While schools scramble to make learning happen online, many kids are missing the social part of school more than anything else. Playdates and birthday parties are off the table but there are still plenty of ways to connect with each other. Here are several games that can be played virtually:
1. Charades
Reach out to your child’s friend and start up a game of charades. Take turns recording videos of your child acting out animals, activities, movies and more and let their friend take a guess. This game can be played live in minutes over FaceTime or over several days through social media or apps like Marco Polo. If acting is not your child’s cup of tea, turn it into a game of Pictionary instead!
2. 20 questions
This is another game that can happen quickly or take time. Your child may need help coming up with 20 questions to ask and it’s a good idea to write them down. Let them come up with their own questions for friends or for extended family members. If your child is old enough, turn this into an at-home educational assignment and ask them to put together a few paragraphs about the person they interview.
3. Write a story together
Start with a simple sentence like “Mary needed a…” and allow your kids to go back and forth filling in the story. This is a fun activity to test creativity but can also be used as a learning opportunity if you discuss the parts of a story and have kids take turns filling in the blanks.
4. Show and tell
Show and tell day is always an exciting day at school but there’s no reason it can’t be done from home. Have your child choose something in their room that is special to them and record them talking about it. Share the recording with family or friends and challenge them to do the same. Show and tell doesn’t have to be done through video. Encourage your child to write about something special to them. You could share their description with friends and ask them to guess what the item is.
5. Write a letter
Getting a personal letter in the mail is fun, no matter your age. Have your child take a few minutes each day to write or draw something they did that day. If you’re not able to send it in the mail, taking a picture and sending it digitally is just as fun. Don’t forget about teachers who miss their students! Receiving a hand-written note from a student would be a pleasant surprise!
