Fun Family Activities To Do When You Can’t Leave Home
It’s calling for rain every day for the foreseeable future and we are about to start our Spring break. My husband is really wanting to head out to a warm, dry locale, but with the current situation in our country with the coronavirus, I am NOT up for travel!
I tend to be a homebody to begin with, but right now I am certainly in “hunker down” mode. Not out of fear necessarily, but just out of what seems like is becoming necessity!
So I have decided to make the very best of this current situation! Maybe we won’t go to the beach…. and we probably won’t use our tickets to the science museum that are about to expire? But, there is still A LOT of fun to be had at home! We can create wonderful memories right in our own homes!
Plan A Stay-cation
Often when you are planning a stay-cation, you think about where you can go in your area. However, for the purposes of this stay-cation, you will want to think of places right around (or inside) your home that you can find (or create) some entertainment!
Ideas for a your stay-cation:
- Pitch a tent in the backyard & camp out for a night or two!
- Put on a family concert, play or variety show!
- Explore a park in or near your community that you don’t get to visit often.
FUN Family Nights
There are so many things that you can do as a family at home! You really can let your imagination go wild! Look at these ideas below & use them as a jumping off place & put your own special twist on the ideas!
Around the World Night
Plan a dinner from another country! Give your kids ideas for decorations from the country and let them have fun setting the table in the them of the night! If you are eating Japanese, maybe you have some chop sticks at each place! Be sure to have fortune cookies to finish the dinner off! You can even discuss different interesting facts from the country!
Family Cooking Night
If your children are old enough, you could divide up the meal & have each person make on part of the meal. To make things even more fun & interest, you could supply the ingredients, but not the recipe! You might even give a mystery ingredient like they do in so many TV cooking shows! At the end of the night, vote on which dish wins!
Movie Night
Pop popcorn & have M&Ms on hand so you can sit back and enjoy a favorite old movie! Have your kids ever seen the original Superman or the first Star Wars? Make it an extra fun evening by getting party plates & napkins that go along with your theme!
Game Night
Take some time one evening to get out the board games and play with all of the family! Be sure to turn the TV off and get everyone involved! Can’t order pizza, start your evening with mini pizzas that everyone can top for themselves!
Family Reading
Maybe this would be a good time to sit down as a family to read some of the old classics that you have been wanting to read your children! Look for a series that teaches good life lessons, like
- Little House on the Prairie
- The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe
- Little Women
Play Outside
Playing outside is a wonderful pass time for children! Especially during this time when they hear panic & fear from so many news agencies, encourage them to go outside (assuming that you have a yard or space) and just be kids!
Did you know that when we are out in the sun, our bodies produce Vitamin D & that vitamin D helps boost our immune system! So playing outside for our kids (and us) is a win-win!!!
Try setting up a volleyball net or a small basketball hoop in the driveway! Give your kids sidewalk chalk, bubbles, or Nerf guns to take outside & play with!
Spring Games
If you are blessed enough to live in the country, go outside & have a picnic or create an outdoor Olympic Games day for your kids! Come up with 5-10 different “events”, maybe a race, gymnastics, softball throw, tug of war, etc & give small gifts or medals to the winners of each event!
Art Box
You know how when life gets really busy, you don’t really have time or energy to do anything extra? Well, for me that usually includes arts and crafts with my kids! Be sure to stock up on glue, markers, paint, construction paper, & all sorts of art supplies to keep your kids busy!
You can work together on a specific project or get everything out & just let them create! A really fun idea is to give each child a box (maybe save a few back from your next Amazon order?) and let them make their own cars, trains, or even buildings? Your kids will love the chance to create what they see in their mind and you will love the open-ended play that follows their creations! (This large art set would be an awesome boredom buster for your kiddos!!!)
Homemade Ice Cream Party
Let each member of your family create their own ice cream flavor & serve them after supper! Have a taste testing to determine who the winner is!
Do Something For Others
I think this is an amazing opportunity for Christians to show God’s love & peace during these times that we don’t really know what to expect! We may not able to go out face to face, but we can still communicate & encourage others via text, call or social media. Think of those especially who may be isolated at home by themselves & try to reach out to them every day or so.
If you know someone is sick, you certainly don’t want to go to visit, but you may choose to take food to their home & leave it at the door or put a loaf of homemade banana bread in their mailbox!
Plant A Garden
As the weather warms, this could be a great time to think about planting a small garden! There are so many things we don’t usually have time for that you may find that you can do now that you are at home with a little extra time on your hands!
Mom/Dad’s Day Off
It can be hard for parents to be at home with their kids non-stop for days on end! So maybe you & your spouse can work out a swap for days off! Mom may choose to use her time soaking in the tub, painting her nails, or watching a movie! Dad could go outside & hit golf balls, ride horses (my hubby), or watch TV. The ideas is to have a few minutes to yourself to decompress from your everyday demands as a parent!
Learn Something New
- Sew- If you have been wanting to learn how to sew, this could be a wonderful time to learn the basics! Have a simple patterns, scissors, needle, thread & fabric on hand so you can get started! Check online for some beginners classes for sewing!
- A New Language- It’s amazing how today with our access to the world thru the internet that we can learn so much from our own couches! Find a beginners course in whatever language that you want to learn!
- Build Things- I know nothing about building, but if you have children that want to learn, you could order a starter builder kit or some basic tools to help them get going.
- To Cook-make bread, cookies homemade- Have a little cooking lesson once or twice a week with your children! This is likely something that you don’t typically have time for, so take advantage of the time you have!
- Play an Instrument- All 3 of my boys play instruments, but even if your child doesn’t, you can find quick tips & lessons on YouTube to get them started playing that ukelele or guitar that has been sitting in their room. That’s a great way to pass this time that you all will have on you hands for the next few weeks!
Memorize Scripture!
This is really something that we should already be doing regularly, but during this unprecedented time in our nations history, let’s look to the Lord for our comfort! Our children are especially hearing many scary & confusing details about the risk of the coronavirus! It is so important that in our preparation that we help them know where our real peace comes from!
Check out my beautiful scripture cards about worry in my Resource Library & download them for use at home! Work on memorizing at least one per week to help hide God’s word in your hearts to guard against the fear & worry that seems to be all around us!
Overall, I think it is so important to just remember that God is STILL in control!! This virus & all of the things going on around us are not a surprise to God! Let’s look at this time as an opportunity to slow down! We can find ways to connect with our children that we don’t usually have time or maybe even energy for! Let’s remember that God really does work ALL THINGS for our good, and let us put our trust & hope in HIM!
Do you have any other fun ideas to stay busy & enjoy time together at home during this “hunker down” period we are in? Please share any other ideas in the comments so we can keep the list going!!!
