Hands-On Activities for Kids to Enjoy at Home
updated 4/28/20
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With the kiddos home during the novel coronavirus quarantine, it may seem like you’ve already run out of things to do. Check out these unique ways to bond and giggle with your family.
Creative Kits
Order a cookie decorating kit you can get via curbside pickup or local Medina delivery, and have fun frosting a dozen cookies with the kiddos. Don’t forget the sprinkles!
For a fun and unique kit, get a terrarium kit shipped from this Canton shop and put together a small garden in a bottle.
It's not just pizza you can make with these take and bake Kits for pickup or delivery the Medina shop. Also try baking calzones, breadsticks, pepperoni rolls and more.
Bake and customize your own cake pops with chocolate you can melt and sprinkles. Order from the Kent maker online and watch step-by-step instructions via its Facebook page.
With flower pots, family trees, wall art and so much more, this Alliance shop ships more than enough options to keep the little ones occupied. Plus, try different mediums like paint, fused glass or make-your-own ceramics.
The do-it-yourself sundae kits with three pints of ice cream, sprinkles, M&M’s and gummy worms is ultimate indulgence. Those in Canton, Portage Lakes or Green can get the kit via free delivery.
Decorate your own little donuts with sprinkles and colorful icing through DoorDash at Canal Fulton, Hudson, Massillon and North Canton locations.
This organization’s Gravity, Gears, and Gigabytes program is coming out with kits for cars you can purchase and make at home. There will be a mini wooden car, an electronic digiRacer and a full-size Soap Box Derby car. Plus, the kits teach your kid STEM principals such as problem-solving, text-based programming and critical thinking.
Older kids can master a hip craft with these DIY string kits that come with the pattern, a piece of wood, the nail, yarn, and an instruction sheet. If it looks too complicated, you can order custom string art from this Canton maker too.
Arts & Activities
Each Monday, the museum is posting a challenge for kids to complete during the week. Previous challenges have included making homemade ice cream and designing your own monster mission course. Get the kids in their PJ’s and tune into Facebook at 7 p.m. on Thursdays for weekly bedtime story readings.
Sit the kids down for regular storytimes with the children’s librarians via videos on their Facebook page.
Spend the time at home learning a new instrument! The Cleveland baroque orchestra is offering virtual music lessons over video calls.
Take your crafts to a new level with the Canton Museum of Art’s step-by-step videos released on Wednesdays via Facebook and YouTube. Staff members guide you through an art lesson inspired by one of the museum’s current exhibits, which you can also tour through its website.
The orchestra is offering fun and creative ways to enjoy music with the Music from Home: Learning with the Canton Symphony Orchestra series on its Facebook page. Families can learn how to make a kazoo, watch mini concerts and even learn how to cook with assistant conductor Matthew Jenkins Jaroszewicz.
Check out their videos on social media Monday through Friday for basketball drills from coaches, dancing routines from members of the entertainment teams and other ways to get kids active. There’s also healthy snacks like banana sushi.
Have a friendly family trivia competition with Barberton’s Magical Theatre Co. Participants can check back nightly at 7 p.m. for a new trivia question. Your children can also enjoy stories read by local theater veterans with Magical Storytime.
Families can get fresh air and a chance to be creative by drawing colorful sidewalk art for a good cause. The Open M Akron nonprofit is holding a virtual walk on May 16 at 7 a.m. to raise money and awareness and is asking you to take a selfie or video of your walk and share it on social media with the hashtag #openmchalkthewalk for a chance to win a gift card. Also put on your sneakers and head to your nearest sidewalk, trail or park, or engage in philanthropy with the whole family and start a Facebook fundraiser to help raise funds to support their mission of providing pathways out of poverty.
Spectacular Party Entertainment
The Cleveland-based company that offers parties with your child’s favorite superheroes, princesses and film characters is now featuring fun activities and livestreamed storytimes on its Facebook page to keep your children entertained.
Take a stroll in the gardens for free Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. for seniors and 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for all others. Entrance is limited to a certain number of guests at each time. If you would rather stay home, you can still enjoy a virtual tour of the Manor House’s impressive first floor. Plus, there are several coloring pages of the estate and grounds on its website.
Remote Learning
Hangout and learn more with your favorite zoo critters in the afternoon, like a Galapagos tortoise or sugar glider, during Akron Zoo’s daily Lunch and Learn on Facebook.
Great Lakes Science Center is making sure your child’s brain is working hard while having fun with Curiosity Corner Live on its YouTube channel, which features interactive STEM videos conducted by the center’s educators. Streaming every day at 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.
While the aquarium is closed, staffers still have to take care of the animals. Watch their educational videos on social media of marine life such as sharks and fish, and learn to make some great under the sea crafts.
Whether it’s using tunes to teach the ABC’s or introducing your teen to the Beatles, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s Rock Hall EDU is the one-stop shop for musical learning activities.
Keep your history lessons local with these online videos and other resources that teach you how to darn a sock like your ancestors or celebrate Ohio’s past presidents.
Join virtual playdates featuring an interactive story, game and a song all about our eyes. Dr. Katie Greiner from NorthEast Ohio Eye Surgeons teaches your little ones about eyes and what we can do to keep them healthy.
Deliveries
Don’t miss out on giving a gag gift or pulling a great prank on April Fool’s Day. All your favorite strange and funny toys are available online for delivery in Kent within 5 miles or shipping.
Order from the North Canton store online and get board games or puzzles shipped to keep the little ones occupied.
Find a new favorite book to read while you’re stuck at home. Order online and have some great new books shipped or delivered within Hudson and neighboring communities.
Coloring
Hiking is great, but hiking while also doing a scavenger hunt is even better. This Alliance botanical garden and nature preserve has several scavenger hunts to do along its trails open to those practicing social distancing or in your backyard.
If you’ve done all the puzzles in your houses too many times, try these virtual puzzles of Burntwood Tavern’s various locations.
Though you can’t visit spots around the city, spend the time at home coloring in your family’s favorite places.
This Akron pottery painting studio is closed for now, but they’ve made a variety of coloring pages based on their pottery you can download.
Judge Stormer’s Cards for Senior Citizens
Have the kids use their extra time to brighten others’ days. Summit County Probate Court Judge Elinore Marsh Stormer is calling upon you to create homemade cards for senior citizens. You can mail the cards to the court or make virtual ones and email them to the court to be printed. The court will send then to seniors isolated in nursing homes and assisted living centers through June 1.
This museum has made a coloring book that you can print at home. The pages have lots of fun facts and museum designs to color, including a picture hunt of the museum’s mini Immel Circus.
Have a suggestion you would like us to add? Please email Managing Editor Kelly Petryszyn at kpetryszyn@bakermediagroup.com.