Keeping Children of All Ages Entertained at Home

This business of home sanctuary for an indefinite period has its challenges, doesn’t it? 

I titled this Children of All Ages because my circle and I feel like 5-year-olds on occasion – we’d all like to pout and melt down then storm out of the room and slam the door.

However. Most Americans anyway, always swear that time goes by so fast, too fast – don’t they? Children seem to grow up overnight. You know, it seems like I graduated from college 10 minutes ago, LOL! 

What if this was a strangely rare opportunity to hold time, slow it down?

What if this was an opportunity that ideally, will create memories that later on in life, we’ll recall and laugh about? Anything is possible.

Here are a few ideas for making this window of time count for you and those you truly love.

Take Dance breaks.  Every day if possible.

As you read this, lots of people are enjoying live dance sessions on Zoom especially, as a way to connect, stay uplifted, and fit – with friends all over the world. I ought to know, because it’s this is my 9am call every day lately! 

Here’s how you and yours can play, as a school recess break for children and one well-deserved from your day job desk(s):

• • Invite loved ones from the US and even around the world to play with you.
  • Set a daily time to include everyone in all time zones; do your best to be on time.
  • Create playlists as a family for dancing to at least 4 (new) tunes every day.
  • Establish a code that everyone plays nicely, this way shy dancers will feel safe and gain self-confidence. Make it optional for ZOOM guests to use their own personal video.
  • If you’d like, make it a way to dance out any fears, frustrations, worries, cares, upsets. You may even follow a Native American tradition of dancing in hopes and dreams (surely you’ve heard of rain dances ;)! This is very therapeutic and you really feel great afterward!
  • Notice how much you’ll laugh. Laughter is excellent for healthy immune systems!
  • If Dancing isn’t necessarily your thing but you like to make music together, check out this #MakeSomeJoy challenge!

Get friendly with the National Day Calendar. 

There are National and International days (and months too) for foods, people, pets, world events – something for everyone. If you follow our Melting Pot Tours social media, you know that our Maven 😉 has fun with this calendar all the time.

• If possible, on a (new, blank, possibly from Dollar Tree) 2020 calendar, have children creatively note National Days that sound fun.
• Have everyone take a turn at teaching the family about their favorite National Day(s) coming up.
• Teams of two or more can create fun activities to celebrate or honor certain days.
• Perhaps get started with these: April is National Soft Pretzel Month; April 8 is National Zoo Lovers Day and Travelzoo has a virtual trip to the San Diego Zoo and even Safari Live here. Take the family on field trips! 
• It’s really OK if you celebrate a National Day early or late, no one will know or tell. Just be open to this space being a fun portal to create new and stimulating activity.

Plan virtual Family Happy Hours. Visit with extended family via Zoom once a week or on weekend afternoons. (Or send the children off to dance or play with the National Calendar while you ransom some adult time with other grownups.)  Make it really fun and something everyone looks forward to:

• • Prepare simple, special drinks and snacks served exclusively for this activity.
  • Pretend like you’re somewhere exotic, as if you’re on vacation having a group FaceTime call.
  • Invent and share stories about the bizarre cave in which you’ve spent your week together.
  • Create a special, family-exclusive send-off that equals hugs.