15 Ways to Keep You and Your Family Entertained In Times of Quarantine

Let’s face it, it can be tough staying home and trying to find creative ways to occupy your family’s time – especially the longer this goes on. Here are fifteen ways my family has had success combatting boredom.

Break out the puzzles and boardgames – with a twist. We’ve been putting together puzzles, but my brother and his family took it a step further and held a puzzle war (kids vs. parents). My family enjoyed a game of Scrabble while simultaneously taking turns at Story Cubes. I thought, as a writer, I’d be good at spinning a tale from the Story Cubes. Turns out my daughters have a far better imagination.

Binge-watch that show you’ve been wanting to try. These days guilty pleasures no longer feel so guilty. Remember, by staying on the couch, you’re not wasting time, you’re saving lives (or so they tell us).

Make it a stay-cation. Roast s’mores on the outdoor firepit while telling family-friendly ghost stories. Set up tents in the lawn or have a family campout in that old camper parked in your driveway. I bought a majestic palm and set it on my patio next to a lounge chair and an umbrella. When I’m feeling cooped up, I lay out next to my tropical-ish plant and pretend I’m at a resort somewhere.

Have a movie on the lawn or back patio. We’ve all likely increased our screen time during quarantine – but there’s something magical about switching it up and moving the movie outdoors. Pop some popcorn, break out the snacks, tape up a sheet, and watch your favorite flick. My top-five recommendations: (1) The Burbs, (2) Goonies, (3) Gremlins, (4) The Princess Bride, and (5) Sandlot. Okay … (6) Guardians of the Galaxy … 1 or 2 – they’re both pretty great.

Work out at home – but make it fun! Try a dance-themed workout (I love making up crazy dance moves while my dogs stare at me like I’ve lost my mind … which hey, to some extent …). Maybe try yoga or lifting weights (I have arms like twigs, so I’m not going to do any lifting – but someone else might like that sort of thing). Since the weather is getting nicer, you can even set up an outdoor relay. This is something the whole family can enjoy.

Keep date night alive. Parents, you can set up T.V. trays in your bedroom or head out to the back patio. You can even have dinner in your car. One evening, desperate for a quiet dinner, my hubby and I ordered takeout and snuck out to the motorhome for dinner for two at the dinette. We love our kiddos, but sometimes we just need some kid-free conversation.

Host or attend a virtual party. Celebrations need not be cancelled. I’m enjoying everyone’s creativity at staying connected while embracing different technologies. During the quarantine I’ve experienced Zoom birthday parties, Houseparty and Skype virtual happy hours, and my kids are using Facebook and Google Duo to have video chats with friends. Only downside … you may have to get out of your pajamas. Or not…

Take a local drive. My family loves to take drives around the neighborhoods. We look for landscaping ideas or just use the time to mellow out. My eldest has her learner’s permit and we’re taking advantage of the reduced traffic to let her practice her driving (so, on second thought, maybe avoid drives if you live near me).

Have a cooking challenge. Ever watched the show, Chopped? Choose a family member to select the “must have” ingredients to go in the food challenge basket, break into teams if you want to make it more competitive, set a thirty-minute timer, and let the games begin! Award points for presentation, creativity, and …. taste of course! My family had a great time making two, shall we say, interesting, recipes using the ingredients my daughters picked out – flour, butter, honey, pink sprinkles, cranberry juice, baking soda, graham crackers, lime juice, lemon juice, peach syrup, and, wait for it … grated mozzarella cheese. I highly recommend the cooking challenge. Our recipes … not so much.

Find new ways to support local. It’s been a fun challenge to find different small businesses to support during these trying times. Purchasing gift certificates, going through the drive-through, placing online orders, or picking up curbside are a few options to support small businesses while maintaining social distancing.

Fit in snuggle time with your spouse, kiddos, and/or fur babies. One of the advantages of having limited places to go is being able to make time for those precious moments with the family. I’m loving the extra time to curl up on the couch and hold my family close (pets included). Pre-quarantine, even during a family movie, I’d be up scrubbing countertops or folding laundry. Now I’m like, meh, nobody’s coming over anyways.

Learn a new skill or refine an existing talent. How many times have you heard, “I wish I would have learned…” or, “If I had the time I’d…” Between the increase in lessons offered online and longer stints indoors, now is the time to work on that skill you’ve always wanted to perfect. For my eldest, she’s been trying to learn to juggle, do a backflip, and make balloon animals – or at least she was until she realized these hot new skills might lead her to a career in the circus.

Solve a mystery. There are a few options out there for getting a murder mystery box sent to your home. We tried one out and LOVED it. We did discover something about ourselves while studying the detailed clues – we’ve apparently watched too many episodes of The Mentalist and Lost. As a result, we took the mystery challenge a bit far with our 4’ x 6’ “Murder Board” and tabulated every piece of data because we were certain “the numbers mean something,” but it was all part of the fun. We will definitely order another.

Make homemade, personalized pizzas. The whole family loved this. We set up stations outside to roll out dough and create our own pizzas. We had different sauces and assorted toppings like pepperoni, bacon, sausage, olives, cheeses, pepperoncini’s, and garlic cloves. This gives the whole family something to do in the evening, breaks up the monotony of takeout and tacos, and the kids are getting more cooking savvy (a bonus for post-quarantine). And yes, I know, I’m listing a lot of food-related options in this blog. We all may not fit into our clothes once quarantine is over – but we’ll have some fabulous memories.

And finally…

Read, read, and read some more. Most libraries are closed but you can locate little libraries around your neighborhood, download an eBook, or dust off those paperbacks on your shelf. When you get lost in a great story, you can travel anywhere – even in times of quarantine.