200 Ways to Entertain Your Kids When You're Stuck at Home
As we’re encouraged to consider social distancing and spend more time at home due to the current situation with Coronavirus, aka Covid-19, families are gearing up for a lot more together time. While we love our children oh so dearly, between school closures, employees being encouraged to WFH and many canceled events in the Bay, the question on every parent's mind right now is how do I keep these kids entertained? What’s more, how do I keep them entertained, get my work done, and maintain my sanity? Since this is very much my situation at this very moment, I thought I would do what I do best then share the results with you all: brainstorming, researching, and making one serious list. Hopefully, a few of these ideas work well for you. I’m attempting to keep the focus on affordable activities that don’t require a ton of prep or cleanup because, well, that’s the last thing anyone needs right now. And if all else fails, don’t forget, it’s totally ok to just not entertain your kids for a bit. I’m a huge believer in the idea the boredom fosters creativity and that playing alone for periods is actually really healthy.
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MAKE
1.make a rainbow crayon out of broken pieces
2. sculpt something with air dry clay
3. press flowers, you can speed up the process with this microwave press
4. make friendship bracelets
5. have a painting party with watercolors and coffee (or wine) for you, hot cocoa for them
6. make watercolor art with a straw
7. do a coffee filter craft
8. make pasta necklaces
9. make masks out of paper plates or felt
10. paint rocks, this kit makes it easy or use what you have on hand
11. make cardboard binoculars with a paper towel roll cut in half and some tape
12. teach them to weave paper
13. collage cutouts from old magazines
14. make crayon drip art with a hairdryer
15. make a calm down jar with a plastic Voss bottle: our favorite is just Ikea beads and baby oil
16. use rubber stamps
17. make your own potato stamps
18. try sponge painting
19. make folded butterfly paintings
20. make a paper plate tambourine
21. make a coffee can instrument
22. make a town out of cereal boxes
23. create a paper chain garland
24. cut up old magazines
25. mystery crafting (use a precut project, provide instructions and don’t tell them what it is)
26. roll out butcher paper for big collaborative art
27. make paper crowns with gem stickers
28. decorate a tee shirt
29. make a progressive drawing
30. try using watercolors on paper towels and watch the colors spread
31. make paper snowflakes: wax paper and round coffee filters work well
32. plant a terrarium
33. try jewelry making (string beads, buttons, macaroni)
34. make a gratitude tree or jar
35. make cards to mail to relatives
36. learn origami, we like these jumping frogs
37. decorate flower pots
38. decoupage something with Mod Podge
39. make paper dolls
40. make button art like these cute cupcakes
41. make negative space art with painters tape
42. make macaroni art
43. use stencils
44. make a paper boat to sail in the tub
45. do a craft kit: we like this one
46. make a felt board
47. make paper bag puppets
48. make paper and popsicle stick flowers
49. draw your own cartoon strips
50. do Shrinky Dinks, yep- they’re still around
LISTEN
51. pick a theme and have a read-a-thon
52. listen to a stories podcast: we love Little Stories for Tiny People
53. listen to kids books on Audible: they have full-length Disney stories
54. FaceTime with family and friends, ask them to read to or sing with your kids
55. interview your kid and record it
56. play a silly game of would you rather
57. speak in pig latin
58. do Madlibs
59. play “I Spy”
60. start a family journal, this one has prompts to get you started
61. sing karaoke
62. tell a progressive story, one person starts out telling it then the next person takes over, and back again
63. tell knock-knock jokes, here are a few to get you started
PLAY
64. rotate toys to keep things interesting
65. make a busy board
66. blow bubbles in the tub, this bubble bath comes with a wand
67. use glow-sticks (or these cubes) in the bathtub and turn out the lights
68. do a puzzle together
69. play kid-friendly board games
70. do shadow puppets on the wall
71. play with magnets; if you don’t have a fridge they will stick to, you can use a dry erase board
72. make glow stick balloons
73. make a cootie catcher/fortune teller
74. play with water beads
75. let them loose with post-it notes
76. make a tot-friendly toy with these paper straws in large plastic Voss bottle
77. make a sensory bin
78. use a muffin tin for sorting objects, my kid loved sorting these fish
79. make a sticky wall with contact paper taped to the wall facing out and let them stick paper cutouts and lightweight objects to it
80. draw on glass with window markers
81. stick gel clings to the windows (you can find them in Target’s dollar spot)
82. stickers, stickers, and more stickers: we like these sticker kaleidoscopes by Mrs Grossman
83. practice cutting with scissors: this workbook is a great place to start
84. let them loose with dot stickers a la Yayoi Kusama
85. finger paint in the shower
86. save bubble wrap and let them pop it
87. make a photo booth with a background, grab some props then take pictures
88. do a popsicle bath
89. play tick-tac-toe
90. send a slinky down the stairs
91. have a ”yes” day, ask your kid what they want to do and say yes (within reason)
PRETEND
92. play baby with a doll and a real diaper, bottle, etc
93. play library: make library cards and let them “check out” books, then read them together
94. play dress up
95. have a tea party, bonus points if you make cucumber sandwiches
96. play grocery store with canned goods from the pantry and monopoly money
97. let them wash things in the sink (dishes, toy trucks, a water-friendly doll)
98. have a spa day and paint their nails
99. wrap items and give them to one another as gifts, act really, really surprised
100. play salon and braid or style each others hair, don’t forget to accessorize
101. make a pretend garden by planting paper flowers in rice
102. play mail: write letters, place in envelopes and take turns delivering them
103. do face painting- even if it’s just eyeliner cat whiskers
104. play with finger puppets
105. let the kids play dress up in your clothes
106. make sock puppets and put on a puppet show
107. have them put on a play
108. play architect and help your kids draw their fantasy house, a room filled with puppies or a giant ball pit are both a totally acceptable use of space
BUILD
109. build something out of legos
110. build the tallest block tower ever, then knock it over
111. try some marshmallow and toothpick construction
112. get creative with a cardboard box and markers, you can even up the ante with this cardboard construction kit
113. line up dominos and knock them over
114. build a fort and decorate it
LEARN
115. sprout a bean or avocado pit
116. plant a kitchen herb garden or mushroom farm
117. write and illustrate your own book together
118. turn out the lights and use flashlights to explore
119. look at family photos together
120. practice picking things up with tweezers or chopsticks
121. look at things under magnifying glass
122. roll coins/sort change
123. lookup places around the world on Google Earth
124. make a family tree
125. make a telephone with two cups and string
126. play sink or float with objects in a clear bin of water
127. test to see what you can pick up with a horseshoe magnet
128. make a mystery box and have the kids guess what’s inside based on touch
129. make slime with all the add-ins
130. create a resist with watercolors over white crayon
131. make crayon rubbings with different objects
132. let them help with chores- even if it actually takes a whole lot longer
133. learn a magic trick
134. do a science experiment
135. follow a drawing tutorial
136. make (or draw) a Rube Goldberg machine
COOK
137. have a movie night with popcorn
138. make an ice cream sundae bar and let them choose their own toppings
139. make play dough, this is the recipe we use
140. decorate cookies
141. make a special snack: fruit in ice cream cones, or this spin on ants on a log
142. make personal pizzas
143. make a mug cake
144. have them help shell peas or shuck corn
145. let them practice measuring with measuring cups, spoons and dry ingredients like beans and rice
146. let them ”cook” with expired food
147. serve snacks in a muffin tin
148. make s’mores, if you’re not comfortable letting them roast marshmallows over the stove, try microwave s’ mores or this dip
149. make one-ingredient banana ice cream
150. set up a blanket and have an indoor picnic
151. set up a cereal bar and let them mix them all together to make their own
152. bake a treat for your pet
MOVE
153. have a dance party
154. have a family jam session with toy instruments a la Jimmy Fallon
155. built an obstacle course, we love this tunnel from Ikea because it’s so easy to store
156. blow up some balloons and try to keep them off the ground
157. do kid-friendly yoga
158. practice tumbling: summersaults, handstands, etc., we use this gym mat from Ikea
159. play some music and learn a new dance move
160. make your own music video or cooking show then watch it back
161. play hide and seek
162. sing Ring Around the Rosy and London bridge
163. have an indoor scavenger hunt
164. hula hoop, this one comes apart for easy storage
165. make paper planes and have a contest
166. pretend like the floor is hot lava and jump from couch cushion to couch cushion
167. try bowling with paper cups and a toy ball
168. play some waste paper basketball
169. do a freeze dance: someone plays a song, and when they pause it everyone has to freeze mid-dance
170. make a ball run out of cardboard tubes
171. set up a blanket and have an indoor picnic
172. have a photoshoot and take turns taking pictures of one another or create scenes with their toys to photograph
173. get a mini trampoline or let them jump on the bed to burn some energy
174. have a treasure hunt: hide things and make a map
175. have an easter egg hunt by hiding toys or treats around the house
176. use painters tape to play indoor hopscotch
177. let them try bathtub diving with snorkel and goggles
178. do a challenge: how many times can you... (jumping jacks, spin around, etc.)
179. make a cardboard beanbag toss
180. play Simon Says
181. play monster, take turns growling and chasing each other around
182. play charades
183. race toy cars
184. play pin the tail on the donkey (with tape)
BACKYARD
185. blow a ton of bubbles, we love this inexpensive bubble machine
186. plant some seeds
187. make a sidewalk chalk mural
188. play hopscotch
189. jump rope
190. go on a bug hunt
191. make liquid watercolors in spray bottles and hang a drop cloth then create some Jackson Pollock style art
192. mix up this recipe then make some giant bubbles
193. make a bird feeder or hummingbird food (just make sure you change it regularly)
194. make mud pies
195. start a rock collection
196. try backyard camping with a real tent
197. make a little fairy garden
198. paint with petals
199. try tie-dying some tee shirts
200. plant garlic or a potato from your pantry
If you have any other ideas or suggested activities for kids at home, we want to hear them! Leave a comment below.
*This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links, click here for our full policy and disclosures.
