Recently, my boyfriend, son and I got the order from our local hospital to quarantine at home while I awaited the results of my COVID-19 test.
As it turns out, I DO NOT have the virus (thank GOD!) but I do have a pretty wicked case of pneumonia that I am dealing with.
I know that a lot of us are currently, will be soon, or have been quarantined at home for some time, so I figured I would put together this fun little list of things you can do with your family to pass the time.
Schools are closing, public gatherings are reduced in half, restaurants, bars, clubs, and many workplaces are closing down as well.
Overall, I have found during my time in quarantine with my family that it is best to keep busy, have fun, and focus on the positive things going on while they are here.
With that said, let’s move on to the list!
#1: Cook With Your Kids
With kids now home from school for an undisclosed amount of time across the nation, that means that there are more mouths to feed at home.
School breakfasts and lunches are something that are often relied on, and can become an important part of a routine, but when that flow of things is disrupted, it can be a good opportunity to connect as a family.
Cooking with your kids will not only allow you to have some help with the meal making (and clean up!), but it will also give your children the opportunity to learn new things as well.
Who said that quarantine couldn’t be educational?
With stores sold out of everything essential pretty much all over, I have opted for some more non traditional methods.
Rad Dish: Kids Cooking Club
Rad Dish is a cooking club with something for all ages. Young children work alongside an adult, while older kids and teens indulge their culinary curiosity! And it’s perfect for picky eaters — kids who cook, eat!
A new kit is delivered to your doorstep every month.
Each kit features a new culinary theme! We also email you a shopping list prior to delivery.
The kitchen is the tastiest place to learn.
Kids develop new cooking skills and confidence in the kitchen all while the entire family builds memories together.
Sun Basket Organic Meals
Cook healthy, delicious dinners with organic produce, premium ingredients, and delicious flavors delivered to your door with Sun Basket Organic Meals.
They pretty much deliver everything you need for the meals, and give you a lot of variety to choose from.
Sun Basket also has a pretty cool option to choose specifics about your meals to fit your family dining habits. From vegan, keto, paleo, vegetarian, gluten free and more. If you need it, Sun Basket Organics has it and will deliver it to your door.
Having food delivered means that you won’t have to go out to the grocery store just to find out that half of the ingredients you needed to buy are gone anyways from all of the panic buying and stockpiling everyone has been doing lately.
Having the meals ingredients ready to cook, in perfect portions and having instructions handy will make it a breeze to incorporate your kids in to the cooking process too!
Seriously though, it is getting bad. I can’t find bread anywhere! (Good thing I’ve got my stand mixer and a good supply of bread ingredients!)
If you are looking for some cool recipes using things that you already have around the house, click here.
#2: Get Educational
With the kiddos out from school, things can get a little hectic. Kids are used to routine, and so are we as parents. When a routine gets thrown off of track for whatever reason, it can be a difficult adjustment for everyone.
Setting some time aside for some at home educational will not only give you as a parent a tiny little mental break from the chaos, but it will also keep your kids occupied and feed their minds whole they are not in school.
For the maximum effect, try to schedule this time for your family to sit down with educational materials at a time they would normally be in the classroom.
ABC Mouse
ABC Mouse is a full online curriculum for ages 2-8. With over 850 lessons and upwards of 9 THOUSAND individual learning activities, ABC Mouse will help to keep your kids on track with learning during the pandemic.
ABC mouse is available on desktops, laptops, smart phones and tablet devices for ease of access. Learning is made fun with ABC Mouse through the educational games throughout the program. Don’t have a tablet yet, or in the market for a new one? Click here for a 20% off code I found on any amazon tablet!
Subjects include:
#3: Play Games
Family game night is a wonderful way to get closer with your family.
There is just something special about sitting around the table, laughing and playing a good old fashioned board game.
Here are my top faves!
Jenga
I am pretty sure everyone has played jenga once or twice before, so there is really no need for me to explain how you play it.
However, there are some tips to make the game even more fun!
Try letting the winner choose dinner for that night, or pick what movie to watch together as a family. It will make the game all that much more fun for everybody.
Connect 4
This game is a family favorite, and has been for years.
Because of the simplicity of the game, it makes it easier for younger kids to get involved. The nature of the game also helps young children strengthen their reasoning skills.
When you want to play a game as a family that does not involve being glued to a screen, connect 4 is the way to go.
#4: Watch Movies
Movies and T.V. shows are one of my personal favorites when it comes to family time. There is just something about lounging around the TV with those you love, having a nice snack and enjoying a good movie or show.
With being kept inside the house for the time being until who knows when, now is the perfect time to get up to date on all of your favorite shows and movies.
Hulu is one of my absolute favorites for movies and shows. There are tons of different things to watch from all genres. My little man Wesley absolutely loves to watch the show “Chowder” on Hulu.
If you are looking to keep up with the whole “Love is Blind” debate, you can find that over on Netflix. Don’t worry, we don’t like Jessica either.
#5: Get Cleaning
Cleaning is totally NOT usually the number one thing that I want to do. Although I love having a clean home, I am not always so gung-ho about getting up and actually doing it.
With the Coronavirus pandemic though, and having a baby in the house, cleaning and disinfecting has become more of a necessity now than ever before.
Cleaning, specifically, cleaning together as a family will not only help to protect yourselves from the virus (and other harmful germs and bacteria), but it will also help to teach your children the value of hard work.
Smaller children can help with simpler tasks like picking up toys, sweeping floors, and dusting. Older children can help with laundry, dishes, and disinfecting surfaces.
Cool Tip: Download and print, or create a “chore chart” for your family, like the ones available here. Whenever a task is completed, give your child a reward. Some ideas are stickers, or stickers that convert into money or other things that your children like.
That’s the end of the list!
Although this list is somewhat basic, sometimes getting back to basics is what we need in our lives. I truly hope that each and every one of you are staying safe, and are able to pull some positivity from all of this.
What an interesting time we are living in.
XOXO,
Lia & Wesley
- I Own A Cleaning Company. Half The Deep Clean You’re Paying For Takes Ten Minutes.
- I Had A Baby This Year. The Hospital Sends You Home With More Than Your Packing List Does.
- I Own A Cleaning Company. The Expensive Repair Is Almost Always A Cheap Chore You Skipped.
- I Did Nails For Twelve Years. Your Cuticles Are Not Supposed To Be Cut.
- I Clean Houses For A Living. More Detergent Is Why Your Towels Smell.
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