Our Favorite Quarantine Activities
Hi! We are officially off of our 10 Days of Isolation! Our family had fairly mild symptoms of Covid, but we all experienced fevers, fatigue, and definitely stress. It was very, very hard. Even during the pandemic, we’ve been able to find safe ways to engage with others, get outside, and explore our community. I’m so glad we can see our loved ones again, and I’m excited for my daughter to get back to preschool next week. I wanted to share some of our favorite things that helped us get through these 10 days. All of these activities were super easy for me to set up, and didn’t require a lot of energy from either of us. I wanted to make sure I was able to do things with her we both enjoy so we had lots of time to connect!
This blog post contains affiliate links. That means I receive a small stipend if you use my links, and I use that to keep this website up and running. This is at no cost to you, and everything I share is something I have used and loved. I’m also trying to limit the amount of photos of my daughter I share, but I wanted to show some of these “in action.” That’s why you might see some photos cut off! 🙂
Wrapped Gifts
On the first day of our quarantine, I panicked. I tried to think of things I could look forward to and that would help make our time at home special and full of connection. I did end up grabbing some things on Amazon, but I also found things she got from others for holidays, birthdays etc. that we hadn’t opened yet. I found enough “new” things to wrap up for each day of quarantine. You definitely don’t need to do this, but it gave us both something to look forward to.
Here are a few things you could wrap without buying anything:
- Sprinkles, frosting or another baking item to show you’re going to bake cookies or cupcakes
- Used toys they haven’t seen in a whole
- Library books
- Shaving cream to do a shaving cream craft
- Party cups to set up a water pouring station
Crayola Scribble Scrubbies
Without a doubt, this is our current favorite toy. We’ve had them for several months, and they still get used daily. I’ve added a few sets for holidays, and have ordered more markers because we finally ran out. You use the markers to color the little animals, but the animals are velvet and washable. My daughter doesn’t really enjoy coloring, but this has enough texture it’s engaging for her. She also prefers coloring the 3D animals, instead of a sheet of paper. After coloring each animal, you can use the included tub or shower to wash them and start over. There are so many different sets, so they’re perfect for every budget and interest. Some of our favorites are:
If your child (or student) is like mine, and loves these, there’s an app to go along with it! We don’t use our tablet alot, but I do utilize it when I need a break or need to get some work done. You can find the Apple app here, and the Android app here.
Typically we do this activity at our kitchen island, but I added it to her Ikea Flisat table to switch it up a little bit.
Baking and Cooking
I tried to find meals and snacks that would double as an activity, especially on day where we both felt okay. I actually really enjoy being in the kitchen with my daughter but I know it’s not for everyone! If it’s super stressful for you, that’s okay! You do not have to do any cooking with them if you don’t want to…especially during quarantine!
We made some Crumbl “copycat” chocolate cookies and they were delicious! I found the recipe here.
An amazing neighbor also dropped off a Valentine’s Cookie Decorating kit from Target, and that bought was really fun to do together! I wrapped the box up, so it was a “gift” she got to open and an activity for us to do together.
Sensory Tubs
I am a HUGE fan of sensory tubs and activities. I do not make them complicated, and I rarely even do themes. Mostly, I just give her a base and some scoops, and cups. I keep our colored rice in a closet so it’s super easy for me to pull out and use.
Bubble Foam
I originally did Bubble Foam in our kitchen, and it was messier than I planned. I have a pretty high tolerance for mess, and it’s very washable. It was just “bigger” than I expected, so we did it in the shower after the first time. Each time I brought this activity out, I got 30-45 minutes to read. She also typically wants to wash off after we do it, so its’ a great transition to bath or shower time. You can read more about Bubble Foam and get the recipe on Busy Toddler’s Blog.
Potions
Making potions is one of my daughters absolute favorite things. It’s messy, and it’s not something I can really prep ahead of time, so we didn’t do it a lot. But we did do it a few times while we were at home, and she had so much fun every time.
You only need baking soda, vinegar, and containers to make potions. You can also add glitter, natural materials (dirt, leaves), food coloring, citric acid, or anything else you think they would enjoy! I shared our favorite materials for potion making here.
Games
I absolutely love playing board games, and I’m so excited to start doing that with my daughter. I did order a few new ones to wrap up, but you don’t have to! If you have already have a game, you can still wrap it up! They’ll still be excited to have your undivided attention during a game. I tried to put my phone away, and play a game with her for 10-15 minutes. Then, if I needed to lay down or let her play on her tablet to get work done, I didn’t feel as much guilt, and she felt connected to me.
I listed all of my favorite games on this Amazon list. We own all of these games, and I highly recommend them!
This game is so cute! I got it for my best friend’s daugther, and ended up getting us our own once quarantine started. You roll the dice and feed the “woozle” funny and yucky foods with the little spoon. The twist, though, is that it also comes with a movement spinner. We played it a first time sitting down like this, and then I moved the monster farther away. Everly would have to spin, walk backwards, or bunny hop with the spoon to feed the monster. It’s amazing for fine motor, gross motor, number recognition, and counting.
This game is so fun! The pirate clicks in, and one of the swords makes him POP out. It’s super exciting every time it happens! This game is also great for turn taking and working on control and patience.
Nugget Couch
The final toy that helped us get through quarantine was our Nugget Couch. They are pricy and take up space, so I know they aren’t feasible for every family. But ours have been invaluable to us. During quarantine, we used it daily as a crash pad (and something to jump from), a slide, something to climb on and a fort. There were a few days where I truly did not feel up for going on a walk, or even going in the backyard. But my daughter was still able to get some sensory input, and burn some energy because of our Nugget. If you’re considering getting one, I 100% recommend it. I know some families have asked grandparents/family to go in together on one. They also have more affordable options at Sams Club and even Amazon!
I hope these ideas were helpful to you! What questions do you have about having a preschooler at home? How can I support you? I’d love to chat more! Be sure to join my Facebook Group, Teaching with Haley and Friends, so we can get to know each other more!
