updates / low-tech play ideas

Greetings!
During closure, and following heath guidelines, our staff is working to connect and support families in this confusing time. We have been providing food and supplies like diapers, and play materials to families who suddenly have no income or find themselves struggling. If you need our help please contact us.

We are also trying to find creative ways to stay connected with families via phone for daily self-care activities. There is not a clear end in sight for the Coronavirus pandemic and we will continue to support families. Donations are welcome and helpful at this time.

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__________Low-tech Play Ideas for High-stress Times__________

Enjoy trying some of the ideas below that keep your kids learning about the world around them and may give a much needed break from the screen.

Set a Challenge

Find something peculiar, and challenge your kids to do it. Make a boat out of tinfoil and float it in the sink--how many legos/pennies/stones can you put in the boat before it sinks? Save recycling materials (cans, cardboard, etc.) and have your kids build something out of it. Hide things around the house or yard and see how long it takes to find them all!

Get Outside

Playgrounds are discouraged because the virus may spread via hard surfaces. But you can still take a walk. Our preschoolers love Ethan Allen Woods and these other wild ways! Learn to jump rope, decorate some sidewalk with chalk drawings, or run a race to the end of the block. Only 1 runner in the family? Time them! Set up a scavenger hunt, or use this pre-made one.

Mark Time

It's easy for all the days to run together. Find things to do that help you notice the passing of time. Make a calendar where you write or draw about what you did each day. Plant seeds indoors and watch how they grow and change. Look for signs of spring on your walk around the block.

Make a (contained) Mess

Being cooped up in the house is hard and it makes cleaning up more challenging. But having a small space in which they can let loose keeps kids occupied. Try watercolors in the bathtub, or baking soda and vinegar volcanoes in a baking pan. If you have the space, keep a small table or even a cardboard box for messy projects that you don't feel the need to always tidy up.

Chores

Children love to be helpful. Depending on their development, they can help bake bread , learn how to do laundry, match socks and put clothes away, dry dishes, or make windows sparkly clean. We teach preschoolers to clean up their area after eating by bringing their scraps to the compost and dishes to the sink. There are so many other ways children can help around the house- keeping them engaged this way builds their confidence too!

Invent an Event

Making things feel special and providing something to look forward to helps everyone stay balanced. Have a picnic on the floor. Hold a family talent show. Dress up for a fancy dinner at your own table. Set up a story theatre with family members or stuffed animals. Have a special game night. What else can you think of?

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Burlington, VT
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Janet S. Munt Family Room · 20 Allen St. · Burlington, Vt 05401 · USA