Boredom Busters for Social Distancing

With school officially cancelled for at least two weeks in Florida I am in full-time mom mode. I’m going to work out a schedule to do some school work in the morning and then activities for the afternoons. I’m by NO MEANS taking away all screen time (I’m not a masochist) but I DO want to limit it and not fall into the trap of letting them watch hours upon hours of it. I’m providing both indoor and outdoor activities. Since it’s warm here there are water play ones included but I know that’s not an option everywhere. I’m linking to items in case anyone wants to grab a few things but hopefully you can utilize a lot of what you already have at home. Hang in there- we can do this!

Inside Activities

• Make paper airplanes
• Playdough
• Kinetic sand
• Water beads and fine motor tools
• Make Oobleck (mix cornstarch and water and add food coloring (optional)
• Sensory bins – rice, shredded paper, nature items from outside etc
• Coloring Books
• Kwick Sticks – we LOVE these paint sticks!
• Watercolors
• Finger Paint
• LEGOs
• Play trains
• Board games
• Build a fort
• Academic workbooks
• Read stories
• Make up and illustrate our own stories
• Puzzles
• Make slime
• Build with blocks
• Magnetic Tiles/ Magformers
• Craft- use stuff you already have or order a few kits
• Make an obstacle or ninja course
• Bake cookies
• Play house/ kitchen/ doctor
• Play dress up/superheroes
• Make cards to mail to relatives
• Science experiments
• Make sock puppets or paper bag puppets
• Flash card games- I do stuff like lay out letter flashcards or sight word flashcards and they have to run and find the letter or word I say. Sort of like the shuttle run but with academics. Sometimes I bribe them with an M&M if they get them all right on the first try.
• Decorate and play in cardboard boxes- we use Kwik Stix for this and they make space ships, houses, cars, etc. Keeps them busy or hours!
• Tablets/video games/ screen time

Outside Activities 

• Ride bikes
• Skateboard/ rollerskate/ scooters
• Water table
• Wading pools/sprinklers
• Go on a walk
• Play soccer
• Go fishing
• Fly kites
• Sidewalk chalk
• Nature Scavenger Hunt – I have a printable one here