thriving, not just surviving

   

  In this unexpected season of social isolation, many of us are in need of a few good ideas to creatively use our time.  All of us need to have a new game plan as we look towards the upcoming days, weeks or even months of a pared-down social life. There are many ways to connect with others outside your immediate family in meaningful, personal ways. Whether it is by phone, FaceTime or Zoom, a myriad of possibilities are there to engage in community.  

            Home is a place of rest, of creativity and a staging area for both individual and group play. We are a homeschool family with five children ages 5-17, so our home is in constant motion with several different types of activities going on at the same time. All kids- and parents- benefit from a schedule that meets their needs for both social and alone time. I’ve compiled a list to jumpstart your creative juices in three key areas of activity: inside the home, outside the home and using digital media.

For Art-Lovers:  Pulling out all of those boxed craft kits or stocking a bin full of art supplies can make an afternoon full of color and creativity, as well as using those kits that you child got as a gift from a friend several years back. Grab some old magazines, glue and scissors and you can make collages that express each family member’s personality or interests. If your child is missing a friend, try doing an art playdate on FaceTime or Skype. My kids have made fabulous drawings of animals using how2drawanimals.com, a step-by-step video tutorial that breaks the drawing process down into easy parts for kids.

            For booklovers: how about making some tea or hot chocolate while listening to an audiobook on Alexa or another streaming device? Audible is now offering a free selection of children’s books for a whole array of ages. They also have an introductory rate that is discounted for the first few months of a regular Audible membership. Or do a family read-aloud time after dinner. Sarah Mackenzie’s Read-Aloud Revival (readaloudrevival.com) has an excellent booklist that encompasses anything from picture books, early readers to adult novels. I love their categories, “Books Boys Love,” “Books for Kids in Big Families” and “Series for Struggling Readers” as it shows that this bibliophile has an eye on those who are outside the mainstream or maybe overlooked. My husband has just started read the first novel in Brian Jacques Redwall series to my younger set. Another idea for those who love to read is organizing a weekly or bi-monthly bookclub, using FaceTime or Zoom as a platform. My two elementary girls are excited to meet with their cousin on FaceTime in a few weeks to discuss A Dog’s Life while enjoying a snack or dessert. Another way to outreach is to have a new reader choose an easier chapter book to read aloud to an elderly relative or friend. This is a two-for-the-price-of-one moment in that it helps both the developing reader and the relationship that has more value than can be counted.

            For Music Lovers: how about using this time at home to learn to play a new song together and have a family music night—there are great websites that offer free sheet music for solo or multiple instruments. Check out 8notes.com, musicnotes.com, or virtualsheetmusic.com as a few sites to get you started. There are more dedicated to individual instruments, such as violin or piano. If you need outside instruction, find a teacher who is offering online music lessons so that your child can continue growing as a musician. Another way to keep up your student’s musical ability and motivation is to have mini music recitals for family and friends over FaceTime. Again, this is a great way to encourage elderly relatives or those in eldercare who may have very limited social contact because they are in quarantine. There are musicians who are reaching out to the elderly in care facilities by playing on porches or outside windows. Be creative!

            If you are a lover of classical music, many of the premier orchestras which have cancelled live concerts due to the COV-19 virus have begun live streaming their concerts for free—the Budapest Festival Orchestra is performing several “Quarantine Soirees” in March and April (bfz.hu). Snuggling down on a couch to watch and listen to some relaxing and invigorating classical music concert may be a welcome departure from your normal routine. The Metropolitan Opera in New York is also offering nightly concerts starting at 7:30 pm.

For Game Lovers:  If your family tends more towards being active and needing the stimulation of conversation and interaction, now is the time to raid the closets for games that haven’t been played in months because you haven’t had the time. A family game once a week with pizza or some fun dessert has united our whole family in the past. It’s not always easy to pull the whole family together, so we usually end up grouping up in twos, threes or fours to play card or board games. Or set up a puzzle table and let each member work together to complete a larger puzzle.

How about a night at the movies, right in your own living room—or backyard – if you have the means to project a backyard movie when the weather gets better.  If Netflix or Amazon Prime streaming gets overloaded, we will also delve into our own collection. It’s time to explore new movies and older classics. Commonsensemedia.org has a list of family movies that will certainly go the distance for the time we have at home this spring. Pop some popcorn or have a dinner movie night to make things more festive (commonsense.org, the parent company, is a great all-around resource for parents needing direction or tips in home educating). Amazon prime video has partnered with movie companies to offer box office movies via livestream (price tag is higher, 19.99 per rental)

When the weather is nice, open the windows and get some fresh air into the home. Run a diffuser with citrus or cinnamon to refresh the air and bring some extra pick-me-up into the home atmosphere. And get outside. I’m so grateful we are in this time of seclusion just as spring is bursting into bloom and when the temperatures are making walking or playing outside so much easier. Take a walk. Walk with your spouse. Walk with your kids. Walk as a family. Walk with your dog. Or all of the above. Make a family scavenger hunt with a simple list of things that you can easily or not so easily spot or collect around your neighborhood (ie. A cardinal, a pine cone, a vintage car, windchimes…). Be creative. Be silly. Allow younger kids to collect some of the things on the list in a plain paper bag. Research parks and trails that are still open and take a trail walk. You can even walk with a neighbor. 

If you have kids who are artistic or just curious, do a nature walk and take a notebook with you and stop from time to time to sit down and sketch the things they see. Lilyandthistle.com has oodles of ideas for the beginner who wants to start with journaling and nature journaling. Or take a sensory walk where they could record in their notebooks what they are taking in with their five senses. Take a bike ride and just enjoy the fresh air. Learn to ride a skateboard or roller blade.

If these options are not available to you, then just find a place to sit outside and enjoy the sunshine- Vitamin D is a great mood-booster! If you have a driveway, get some sidewalk chalk or chalk spray paint and let your crew make something beautiful.

When the weather is not good or if you just need to blow off some steam, do a family workout with dailyburn.com. They offer a free 60 day trial of their workouts, which include cardio, yoga, kickboxing and beginner Pilates.

If you are missing travel and sightseeing, there are several travel destinations which are offering virtual tours. Colonial Williamsburg, Versailles, the Sistine Chapel, The Great Wall of China and the Smithsonian are some of them.

For your young engineers, how about googling daily Lego challenge, where you have a certain type of structure or idea to build each day and have a competition to see which family member comes up with the most creative or complex finished product. Outschool.com offers live and recorded Lego workshops that meet once or weekly for a period of time, as well as classes in a myriad of subjects from financial skills to coding to art classes. Apex Learning (formerly Youth Digital), offers online self-paced courses in coding, design and animation. KiwiCo is offers subscription for their science and art kits that they will deliver right to your door. Certifikid has a voucher for a free kit this month, and there are discounts as well on the website.

A wonderful, all-in-one resource is Khan Academy, which just released free templates for student schedules Preschool-Grade 12.

Once you start brainstorming ideas to do both individually and as a family, the resources are almost endless. Find what works for you family and let the fun (and learning) begin! And remember, everyone needs a certain amount of structure and schedule.

I would love to share more ideas and help if you are struggling to find that plan that work. Please email me at adrienneg1998@gmail.com if you have any comments, suggestions or just someone to come alongside and brainstorm ideas together.