Much like many of you, I have children at home under a "Stay at Home" order and it is now their spring break too.

Normally, they would be enrolled in camp, on a vacation, and avoiding anything to do with school.

This year, the distance learning is on a break for the week, trails and beaches are closed, and my kids were up at 6:30 am with an enthusiasm that this working from home parent was not prepared for. How can we still allow for a part of spring break while working and staying home?

• Create an obstacle course along the lines of Survivor or American Ninja Warrior 
• Do a model runway on your back or front porch
• Use sports equipment long forgotten in your garage to create hybrid games 
• Learn a few phrases in a new language- learn how to say hello, goodbye, please, and thank you multiple languages.
• Do you remember pen pals when you were younger? Have your kids write a letter to one of their friends and learn how to mail it too!
• Make a stop motion Lego or clay figure movie (this one will take a lot of time)
• Create a reading corner or fort
• Teach basic housekeeping in a fun way like how to sort and fold laundry (make it a contest for speed and accuracy)
• Have a fancy dinner and have your kids help set the table (sneak some table setting skills into their repertoire) 
• Let them dress up in every piece of dress up clothing that they can and see how long it takes them to get out of all of them. 
• Create a pile of stuffed animals and allow them to have some down time reading to the animals or just laying down with the stuffed animals
• Make new art projects such as a landscape painting, trying a new art medium, natural art using plants and flowers.
• Try writing in a journal about what they think about this time. (only read it if they say it is ok)
• Teach them how to play card games without being online.
• Take out your favorite movies (when appropriate) and share them together. This is a great time to appreciate the classics and a simpler time.
• Make a restaurant or movie theater. Have the kids be the chef, waiter, or theater usher and create menus, table decor, concession stand, and dress codes.