With kids staying home from school, we decided to test a few kids’ activities we found online for homebound kiddos (and grownups, as it turns out). In these difficult times, we encourage you to keep finding moments of joy and keep being creative! 

Here are a few are old favorites and some we’d never seen before and were excited to try. The website childhood101.com was very useful. We had 12-year-old Alice as the assistant to 4-year-old June and I’m not sure who had a better time. 

Snacks, blankets, books, and pillows are a must!

Ok, we did eat a lot of jelly beans but we also made many cool structures with just jelly beans and toothpicks. It was a little difficult for 4-year-June to stick the picks in the beans but with help stabilizing the bean, it was doable. The building possibilities are endless but make sure to be sensitive to the littlest ones and know that there might be frustration if the older kids are making elaborate race cars and they aren’t able to.

Needs:

A bag of jelly beans - the softer the better

Toothpicks

How:

Stick toothpicks into jelly beans to create structures.

Galaxy in a Jar!
(Age: 3 and up, Challenge level: EASY to MODERATE. Easy to execute but moderate because of materials required)

These were very satisfying to make and the results were kinda magical, even to a grown up’s eyes. Using cotton balls makes sure things don’t move around too much and holds each color as you add it. 

Needs:

Tall glass jar with lid

Cotton balls

3 different colors acrylic paints, 3 paper/plastic cups, and water to dilute

Glitter

Confetti/sequins

How:

1. First, fill the 3 cups with a bit of acrylic paint of one color and add about a cup to water to dilute.
2. Add 5-7 fluffed up cotton balls to the bottom of the jar.
3. Sprinkle on glitter and sequins.
4. Add colored water on top of cotton balls.
5. Repeat 3 times so you have 3 layers.

Making an acrylic paint mixture.

Getting shots of the final project can be challenging because we were so energized by the process and so excited to start the next idea!