Y Talk: Fun At-Home Activities for Families by Brittany Kemp

I hope you’re all staying safe, healthy, busy and SANE during these days at home.

As the Carlisle Family YMCA Child Care Director (and a mother), I’m choosing to write about the kiddos and families that more than likely faced abrupt changes to their daily routines.

First, let me remind you all to stop and see the positive in this situation. We are all facing many challenges during this time, including bored children that ask one too many questions. But one day we will miss those questions (or, maybe not) and in (hopefully) a few weeks, we will definitely miss the extra time we had at home with our little peanuts. So, at some point today in between the working from home, the dishes, the laundry and the coffee that never seems strong enough… stop to snuggle your little one.

After the snuggling is done, try one of these fun activities:

• Plastic Easter egg color sort
• Create an obstacle course using hula hoops, jump ropes, sticks, hopscotch, cones, etc. (outside) or pillows, chairs, baskets, shoes, etc. (inside)
• Food color in shaving cream for a sensory activity
• Create art with sidewalk chalk (hopscotch is always fun too!)
• Go on a nature walk – take a sandwich bag outside and let your child try to collect as many different items as he/she can (leaf, stick, rock, pinecone, flower, grass, etc.) Then compare the items!
• On a warmer day, fill a plastic bowl/bin/tub with water outside. Allow your child to play in the water with spoons, measuring cups of different sizes, plastic cups, etc.
• Cook or bake together! Let your child help measure, dump, mix and TASTE!
• Read your child at least one book per day.
• Use a toilet paper or paper towel roll and allow your child to paint/decorate it and make it a telescope! Before or after this activity, read a space book and/or watch a space video on YouTube.
• Plan a “Community Helpers” week (nurse/doctor, fire fighter, police officer, teacher, vet, construction worker, etc.) Find YouTube videos, craft ideas, books, etc. to go with each profession.

Links to videos/educational resources:

• The Baltimore Aquarium has a live video of underwater animals and activity ideas. Before or after watching the video, consider reading an ocean animal book, printing an ocean animal coloring page, and/or doing an ocean animal craft!
• The Smithsonian Zoo in Washington D.C. has a bear, lion, naked mole rat, and elephant live cam! You could focus on a different animal each day and do activities pertaining to each animal before or after the video.

Hang in there, everyone! Enjoy the extra family time.

-by Brittany Kemp, Child Care Director