Reclaiming Routine At Home
By Discount School Supply
For parents who are quarantined or self-isolating at home with their children, maintaining a routine can be challenging. In this article, you'll find some simple, fun and educational activities to help reclaim some consistency and normalcy in your day.Recent studies show that kids who garden are more likely to choose a fruit or vegetable as a snack rather than junk food. (Candy bars don't grow on trees.)
As schools all over are taking precaution and closing to prevent the spread of the COVID-19, you may find yourself at home with your little ones wondering how to get through the next few days, weeks or even hours. While this is certainly a stressful time for adults, having their usual routines disrupted can cause stress and anxiety for children as well.
Providing routine and a sense of normalcy at home can help relieve some of your child's stress, anxiety and boredom (and yours as well). Below are some suggestions for building a routine around activities that are fun, engaging and educational. Explore these activities and modify them to fit your own child's interests and routine.
Create a Daily Schedule Board
Give structure to your day by creating a large graphic board that organizes the day into meals, educational activities, free time, rest time, etc. You may follow your child's normal preschool routine as close as possible to maintain some consistency. A daily schedule made on poster board, paper rolls or pocket charts can provide a sense of structure with helpful visual cues.STEM Learning Materials
Turn time at home into learning time together by using toys, games and manipulatives with an emphasis on STEM. Construction sets, for example, are a great way to practice engineering skills while enjoying hours of fun building together. Our STEM activities section provides tons of creative learning activities using both specialized products and around-the-house materials.
Craft Hour
Crafting is a great way to express creativity, build motor skills and create items to show off to friends and family (from a healthy distance). Use some of your child's favorite materials, but also challenge them to explore new artistic mediums and techniques. Explore our creative activities for tons of creative projects!Educational Games
Games are a fun way to pass the time, but they can also provide terrific practice in a variety of learning areas. Our selection of games is easy to sort by age or grade to find the most appropriate ones for your child. For online gaming, there are many websites such as education.com, abcya.com and pbskids.org that feature fun educational games for children of different ages and abilities.Virtual Tours
While virtual tours may not be as fun as actually getting out of the house to explore, they can be informative, entertaining and provide a well of ideas for future trips and vacations. A quick online search for "museum virtual tours" and "national park virtual tours" will yield many results to start your virtual exploration.Outside Time
Depending on your local restrictions, it may be safe for you to take a walk or visit a public park while maintaining a safe distance between other people. Outdoor active play is important for healthy childhood development and for building strong immune systems. Even a short walk and a breath of fresh air can help you and your child feel rejuvenated and relaxed.featured articles
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