20 ideas of things to do with children while social-distancing

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Okay, I'm sure that I, along with everyone else that I know am about ready to go out into the world again and interact with people. And this is coming from an introvert (I don't even want to hear about my extroverted friends).

Does anyone else feel that each day is just so damn LONG? I mean, even after work, breakfast, chores, more work, homeschool, and a long walk there are still HOURS left in the day before bedtime?

It's not just me? Good.

Honestly though, forget about our phones and the internet, I'm missing the shops (ah, thrifting...) and good old visits with friends and family.

Here is a little list of things that I've found to while away the time while being at home 24/7 with two small children. The best part? These are all things that you probably have one hand already around the house, or can easily do without extra materials or equipment!

1. Play games. If there was EVER a time to break out the board games now is the time! The girls and I play games almost every day and I'm sure that if you don't then this may be even more exciting for your kiddos. Here's a list of some of our favorite board games.

2. Bake something. I'm not a huge fan of baking (I DO love to cook though!), but I did make gluten-free brownies the other day with the kiddos. The girls love to bake and I usually rely on my sisters to bake with them but in this case, since we haven't been able to see them in a while, I decided to make something with them.

3. Go for a walk.  Fresh air is good! Go for a walk, whether it's around town or at your local nature center (just be sure to practice safe distancing!). In our area, people have been painting and hiding small rocks and the kids love collecting those. You could also do a scavenger hunt.

4. Read books. While we are blessed with an extensive personal library I know that's not the case for everyone. Thankfully libraries are still lending online, and you can listen to books on tape as well (totally counts!) that you can borrow from the online library systems and audible, etc. You can also sign up for a kid's book subscription!

5. Watch a movie. Have a movie night (or day!). We have most of the streaming services (Hulu, Netflix, Prime, and Disney+) and so far our go-to (with the kids) has been Disney+. They have some great family-friendly movies (hello, Frozen 2!).

6. Craft. I'm not really a "crafty" person, but the kids LOVE craft projects. If you don't have a ton of supplies considering signing up for a subscription box and make things easy for yourself (that's what I do)!

7. Paint. Finger painting, oils, or watercolors. It really doesn't matter how kids paint, it's just something about the blending of colors (and the mess!) that they love. However, it does keep them busy and you can have an art display after!

8. Have a cleaning party. Yup. Turn on some music, get the kids involved and clean the house, or declutter! It's not like you don't have the time, right?

9. Host a tea party. Tea parties are fun. Pull out the china, grab some dolls, stuffed animals and children, and gather around the table for some cookies and tea.

10. Practice dance or ballet. Right now there are a host of free online activities (such as museum tours, aquarium tours, read alouds, drawing lessons and more). Turning on an online dance, yoga, or ballet lesson will not only give the children something to do, but gets some of that extra energy out!

11. Plant a garden. Starting new growth is always exciting! Consider planting a garden, or starting some seedlings. If you don't have access to yard space for a garden you can always plant some indoor plants, or start a balcony garden in pots. We love this little fairy kit.

12. Build a fort. Indoors or outdoors, it does matter. Build a fort and have a picnic or read inside of it. I promise the kids will love it!

13. Start a collection. Start collecting something (my kiddos have a nature collection, and I collect vintage Breyer horses, but it can be anything). Nature, collectibles, art, whatever it is it's fun, ongoing hobby.

14. Play with play-doh (or slime). We love play-doh around here. It's also fun to MAKE play-doh. Peanut butter play-doh? Edible? Non-edible? The options are endless!

15. Get a new pet. Okay. This is for the brave ones out there. But I promise a new pet will give the kids hours (and I mean HOURS) of distraction. Plus. it's a good time because everyone is at home! It doesn't need to be a puppy. We actually just got Adri a new little pet mouse and she's been thrilled (and occupied) with that!

16. Have an "at home spa day". Little girls love spas. Turn on some quiet music or nature sounds. grab some cucumbers, nail polish and face masks. You'll easily take up an afternoon this way.

17. Color. Coloring books, blanks pages. Pull out the crayons, markers, or colored pencils. Little kids love to color.

18. Learn to knit or sew. Small children can easily learn to finger knit or do simple sewing projects with a bit of help. Once they get good at it they can do it on their own, giving you some time to yourself!

19. Facetime with friends. Missing family and friends? We have! We've been FaceTiming people and that makes us feel just a little less isolated.

20. Make paper dolls. I don't know about you guys, but I loved making paper dolls when I was little. They're easy to draw and cut out and provide hours of enjoyment.

Above all, the goal is to have fun! This isn't a time to have a checklist of everything to "do" with your kiddos! If your thing is lying on the couch, watching t.v shows and eating pretzels than that's awesome. If you're feeling overwhelmed then stop doing whatever it is you're doing.

Enjoy this time with your kiddos, take things easy, and HAVE FUN!