Did the recent Wisconsin state-wide school closure mandate surprise you, take you aback? Are you now stuck at home with your kids and family and already out of ideas on day 1? Lake Country Family Fun feels you and you are not alone. We are practicing social distancing, per the Waukesha County website, “Social distancing means remaining out of congregate settings, avoiding mass gatherings, and maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet) from others when possible.”
I am lucky and privileged enough to have a work-from-home job, so child care and meal planning is not a struggle for me at this time. However, taking the time to slow down and have quality time with my kids is something I want to look at intentionally.
Grab some ideas from below, and toss in more ideas through the comment section below OR in our Lake Country Family Fun Facebook Group. We will all survive this stronger than ever as a community.
**We’ve updated this with links that support more local businesses. While we think it’s awesome to tour virtual museums far away from our couch, the businesses in our community need us as well, so they are still open when this pandemic is over.**
We’ve also created this fun BINGO CARD and NEIGHBORHOOD SCAVENGER HUNT. Screenshot or download this chart and scavenger hunt as an example (you can switch out the days for the 1-21 days we’ll be on extended break) to keep track of your family’s fun. Don’t forget to add in a fun family prize for the week like Ice Cream on Friday Night. Then share it to social media and tag Lake Country Family Fun on Facebook and/or Instagram so we can see your fun progress and prizes. AND there might be a fun prize from Lake Country Family Fun for participating! Stay tuned!!
Social Distancing Ideas for At Home Fun
1. Attend storytime and book talks VIRTUALLY through the Oconomowoc Public Library’s YouTube channel and the Hartland Library’s Facebook Page.
2. Visit one or all 12 of these museums VIRTUALLY right from your couch OR visit Yellowstone National Park remotely HERE.
3. Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with the Trinity Irish Dancers VIRTUALLY. Watch their dance, then record your own and upload it to social. Details HERE.
4. As of Monday, March 16, the Petite Chef in Dousman will be livestreaming cooking classes for kids HERE.
5. Local Lake Country Mom, Jessica Plemons is a kindergarten teacher turned stay at home mom. Read all about her at home learning ideas HERE.
6. My kids loved this visual experiment on the importance of washing your hands with soap. The only supplies needed are a bowl of water, pepper, and soap.
7. Our friends at Haute Happenings have 19 super simply ways to break up a day at home.
8. Have a book reading challenge. Have each child read a short book (10-15 minutes), then give a 1 minute book report or act out the book like a play to build literacy + public speaking skills.
9. Play a board game. We have board games with dust on them. EEK! We’re dusting them off and having each child pick a board game. Play for fun or create a fun challenge, keeping track of who wins the most games over the next 3 weeks.
10. Our friend Danielle from Northeast Ohio Family Fun has a website dedicated to Cool Science Experiments. Check these out!
11. We love Jigsaw puzzles. My daughter just recieved a 500 piece puzzle for her birthday. We’ll let you know how long it takes us to complete!
12. We also love LEGO. {Did you know the plural of LEGO is LEGO?} #keeplearning Anyway, our kids like the LEGO Masters TV show. So we are doing our own version and they are creating all sorts of masterpieces.
13. I hope none of you hoarded toilet paper, because at times like this it is important to look out for our families and equally as important to be socially conscious of our actions. However, our friends at Northshore Parent in Lousiana have created this list of 101 crafts to do with toilet paper rolls.
14. Start an in-home garden with your kids with seeds. Grab tips from our team member Martha HERE.
15. My daughter just received a joke book from her birthday. We are giggling away today! {What do you get when you cross a cow and a duck? Cheese and Quackers!!}
16. My kids already do age appropriate chores around the house, but they are learning more with all this time at home! Find age appropriate chore ideas HERE. Great reasons WHY to have your children do chores HERE.
17. A little screen time never hurt anyone. Are you a Disney+ subscriber? Frozen 2 is now streaming!
18. We love to cook together. We’ll be trying all sorts of new recipes and making a fun challenge a la Chopped Jr. style.
19. Our friends in Austrailia have some great tips HERE from Newy with Kids.
20. Make a time capsule with your family. Ideas HERE.
21. Make a schedule. Guest writer and local mom Heather wrote this post for a summer schedule, but it’s applicable to this extended break, just skip the part about Tuesday trips for the time being.
22. And if you also work from home like me or will be working remotely due to the coronavirus/COVID-19, these are some great tips for working from home with kids in tow from Melody at Grand Rapids Kids. Read it here.
23. Organize your house with these 9 tips from local professional organizer, Maria Ewings.
24. Visit the San Diego Zoo remotely HERE and the Milwaukee County Zoo HERE.
25. Brookfield Center for the Arts is offering VIRTUAL ART CLASSES HERE.
26. Attend storytime at HAWS virtually daily through April 3!
27. The Howard G. Mullett Center in Hartland is having a coloring contest. Details and to win HERE.
Local Drive Thru Ideas
28. Grab a To-Go Pottery Kit from Creative License in Pewaukee and create your fun at home!
29. Grab an At-Home Art Kit from Soul Fire in Delafield
30. Have your children help you with grocery shopping. Make a list then enter it into your online grocery order to pick up or delivery. Where to find pick up and grocery delivery in Waukesha County.
31. Books and Company in Oconomowoc will be offering curbside pick up.
Social Distancing Outdoor Ideas
If the weather warrants, my {healthy} kids will be outside. We are luckily enough to live on a couple acres out in the country with a swingset. If you are living in an apartment complex or other “tighter” living quarters, please use your discretion and follow the CDC recommendations for going out in public.
32. Ride Bikes
33. Play with sidewalk chalk in the driveway
34. Play with bubbles
35. Play hide and seek
36. Race around the house or up and down the driveway
37. Jump Rope
38. 1,000 Hours Outside has ideas for making COVID-19 friendly lifestyle changes that still include outdoor time plus eating less sugar HERE.
Educational Resources
39. Local Lake Country Mom, Jessica Plemons is a kindergarten teacher turned stay at home mom. She has resources available free and for purchase HERE.
40. The Rustic Orchid Creative Workshop in Mukwonago has Free Online classes for kids HERE.
41. The Creative Collective has ideas HERE.
42. Have Celebrities read books to your child online HERE.
43. Teacher/Homeschool mom tips HERE.
44. Scholastic At Home has resources available HERE.
45. Find a PLETHORA {Vocabulary word of the day} of educational resources HERE.
46. Netflix Educational Videos can be found HERE.
47. 60+ Awesome Websites for teaching Math
48. Fun Brain has awesome videos and games that can be browsed by your child’s grade.
49. Favorite author of the Elephant and Piggie series and Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, Mo Willems, is offering LUNCH DOODLES.
50. Marcus Theatres and Movie Tavern will help your toddler learn hand eye coordination and fine motor skills with these coloring sheets! Bonus, bring your colored sheets into the theater when the safer at home order is lifted to receive a FREE popcorn! {Valid through 8/31/2020} They will update with more activities, too, like drawing lessons and additional family fun activities to keep your child’s brain stimulated!
Thank-you for all of these wonderful ideas!
You are amazing! Thank you for these great resources. The boys were off running to do the scavenger hunt this morning!