My kids just returned to school. And I almost cried when their tests were negative.
After several weeks of at-home isolation (during which Covid moved through our family), school was a welcome event. In that time, we spent more time together than I can remember and, aside from texting and phone calls, interacted very little with the outside world.
School was on hold, and much of work was too.
It was a lot of together time, and sometimes the kids were bored. Sure, they spent time on electronics, but I didn’t want that to be all they did either. So, we tried to mix it up as best we could and do fun things outside of our normal. Here’s what we did, and perhaps you’ll find it helpful the next time you’re stuck inside for long periods too!
1. We Had a Trivia Contest
These fun trivia for kids questions turned out to be super fascinating and kept us entertained for HOURS as we made our way through the list. Furthermore, the kids had fun learning about and quizzing the family on random facts for days afterward as well. I know all sorts of fun facts now!
*Note: online questions would also be a fun way to pass the time with kids! Would you rather, or never have I ever have been a lot of fun for us and require no setup or clean up.
2. We Got a HUGE Puzzle
In fact, our puzzle may have been a little too big for the ages of our kids. Yet, it was of a beautiful picture and gave us all something to do when we just didn’t feel like anything else. It also kept our brains engaged and I find it to be quite the meditative activity.
3. We Baked Something Delicious
Next, we dug all of those ingredients sitting in the back of the pantry that I bought 6 months ago and never did anything with. We rounded them up and (once I felt better) made something of our own. Muffins, cookies, and other comfort foods. It wasn’t the healthiest, but it certainly helped our sanity.
4. We Listened to Fun Music
Mostly, we listened to upbeat songs that made us want to move. Dance parties happened as often as possible to give the non-sick members a way to let some energy out. The soundtrack to “Encanto” was at the top of that list, and it boosted our spirits in a way nothing else could. I still have almost all of those songs stuck in my head.
5. We Read Books
Finally, on the days that energy was low in our household, we simply hung out and read. I ordered a few books off of Amazon and we retreated to our own little worlds. It was low-key and fun for the imagination. Plus it gave us a break from each other when we needed some separation time – which was often in the last days of isolation.
In Conclusion
With so much of the country getting hit with Covid these days, I hope you find this list to be helpful with your own kids! And if not for sickness, they make great activities for your next snowy or rainy day too.
It’s not always easy to come up with activities that don’t involve screens these days!
One thing is for sure, the last few weeks were a lesson in getting through the hard times by banding together and making the most of it. We did it, and it was sure bittersweet to emerge from our little cocoon into the real world again. But thank goodness for school.
