Social Distancing? Innovative Ways to Use Tech Indoors with Your Family

We can’t predict the future – as much as we wish we could. We can only find innovative ways to embrace the situation we find ourselves in now on a global scale. With many people self-isolating and social distancing as a form of COVID-19 prevention, we’re going to need to find newer ways to keep ourselves entertained and productive during this time.

That’s why we took some time out to pair our two favorite things here at Media Genesis – technology and innovation. As a result, we’ve come up with a combination of activities – fun, educational, and everything in-between – to keep you and your family active indoors with the technology you already have at home.

For the Kids

Whether you need a way to entertain the kids while you’re working or you are looking for fun activities the whole family will enjoy, these tips, tools, and ideas will help stave off boredom.

Exercise

• Indoor Field Day – Use YouTube exercise tutorials to come up with indoor-appropriate physical activities that the kids can do, such as competitive stretch or the most innovative yoga poses. See who can complete the most challenges in a set amount of time using the timer on your phone. Get a healthy family competition going!
  • Our Suggestion: GoNoodle, Kids on the Move

Playtime

• Movie Night with a Twist – Use a streaming service such as Disney+, Hulu, or Netflix to watch a family-favorite film. Look up facts about the characters, actors, and story using apps like IMDb and quiz one another to see who really knows the movie best. For young children who have a difficult time sitting through an entire movie, pause the film every now and then and play I-Spy with the image on the screen.
  • Cost: Free or $

• Online Board Games and Puzzles – Make your own virtual DIY board games and puzzles using your favorite characters and themes. Have your child make up their own game and teach you how to play, or create a game together as a family bonding experience.
  • Cost: Free or $

Arts and Crafts/Education

• Craft Night – There are numerous art tutorial videos for kids available online. Whether your kids are interested in drawing, crafting, or knitting (just to name a few), there is a video on how to do it.
  • Our suggestion: Art for Kids Hub
  • Cost: Free

• Continuous Learning – With kids being out of class for a while, it’s a good idea to keep the basics fresh in their minds. Using virtual flashcards, creative writing prompts, and even online math problem generators, you can help them stay abreast of all their subjects.
  • Our suggestion: Numbers, creative writing, flashcards
  • Cost: Free or $

• Virtual Tours – Have your child take a virtual tour of a national park or museum and write about it. Just because we’re stuck indoors doesn’t mean we can’t use this opportunity to explore parts of our country – and the world – that we’ve never been to before.
  • Our Suggestion: Yellowstone National Park, Smithsonian Science Center, Cranbrook Art Museum, Disney Kennedy Space Center (Facebook Live)
  • Cost: Free

For You

A strangely beneficial side-effect of our current situation is that we no longer have the excuse of time keeping us from the things we’ve been wanting to do. Whether it’s getting in shape, learning a new language, or catching up with friends – there’s more time now to get it all done.

Self-Improvement

Spend time doing things that improve your overall mental and physical well-being. Try your hand at:

• Journaling
• Start a blog about something you’re passionate about
• Use YouTube videos to learn to cook or bake a new recipe
• Take an online Yoga, Meditation and/or Mindfulness class
• Spring Cleaning Apps
• Listen to new music
  • Our Suggestion: Paris Opera House (Note: the page is in French but most browsers offer to translate it for you)
  • Cost: Free

Brain Boosters

Learning isn’t only for kids and, despite popular belief, adult education doesn’t have to be boring. For instance, you could:

• Listen to a podcast on a topic that interests you
• Take an Udemy class on one of your favorite subjects
• Learn a language
  • Our Suggestion: Duolingo
  • Cost: Free or $

We would love to hear what you are doing to adjust to social distancing. Share your tips through our contact us form or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn, or reach out to us at (248) 687-7888 or inquiry@mediaG.com.