Creative Activities to Keep Your Kids Busy So You Can Work

by Elizabeth Denham

The COVID-19 pandemic presented all of us with a lot to fear: health risk, job loss, isolation, life without toilet paper…the list was long. And while many of us were able to work from home, making that shift at a moment’s notice was challenging. Even more difficult, many of us were working from home and trying to keep our kids engaged with school.

Now is no less challenging. Many summer camps are canceled, vacations postponed, friends kept at bay. So, the question is sent out to the vast universe. How do I entertain my kids so I can work?!

I have some ideas. And I will admit, many are not my own. I have watched my kids and my nieces and nephews (heretofore known as The Gaggle) come up with some pretty creative ideas that I am going to share with you in the hopes that it will keep them occupied and out of your hair (at least for a while) so you can get some work done in peace.

“Make Art. Make a Movie. Make Fun!

Zoom a la Painting with a Twist or Bob Ross

The Gaggle has created a gallery of fine art with zoom, paper/canvas and whatever art supplies are on hand. Here is the deal. Your Gaggle, which can consist of friends, family or even solo) will:

1. Get on Zoom or Facetime with other Gaggle members.

2. Choose a picture everyone will paint or draw.

3. Each creates art from his/her own locations with idle chitchat and bounteous commentary on the others’ work.

4. Run to the living room and show whoever is home.

This should get you about 30 minutes.

Cooking Show Competition a la Gordon Ramsay

This can be a bit messy, but cleanup can buy you another half hour. The deal is you mess up the kitchen, you clean it up. This must be articulated before beginning. You will need to add the ingredient list to your next grocery run, but this one could buy you a couple of hours. For this one, The Gaggle will:

1. Choose a recipe.

2. Get on Zoom or Facetime.

3. Set out ingredients for a recipe.

You can make this challenge harder – my Gaggle did – by having one person read instructions but NOT reveal portions of ingredients. This adds the potential for disaster which makes for better TV (my Gaggle filmed it and added it to their website). Want to see? Not sure if you do, but here it is! https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=x9NKV8PY_8k

1. Create recipe.

2. Have everyone taste and describe.

3. Run to whoever is home and force into taste testing.

4. Clean up.

This one can buy you a couple of hours.

Make a Movie

The Gaggle does this every year when the cousins all come to town. They spend weeks meeting online or on the phone and writing a script. They plan shots, edits, costumes, etc. They even have a YouTube where on of my older sons says 103 unsuspecting victims have sat through these movies. I love them. It’s all about perspective, right?

1. Write a script.

2. Plan costumes.

3. Plan shot selections.

4. Plan locations.

5. Film

6. Edit (you’d be amazed that they all know how to do this on their phones).

7. Show it to every unsuspecting victim you can find!

8. This one, when done right, can buy you days and maybe even weeks!

May the force be with you this summer!