During the current climate of this global pandemic, many of us find ourselves anxious, scared, angry or sad. And that’s okay. Here at TCMC we want to walk along beside you as we traverse these uncertain waters together. In our continued pursuit to resource you as a mom, we’ve compiled some tools for you to use at your leisure.
- Organize virtual coffee dates with friends (use FaceTime, Zoon, Skype… whatever platform you have available!).
- Learn a new skill using web based learning: a foreign language, cooking, the piano, macrame…
- Yoga or Pilates (while Cosmic Kids Yoga is incredible, you might try Corepower Yoga, YogaWorks or Downward Dog online services for a more mature experience).
- Dance (Dancing Alone Together and CLI Studios are just several of many online options).
- Host a family painting contest using the Bob Ross YouTube Channel.
- Host their own {fill in the blank} show to share with friends. Cooking? Makeup tutorial? Lego building project?
- Host a virtual piano recital with friends.
- Create a movie using Stop Motion Studio app, or something similar.
- Send them to the garage with basic (and age appropriate) tools to make something.
- Set up a whole house obstacle course and have race trials.
- Have them redesign their bedroom using only what they find around the house.
- Spring cleaning! Have them declutter and deep clean their bedroom.
- Journal – free form or give them prompts.
- Read – something of their choosing, or encourage them to try a new genre.
- Write a letter (via email) to a good friend.
- Start a text thread with their friends and challenge them to tell a story. Everyone can write one line in the story at a time. See where it goes.
- Start a virtual band with friends.
- Invite them to make one of the meals for the day.
- Create a scavenger hunt with a prize at the end (candy, quarters, etc). Give them the responsibility to read the clues for younger siblings.
- Produce a puppet show or skit for younger siblings.
- Find your swimming goggles (you’ll want protection!) and have that Nerf battle they’ve been begging you to play for months.
- Play a family game after dinner.
- Take them on a run, walk or bike ride with you.
- Family basketball game outside.
- Try new hairstyles with them.
- Family Lego contests. Pinterest has so many cool ideas to challenge even your most experienced builder!
- Encourage your community: have them paint a banner for the front of your house, create pictures to hang in your windows or use sidewalk chalk to write happy messages to your neighbors on the driveway and sidewalks.
- Write a funny poem contest. The winner can choose what’s for desert.
- Give them a list of ten words they don’t know and challenge them to look them up in the dictionary and then use them to write a story.
- Netflix, Netflix, Netflix… But don’t just let them plop down alone in front of the television. Instead, get into a movie, show (or book series!) with them – such as Star Wars, Narnia, Harry Pottery, etc. You can watch with them, and then take it in new directions by researching characters, themes, story lines, crafts and other activities. In other words, nerd out with them. Without their peers telling them what’s cool right now, you can be the one to influence a new obsession interest – right?
