10 Ways To Keep Kids Entertained While Waiting Out The Coronavirus

It seems almost every hour of every day there are updates and sweeping measures being taken to stop COVID-19 from spreading. While the vast majority of us don’t have to worry about our personal health, it’s important to adhere to the guidelines and precautions the CDC and WHO are suggesting.

Along with the obvious washing of hands and avoiding touching your face, preventative steps include self-quarantine and social distancing. Depending on where you are located, the local government may have closed down schoolsand cancelled community events. The preventative measures are so extreme, even Disney is closing its doors!

With so many of us trying to stay home as much as possible (after raiding the store for hand sanitizer and toilet paper, obviously), we’re bound to get a little restless. This is especially true if you have kids at home. Here’s a list of some fun and creative ideas to keep the whole family occupied while we wait out this next phase of COVID-19. Of course, these are fun even when there isn’t a global pandemic, so keep this list in mind when you’re snowed in or avoiding the extreme heat of summer!

Take Virtual Tours of Museums

This is by far my favorite on the list. Check out this list of museums that offer virtual tours! New York, London, Paris, you can see priceless works of art from the comfort of your living room. How cool is that?!

DIY Marble Mugs

If your nail polish collection is anything like mine, then you probably have at least two or three… or ten polishes that are old and tacky, but for some reason, you can’t seem to part with them. Put them to good use with this fun, easy project! It works for mugs, stationary, cups, plates, or even as a fun way to marble your nails. Get the instructions here!

Indoor Obstacle Course

This is such a great idea! You can have fun rooting through the closet and junk drawers for things to make an obstacle course for the kiddos. It can be as simple as painter’s tape on the carpet, or as complex as building tunnels and forts with the furniture. You might have more fun setting it up than actually going through it. See some ideas here!

Blow Jolly Rancher Bubbles

This is such a fun (and tasty) idea! Sure, you could just eat candy, and there’s definitely nothing wrong with that idea, but since you’ve got the time, why not make it extra special? See how to make edible glass bubbles in the video below!

Indoor Mini Golf

Here’s another activity that will be just as fun to set up as it is to play. You can have each child set up their own little mini golf hole and have fun with the different ideas and playing a few rounds! Get some ideas here.

Family Movie Night

Ah, family movie night. Why not make this one extra special? Have the kiddos help you whip up some special movie night snacks, maybe even make a fort and snuggle up with blankets and pillows.

Make Your Own Movie

Even better yet, make your own movie! You can write a script with the kids, or have them act out their favorite movie. This is a great all-day activity. Cell phones these days have incredible cameras, and you can upload the video right to your computer and spend some time editing and adding fun special effects with the kids. Then, show your masterpiece for family movie night!

Make A Book

Along those same lines, you can write and illustrate your own books with the kids. Simply staple some construction paper together to form a booklet, and let them go to town! If you need some inspiration, try reading aloud their favorite story and have them draw out the scenes.

Have A Build Contest

Everyone loves Legos, right? Except maybe for those of us who seem to always find the loose Lego piece with our foot in the middle of the night. Here’s a fun twist to the regular Lego play: Have different building challenges! Who can make the tallest structure, who can make the sturdiest structure, timed challenges, the list goes on and on!

Facetime Friends & Family

We have some incredible technology these days that allows us to visit friends without having to actually leave the house. Why not take advantage of it? I’m sure grandma and grandpa would love a call from their grandkids!