Around Town: Coronavirus Edition
All jokes aside, we know that many people have cancelled spring break plans either by choice or because of other restrictions. With family-focused businesses and organizations like Carousel for Missoula and SpectrUM Discovery Area temporarily shuttering their doors while evaluating the response to the virus. As of the time of this posting EmPower Place, the Flying Squirrel, and Missoula Public Library are still open. We support all efforts made to minimize the spread of the COVID-19 illness and know that this may mean hunkering down at home or practicing “social distancing” in public environments.
That being said, we’ve got 20 ideas to keep you and your kiddos occupied!
1. Go camping in your living room or backyard. Make forts in the living room or pitch a tent in the backyard. Bring flashlights, snacks, and cozy sleeping bags to cuddle up telling stories and playing games! Need some inspiration, here are some fun indoor camping ideas or how about a DIY craft campfire!
2. Have a paper airplane contest—here’s a great tutorial complete with a DIY landing strip!
3. Build a marble run. You KNOW you’ll have extra toilet paper rolls, build a marble run using toilet paper and paper towel rolls. Personally, I LOVE this one. It takes time to design and make the marble run and then you can get hours of fun out of it. Need some inspiration, here’s a great tutorial!
4. Still have extra toilet paper rolls? Here are some more great crafts you can do!
5. Make a time capsule or keepsake box. Tired of keepsakes piling up? Make a memory or keepsake box with the kids or create a time capsule that can be buried or stored somewhere. Need some inspiration, here’s a crafty keepsake box, a keepsake box organized by grade years, or a time capsule.
6. Have a dart war—indoor or out. Use plastic cups, empty milk jugs or those empty Amazon boxes as targets! Here are some nerf games you can play to change it up a bit!
7. Create a Lego masterpiece and take it one step further by creating your own Lego movie! Download the Lego Movie Maker app and show off your master builder skills!
8. Have a nature scavenger hunt. Find a great park or trail like Maclay Flats, Pattee Canyon or the Rattlesnake and have a little competition. Create a list of items that you can find in nature—first to complete the scavenger hunt wins! Need some inspiration, here’s a great printable scavenger hunt!
9. Make a glow stick bubble bath!
10. Start spring cleaning early—make it a family activity!
11. Have a balloon rocket challenge!
12. Make your own indoor mini golf course! Use items around your house like plastic cups, empty boxes and even books! Need some inspiration, here’s a step-by-step tutorial!
13. Make your own copycat Girl Scout Cookies.
14. Send a letter, a DIY card or even a hug to a distant family member or friend. Feeling extra crafty? Make some cards for deployed service members and drop them off at the MT National Guard & Reserve armory and a staff member will make sure deployed service members will receive your cards.
15. Make a bird feeder—here’s a simple idea or one that takes a few more craft supplies!
16. Spread something contagious, POSITIVITY! Paint rocks and place them around town, at local parks or along trails for someone to find and enjoy! Join the Missoula Rocks group on Facebook to see what others are painting or rocks they’ve found!
17. Get crafty with empty egg cartons. Here are some great ideas for teens or younger children.
18. Learn new card games and tricks. Do those tiny hands need help holding cards? Here’s a great tutorial for making a card holder.
19. Use those socks that are missing their mate and create some sock puppets. Create a story line and put on a play using your newly crafted friends! Need some inspiration, here are some great sock puppet ideas and a tutorial for a sock puppet stage.
20. Have a dance party! Put on your favorite music from today or kick it old school.