Ok so last week felt like a trial run, I had Zoe home with me for Thursday and Friday but this week we are in complete quarantine mode. So I thought I 'd share this list of things that don't require screen time but let's say this together "THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH SCREEN TIME" and we will be using it as we see fit or as needed.
I am treating this time as an opportunity to learn, have fun and BE TOGETHER. I want them to simply remember the time together, the fun and not the thoughts that are currently keeping me up at night. But also having a list to refer to will help me as I plan out a little schedule every day. I really hope this helps get you through each day.
1. Pick a subject and spend time researching it, I did this with Zoe and would pick out library books, print print outs for her with facts or coloring sheets and crafts. Spend 30 minutes a day on this subject this week!
2. Bake these dino muffins or boxed muffins or what what just bake something!
3. Take all of your old magazines (or like in my case, ones you have not read) and rip out pages, give them scissors and sheets of papers so they can create a story collage and then have them either write or tell the story.
4. Plant a garden (we got this little kit but Target has a lot of them or seed packets) or repot all of your plants, we are doing both of these!
5. Make a list of people you want to send a card to and work down the list, Zoe will be writing some letters to go with these cards.
6. Family puzzle, we are going to start a puzzle!
7. Have a designated game time, I let each of the girls pick a game and we set out our snack and play all together. This post has our favorites, I am going to add a few more we have now.
8. Take a big box and put out all the supplies for "rocket ship" making class. google some ideas for older kids and let them be in charge of the creative direction. This is a good one, seriously just search kids rocketships on Pinterest.
9. Water play, either give them bowls or a container or get them in the bath with a few cups and strainers. This post has a bunch of bath time tools that keeps them in longer. I love to diffuse some oils when they are in there and use the floor as my "office"!
10. Let them wash the dishes, we keep all the kids bowls, plates and utensils aside and let them girls take turn washing them. I put a towel under the stool and just prepare for a mess.
11. While you clean out all of their winter clothing, have them clean out their stuffs or small toys, I offer up 50 cents for every toy they want to give to a child with no toys. I give them a keep, donate pile and let them do it with no stress from me. Zoe is my hoarder Ami is easily convinced. hahahah.
12. Make a sock puppet! glue, pom poms, buttons, paint, felt and beyond.
13. Decorate your door. I got the ideas from @makermint I drew Happy Spring in bubble letters and let them trace the letters with marker and then they each used markers to draw "things that made them think of Spring" (Ami drew a volcano in one of her letters, hahahah we read a book about volcanos last week). And tomorrow I will help them cut them out and hang them in our hallways wall for all of us to see. cute ideas here! I may add some cute stuff like this door but I'll trace the pictures and let them color them in with letters or pictures.
14. Build a fort, (we love this kit) give them snacks, flashlights and let them have reading time in the fort! Or even just coloring or our favorite eye spy books or give them some free-play time!
15. Obstacle Course, we did this with our tunnel, stepping stones, sit and spin and bouncy ball with handles. I told them I would time them to see how long it took they could do it (but really I just wanted 10 minutes of "move your body" before lunch.
16. We will be doing 20 minutes (or more) of Spanish every day. Is there a language you have been wanting to introduce or learn yourself? This is a great time to do a little time every day of it. This post has some printable and a ton of activities I will be picking from this month.
17. Listen to an audible book or music (bonus points for it being in a language you are wanting to learn!) while playing with kinetic sand or play-doh.
18. Have a family member teach a lesson! Ok so this is screen time but FaceTime someone that will do a math lesson, or language or that your child can read to! And seriously schedule daily FaceTime's with grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins etc.
19. Scavenger Hunt! We are going to do this with shapes around the house, pick one a day that they have to take their sketch pads and draw everything round they see or everything green (like we are doing tomorrow!).
20. Do something you are interested in. Seriously, do you love photography and have a camera? Do you love to paint? Do you love to sew? Do you really enjoy organizing or decorating, have them join you in something you enjoy. For me it's my plants or making a space pretty/organizing, or cooking in general. Today they made smoothies and kale chips, helped plate their own lunches and as simple as it sounds, it's something they will remember doing WITH YOU.
I will also say, remember to stick with it!!! It takes a bit to get use to a new routine and this is not only hard and new and confusing for you it is the same for them. Even the littlest sense the change. So keep it up. Get dressed, brush teeth and have fun with it.
Here was todays schedule, I'll continue to add the schedules here the rest of the week and post on Instagram.
Next up for my posts to help you during this social distancing/ homeschooling time is a resource list, a place where I can link other bloggers fun ideas, different free resources to get print outs, apps or online schooling. All of this to just be there for you because this is what I always envisioned my blog as, a place to help other mamas.
Lot's lots to come so keep on coming back, and if you subscribe you will get an email overtime one of these posts are live.
I also promise to keep up with other fun content, like what I am buying for Spring, some yummy/fast meals and maybe even I'll get a chance to finish decorating the living space, kitchen and bedrooms.
we got this.
xoxo
Natalie
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