just need a break from the chaos while still being present. It also allows them to build independence and social skills (if they have a sibling) so they learn the concept of sharing.
9) Get active
Now more than ever it is important to continue to have some form of daily exercise. My kids love to dance and my oldest loves to copy me when I am doing yoga. It’s a good way to keep them healthy and if you make it fun they’ll be more likely to want to.
10) Just be together
Whatever it is you decide to do, just be together. These are some scary times and being with our family and keeping others healthy is most important. Show yourself, your spouse and your kids grace. The uncertainties of the world can be overwhelming but embrace the gift of time we were given. I know not every family is fortunate enough to be home with their families. I know a lot of people are the very people who are in the front lines fighting this virus. This is why we are doing this, to give those heroes a fighting chance.
I hope these ideas of ways to keep your kids busy while social distancing was helpful. Please, stay inside, stay safe and stay healthy. Please tag me on Instagram if these tips helped you!
