For us San Diego Moms and Dads, our kids are all stuck at home with us, while schools are CLOSED due to COVID-19. While we attempt to work remotely on our computers and participate in Zoom calls with our co-workers, we are left wondering, WHAT to do with our kids! With the lack of social exposure and interaction that our children typically experience on a daily basis, after one week of this pandemic thus far, our little ones are most likely getting a bit stir crazy by this point. And after a week, for us M’s and D’s, we are reaching the danger zone- of being fresh OUT of ideas. Alas, here is our attempt at A Parent’s Survival Guide, with hopefully some ideas that you have yet to try!
1. Get Baking!
Give yourself a little break from work, and have fun baking with your kiddos! It can be a blast to start from the beginning with them; look up an easy recipe online together, assemble the ingredients, let them measure it out, and teach them to set the oven. Make it interesting and turn it into a pretend cooking show, let them make a mess, they only get to be kids once! Use this time to make memories with your littles, and help quell their fears and boredom at the same time.
2. Turn to Pinterest for Arts & Crafts!
After a week, your minis are probably bored of drawing stick figures and filling up the pages of their coloring books. So, it’s now up to YOU to get creative! Don’t sweat it if you are not an extreme crafter, that is what Pinterest was made for. Search for new crafting ideas based on the age of your children, and get started! There are thousands of crafts to do, with household items, and even recyclables. Help turn your kid’s rainy day into a rainbow.
3. YouTube Tutorials: To Teach What You Can Not!
For most of us parents who are probably not professional hip-hop dancers, yoga instructors, fitness gurus, cartoon artists, karate masters, language teachers, or gymnastics coaches, let us take a minute and say a big THANK YOU to YouTube. Turn your living room into a dance studio, art class, or a gym, and set your television with one of the million YouTube tutorials made for kids to learn new trades. Who knows, at the end of this quarantine your child may be the next Picasso, Karate Kid, or Simone Biles.
4. ABC Mouse: A FUN Teaching Tool!
Fun and games aside, most parent’s greatest concern for their children being at home during this quarantine, is the fear of them falling behind in school. Tutors are advised to stay home, work has yet to be sent home and parents may not have the time, while working remotely, to be full-time homeschool instructors. An AMAZING, helpful tool that will teach children the necessary curriculum online, is ABC Mouse. With hundreds of exercises, modules, and educational games, ABC Mouse is every parent’s, and child’s dream-making learning fun!
5. Enjoy The Outdoors!
Social Distancing CAN be practiced outside, and being in the fresh open air might just be the break both you and your children need. While staying away from others, there are a million outdoor adventures that are perfect for the whole family. Sometimes, turning to mother nature is the best form of medicine for us all. So, have a backyard picnic or play with sidewalk chalk. In the absence of rain, ENJOY the sun.