Offline Family Activities While Reducing Screen Time.

Host a Virtual Movie Night

Have a movie night at home. Give each kid a responsibility like a ticket creator, ticket taker, usher, concession stand owner. Allowing your kids to set up a concession stand will give them the invaluable experience of being a business owner. Spend the day making posters, decorations, and setting up the theatre. The theatre could have a camping theme or create a drive-in movie theatre. This activity will keep the entire family engaged.

Read Books and Color Together

This is a great time to host a read-aloud. Introduce your kid to your favorite childhood storybook. Really make it entertaining by dressing as a character in the book. Read with expression and voice changes. Do a great job and allow each kid to have a specific night to be in the author's chair. This will give kids time to plan and practice to put on an excellent performance for their audience. This will improve speaking and reading skills, all while having great fun. You can enjoy family time spent together - all while reading books, and coloring fun and engaging worksheets for a variety of topics, from nature and wildlife to holidays and cultures across the world. 

Have a Game Night

Hosting a game night with board games. Revisit the classics like Monopoly, Uno, Chutes and Ladders, and Jenga. Kids can play games like Scrabble or Yahtzee with family members. These games will increase conversations, selfies, and fun.

Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt…From a Distance!

You may have seen this idea or a similar one before. If you haven't, check with your neighbors to see if you can arrange for a fun scavenger hunt that kids can participate in at a distance! The game is straightforward, and all that is needed is a teddy bear or stuffed animal! To play, simply find a teddy bear and put it in a window easily seen from the outside sidewalk. Leave the bear there for others to find on their hunts! When you and your children spend time outdoors, simply take a walk around your neighborhood, being sure to stay at least 6 feet apart from other pedestrians. Look at the houses to find teddies in the windows! Keep count with your children to see how many bears they can find in your area! 

Leave Sidewalk Chalk Messages for Friends

The pandemic is a scary situation that leaves many children and adults alike stressed and worried. Why not join with other neighborhood children in creating inspirational messages or positive pictures? Gather your sidewalk chalk in a bucket and simply take a walk around the neighborhood. Stop by your friends and neighbors, and write or draw positive messages and pictures to show that you care for them and miss their company. Leave the messages on driveways, sidewalks, or street corners. Plan ahead to share with others so they can join in on the fun!

 Write a letter!

Are you looking for something more educational to do? At the same time, your child waits on their schools to begin their online distance learning programs? For this activity, we go old school while teaching children a thing or two about sending mail and addressing letters. Get out the stationery and envelopes because one way to connect to others is by simply taking the time to send a card or letter!

Gather the addresses of friends or family members your child would like to write to. Don't forget to ask your child's teacher if they can write to them! Many little learners are missing their teachers during this unexpected time off from school. 

Regardless of the recipients, remind your children about common letter-writing procedures, like opening and closing phrases. Practice proper penmanship, and if your child is learning to write in cursive, take this opportunity to practice! Finally, help your child address the letter, place a stamp, and walk out to the mailbox and raise the flag. Maybe in a few days or weeks, he or she will get a response!

It's easy to forget that kids might need some additional support during the pandemic. While they might not know exactly what's going on in the world, they do know that their normal daily routine has been upended and that they no longer get to see their teachers, friends, and even family members outside the home.

Make this time a little bit easier for everyone involved by staying connected with neighbors and friends. Use the ideas and tools listed above to socialize while remaining at a safe distance during the coronavirus crisis.