For parents around the country, the coronavirus pandemic has created a unique and difficult situation. If you have kids, you are likely having to adapt your routine around their schooling schedules. This can be especially difficult if you are working a demanding job from home or if you are an ‘essential’ worker still going in every day.

But there are things you can do to not only get through this situation, but also to make it an educational and even enjoyable experience for your kids. This includes patiently doing hand-on learning with them as well as coming up with activities and fun things for them to do in-between their virtual classes. If your kids are bored, here are a few fun activities that they are sure to enjoy.

Scavenger Hunt

A scavenger hunt is a fun activity that gives as much as you put into it. If you are just looking for a fun way for your kids to get some exercise, simply go hide a few items in the yard or house and offer them a reward they find them. Or, if you want to get more elaborate, you can come up with clues and all sorts of things to make the hunt last longer and more fun.

Build a Treehouse

Building a treehouse or fort is a big project. But remember, you probably have weeks to go with the kids still at home. As such, now is the perfect time to start such a project. You can get to work on your treehouse and little by little start to chip away at it with your kid’s help. This will help teach them the value of hard work and the rewards they can expect for sticking with their goals. There are plenty of easy-to-build treehouse plans available online.

Write Stories Together

You and your kids can write stories together. Give them some paper and staple it together so it looks like a book. You can even put it in a professional-looking folder to encourage them. You should provide a small prompt, maybe by saying something like “Include a lion in this story.” Or “Make this story about the time we went on vacation.” But also, be sure to give your kids room to be creative. Give them just enough to get them going and then step away and let them work. You can also tell your kids to include pictures in their books.

Do a Science Experiment

There are many easy science experiments you can do at-home with your kids. These are not only fun, they are also fantastic, hands-on tools for learning.

Water Balloons

Water balloons are fun and easy. Fill them up and have some fun with your kids!