With schools in Boise and surrounding cities officially closed for the rest of the school year, parents are looking for ways to educate and entertain their children while practicing social distancing. I reached out to some of my mom friends for tips on how they’re coping with having a full house. I’ve included a few of the free resources that they’re utilizing with the hopes that you find something useful from this list!
Activities for Busy Kids
For those with younger kiddos, Busy Toddler is a lifesaver. Susie, a mom of three, former teacher, and creator of Busy Toddler, provides easy activities for parents to incorporate at home. This list of 40+ indoor activities is a great place to start. While the name of the blog may say “toddler,” Susie has older children who she has created activities for as well, such as this list of 25 activities for kids ages 8 to 12.
Free Education Resources
If your school isn’t providing education resources currently, or you’d like to try your hand at incorporating more learning opportunities into your child’s day, there are great organizations offering free materials.
If you’re struggling to get your child on a schedule, Khan Academy provides free daily schedules for all school ages. While Scholastic has day-to-day projects for you to access. For younger children, ABCMouse is an early learning academy for ages 2 to 8 and is offering a free 30-day trial.
Get Crafty
If your children love to stretch their artistic skills, then you’re in luck. From Baby Shark to sports, Crayola has numerous free coloring pages for you to choose from. All Kids Network provides free coloring pages and craft ideas for you to tackle while at home. For even more craft ideas, there’s Fun Family Crafts to the rescue. And if all else fails, you can always scroll through Pinterest!
Take a Trip
If you’re tired of staring at your four walls, then it’s time to take a trip to the San Diego Zoo. The famous zoo has numerous live streams of their animals for you and your family to view. Or take a tour of the deep blue with Monterey Bay Aquarium to watch everything from sharks to otters enjoy their watery haven.
Always wanted to tour a Smithsonian? Now’s your chance. Walk through the National Museum of Natural History with this virtual tour. If you’d rather step outside, take a virtual run of the Grand Canyon from rim to river!
Have you been using any free resources to keep the kiddos entertained at home? Please share! The more our community works together during this time, the easier it will be for all of us. Stay safe and healthy.
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