Summertime gives kids a much-deserved rest from their schoolwork. However, sometimes this can lead kids into the pitfall of having too much free time. COVID-19 makes this time even trickier, because many of our favorite summer activities are limited due to the need for social distancing. With that in mind, we’ve come up with five activities that are social-distancing friendly and sure to keep kids busy and parents happy during summer.

Create a chore chart

Summer time is a great opportunity for children to learn hard work and responsibility while parents are away at work. By setting up a chore chart and an allowance system, parents can teach their children the value of money and hard work. Also, a chores and allowance system can give a self-confidence boost to your children. Best of all, this can all be done safely within the home.

Try a new craft

Tap into your kids’ creative sides and get crafty! You don’t need any particularly fancy items to get started—there are countless crafts you can use those empty toilet paper and paper towel rolls for. Pinterest is a great place to find crafts for all ages and activity levels. In addition to being a fun pastime, the good news for parents is that crafting helps kids develop fine motor skills, boosts self-esteem, and encourages self-expression.

Get outside (while staying safe!)

Even if you feel you cannot safely visit a local park, you can still make sure your kids are getting their daily dose of Vitamin D in your own backyard! Keep your kids busy with outdoor games and crafts. Our Pinterest board has tons of great outdoor activities for kids of all ages.

Take advantage of your local library’s online options

The library is a great place to spend during the summer with your kids and ensure they continue to learn outside of class. However, if your local library is closed or you don’t feel you can visit it safely, many libraries offer a bevy of digital materials, including e-books, audio books, language learning apps, and more. Even so, motivating your children to read can be a challenge—setting aside time to read out loud with them or creating a reading chart can get your kids that extra bit of motivation they need.

Play games together

Playing a game together is a great way to spend time with your kids. The games can range from simple board games like Monopoly to creative challenges like marble bowling. You can even create an at home Olympics with an egg and spoon relay races or water balloon toss. With the help of the internet, you’ll never run out of fun things for your kids to do without a screen.