With everyone hunkered down at home for the next few weeks, people will be looking for ways to keep their kids happy, healthy, and motivated. So, let\u2019s cut to the chase. Here are some ideas that we came up with at Tynker to get kids exercising their bodies and brains\u2014and doing their school work!
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1. Take Long Walks<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Nothing\u2019s better than a little fresh air after being cooped up inside all day. Hop in the car with your kids and drive to a nature preserve for a hike in the woods. Stretch and get your blood flowing. Then, slow the pace and try to name the different trees, plants, and flowers. Take pictures. There are free apps that you can install on your phone to help you identify them, like PlantSnap<\/a>, PictureThis<\/a>, and PlantNet<\/a>. You can also take a walk through town and talk with your kids about the different styles of architecture in local homes and businesses. Take pictures of old buildings and structures and then use the internet to try and identify them and along the way discover more about the history of your community. 2. <\/strong>Explore Science And Math Through Coding<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Has your child ever wanted to learn more about the solar system or the ecological pyramid? Do they enjoy playing math games? Tynker\u2019s Hour of Code<\/a> activities empower kids to explore STEM concepts in a fun, imaginative way! Try our Multiplication Escape<\/a>, Ocean Ecological Pyramid<\/a>, Solar System model<\/a>, and other interactive coding projects to unlock your child\u2019s love for science and math. 3. Cook Together<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Eventually, your kids are going to have to learn how to prepare their own meals. Start with breakfast. That\u2019s always fun. Make pancakes from scratch (there\u2019s some math involved here \ud83d\ude00). You can add flaxseed (for antioxidants, fiber, and protein) and wheat germ (for vitamin E, magnesium, and zinc) to make the pancakes more nutritious. Next week, try making lunch together. Building a sandwich is a blast! Tell them what you like in a sandwich and see if they can make it for you. They\u2019ll be so proud of themselves! 4. Get Movin!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Exercise in any shape or form is a must when you\u2019re stuck inside all day. Tynker\u2019s Augmented Reality Course<\/a> has been made FREE<\/strong> to keep your kids active and learning. AR is a new way to extend coding beyond the screen<\/a>! In this introductory self-guided course, kids discover how to build interactive experiences that blend the real and virtual world using the webcam in their computer or iPad. Rather than just watching a screen, they\u2019ll be able to physically stand in front of the camera and participate in the AR games they build by waving their hands or dancing! 5. Read Together<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Reading is exercise for your brain and a great way for kids to increase their knowledge and vocabulary. Without your kids even knowing it, they\u2019ll be using new words from a book they\u2019re reading or telling you some historical fact that they didn\u2019t know the day before. Plus, nothing stimulates the imagination better than a good book when it takes you places that you never expected or even knew existed! With some libraries closing, your kids can also find and read books online. Amazon Kindle<\/a> has free reading apps, available for iOS, Mac, Android, and PC. And reading to each other out loud is a great way to share an adventure through a story! 6. Check Out These Cool Careers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Try a Tynker favorite to explore six careers with Barbie<\/a> and discover how coding concepts can be applied to each one! Discover what it\u2019s like to be a Robotics Engineer, a Musician, an Astronaut, a Farmer, a Beekeeper, and a Pastry Chef! Use programming to animate characters, compose music, tell stories, design games<\/a>, and even create art<\/a>. 7. Go Outside and Garden<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Spring is upon us and there\u2019s nothing better than digging your hands into fresh soil. Now is the perfect time to plant. April showers will bring May flowers and all that. Plant a tree to create shade and save on your air conditioning bill or a row of tomatoes for a summer salad. And did you know that wildflowers can stop stormwater runoff and pollutants from entering lakes and streams, as well as make a great habitat for wildlife? There are so many simple and amazing things we can do when we reap and replenish the earth. Try it together! 8. Get Creative<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tynker lets your kids get creative with our NASA Moon 2 Mars<\/a> adventures, in which kids learn exciting space-themed coding in collaboration with NASA. Kids can tap into their artistic side in “Design a Mission Patch,” get creative in “Tell Your Lunar Gateway Story,” take control of robots in “Rover Relay,” and imagine their home in space in “Design A Lunar Habitat.” All of these step-by-step tutorials help kids learn about real-life NASA missions while strengthening their coding abilities. And younger kids can choose the Tynker Blocks version, while older ones can try JavaScript. 9. Try Meditation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meditation is a great way to promote emotional health by alleviating stress and anxiety. Ask your kids if they\u2019ve meditated at school and, if so, ask them to show you what they\u2019ve learned. Meditation can increase your focus and make you more self-aware. Not bad! If your kids want to watch TV, have them check out the Discovery Network or BBC Earth. Watch together on TV or they can view shorter videos on their own. Try YouTube. One of our favorites is \u201cTop 5 Inspirational Animal Conservation Stories\u201d<\/a> (20 minutes).<\/p>\n\n\n\n 10. Get in a Crystal Clash Battle!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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