6 Ways to Have Fun with the Family While Quarantined

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has forced people all around the world indoors, quarantining at home to stop the spread of this deadly virus. Amid stay-at-home orders, we’ve all felt the heavy burden of stunning our everyday lives and rapidly shifting to this new norm. Between juggling work, school, health, and connections with friends and family, adapting to life under quarantine has been nothing short of exhausting. This is especially true when you add kids into the mix.

With schools and workplaces transitioning to online operations, many families with children have found themselves facing brand new challenges. As summer settles in and online school comes to a close, figuring out ways to keep the little ones busy and happy at home is your next big feat.

Using this guide, we’ll provide the activity inspiration you need to keep your energizer bunnies going and lift the family’s spirit.

1. Host a Backyard Picnic

Even though you may not be able to dine-in at your family’s favorite local restaurants, you can absolutely pretend! A backyard picnic serves as a wonderful opportunity for you and your family to soak up the sun, enjoy some fresh air, and devour a delicious takeout meal.

2. Grow Something

Turn your family into a bunch of budding green thumbs by creating a fun gardening project. Whether it’s crafting and filling an above-ground garden bed or simply planting flowers along your home’s walkway, there are a number of cute and easy ways to get your hands dirty and make something beautiful out of the soil! Your kiddos will love watching planted seedlings transform into beautiful flowers and greenery.

3. Read Books

Although the real world may be on pause until the pandemic blows over, you and your kids can immerse yourselves into a world of wonder by cozying up to a good book. Create a mini book club by coming together a few nights a week to follow a good storyline and get to know some of the greatest fictional characters out there.

Try out these bestseller titles with your youngsters:

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

4. Family Game Night

Monopoly, Scrabble, Chutes and Ladders, Candy Land, there’s just no going wrong with family game night. No matter how young or old your kiddos are, everyone is bound to enjoy some good bonding time during game night. Whether it’s learning easy magic tricks or brushing up on your vocabulary with Bananagrams, there’s bound to be a game or activity everyone will adore.

5. Create a Vacation Vision Board

Vision boards are fun for all ages. These creative projects can help you plan for the post-pandemic future, and give you a reason to turn those dreams of visiting Hawaii, Iceland, or Thailand into visual manifestations. Have the kids pick out a place they’ve always wanted to visit and have them print out a few photos from the internet. On a piece of poster board paper, they can create unique collages that will keep their travel dream alive.

6. Cook or Bake Something Together

Being stuck at home serves as the ultimate opportunity to teach your kids how to cook. Even if it’s mostly you doing the work, the kids can partake in mixing, seasoning, measuring, and more. Dust off your cookbooks, pick a recipe, and let the magic unfold. Always remember, safety first! Prep the kitchen before allowing your kids in.

Leave it to the kids to do simple things like adding ingredients, greasing a pan, or setting the table with plates and utensils. In need of some recipe inspiration? Search the web for easy recipes for these delicious family-friendly meals:

Dinner: