Tips for entertaining kiddos during social distancinggirl singing mic

Social distancing can be hard on anyone, but it is especially challenging for young kids (and their parents!) What can you do when school is out and you need to stay home? Here are some tips on how you can destroy boredom and keep your kids entertained.

Keep them moving
Kids need to exercise too! In fact, preschoolers need at least 180 minutes of physical activity each day, while kids ages five to 17 need 60 minutes of mild to moderate exercise a day. Here are some things to keep them moving:
Yoga for kids:
Yoga for kids has become a movement around the world, and there is no time like the present to start your kids on this fun exercise journey! Cosmic Kids Yoga is a great YouTube resource with yoga, mindfulness and relaxation designed especially for kids ages 3+. Added bonus, this channel also has meditation exercises for kids, perfect to help relieve stress during uncertain times.
Have a dance party:
This is good for the kids AND you! Put on some of your favorite tunes and dance like no one is watching! This is a great way to get your heart pumping and relieve a little bit of pent-up energy!
Do a book-work workout:
This is a great way to combine education and exercise! Pick a book that has a word that’s often repeated. Every time the word comes up in the story, get your kid to do a jumping jack.

Get “outdoors”
Did you know that five of the National Parks have virtual park tours? Take a tour of these incredible places, all from the comfort of your living room!
•   Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska
•   Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii
•   Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
•   Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
•   Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida

Take a virtual field trip
The Great STEMporium offers virtual field trips of famous museums, zoos and more!

Get the kids cooking
Educational, hands-on and no need for an internet connection! But, just in case you want some guidance, you can check out the Food Network’s Family and Kids page.

Have a karaoke party
You don’t need to leave the house to have a sing-off! Check out SingSnap, which has a library of free Karaoke tunes.

Do some virtual learning
 Just because school is out, doesn’t mean the learning has to stop! Check-out these online learning sites:
•   ABCs to ACTs – Hundreds of resources, hands-on activity ideas and printables to choose from.
•   Homeschool Hideout, 150+ Educational Shows on Netflix – With educational programming you can feel better about doing a bit of binge watching!
•  We Are Teachers, 60+ Awesome Websites for Teach and Learning Math – If you find yourself struggling to incorporate some math education into your kids’ day, look no farther than this helpful list of teacher-approved, online math education sites.