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6 Fun Activities to Keep Kids Entertained During the Pandemic Quarantine
Welp folks, after just shy of a decade as a Newburgh newborn photographer, I’ve been forced to temporarily close my studio doors as we battle the COVID-19 pandemic. Closing my doors is so incredibly heart-breaking to me. I have worked my tail off for so many years to create this business that I am so incredibly passionate about and that I love so dearly. I hope that this virus meets its end soon so we can resume life as normal and I can continue photographing your beautiful babies and families!
This virus has taken soooo much from us – but that’s a topic for another day. Today I want to talk about entertainment during the quarantine and even during the summer months. Most of you know that I have four kids. They range in ages from 3 years to 8 years and I have them all home with me … quarantined … for an indefinite amount of time … with literally no one for them to play with other than me, my husband and each other. It’s been “interesting” to say the least.
We are in week two of quarantine and it has been pretty rough, but also pretty special. It has been awful trying to figure out how to homeschool four kids who are all learning four entirely different things and who all need my undivided attention. Simply put, I’m drinking copious amounts of Diet Mt. Dew (from a bottle because I can’t get my beloved fountain drinks!) to help me power through.
Keeping them entertained all day is hard. I don’t want to let them watch TV all day and we don’t really let them play video games at home hardly ever … so I’ve resorted to getting crafty. In my previous life – pre-kids and pre-Exhale – I was super crafty. I loved doing just about anything creative. So, I have been trying hard to come up with things for them to do that will engage them all (or at least the three boys while sister naps). I’ve created a list of some of the fun things we’ve been doing in hopes that it will help all you mamas entertain your kiddos while we remain quarantined.
1. LEGO Dots™
I was hesitant to buy these because I didn’t think they’d entertain them for long, but my kids spent a good hour or two making these things. I plan on printing some of the photos we have of them to put in them and they are excited to display them in their rooms. These were cheap and super fun.
Click here for LEGO Dots
2. Scavenger Hunt
The kids absolutely LOVED this! I created 10-20 clues (as fast as they were running I should have done more to make it last longer) and hid them all around our yard. The clues were things like “Go to the place where you shoot hoops” or “Go to the place where you say the Pledge of Allegiance” and they had to go from clue to clue until they got to the last one where there were goodies waiting. They loved opening the clues and reading them and sprinting from place to place.
3. Rainbow Loom
I think I’m a little late to the game on the Rainbow Loom. I know so many of you have been doing these for years, but we just hopped on the bandwagon this week. I ordered a kit and then extra bands in more “boyish” colors.
They absolutely loved the bracelets and the big boys helped me make them … but basically, I’m getting really good at the Rainbow Loom. They aren’t super keen on making them themselves, but they do like watching me do it and they request new ones almost daily. If you have grade school girls, they would love making them! Let them make some and mail them to their friends that they’re missing right now. How fun is it for kids to receive their own mail!
Click here for Rainbow Loom
4. Create Your Own Three Little Books
My kids like to write stories and draw pictures, so I figured this would be a fun way for them to do that and also work on their writing and spelling. Basically, I figured they’d do this homework-ish project without complaining or needing much help.
I bought each of the kids a box of these. I am going to have them each write three stories (throughout the quarantine). The big boys will actually write and draw and the littles will just draw pictures.
Click here for Create Your Own Three Little Books
5. Journal Craft Kit
I bought one of these for my youngest son for his upcoming birthday because he loves to draw and write. But I also ordered each of the boys a regular journal last night and plan on having them write in their journal every day throughout the rest of the “school year.” I will give them a topic each day and they will have to write about it. I can remember doing this in grade school and I absolutely loved it. I loved getting it at the end of the year and rereading all the things I wrote about.
I also think this will be a good keepsake for the kids someday to remember this crazy time in our country. We are living this nightmare right now, but some day it will be in the history books and how cool will it be for our kids to have journals that they wrote in about what they were experiencing during this crazy time.
Click here for Journal Craft Kit
6. Make Your Own Trading Cards
All of my boys are obsessed with baseball/basketball/football cards. They love collecting them and organizing them. I ordered these DIY trading cards for them to create their own. They can make sports cards, super hero cards, whatever they want. This is just another way for them to be creative and work on their spelling and writing.
Click here for Make Your Own Trading Cards
These are just some of the things we have been up to and are planning on doing throughout this quarantine.
Like I said earlier, this quarantine has been extremely difficult for so many reasons. But it has also been sort of special in small ways, as well. It has been so fun to see my kids come together and play with one another and come up with fun ways to pass the time. I have enjoyed the slower, family-centered nights where we are all cuddled on the couch watching movies and eating popcorn. This has not been easy, but there are little glimpses of beauty in all of this.
What are you doing to pass the time? Comment below or on the Facebook/Instagram links! It looks like we’re in this for the long haul and I’ll take all the ideas I can get!
If you’re wanting to book a session, please email me at exhalephotography@yahoo.com or use the contact page up top 🙂 I am happy to answer any questions you may have. It is best to book your session with me several months in advance (as spots fill very quickly).
My website can be found HERE My Facebook can be found HERE My Instagram can be found HERE
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