Summer Fun COVID-19: Plan a staycation!

If your family vacation plans have been cancelled or postponed due to the coronavirus, try planning a staycation. Although this isn’t the same as going to the beach or traveling to a favorite family spot, it can still be a great way to relax, unwind, and enjoy a vacation. Work together as a family to come up with some ideas for what your staycation will look like. Check out the ideas below to get you started!

Plan a backyard camping trip.

Grab some sleeping bags, set up a tent, and get supplies for s’mores. Backyard camping can be a fun way to get out of the house, enjoy some fresh air, and use your imagination to have fun as a family!

Set up a spa-cation.

Create an at-home spa experience for some self-care, relaxation, and pampering. Create different stations for activities like face masks, meditation/yoga, or hair styling. Get creative and find what works best for you!

Transform your backyard into a water park.

This doesn’t have to be anything fancy or expensive. It can be as simple as hooking a hose up to a sprinkler system, making water balloons, and using a kiddie pool to have fun and cool off during the summer months. 

Be sure to plan activities for both you and your kids.

You’ve probably been focusing on ways to keep your kids entertained during this time of social distancing and self-isolation, but it’s just as important to set aside time for yourself. Plan staycation time for you to unwind and do something you enjoy, as well as making time to connect with your partner, if you’re in a relationship. This might look like quiet time for reading or other hobbies that you enjoy!

Summer Fun COVID-19: Activities you can do at home

With summer quickly approaching, many families may be thinking ahead to what their summers will look like in the age of coronavirus. Many regular summer activities and vacations may be cancelled or postponed; however, that doesn’t mean that you can’t have a summer full of fun! There are many ways to adapt summer plans and activities to continue to have fun this summer, while also staying safe and healthy. Starting today and continuing throughout this week, we’ll be sharing tips to help you have a summer full of fun while building healthy family relationships during the coronavirus pandemic. 

Tip 1: Plan fun activities you can try at home with the whole family.

There are many great activities to try at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only are these activities fun, but they can also promote learning and create time for family bonding!

Experiment in the kitchen. A great way to teach your kids practical life skills, while also having fun and bonding, is to experiment in the kitchen! Help them find a recipe they want to try and work together to make it. Try introducing new recipes each week!

Take advantage of virtual activities. With coronavirus limiting our ability to physically go places, the virtual world has become more and more relevant. There are lots of ways to explore and connect to the world around us using the internet and technology! Try using zoom, skype, facetime, or other platforms to connect to friends and family virtually or to hold a virtual book club. We also encourage you to check out some of the following virtual activities:

Create arts and crafts. A great way to promote creativity and learning, while having fun as a family is to engage in arts and crafts. There are lots of great kid-friendly art project ideas available on pinterest and youtube! Remember, these projects don’t have to be perfect and may not always go as planned. Try and keep an open mind and embrace the learning process, as you and your kids figure this out together. 

 

Family activity nights. Set aside one night a week for a family activity night, such as a movie, puzzle, or game night. Not only can this be lots of fun, but it also creates stability and consistency, while promoting family bonding. Rotate who gets to pick the activity each week!

These are just some of the many things that you and your family can do for fun this summer! We encourage you to get creative and keep thinking of new and fun ideas!

 

Helping Kids Cope with Grief during COVID-19: Series Intro

The coronavirus pandemic has led to many sudden changes and losses, including the cancellation of important life events and the loss of normalcy. This has been challenging for all of us and has led to feelings of grief and confusion, as we try to navigate this difficult and uncertain time. This is especially true for children, who have faced many losses due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Grief can be a difficult topic, especially when the losses we’re experiencing are more ambiguous and not the “typical” understanding of loss, such as the death of a loved one. Kids may be experiencing grief without truly knowing how to define what they’re feeling and experiencing. As adults and parents, we can help kids name, process, and cope with the grief they are experiencing. 

This week, we’ll be sharing tips to help you support kids as they grieve the losses they have experienced during the coronavirus pandemic.