If you’ve been watching our page, you’ve probably noticed that we are posting pandemic-appropriate activities and virtual experiences and events as fast as we can. Hopefully, even though you’re stuck at home, you’re healthy and can find a silver lining in all this. We have round-ups and individual posts to hopefully help you find some ways to make positive memories!
Keep reading to find links to our round-ups. If you’re looking to browse individual posts, head to the COVID-19 category, where you can find everything in one place.
Easy (and Fun!) Lunches and Snacks
They want to eat. ALL. THE. TIME. I clean up breakfast and they ask for a snack. They stand in front of an open fridge, dig through the pantry, and leave counters strewn with their debris. I’m going to padlock the kitchen pretty soon (oh, right, open concept house design …. ). Have mercy. We found some easy snacks or lunches that kids can make, giving you a brief break from the kitchen. My eleven-year-old says she loves these options because they’re easy to make and fun to eat.
Read more about it here.
Start Your Own Home Garden
Spring has sprung! Let’s celebrate the start of the new season by planting our own home garden – March and April are the perfect months to start your indoor seedlings. If you’ve never had much of a green thumb, now is the time to bring the great outdoors inside with seedlings, succulents, and house plants.
Read more about it here.
Boredom Bingo
“The days are long, but the years are short,” is how the saying goes. Well, the days are really, really long when you’re isolating at home during a pandemic. The days are made even longer still when you have kids telling you how bored they are every 15 minutes. Sure you can just tell them to go read a book or find something to do, but the reality is, that kids are very visual and motivated by goals. Enter, Boredom BINGO! An easy-to-see, easy-to-use system for managing their boredom independently.
Read more about it here.
Podcasts for the Family
I’ll admit it – I’m not techy. I try to avoid dealing with apps. I don’t know how to use a streaming service. Heck, I can barely change the clock in my car! But there’s one thing I do love – podcasts. I listen to them all the time – and on car trips, I’ve started playing them for my kids (mostly to avoid letting them figure out that there actually is a DVD player in our vehicle). Check out these podcasts your whole family will love!
Read more about it here.
Invitations to Play
Let’s face it, parents, right now, stress, for many of us, is at an all-time high. But at the same time, in a strange way, life has been simplified. The usual rush, rush, rush is gone – and with no school, lessons or outings, your kids are probably getting bored. And while we’re all willing to let the usual screen time rules slide a little bit, there are great ways to avoid your kids slipping into all-out couch potato mode. Try these 8 exciting, imaginative and EASY invitations to play using things you probably already have around the house. Read more about it here.
101 Things to do at Home
As we all adjust to our ‘new normal’, with children at home – many of whom are too young to understand much of what’s happening – we all strive to find normalcy in our daily routine. We have compiled our ‘101 Things To Do at Home’ – a list of simple ideas for activities to enjoy at home with your family as we all try to survive this epidemic with the hopes of maintaining both our physical and just as importantly – our mental health.
Read more about it here.
Promote Positive Mental Health
Cancellations and closures. School’s out and you might be working from home (if you’re lucky enough to still have a job). The kids are upset and you’re stressed (to say the least!). You might think of all the times you said, “The world has been turned upside-down!” and now you really know what that means. You don’t know anyone who has the COVID-19 virus. Yet. Amidst concerns for physical health, don’t forget to take care of your mental health. Your body, mind, and soul all play a significant role for a day in the life of your overall well-being!
Read more about it here.
Virtual Experiences
Screen Time – it’s that double-edged sword we parents lament on a daily basis. We’ve all heard the expert rules on limiting screens, but let’s face it – with school cancelled, most parents just really, really need a break! We’ll take it one step further – why not enjoy a mini-getaway with these 9 Can’t-Miss Virtual Experiences Parents and Kids can enjoy together! It might be the best part of your day!
Read more about it here.
Simple Fun at Home
We love all the wonderful events and venues that Calgary has to offer! But no matter how adventurous and hardy you are, there are times in Calgary when it’s best to stay home. Whether it’s a snow day or a downpour, a mental health day or even a pandemic like the coronavirus, staying home can be necessary or prudent.
Read more about it here.
Family-Friendly Board and Card Games
It truly would be too big of a task to share with you all of the great, family-friendly games out there today . . . because it is plentiful and exhaustive. So, I’ll only pass on a few personal favourites that our own family has enjoyed over the years. Our kids are currently in kindergarten, grade 2, and grade 3 – but we have been playing games consistently with them for years.
Read more about it here.
Educational Websites
School is cancelled, perhaps for the duration, and suddenly the prospect of many weeks to fill with no activities is looming large. We have strict rules about screentime in our house, but in light of recent events, I think it’s time to revisit these rules. There are lots of educational websites out there, so this is only a tiny sampling of fun options that might also promote a little learning as a bonus!
Read more about it here.
COVID-19 Cancellations and Closures
Family Fun Calgary has been a resource for family-friendly events in Calgary for many years. In an effort to continue to provide event-based, family-friendly information to our readers, we have created this article to share updates on the cancellation of Calgary events due to COVID-19. Please note we will update this list as quickly as possible. Family Fun Calgary does not organize any events, as such we aren’t responsible for the cancellation of any events, but we will do our utmost to keep our readers informed.
Read more about it here.
Looking for more tips on how to keep your kids occupied during the COVID-19 crisis? Find our best ideas, activities and inspiration here!
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Family Fun Calgary
Family Fun Calgary is your go-to resource for all things fun and local. From the biggest festivals to the hidden gems, we are on the move and on the lookout for the very best #YYC has to offer! You can stay up to date by liking us on Facebook and signing up for our monthly newsletter.
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