There’s a lot of focus on academic progress – or lack thereof – with students during the pandemic. The cancellation of in-person school is creating a lot of stress for students, parents, and teachers. But what is also happening is that many schools have cancelled “non-essential” extracurricular activities for students. Even schools that have returned to in-person classes, or a hybrid schedule of online and in-person, are not resuming arts programs, student clubs, student community outreach programs, field trips, museum visits, and the like.
While the COVID-19 learning loss is a real concern, it is compounded by the loss of social interaction and the enrichment that comes from participation in creative activity. Some schools are resuming sports activities, which is a great outlet for the population of students who participate, but many schools are not even doing that much.
Some activities, like speech and debate, can be translated into an online format. And some drama teachers are becoming creative, replacing scheduled productions with recording audio plays, short films, and table readings over video calls. And while this may work for some older students, it’s completely limited by the individual school district and resources available.
Creative Things for Kids to Do During COVID Quarantine
(or any time!)
Besides the inherent value of encouraging creativity in students of all ages, non-academic activities are also a wonderful break and may help students focus better when they do have to work on academics. Below are 21 great resources for artistic, creative, crafty, musical, dramatic, and other activities that you can do with your child, and help them interact with others during COVID.
Art Ideas
11 Incredible Homeschool Art Project Ideas
Simple Art Activities for Your Homeschool
36 Elementary Art Lessons for Kids
Museum Tours
17 Famous Art Museums You Can Visit from Your Living Room
International Spy Museum – Free Virtual Tour
The 75 Best Virtual Museum Tours – Art, History, Science
Craft Projects
125 Hobbies to Pick Up During Quarantine
25 Cheap DIY Projects for Teens and Tweens
Starting a Hobby
The 15 Best YouTube Channels for Learning New Hobbies & Skills
13 Hobbies That Are Both Cheap and Fun
Music
52 Homemade Musical Instruments to Make
10 Boredom Busting Musical Activities for Parents & Kids at Home
Creative Writing
10 Fun Writing Activities for Kids
Five Writing Exercises for Secondary English Language Arts
8 Fun Creative Writing Lesson Plans
Drama and Video
Distance Learning: Ideas and Resources for Your Drama Classroom
