Home for Corona - Lets Come Up with Non-Screen Activities for Kids

Resources that have been sent my way by others (danger, screen time involved):

https://mysteryscience.com/school-closure-planning

https://kristenlavalley.substack.com/p/quarantined-but-not-boreantined

ABC mouse is currently free (but I am not a huge fan of it).  The (better) alternative has always been free:  Khan academy

I'm also planning a few home improvement projects that this will motivate me to accelerate.  One is to make crates for the "cubby" style shelves we have in the house,  many of which have his toys in them.  Then I'll have him paint the crates, maybe one a day.  It takes a 4 year old a long time to paint a crate.  Should be fun.

Some extra study work for the hunters safety course, cleaning up/tuning up the vintage bicycle collection including there bikes. If we get some nice weather my garage badly needs cleaned. They have been playing with there friends all weekend and I expect that to continue. Nothing really new and exciting since we already severely limit screen time 

Another Mo Willems fan here.  What is that book?

My boys are 9 and 11.   Tomorrow they are going to learn to solder copper pipe (FIRE!  Sorry just getting ready) and strip wall paper using the paper tiger and a steamer.   They're both excited to learn...we'll see how long that lasts.

Recon1342 said:

octavious said:

@bigben which app?

Yes, which app?

The kids were using PicPac. I'm sure there are other apps that work similar. They figured this one out on their own.

They just finished after a couple of hours and were proud to show off their videos.

Well, our local school district just cancelled school effective immediately through the end of the month...

I'll still be working full time.

From the Petersen:

LOS ANGELES (March 16, 2020) – For students looking for supplemental learning activities during school closures, the Petersen Automotive Museum will offer free educational live streams twice daily beginning Tuesday, March 17, 2020. Daily presentations will consist of a lecture at 10 a.m. and a hands-on activity at 1 p.m. In addition to live stream programming, the museum will offer downloadable worksheets and coloring sheets. The museum will remain closed to the public until March 31, 2020, or until further notice. 

Although lessons are open to parents and children of all ages, the subject matter is targeted for children ages 12 and under. The program schedule is below, and topics are subject to change.

• Tuesday, March 17, 10 a.m. – Force and Motion
  • Cars are about motion. While it may seem simple to press a pedal and move forward, there are dozens of forces interacting that must be balanced to produce motion. From Newton’s laws to different types of energy, students will learn the simple physics behind the automobile.
• Tuesday, March 17, 1 p.m. – Balloon Cars
  • For a car to move, a force must be applied. Students will explore propulsion and Newton’s Third Law of Motion by making their own balloon cars.
• Wednesday, March 18, 10 a.m. – History of the Car
  • Cars have been in existence for more than a century (or longer, depending on when you start). Join the Petersen as it explores the evolution of the automobile.
• Wednesday, March 18, 1 p.m. – License Plates
  • License plates identify vehicles as properly registered with the state but may also serve as a canvas. Students will create their own license plates and decorate them to show off something about their home state.
• Thursday, March 19, 10 a.m. – Storytime Featuring “Go, Dog, Go!” By P.D. Eastman
  • Students will read the beloved tale about dogs and their cars.
• Thursday, March 19, 1 p.m. – Animal Cars 
  • Students will make a car of their favorite animal with materials found around the house.
• Friday, March 20, 10 a.m. – Design Process
  • Utilizing the car, students will explore how things go from idea to finished product. 
• Friday, March 20, 1 p.m. – Car Models
  • A critical part of automotive design is creating a model. Students will create car models to show how the modeling process can help to explore design choices. 
  • Future lessons will cover propulsion, aerodynamics, racing and a host of other topics.

“The Petersen Automotive Museum offers students an opportunity to gain an education during school closure and in between their digital course loads,” said Petersen Executive Director Terry L. Karges. “Our special programming will broaden kids’ knowledge and expose them to the world of the automobile.”

To learn more about the Petersen Automotive Museum’s online educational programming, access daily lecture and activity documents, and view the live streams, please visit https://www.petersen.org/online-education. For more information about the Petersen Automotive Museum and its exhibits, visit www.petersen.org.

My ex put together a structured plan for the boys day today.  It worked out well, although it was near impossible to get any appreciable amount of work done at the same time, so I'll be playing after hours catchup.

We made a baking soda and vinegar volcano and he loved it.  We will upgrade to mentos/diet coke outdoors next week I think :)

I'm trying to organize a book reading corona-challenge among family and near friends for their kids.  Plan is to buy book reports or video presentations and incentivize some kiddos.

Fueled by Caffeine said:

wash my car.

Have them wash your cars.

Read at least one book each a week.  Since libraries may be closed, trade books with neighbors.
 

Organize your sockets and wrenches.  Inventory your tools.  Sort the jars or cans of assorted screws and nails

Our kids like to color yet, so I take pictures of their favorite characters. I wdit the photo with the built in app to make it more or less black and white, then send it to the printer

are there any simple classes on  CNC or 3D printers.........

for teenagers  or older......

oldopelguy said:

I'm trying to organize a book reading corona-challenge among family and near friends for their kids.  Plan is to buy book reports or video presentations and incentivize some kiddos.

 

Thats a pretty cool idea.

A few ideas:

-The kids are making good progress on a new cardboard castle, the target is to add a storey a day.

-My son and his two besties have --on their own-- started a book club, with the idea being to discuss the books over Facetime once done.  Only problem is this means they have to read the common books on tablets, not real books. We may switch some discussion into  each of them writing a couple of paragraphs in an email about a chapter of each book, swapping those, and then discussing.

-We're playing alphabet/spelling hide and seek with my 5 y/0 daughter.  We wrote the alphabet and a bunch of short words on index cards then scattered them around the house.  We just call out letters and words and she has to find them.  Loves it.

-Both kids are loving all the virtual museum and National Park tours. We are limiting them to 1/day to make em last for the duration.

Also, the Petersen museum stuff is great!!

We home schook our son so we routinely look for activities around the house. lately now that the weather has warmed up here in michigan, we have been going for more walks through the woods.

I have him out in the garage as much as possible as well so he can use his hands and build his handy man skills.

Made a basketball hoop out of trash. Bicycle helmet because he was riding a bike while I built it.