My Child is in Quarantine. Help

Parents and educators who were hoping for a back-to-normal school return have had their hopes dashed by the continued fight against the COVID virus. Quarantines of 7 to 10 days because of illness or exposure have children back home, this time often without the option of online learning. Here I offer some ideas for at-home activities that keep children engaged and learning.

Upper Elementary-Middle School Level: Use Stop Motion Photography to create a short movie. Students can use a site called StoryboardThat to write out the plan for the movie. Then use any number of stop motion photography tools, including a smartphone, to execute. It is time consuming and could potentially take up the entire quarantine period.

Sample movie: Pencil-Case stop motion animation

Supports the Following Skill Areas:

Reading (research), Writing, Executive Functioning (planning, organizing), Math (measurement), Emotional Development (perseverance), Technology, Design Thinking

Younger Elementary Level: Choose a special toy or stuffed animal to create a staycation documentary. Once a toy is chosen, that object engages in all kinds of home-based activities like cooking, exercising, reading, and even cleaning. After posing the toy to show the toy’s participation, take a photo, print it out, and write a caption. (The youngest children can dictate.) Make the week’s activities into a book.

Supports the Following Skill Areas

Writing, Reading, Executive Functioning (planning, organizing), Emotional Development (perseverance, independence), Technology, Creativity