Even teachers and administrators are encouraging us to focus less on the schoolwork and more on the family time.

While we are all stuck at home for the greater good, there are so many things we are missing out on. But since we can’t control that, we can choose to make the most of this opportunity to slow down and spend some time on the things that really matter.

If you’re at home with kids of any age, here are some things you can do:

• Play a game: pull out the cards or dust off your favorite board game. Even better: design your own board game!
• Go on a walk or a bike ride. Take a short car trip to a local hiking trail or park
• Snuggle up with a blanket, make some popcorn, and watch a movie (Disney+ is releasing a lot of new material early!)
• Turn on some music and have a 10-minute dance party. You’ll sweat, promise.
• Find your inner kid: get out the play doh, Lego, construction paper, glue and crayons
• Hop online and find a tutorial for a new skill! You can learn almost anything, from yoga to playing an instrument to speaking a new language, to how to unclog a drain, change a tire, or sew on a button!
• Chores. Will they grumble? Yes. Will they do it anyway if you take away their Xbox controller until they do? Yes.
• Grab some flour, sugar and eggs (or if you’re in my house: a box mix) from the pantry and make a cake for no good reason other than to make a cake.
• Grab some paper and a cup and write down activities like ‘make a movie’ or ‘build a fort’ then cut them up and pull them one at a time when boredom strikes
• Got a home project on your to-do list? Tackle it together!
• Clean out the toy bin, closet or game area. It’s REMARKABLE how many toys and games they haven’t touched in MONTHS are in fact sacred.
• Look for ways to pay it forward, like donating food to a food bank, contributing to a charitable organization, or just checking on a neighbor.
• Lastly, search online for boredom busters, kids’ activities, and indoor ideas, there are a lot to choose from!

In all cases, please remember to follow CDC recommended guidelines to keep yourself and others safe and healthy.

If your family is suffering from a little TOO MUCH togetherness, here is an idea for that too:

Create multiple stations (like TV time, reading in your room, kitchen table creations, and backyard). Each kid starts at a station, and after 30 minutes (or any amount of time you choose), kids rotate to the next station. They’ll be separated but active, and kids love structure and a plan, so they’re not staring into the abyss of an empty day.