Parents are scrambling on how to care for their children in the coming weeks while trying to maintain employment.  Cabin fever is real.  To avoid restlessness or the feeling of confinement, here are some suggestions of things to do with kids during March break and beyond.

I am a mom of two and have realized that the best way to keep kids occupied at home is to have a plan and do things out of the ordinary.  Focus on having fun.  Here are some ideas:

Games 
Pull out old games. Play cards.  Gather coins, buttons or anything of a similar size then take turns throwing them into a bowl for points.

Physical Activity
Encourage to play outdoors if feasible.  Enjoy a nature walk. Have dance parties.  Try yoga.  Make an obstacle course.

Get Silly
Lay a blanket on the floor and have a fun picnic.  Watch movies.  Make forts.  Have a fashion show. Sing together.

Rest time 
Allocate rest time every day. Kids can nap, read or simply have quiet time in their room.  Read.  Read alone.  Read outside. Read out loud. Read together. 

Use Technology 
Use Facetime or WhatsApp video for your kids to interact with family and friends. Reach out to other parents and arrange an "online playdate" – they can discuss what they did that day or show their favorite toy. 

Projects
Bake. Complete projects in the house like painting, adding a new shelf, organizing cupboards, or cleaning out the filing cabinets. 

With kids home for a long we must always remember the "why" in all of this:  to keep our families safe and reduce the spread of COVID-19. 

Enjoy the time with your family and learning more about each other. This time does not need to be daunting, but rather an opportunity to be grateful that we do not need to wake the kids up early and get them ready for school.  One thing is certain, we will all feel a little calmer and in control when we have a sample schedule of what is to come during the next few weeks.

Gaby Mammone is a social entrepreneur and a mom.  She is a kindness advocate and an Ambassador with the MS Society of Canada.  Gaby is on a mission to cultivate kindness in a movement called #BeAwareBeKind.
Facebook, Instagram & Twitter:  @gabymammone 
www.gabymammone.ca