Hey Mamas,
We are going to be RIGHT THERE WITH YOU. We will be home with kids begging for food, going stir crazy on rainy days, asking for the zillionth time to go anywhere, and doing our darndest not to just give in to the screens. We’re here as your community to remind you that YOU, strong Mama, have everything inside you that is strong enough to do this self-quarantine alongside the rest of us…for two weeks or six months. WE are more ready that all the centuries of women before us. We have more tools, more connections, more rights, and more education than the generations of mothers before us, and they were freaking amazing to pull through the things they did. We can, too.
Before I share home activity ideas, I want to share with you something one of my church mentors {Kathy Mulkey} shared on FB:
“I didn’t homeschool my kids…until we moved to Russia for 2 years in the early 1990’s.
We lived in Siberia
We learned a new language out of necessity
We did not own a car.
I homeschooled
No internet
No books in English except those we brought with us or were sent to us
Shortages…milk, meat, eggs, bread, etc.
Once we went SIX WEEKS without finding toilet paper!!
Electricity would often go off
No hot water for a whole month
Ethan came down with the Beijing Flu, a particularly dangerous strain. He stayed in bed. We took care of him.
We didn’t hoard. We shared. And others shared with us.
We survived. We THRIVED! Kids would go sledding. They learned cross-country skiing. They became creative in finding ways to entertain themselves.
Folks, you can make it. We’re all going to make it. Just calm down, do what you know to do and don’t hoard. Be generous helping others. And remember when you hear all the doom and gloom, God is still in charge.”
Thank you, Kathy for sharing!!
Here are a range of home activities you can do while STAYING HOME (please don’t get out unless you have to):
- Coach Schaefer from Speegleville Elementary School shares these ideas:
First, if the weather will allow it, get them outside for fresh air and sunshine. The forecast doesn’t look very promising for this, but if there are breaks in the rain do so. Try giving your kids a list of things to find, a sack or bucket, and go on a nature scavenger hunt. Find an acorn, a perfect leaf, a paw print, a feather, a wildflower, etc.
Make a simple obstacle course and time them running through it. Get a length of rope and tie knots on the end for handles. We have been working on jumping rope at school. Sidewalk chalk can make a hopscotch path or a take off line for a long jump challenge.
We have spent hours playing balloon volleyball in the living room. Each side can have up to 3 hits to get it over the line, and no one can hit it twice in a row. Better yet, let them make their own rules. Your net can be anything from a line on the floor to a rope with a blanket thrown over it.
We have also loved the fake fleece snowballs that have been available the last couple of years for indoor snowball fights.
We also spent hours with a package of plastic Easter eggs. We would hide them indoors as well as out. The kids can hide them for each other. Give them a set amount of time to hide and see who finds them quicker. When playing with them they were not filled, so this was not expensive. Whoever finds the most or finds them first can be the one who hides them next.
Sock wrestling is also a good energy release. Have them get on the floor and instead of pinning one another down, they are trying to remove the other person’s sock. This one can get a bit wild.
One last inexpensive suggestion is a frisbee. This is for outside of course. Catching can be a bit tricky and the hard frisbees can hurt if the catch isn’t made. Try throwing for distance challenges or accuracy. Who can make their frisbee land in this chalk circle? Who can hit the trunk of that tree? Try frisbee golf. Whoever hits the tree with the least amount of throws gets to pick the next target.
- Here are my outdoor suggestions: driveway sidewalk chalk, go on a walk, check on your neighbors, outdoor picnics, nerf gun wars with neighbors, popsicles, outdoor tent or fort reading time, bike riding, bubbles, play sardines, face painting (use old lipstick or eyeliner), talent show, snail catching, bug watching.
- Our very own Waco Mom team member, Mary Grisham, recently wrote a blog post on Activities From Home. She references the free educational websites for kids as well! https://marygrishamblog.com/activities-from-home/
- Another hometown girl, Stephanie Wolfe, shares some fun family Staycation ideas on her blog. Check them out! https://www.thevintagemodernwife.com/family/fun-at-home-staycation-ideas-that-wont-break-the-bank/
- Scholastic released free daily courses for kids. It’s called Learn At Home and goes by grade levels. https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html
- Cosmic Kids Yoga. If it’s raining, tune into the British lady who teaches yoga to children through adventures like Frozen, Alice in Wonderland and more. Instead of saying “namaste” our kids say, “God is good.” https://www.youtube.com/user/CosmicKidsYoga
Luckily, our internet will most likely not be affected by COVID-19 and all the bloggers and social media stars will keep up updated on trending activities with our kids, but really, all we have to do is remember our childhood in the 80s and help our kids live their best life. But maybe, stock up on chocolate for your secret freak-out moments. Did HEB run out of chocolate? 😊
In case you need a visual reminder that you’re not alone…I especially love this depiction of our connection of motherhood by common_wild.
