As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, children throughout the country have been confined to their homes and forced to continue their education through e-learning. In many states, including Illinois, the stay-at-home order has continued for more than a month, and Governor Pritzker recently announced that no school should re-open at all this year.  After weeks of being cooped up, it is understandable if many are feeling stir crazy.

Besides keeping up with assignments and ZOOM meetings, and supporting their parents and families, teens and younger children need other things to do to be productive, have fun, and make one day different from all the others.  Here are some suggestions:

1. Rearrange/do some spring cleaning.

2. Build your own gym, even if you need to use ordinary items, and work out daily.

3. Take walks/ride bikes around their neighborhood, but always maintaining “social distancing” when encountering others.

4. Check out a new TV series or movies via Netflix, Hulu, Disney plus or one of the other many streaming services.

5. Play video games online with friends.

6. Try something new like cooking and tasting new foods.

7. Set up family board game competitions (like Scrabble or Monopoly)

8. Sort through your closet, desk drawer, or book bag to decide to toss out or keep.

9.  Make a time capsule of photos, newspaper articles, or other artifacts that document the quarantine.

10.  Plant flowers or start a vegetable garden.

Any one of these suggestions might help you to overcome the boredom and manage the anxieties during these strange and fearful times of COVID-19.