Activities, Easy Home Entertainment, Homeschooling

New Ways of Life – Stay at Home Activities Day 1

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These days everyone is having to do everything a little differently. Finding new ways to make the same things fun, while trying to figure out ways to have new adventures. I hope to provide you with ways to get over this hump, and make the days a little easier. I layout our schedule, and different activities that we have been using. Also, I will continue to post new favorite recipes, tips and tricks, activities, and top five lists. Stay at home activities can be fun, so enjoy this new experience with your kids!

Daily Schedule

The start of each day I lay out a few basics to keep everyone up-to-date. While eating breakfast we cover these few things:

  • Things I have to do today,
  • Things You have to do today,
  • Things We have to do today, and 
  • if ALL these things get done, then we can do something extra FUN!

Our schedule Monday-Friday remains pretty much the same, but we do make adjustments accordingly. Some days we rearrange the order to keep it interesting. You know your kids, and that some days will be better than others. So, adjust the schedule to how it will fit your family that day. Plus, remember to give yourself a break! We are making the best of this situation. If the schedule isn’t working today, it’s okay. Salvage what you can, and scrap what you can’t. 

  • Breakfast, covering our list of “have-to’s”
  • 9:30-12:30 — School work / Book Reading
  • 12:30-2:00 — Lunch and naps (free play for my oldest)
  • 2:00-3:00 — Outside Play
  • 3:00-3:30 — Snacks
  • 3:30-5:00 — Activity
  • 5:00-6:30 — Independent Play/ Cooking Dinner
  • 6:30-7:30 — Dinner
  • 7:30-until — Family Time

Schoolwork

My children are 4.5 and almost 2. Therefore, their learning needs are different. So, I try to start by compiling activities, worksheets, books, etc. that they can complete independently. We normally all sit at the table together during this time, but sometimes you need a change of scenery. Setup your office and school downstairs, in the living room, or outside if possible. Or start in your normal place, and then relocate in the middle with the things that are easily movable.

My oldest will work on writing letters, numbers, tracing shapes before doing some dot-to-dots, coloring by numbers, mazes, and puzzles. The books I have referenced offer a good mix of “work” with fun. It makes it where my oldest doesn’t mind doing the worksheets. I have to select the worksheet combination to make sure there is a good balance. Plus, I always include a coloring sheet. We have been using these books:

My little will color with Crayola’s Mess Free Markers, do Water Wow! books, work with flap books, and do chunky puzzles.

When they complete their assignments, I set them up on their own ABC Mouse accounts. I have to help my little one, but my oldest can work independently. Once they finish 30 minutes of this, we all gather together and do 30 minutes of Hooked on Phonics. It’s too advanced for my little, but he really enjoys the songs. Currently, both of these sites are free! 

Alternates: Take a dry erase board, and call out things to draw. Choose letters, numbers, shapes, and then add some fun things. Completing a 24-48 piece puzzle. Draw a letter or number then have the child cover with stickers. The stickers should overlap your letter/number. Then have your child count the number of stickers it took to make the letter/number and write that number on the back. 

Activities

We love bubbles and water and adventure! Check your local Facebook marketplace for free water tables and kiddie pools. A fun way to combine water and bubbles is to fill the water table with bubble bath or a mixture of dawn and water.

Take a walk and bring along a scavenger hunt. Pinterest is a great source for printable hunts that are geared to your location and your child’s age. I linked the one we used. Another way to mix it up is to make your own, and have your child suggest what they would like to see!

Find a path that leads to a bridge. Hopefully it will have a small creek or stream underneath that you can collect rocks while getting your feet wet.

Dinner:

Baked Teriyaki Chicken and Hibachi Style Fried Rice. 

I found both of these recipes on allrecipes.com. Combined it took me about an hour and a half from start to finish. The prep work is short and easy.

Here is the link to both recipes:

  • Hibachi Style Fried Rice 
    • do not add chicken since you already made it in the teriyaki recipe.
    • Trying substituting spaghetti
    • Add some frozen peas and corn 

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