Fun At Home

If you are anything like me and my kids you are probably getting a little stir-crazy being home so much. In an attempt to help stave off the craziness, I am sharing easy activities you can do at home with your child. I tried to choose activities that use items you most likely have at home. Pick one or try them all with your child. Enjoy!

Fun with Tape

• Create an obstacle course using painter's tape on your floor. Some ideas to include are different shapes for your child to jump on and lines for them to walk on. You can even have them go under and over furniture. 

• Using masking tape or painter's tape create a roadway for your child to drive cars around. 

• Tape smaller toys like cars, animals or blocks to a cookie sheet or tray. Have your child free the objects by peeling the tape up and off each one. This is a great fine motor activity for building strong fingers. 
• Tape across a piece of paper or canvas. Have your child cover the paper with paint, markers or crayons. Then peel off the tape. 

• For even more fun tape ideas check out over 40 painters tape game and activities here.

Fun with Water

• Play the sink or float game with your child. Collect a variety of objects. Be sure to have some that will sink and some that will float. Fill a clear tub with water or play this in the bathtub or kitchen sink. Take turns choosing an object and putting it in the water. Does it sink or float? For older children ask them to make a prediction before they put it in the water. Once they have done this a few times ask them what they notice about the objects that float or sink. 
• Freeze some small toys (cars or animals) in a container of water. Once it is frozen place the block of ice on a tray, in your sink or tub and give your child a squeeze bottle, eye droppers, or spray bottle filled with warm water. Let them have fun melting the ice to get to the toys. 
• Paint outside on the sidewalk or driveway with water. Let your children create pictures and watch them disappear. 
• Make a car wash station. Fill a container with soapy water. Let your child wash toy cars or other toys using q-tips, sponges, paint brushes or toothbrushes. 
• Make homemade bubbles. Click here for several different recipes for homemade bubbles. There are lots of different items that can be used as bubble wands including, toilet/paper towel roll tubes, plastic straws, metal canning lids, cookie cutters, pipe cleaners (twisted into the shape of a wand) and plastic bottles with the bottom cut off.

Fun with Books

• Have your child read a familiar story to you. This is a beginning step to literacy. 
• Make paper plate mask of your favorite characters and retell the story together or create your own story. 
• Look at pictures of your family together. Ask your child to find certain people. Talk about each person with your child.
• Join the Washington County Library for their Storytime on the Go.
• Read, Read, Read! Enjoy lots of books with your child.

Fun with Music/Songs

• Turn on your favorite song and have a dance party with your child.
• Sing familiar songs like Twinkle, Twinkle, Mr. Sun, The Wheels on the Bus, The Itsy Bitsy Spider & Roly Poly. 
• Do the Freeze Song, Shake Your Sillies Out or Baby Shark. 
• Make homemade shakers using small plastic containers filled with rice, dry beans, dry pasta or beads. 

Fun Outside

• Go on a nature scavenger hunt. 

• Decorate your driveway and sidewalks with chalk. Maybe write an encouraging message for those who will be walking in your neighborhood. 
• Use chalk and make an outdoor obstacle course. 
  

Put on Your Oxygen Mask First!

Anyone who has traveled on the a plane has heard the safety spiel about putting on their oxygen mask first before they help others. This true for so much more of life than just the oxygen masks on airplanes. We have to take care of ourselves before we can take care of others. This is especially hard for parents. We have little, or not so little, people depending on us. Needing us for so many things. Especially right now, when parents are not only trying to work, but have to parent and help their children with school, all from home while being isolated from friends and family, it is even more important that we practice self-care.

First things first, set aside your guilt. You know what I am talking about. That little voice that tells you that you need to do the laundry or clean the kitchen or that your kids can't see their friends and family right now so they need your undivided attention. While all of those things might be true, you also need to take care of yourself. Otherwise all of those things will overwhelm you making it hard for you to take care of anyone or anything.

Make it a routine. Set aside some time each day, or at the very least at each week, to do something for yourself. Maybe even go so far as to schedule it on your calendar.

For a lot of us spending time with our friends and extended families is something that we are missing right now. Utilize technology, like Zoom or Skype, to connect with people. This past weekend my best friends and I had a virtual happy hour using Zoom. We each gathered up a snack, found a quietish spot (3 of us are moms so you know how that goes) and enjoyed chatting and laughing together. We have already scheduled another Happy Hour for this coming Saturday.

Prioritize your relationship with your parenting partner. Set up regular date nights. This doesn't have to be something that involves getting a babysitter or going out. My husband and I had weekly date nights at home after our kids were in bed when they were young. We would play a board or card game, make a special dinner or dessert, or just sit and visit.

Practice gratitude on a daily basis. Research shows that practicing gratitude can help reduce anxiety. During this time when our lives are drastically changed, it can be easy to lose sight of the good. Remind yourself by making a gratitude list. Here's my list for today: I am grateful for the nice weather we have been having. I am grateful for my house where we are safe. I am grateful for all the essential workers who are still working to help take care of all of us.

Enjoy some time outside. Yesterday, my family of five plus our two dogs ventured out on a walk through our neighborhood. We enjoyed the sunshine, fresh air and signs of early spring that we encountered. I enjoyed sunshine so much I dug out a lawn chair when we got home and sat in my front lawn in the sun reading my book. Here's the deal about getting outside, not only can it be enjoyable, research shows that it is good for our mental health.

Find things that fill you up and make you happy. This will different for all of us. Maybe you need to set aside time to exercise on a regular basis, read a book or magazine, take a long bath, find something that makes you laugh, meditate, or pick up a hobby that you used to do pre-kids. Whatever it is, find something you enjoy and make time to do it.

Also, don't be afraid to ask for help. Sometimes things can be too much and we just need a little help to take care of ourselves. The district has mental health resources available here.