It probably doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone that Ontario has extended school closures until May 31st. Most parents are speculating that kids won’t be heading back to school before the end of the 2019-2020 school year.
As we head into the 7th week of school and daycare closures, working from home, and general social distancing practices, it’s likely that your kids are getting tired of everything—their toys, their favourite shows, their siblings, you.
Keep your kids on their toes by introducing them to a few new activities each week. We’ve pulled together this master list of easy, at-home boredom busters to help you and your kids stay sane and entertained while practicing social distancing.
Arts & Crafts
1. Combining stickers with any activity is always a hit! Depending on the age of your kids, give them stickers + paper, stickers + journals, stickers + whatever and let their imaginations run wild.
2. Grab some paper plates, yarn, and paint. Put them all together to make your very own jellyfish.
3. Put your empty tissue boxes to use by making little monsters.
4. Take your paper plane games to the next level with this flight school tutorial.
5. Help your kids catch a fairy—all you need is some glitter, a mason jar, and a glow stick.
6. Use your washi tape (or painters tape) to create a fun, mess-free race track for your kids’ cars.
7. Play dough… it offers hours of creative fun!
8. Slime is the go-to craft for kids these days. Why not add a little whimsy with some polka dots?
9. For the older kids, grab a few of your nail polishes and let them create marble nail polish art.
10. Become an origami master.
11. Create a salt painting with this easy tutorial.
In the Kitchen
12. Get the kids’ in the kitchen and whip up your favourite cookie recipe.
13. While they can’t set up their own lemonade stand, you can still make lemonade together with this fun recipe.
14. Decorate cookies, cupcakes, or a cake. Pick up your kids’ favourite treat on your next grocery trip and all the fixings to make it really special—sprinkles, candy, icing.
15. Take your popcorn game to the next level with these fun flavourings.
16. Make this super simple, 3-ingredient chocolate crackle recipe.
17. Cook up a batch of Jello!
18. Just because you’re in the kitchen, it doesn’t mean you have to be making something edible. Try this homemade play dough recipe for hours of fun.
19. Show them how versatile the microwave can be with these mug cake recipes.
20. Make dinner—have the kids plan out the menu and cook the entire meal (with supervision of course).
Inside Fun
21. Pull every pillow and cushion you have from your whole home and make an epic pillow fort.
22. Have a dance party in the living room—make it extra special by getting dressed up in your favourite outfits.
23. Listen to your kids’ favourite book as an audiobook.
24. Learn the choreography to their favourite dance.
25. Get the kids up and moving with the help of an activity app.
26. Teach your kids a new skill—grab the sewing kits, paint a wall, or show them how to fix their broken toy.
27. Create an indoor obstacle course.
28. Set a LEGO challenge—have your kids make a tower, a plane, a car, and set a new challenge each day. Photograph each creation as you go along.
29. Get the kids moving with these printable body shape cards.
30. Let the kids take a shopping spree through your closet and put on a fashion show.
31. Learn how to code!
32. Fill the sink with your kids bath toys and soap, and let them have fun!
33. Remember that Jello you made? Why not make a few double batches and let the kids create a Jello sensory bin.
34. Write letters to your kids’ friends and family. Mail them out, because who doesn’t love receiving mail?
35. Take a live drawing class on Instagram.
36. Have a movie afternoon—let your kids pick out their lunch, the movie, and their favourite seat to watch from. Flip movie night on its head and give your kids a fun afternoon.
37. Take a virtual field trip.
38. Pull out a puzzle for each kid—age appropriate of course, but the more pieces the better!
39. Have an indoor campout. Grab your sleeping bags, a tent, some board games, and have a fun day-to-night activity.
Get Outside
40. Create—and race—soap boats!
41. Plant a vegetable, herb, or flower garden and have the kids take care of it. They’ll love watching it grow!
42. Take bubbles to an even more magical place with these rainbow bubble snakes.
43. You can never go wrong with sidewalk chalk.
44. Set up a scavenger hunt in your backyard.
45. Get your kids to help out with some chores while making it fun. Have them give their favourite toys a bath in the backyard. And if you have older kids and a pet, get them to give their pup a bath!
46. Catch bugs.
47. Play an old fashioned game—leapfrog, jump rope, hopscotch—in your front or backyard.
48. Create a bird feeder and hang it up outside your home or in a local park.
49. Enjoy the outdoors even when it’s raining outside.
50. Try one of these 20+ backyard games for kids.
