10 Quarantine-friendly Activities for Children with and without Disabilities
With the current state of the world, uncertainty seems to be the only constant. Social distancing is not easy, especially for young children—with or without disabilities. Social Diversity for Children Foundation recognizes the challenge of maintaining curiosity, fun and joy throughout these challenging times. Here are ten quarantine-friendly activities for everyone to enjoy!
If you would like to find more information about certain activities, click the underlined words, which direct users to a more detailed explanation! Enjoy!
Arts and Crafts
Arts and crafts are a fantastic activity for all kids. Feel free to adjust crafts according to available materials and to a child’s interests. Most crafts are tactile activities, which are perfect for children who like to keep their hands busy.
1. Slime
Slime is a squishy, gooey, fun substance, easily made at home! Not only is slime fun to make and play with, but it can also de-stress. Slime-making also helps develop motor skills through pouring, measuring, and mixing!
Depending on the ratios of glue to activator, slime can range in texture. For children who enjoy science, this is also a wonderful opportunity to initiate educational conversations. While some terms and concepts are more complex, parents may alter discussions to suit their children. Parents may review videos explaining the science behind slime, with or without their children, to better enhance said conversations.
While some slimes are rather messy, others can also be quite tidy. Below are a few basic recipes, but feel free to search up tutorials that suit your child’s personal needs/interests.
Slimes to try:
2. Sensory Bottles
Sensory bottles provide entertainment for all! This craft is rather flexible as it basically involves filling a bottle with soap, water, and any craft supplies one may have on hand. Once filled, the craft materials (e.g., beads, glitter, or small toys) slowly glide through the soap, which is quite calming to spectate. Aside from soothing purposes, this craft may be used for various educational purposes as well.
Children may engage with the bottles through activities such as “I Spy.” Ask children to spot a number of coloured objects (e.g. “Can you spot three green objects?”) These bottles might even be filled with letters or numbers, allowing children to recognize symbols in an engaging way.
These bottles may also be used to learn about science! Observe which objects float, which sink, and/or note any sounds produced when the bottle is shaken. Other variations of the sensory bottle could include a mixture of water and oil, which perfectly demonstrates emulsions in real time!
Here are two great sensory bottles that one may start with:
Games and Activities
3. Sorting with Snacks
Children are often discouraged from playing with their food, but these pre-planned activities break the mold, teaching children to differentiate certain attributes such as shapes, colours, and sizes. Parents may set up labeled bowls or plates, allowing their children to sort objects into their respective containers. Sorting activities can also be done with objects aside from food: beads, play blocks, or any objects that come in a multitude of shapes, colours, or sizes are recommended! Children will develop their fine and gross motor skills, visual processing, as well as sorting and memory.
4. Pour and Match Game
Similar to the sorting game, children will sort different liquids, though the additional pouring component enables children to practice the action of pouring, which exercises their concentration when balancing liquids from container to container. Additionally, children will develop their fine and gross motor skills, visual processing, and sorting abilities. This practical act of pouring can be translated through cooking and other daily activities.
The only required materials are buckets and coloured water. Children scoop and pour the liquid from one bucket to another, aiming to match the coloured water to a specific bucket. If children unintentionally mix-up the colours, they will immediately see the results of their actions.
5. Cooking
Preparing meals can be a daunting task, but there are many ways to make cooking more manageable. Try to choose suitable dishes that interest the child, yet cater to their comfort level in the kitchen. Some children may be comfortable with mixing, while others might feel ready to use stoves.
Pre-plan your activities to maximize a child’s engagement! Using games such as bingo or matching games, children may familiarize themselves with various ingredients. Additionally, cooking simulators, games, and apps pose a safe, fun alternative!
Printed instructions might provide better guidance to understand tasks at hand. For children desiring to develop their reading skills, written instructions are especially helpful. On the other hand, visual learners might benefit from images, and sequence cards—which detail step-by-step instructions with images, might be better suited for guidance.
Outdoors
Children can still enjoy the great outdoors while adhering to social distancing guidelines. Various activities allow children to engage with nature—in parks, driveways or any open space.
6. Chalk
For children who enjoy art, chalk turns the world into one’s canvas! Children exercise their hand-eye coordination skills, visual analysis, and creativity. While drawing on traditional paper is an excellent activity, different mediums allow children to fully interact with varying textures and experiences.
Parents can also put a twist on things by playing games such as:
These games incorporate different movements such as jumping, tossing, skipping, or walking.
7. Bubbles
Bubbles might seem basic, but children often find these shiny reflective spheres incredibly mesmerizing. Activities involving bubbles allow children to exercise their visual and tracking skills, fine motor skills, and hand eye coordination. The fun of chasing, jumping, waving, and blowing creates magical moments for all!
Bubble solutions can be purchased in most stores or made at home!
Here’s a bubble recipe that can be made with just a few ingredients: Homemade Soap Bubble Recipes
Digital
8. Online museums
While most public buildings are closed, children and parents can still view exhibits online! Some places offer livestreams, computer generated tours, or even 360 degree photographs!
Most museums provide access to their tours for free, enabling people to catch glimpses of some of the most beautiful and fantastical exhibits from home!
Here are some additional sites you may visit for more information:
10 Children's Museums You Can Visit Virtually
10 Museums With Virtual Tours For Quarantined Kids Who Need A "Field Trip"
9. Zoo Webcams
Even though children may not be able to take physical trips to the zoo, many places broadcast their live streams for free! Children may observe the animals as they sleep, swim, and more—all from the comfort of their own homes! While online live streams differ from the in-person zoo experience, children may still view animals from a completely different lens, perhaps even closer than ever before!
Some zoo live cams are listed below:
10. Digital Reading
Especially in a time where sanitation is crucial, digital reading can be a practical way to continue exploring new books. Depending on the specific reading platform, some can even adjust their settings to suit their personal needs. For instance, certain platforms allow children to read alongside a voice over, change reading speed, or highlight text to ease their reading experience.
Digital reading helps children with their reading and comprehension, motor, and visual recognition skills. When scouting digital reading resources, one should note that many digital reading websites do not contain as many adjustable settings but are often free. Reading apps, on the other hand, often contain adjustable settings but at a small price.
The following are some digital reading resources that parents might find suitable for their child.
Popular digital reading resources: StoryPlace
List of the best digital reading apps: Best Free Reading Apps for Kids
List of the best digital reading websites: Best Free Reading Sites for Kids
Wishing everyone well. Stay safe, calm, and creative!
References
https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/benefits-of-making-slime-recipes-kids/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F9ukCQvP20&ab_channel=ScienceMom
https://www.autismparentingmagazine.com/best-sensory-play-ideas/
https://blog.stageslearning.com/blog/7-tips-for-teaching-your-child-with-autism-to-cook