CGM Tackles “Working from Home with Kids”

More and more people are working remotely from home.  Those with children find themselves trying to occupy their time in a fun and constructive way.   Normally, kids can enjoy going to different camps and recreation centers, however, with many of these centers closing, finding a way to keep them busy can be a challenge.    Our Inside Sales Associate, Becky Grotjan, realized with a little bit of effort (and the internet) you can have some fun and with different things to do to create a memorable summer.   She has put together a list of 100 activities that kids can do on their own during the day, or as a family in the evenings and on weekends.

OUTDOOR FUN

1. Wash your bike, car, big wheel, etc.
2. Make a ramp out of wood/boxes or create a racetrack for your bike, big wheel or scooter
3. Get creative in the yard – find a spot for them to dig and use their imagination
4. Create an obstacle course
5. Google “Dude Perfect” and then create your own challenge
6. Jump Rope
7. Hula Hoop
8. Play Tag
9. Go get ice cream or a slushy
10. Set up a movie night outside or in the garage
11. Catch lightning bugs
12. Visit a new park
13. Play hopscotch
14. Do chalk art in your driveway or on the sidewalk
15. Play Four Square
16. Play in the rain
17. Create a mini golf course in your backyard
18. Go on a hike
19. Go on a nighttime adventure with flashlights
20. Go on a walk – turn it into a scavenger hunt
21. Set up a pool or sprinkler on a hot day
22. Go fishing or practice casting in your backyard
23. Have a picnic
24. Fly a kite
25. Have a family bike ride
26. Water balloon or water gun fight
27. Research and catch bugs in your own yard
28. Visit the zoo
29. Roller-skate or roller-blade
30. Go outside and draw a picture of something you see
31. Plant some flowers or grass seeds
32. Practice your favorite sport
33. Set a personal goal in a sport (ex: catch 20 baseballs in a row)
34. Create homemade bubbles
35. Help a neighbor (ex: water plants, weed, bring in their garbage, take their dog on a walk)
36. Have a campfire (cook hotdogs or smores)
37. Camp out in your backyard
38. Have a scavenger hunt (inside or outside)

INDOOR FUN

39. Create your own escape room
40. Play dress up
41. Do something nice for your pet
42. Make homemade pizza together
43. Make a homemade bath bomb
44. Write in a journal
45. Learn a new braid or hairstyle
46. Use boxes or blocks to create a garage or highway for cars/trucks
47. Agree on chores the kids can do around the house to earn money
48. Set up a treasure hunt
49. Listen to a podcast (there are tons of kid friendly options)
50. Have a Nerf gun battle
51. Make a play with your stuffed animals
52. Make a race track out of painter’s tape
53. Learn a recipe and make lunch or dinner for your family
54. Make a homemade boat and see if it floats
55. Play office or store
56. Pretend your bed is a ship or submarine – use your imagination!
57. Make homemade popsicles (go online for recipe ideas)
58. Play charades
59. Have them Facetime a friend or family member
60. Learn a new word every day from a different language
61. Go online and learn a science experiment
62. Read or look at books/magazines for 30 minutes
63. Play hide and seek
64. Take a virtual field trip to zoos, national parks, museums and aquariums
65. Paint your nails
66. Donate old books to a library or daycare center
67. Donate old toys, blankets, bibs to a daycare center
68. Write a letter to a family member or friend
69. Have a LEGO challenge
70. Create your own sundae bar
71. Make a fort
72. Do a puzzle
73. Play a board game (or create your own board game)
74. Learn a magic trick
75. Solve a crossword puzzle (or create your own)
76. Build a house out of boxes for your dolls
77. Do an online workout/yoga or create your own routine
78. Bake cookies for a friend or neighbor
79. Have a dance party
80. Make homemade lemonade, iced tea, Kool Aid etc.

ARTS AND CRAFTS

81. Coloring books
82. Make your own slime (We are particularly fond of this one – we love glue!)
83. Create a homemade puppet (find a sock who does not have a partner and get creative)
84. Create your own Tic Tac Toe game (use paints, rocks etc.)
85. Make a sticker book/album
86. Create a collage of favorite things from old magazines or newspapers
87. Draw a dream home or car
88. Paper airplanes (and color them)
89. Paper plate monsters (find trinkets like buttons, yarn, rubber bands, etc. to make your monster)
90. Paint a clay pot
91. Duct Tape arts and crafts
92. DIY tie dye shirt
93. Rubber band or string bracelets
94. Design/draw a new character for a Dr. Seuss book
95. Draw yourself as a superhero
96. Create a new invention out of recyclable items
97. Play-Doh or clay
98. Paint rocks
99. Draw a picture of the world in different colors (ex: grass is purple)
100. You are in an imaginary land – draw what it looks like

“I hope you can utilize this list the next time you hear the words ‘I’m Bored’!” says Becky.

Have you tried any of these?  Do you have more to add?  Share with us your favorite memories with stories and pictures