Practicing social distancing doesn’t have to mean sitting in front of the TV all day. Here are fun family activities you can do inside and outside of the house.
Plan a Picnic
If your family misses picnics in the park, you can bring this summertime activity into your backyard instead! Start by preparing a traditional picnic lunch like sandwiches, fruit, and potato chips. Load everything into a basket and bring it to your picnic destination, whether it’s a blanket on the lawn or a patio table. Your family will get fresh air and a dose of vitamin D!
Know more on how to pack the perfect picnic.
Host a Four-Square Tournament
This outdoor family activity gets everyone moving! You’ll need four players and a large rubber ball. Draw a 12″ x 12″ square on your driveway. Divide into four squares—A, B, C, and D—and have one player stands in each square. The player in A starts by bouncing the ball in his square, then batting it with open hands into another square. That player must hit the ball into another square. When one player misses or hits the ball out of bounds, he moves to D, the players behind him advance, and you begin again.
Build a Garden Labyrinth
Outline a path in your backyard using stones, twigs, or unmowed grass. Simple patterns can be found on the Internet or in books. Little kids especially will love following the twists and turns of your creation.
Plan a Treasure Hunt
Kids can’t resist a scavenger hunt! Mom or Dad can plant little dime-store jewels and treasures in the garden, then draw up a map with directions for kids. (For an ancient look, let some coffee soak into the map to brown it with age; while the paper is wet, rip it around the edges). You can even hide the map somewhere in the house and let the kids find it while making the bed or putting away toys.
Get Cooking
Don’t forget about indoor family activities for cold or rainy days. One idea is baking or cooking together. Kids especially love making pie crusts, biscuits, and pizza because they can squish the dough with their fingers. When the baking is done, sit back and enjoy a bite alongside a refreshing drink.
See this pie crusts recipe. Kids will love it for sure!
Check Out the Stars
To get started on this fun family activity, download a star chart from the internet. Then choose one spot in your yard that affords a clear view of the heavens, and venture outside to watch how the night sky changes each day. As a bonus, getting a little fresh air before bedtime might help your kids sleep!
Do Magic Tricks
For a unique family activity, look up magic tricks on YouTube and put on a show for little kids. You can also teach an older child some tricks he can perform in front of the whole family.
Play Capture the Flag
You’ll need six or more people and two pieces of fabric in different colors, cut into flags (one for each player). Using flour for the outline, divide your yard into two adjoining courts about 12″ x 12″ each.
Divide into two teams; each person places a flag on the back line of his court. Starting from their flag line, players dash to the opposite side of the field and try to pick up a flag from the other team. If a player is tagged, he’s out and must stand behind the opposing team’s line of flags. If he captures a flag, he’s safe and can return to his court. The team that captures all of the opposing side’s flags first wins.
Have a Taste Test
Choose an exotic cuisine that your children haven’t tried, such as Thai or Brazilian. Find the country on a globe or a map, and read a short encyclopedia or Internet introduction to that nation’s culture. Then make a signature dish from that country for lunch or dinner—for example Pad Thai, or Brazilian coxinhas (chicken croquettes).
Go Camping Inside
Yearning for the great outdoors? Campgrounds may be closed, but you can create a makeshift experience in your living room! Set up blanket forts or tents, tell stories around a “fire” (candles or a lantern), and eat foods like hot dogs and s’mores.