During this unprecedented time, we, as I'm sure all other parents are, struggling to maintain a sense of normalcy in our homes when the world has been upended. These are the ways we get our kids back on track when they're having a rough day at home while social distancing.
1. Climb
The kids are constantly using their Pikler Triangle, we got ours from Lily & River. They love to climb over it, under it, build forts with it, and read under it. If your kids have access to existing outdoor play spaces on your property, EVEN BETTER!
2. Rock
The girls also love to move their bodies a balance board, they rock back and forth pretending to "surf" or lay on it and rock softly while watching a movie. Popular brands for these include Wobbel & Kinderfeets. Since getting this toy at Christmas, their imagination has gone wild, they love to use it as a bridge for a silk "river" for their animals to cross over and swim under.
3. Build a Fort
This is a classic but ever-popular way to entertain the kids for a bit. Use the flat sheets from those pesky 4 piece sheet sets, half of which you never use, play silks, blankets, and furniture to help the kids build a fort. If you have bigger kids they can probably do it themselves, half the fun is the building process. After the fort is complete, fix the kids a snack plate to share and have fun listening to them play.
4. Dig in the Dirt
One of our girls' favorite pastimes is getting D-I-R-T-Y. I'm talking dumping a bucket of muddy water on their head dirty. They need nothing more than sticks and old sand toys to have hours of fun. Something else we do is have them go on an outdoor scavenger hunt with a notebook and colored pencils, they have to find the things on the list outside and draw them to the best of their abilities.
Examples of things to look for: tree bark, a flower, a leaf, a pinecone, a bird, a bug, a rock, etc.
5. Dance
Throughout the course of the pandemic, one of our favorite things to do is to tell Alexa to put on a killer playlist and cut a rug. They put on shows, dance with each other, do somersaults, and are learning the macarena. It's always good for a giggle when everyone is in an otherwise terrible mood.
However you choose to try and keep everyone busy during this unprecedented time, please know that we're all struggling to adapt, do what you can with what you have. Grant yourself and your kids some grace.
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