COVID-19 has changed the world for everyone but even more so when your child has cancer. You may find yourselves spending a lot of time taking walks and playing in the yard while isolating due to the virus. With colder weather around the corner, it will require getting more creative to keep your family active and engaged. The following are some fun ways to fight boredom this winter.
Get Crafty
Arts and crafts are a great way to help bored kids during the winter months. Aside from filling time, they can develop fine motor skills, increase dexterity, boost creativity and self-esteem, improve memory, enhance psychophysical well-being and promote flexibility.
Get Cooking
Parents can use the winter months to get creative in the kitchen with the kids. It’s a great opportunity to experiment with new recipes and embrace learning opportunities for the whole family. Start a home cooking show, have a baking competition or see who can make the best meal with ingredients already on-hand.
Bring Back Game Night
Having a game night is a great way to have some screen-free, old-fashion board games or puzzle fun with the family. Make some snacks and drinks to enjoy while you play and have a friendly competition. You can even create a scoreboard with a prize at the end of the week for the winner.
Get Active
Let your kids build an obstacle course or fort. A scavenger hunt is also a fun way to get some exercise. (Pro tip: scavenger hunts are more fun in the dark with a flashlight!) Start your day with stretches or yoga. Do you have painters’ or masking tape? Check out these ideas for tape games, from creating a race car track on your floor to making a spider web across a doorway and tossing objects at it to get “caught” in the web. These are all fun ways to keep your kids laughing and active on a cold day.
Become a Bookworm
Start a book club with family and friends. Take turns selecting books to read together and connect each week or month via zoom or Facetime to discuss the book.
“Take” a Trip
Virtual field trips, tours or escape rooms are another fun way to “travel” together!
Share Your Skills
This is a great time to share skills that you know well but are new to family members. Perhaps your grandmother taught you how to sew and now you can pass that onto your kids. Car maintenance, basic home repairs, budgeting and other life skills could be taught during this time. Use these isolated winter months to prepare your kids for their future independence!
Remember that boredom and isolation are temporary. Focus on one day at a time or one hour at a time if that’s helpful for you. Shift expectations for yourself, your children and your family members. We all have different needs that continually change.