Experiencing a COVID-related School Closure? We feel your pain! But no worries, we got you covered. We know how challenging these school closures can be when trying to juggle work and your kiddos at-home. Just consider this blog your school closure survival guide with 4 at-home activities that will engage your kiddos while only using common household items!
House Scavenger Hunt
Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
Ages: 2.5-6 years
Find 5-10 items in your home and take photos of each one. From there hide them around your house at the reach of your children. If you have a printer, print the photos of the items and give it to your children for a self-led activity. If your child is younger, or you do not have a printer, simply show the children the picture on your phone and give them a hint to where it is.
Sensory Bins, Bottles, and Bags
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Ages: 0 - 6 years
You can create sensory items with almost anything in your home for all ages! Some of our favorites include uncooked rice, water, beads, ice, cereal, oil, cooked pasta and so much more! Add any of these items to a bin, empty water bottle, or Ziploc bag add sparkles or food color and VOILA, you have a simple craft that can keep your kiddos engaged! For older children, you can ask them questions to describe what they see.
Food Play
Prep Time: 5-10 minuets
Ages: 6 months - 4 years
Is your kiddo old enough to eat solids? Then this activity is for you! Our two favorite food play materials are Jell-O and yogurt! Jell-O jigglers are a fun way for kiddos to experience all of their senses. You can cut them up into fun shapes and also work on your kiddo’s recognition and recall abilities. Yogurt on the other hand does not take as much time to prep. Just add some food coloring to whatever yogurt you have on hand and watch as your kiddo explores mixing and smushing the different colors together. Don't let food go to waste! They can also explore their taste buds and try the different flavors. You can also get creative and make homemade play dough for your little one. Check out our recipe provided by our very own, Mr. Andy!
Floor Is Lava
Prep Time: 5-10 minuets
Ages: 2 - 7 years
For your older kiddos this activity will keep their attention for HOURS! Have your kids help you find items around the house that could be used as stepping stone, bridges, and safe areas from the lava below. Create an obstacle course for them to explore and then challenge them to not touch the floor as they go through the course. You can change it up and time them as they go through to see how fast they can finish. You can also challenge them to rearrange and create a new course!
For more information on how to keep your parent game strong 💪 , check out our blog for a series of helpful articles, tips, and ideas.
To helping your child climb mountains and reach the Summit!