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:
- Virtual museum tour
- Visit an aquarium virtually
- Try Aquarium of the Pacific’s online Aquarium Academy
- Search for kid friendly virtual art classes on youtube, such as artist Mo Willems’ virtual doodle classes.
- Kid-friendly computer or video games
- Yoga or exercise videos
- Read Ebooks through your local library or sites, such as openlibrary.org. These books can also be used for a virtual book club!
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!