Another year, another pandemic summer. If you are like most working parents, you’ve most likely exhausted your supply of fun indoor activities to entertain your kids.
Unfortunately, the recent spike of Covid-19 cases across the country has severely limited our options for outdoor summer activities. And even as things open up, it’s still best to be cautious especially if you have younger children who are still unvaccinated.
So yes, we may have to be extra creative again this summer if we choose to enforce social distancing. Good thing there is no shortage of fun family activities we can all do together indoors. Here are some.
When you can’t go to the beach
- Mini water park at home – Kids love water activities. If you still don’t have them, a few cheap online purchases consisting of a kiddie pool, water balloons, or slip and slide will surely be a hit among the kids.
- Lawn sprinkler fun – If you have them in your backyard, get your kids playing around the sprinklers for an afternoon of fun.
- Go to a lake instead – Best if you can find a nearby lake that’s not too crowded. Lake waters can be calmer than the sea, which is a better option for kids.
When you can’t host a party
- How about a Zoom party, instead? – Gather your friends and family online for a fun afternoon of online games, trivia, or even karaoke.
- Dance party – Dancing is a wonderful way for children to stay healthy and develop flexibility, physical strength and stamina. Dance the night away, laugh a lot, even better, post it on TikTok. 😀
- Virtual movie nights – Metastream and Teleparty are apps that allow you to watch movies with your friends in real-time. They work by syncing the video player so everyone has exactly the same movie playing, and adding a group chat so that you can chat while watching it. Or even if you don’t have access to these apps, your kids will love watching movies from the comfort of your backyard – all you need is a screen and a projector.
When you really need to stay inside the house
- Arts and crafts – Make puppets, paint family portraits, learn some origami, create a family playlist on Spotify, make paper dolls, learn how to bake, make accessories for your pets, write poems or songs, the list goes on. You don’t even have to be creative to learn how to do these, just hop on Pinterest and Youtube to find an age-appropriate arts and crafts activity for your kids.
- Work out daily – Children need at least 60 minutes of physical activity to make their hearts beat faster. Dancing, walking around the house, running up and down the stairs can be a good alternative for outside activities.
- Science experiments – Science experiments offer children incredible opportunities to learn something new, and also feel like they are just having fun. Get your baking sodas, vinegars and food coloring ready. But if you don’t want them touching your kitchen ingredients, you can also purchase prepared science kits for them online.
If you feel like expanding your indoor space, retractable awnings are a simple addition that can turn your backyard into a relaxing hangout place for your family any time. We would be delighted to answer any questions you have about installing awnings in your home. Please call us at 587-317-6933 to schedule a time to discuss your awning and shutter needs.