Stir crazy? That was weeks ago. Here's how to keep your kids occupied with educational—yet engaging—content designed just for them.

Are you tracking the quarantine/stay home days? Maybe you’ve lost track, as days have blurred into weeks and now, months. And by this point, you’ve adjusted to a routine of staying home, keeping your kids fed and occupied for countless hours and working as a part-time playmate and short order chef. But perhaps you’ve reached the point where you are looking for more ideas for keeping your kids busy, whether it’s educational tips or new ways to explore the outdoors. Hang tight, because we’ve got you covered. Here are some tips and tricks for raising happy and healthy kids during this unusual time.

Image Courtesy of Owlkids

1. Give yourself a break

As parents, questioning your every parenting decision starts before your baby is even born! And parenting during such a challenging period of time can certainly bring up new levels of doubt. Is my child learning enough? Will they suffer long term consequences of being away from school? Will they regress and make up time later? The bottom line is: we are all in this together, and you are doing a great job. You might be busy working on your own job, as a constant snack provider, entertainer, and you know, your default job as their parent. We will get through this, and your kids will remember how much you loved them, not how many division tables or French verb conjugations they memorized. So take a deep breath, and remember that it’s a moment in time, not a permanent sentence.

2. Create boundaries

While it can feel impossible to create a full-fledged lesson plan with perfectly-planned activities that stimulate your child’s growing brain in a variety of ways, there are some easy solutions you can try. Create your own schedule and allow for kids to weigh in. Pick a few categories such as outdoor time, craft time, reading time, and yes—even a bit of screen time. Maybe the latter is best saved for dinner prep, when you need a little time to yourself, and you also need to keep the kids away from a hot stovetop. Carve out chunks of the day—you don’t need to program it down to the minute, but by establishing a few larger blocks for things like baking hour, outdoor time and writing time, it will eventually establish a routine that will empower both yourself and your kids.

3. Pace it out

You might wake up one day with back-to-back conference calls and school-aged children who want nothing to do with their lesson plans. Here’s where you have to take a moment and let it go. Not every day will go as planned. Today might be the day where the day begins with a Frozen marathon and ends with some crafting from Chirp and Chickadee magazines while the older kids can explore the world of science and tech with OWL. One day you might feel like a Pinterest mum who manages to make seven different crafts out of pipecleaner and the next day, you’re already frustrated with the situation before 8 a.m. Take it one day at a time, and if necessary, one hour at a time.

4. Set it and forget it

Now’s the time to make things easier on yourself and lean into all of the convenient options available while we are spending more time at home. Order weekly groceries from a local farmer or supplier. Set your monthly payments to automatic withdrawals so you aren’t having to wait until they are due (who knows what day it is anyway?). Looking for a subscription service that your kids will look forward to every month? How about a magazine that is designed specifically for their age group (3-6, 6-9, 9-13). All of the magazines from Owlkids go beyond reading to foster creativity and imagination in new ways every month—through puzzles, animal facts, science, fiction, comics, and more! Once you purchase, you’re gifting your child (or a friend’s child) with a year of education that will delight them every time it’s delivered to their door.

5. Don't neglect yourself

Sure, you can't escape for a movie or coffee date with your best friend, but there are still ways you can manage some “me time” in order to maintain your own mental health. Schedule weekly Zoom dates with a core group of friends and have an honest conversation about your struggles. Join a digital book club or cooking club which will encourage you to explore new topics and tastes.

If you're interested in learning more about how you can keep your kids entertained with Owlkids magazines, visit Owlkids.com.