13 things to do during Isolation
This is what we did with our children during isolation when covid was in full swing.
With all the pandemics that have happened over the years I am sure there will be more to come. These ideas can be used at any time you don’t need to be in a pandemic to enjoy these activities with your children.
- Dressing up
Most children like dressing up. Dressing up and make believe games can be played for as long as the imagination holds out. You don’t need to have shop bought costumes. Hats pretend jewellery dad’s old shirt. Make your own from paper and cardboard.
Sail in a boat to an imaginary destination and explore it.
Rescue someone from a dragon. The dragon can be a teddy bear.
Liam’s favourite sword fighting while pretending to be a ninja turtle.
2. Picnic in your yard
Because we can’t actually go to the park, bring the park to you. Pack a picnic like you are going to the park but set it up in your yard. Rediscover your yard with your children.
3.At home library
No more visits to the library. So make your own library. Pack a box full of books, choose a day and that’s library day. Bring your library bag and choose a few books out of the box and these are the books you read for the week until it’s library day again.
4. Pavement chalk
Pavement chalk, this is a favourite in our household all the children join in. I think they like it so much because they are drawing on the pavement and it’s a change from drawing on paper. Sometimes they even draw hopscotch games.
5. Jigsaw Puzzles
Doing jigsaw puzzles together. When the children see me doing a puzzle they all flock to help me but for them to do a puzzle on their own they never get them out. It’s a great way to spend some time together as a family, pass some time and give your brain a workout. We have a stash of puzzles. When not in isolation you can get them from op shops and borrow them from the library
6. Camping in the backyard (or inside if you have room)
Pitch a tent in the backyard and have a campout. No tv or electronics fun outside activities only. Like cricket, soccer and other ball activities. The only time you can go inside is for the bathroom or to get more supplies. If the weather is not too good and you have room to put the tent up inside. The kids have pop up tents so it’s easy to put them up inside for us and we have room in our toy room.
7. Make a vegetable garden
Start a vegetable garden. This is a long term project depending on the seed. It takes 6-10 days for the seeds to germinate and then an average of 10 weeks to produce the vegetables. But at this time when you are not wanting to leave the house as much and fruit and vegetable prices have gone sky high the wait will be worth it, plus eating your own fresh vegetables is all the reward that you need.
8. Board games
Board games are a favourite in our household and we don’t play them enough. Some of our favourites are Chess, Snakes and Ladders, monopoly and their new found favourite Game of Life. I will be teaching them how to play Yahtzee this week. It was a favourite of mine when I was a child. Liam loves to make patterns in connect 4.
9. Card Games
Card games are also fun. Uno is one of our favourites. Liam also joins in on this game. It’s good for him learning to recognise his numbers and colours and counting when the poor little guy has to do the pick up on the draw 4 cards. Snap and go fish are also good games for the family. The children learnt how to play skip bo on our holiday and have asked for this card game. It will be fun getting the children to teach us how to play a card game for a change.
10. Movie Night
Have a movie night, make it like you’re going to the cinemas. Everyone gets a ticket and a voucher from the “candy bar”. Make it even more interesting and they can earn their candy bar vouchers. I know I could get my children to do chores around the house or yard to earn them. A few of mine are competitive so they would try and get more vouchers than the others. The candy bar doesn’t have to be something expensive. You can have homemade treats that the children have helped you prepare.
11. Colouring in
I find colouring in is so relaxing. I also find if I sit down to colour in the children will come and join me. I don’t need to encourage them at all. If you don’t have any colouring in books, pictures can be downloaded and printed from the internet.
12. Playdough
Playdough is fun for all ages and is very easy to make (recipe here) It’s great for fine motor skills, challenges to make an item and you can use it in your homeschooling also. You can make spelling words, use it for maths problems. You can add glitter or sand to it for different textures. Or essential oils for a fragrant playdough. Playdough is a very versatile product.
13. Scavenger Hunt
Scavenger Hunts can be a lot of fun. You just need to have a list of items that the children or adults need to find. The list can be simple or complicated depending on the age of the children. Can be as easy as bringing back your favourite toy. Finding something that is yellow. Collecting a bath toy.
I hope you find something on our list of 13 fun things to do in isolation. A lot of these suggestions can also be done when you are not in isolation as well. Have fun and stay safe.