Ideas that You Need to Know to Entertain Your Quarantined Children!


1. Protect your ipad or tablets.
Now that our children are homeschooled during the COVID-19 crisis, they need access to technology to connect with their class and complete schoolwork. I think that the idea of handing over our iPads to our children, especially young children, is a little scary. I was hoping that my pretty iPad cover would suffice, but learned the hard way that my children need more rugged cases. If I could go back in time, I would buy the nice HDE brand cases that I bought after my hard lesson. We now use the 7th Gen 10.2” iPad case and 5th/6th Gen 9.7” iPad case.


These cases are awesome because they protect our iPads and also offer flexibility for our children to set them flat or prop them up. Here is a quick overview of the HDE iPad 7th Generation Case for Kids with Built-in Screen Protector

  • Compatible with New iPad 10.2 2019 - 7th Generation Apple iPad 10.2 Inch Tablet (Latest Model, Released 2019, Models A2197 & A2198 & A2200)
  • Crystal-clear, fully integrated screen protector fits over top tablet display | Allows for responsive capacitive touch and keeps your tablet screen looking immaculate – Please remove the protective film from BOTH sides of the screen protector upon arrival to remove bubbles!
  • This Kid Friendly Case is made of durable, heavy duty non-toxic EVA foam, is shock and water resistant to prevents bumps, dust, scratches and spills from damaging the iPad 10.2 tablet | Corners feature double thick padding for ultra protection
  • Custom designed handle allows for 180 degree rotation to provide multiple viewing angles and easy grip for young school children – Flip handle behind the screen for media viewing stand.
  • HDE shock proof childrens iPad cases provide the ultimate protection for your 7th Generation Apple iPad 10.2 Inch Tablet - Fun colors for boys and girls

We also love the 5th/6th Gen 9.7” iPad case for our older iPad. here is a quick overview:
  • Two-piece protective carrying case and stand for the New Apple iPad 2018 Student Edition 9.7" tablet 6th Generation Models A1893 & A1954 (Apple Pencil Compatible) and Original 5th Generation 2017 Apple iPad 9.7" (Models A1822 & A1823)
  • Durable, heavy duty EVA foam is shock-resistant prevents bumps, dust, and scratches from damaging the tablet | Corners feature double thick padding for ultra protection
  • Crystal-clear, fully integrated screen protector fits over top tablet display | Allows for responsive capacitive touch and keeps your tablet screen looking immaculate – Please remove the protective film from BOTH sides of the screen protector upon arrival to remove bubbles!
  • Foldable multi-function handle makes for easy transporting while doubling as a kickstand for easy media viewing | Light weight design is great for boys and girls taking to school – Flip handle behind the screen for media viewing stand.
  • Apple Pencil Holder - Custom designed handle provides seamless storage for your Apple Pencil - Quick and easy access, but also protects it from any drops or bumps - Case is ONLY COMPATIBLE with New 2018 / 2017 Released iPad 9.7" Models (Both Apple Pencil Support and Original Versions)
We also use the HDE Shoulder Strap for the cases that are great!

2. Help them to learn a new language with Rosetta Stone.
I initially wanted Rosetta Stone for my oldest son to practice Latin. My hope is that a strong Latin language background will help to prepare him for his SAT and other exams.  I know that the SAT is several years away, but I read that knowing multiple languages, especially Latin at a younger age, is helpful.  It turns out that Rosetta Stone is so much more though!  My son loves their user friendly system that makes learning fun.  He eagerly spends approximately one hour on Rosetta Stone daily and says that it's fun. It's a well thought out program that involves both oral and written practice in engaging ways.



I've been monitoring my son's progress and appreciate that Rosetta Stone makes it easy for my to track his progress.  Since I am often working while he is busy with schoolwork, it's nice to be able to see progress reports like the one below.



In the evening, we talk about our days and his highlight almost always includes what he learned on Rosetta Stone.  (He's obsessed which is awesome!) This has a cascading effect because his enthusiasm causes his younger sibling. Our preschooler now enjoys learning Latin vocabulary words as well. They enjoy practicing the words together. I really didn't see that coming!

I'm really thrilled and highly recommend Rosetta Stone. They are pros when it comes to helping people to learn a new language. While we are focusing on Latin, they have many other languages as well such as Spanish, French, German, and more. Every child should try Rosetta Stone!  

3. Grow herbs for recipes.
Our home has a small yard, but we still wanted to make sure that our children enjoyed gardening experiences in their childhood. We used products from Urban Leaf for our garden because they specialize in beginner-friendly edible gardening kits. They offer a wide range of products. We tried the Herb Starter Kit and Garden Trio Kit based on our children's preferences of what they wanted to grow. We had fun sprouting the seeds in an upcycled container that served as a greenhouse. This was fun while also reinforcing science lessons!



We also transplanted some to a larger planter.



My children love watching the daily process. There is something magical about watching plants grow!  Check out Urban Leaf for other fun garden kits!




4. Grow a Fairy Garden.

My children have a several year age gap. One of my oldest child's favorite memories was a homemade Fairy Garden. When I saw the fabulous My Fairy Garden Nature Cottage, I knew that I needed to have this for my youngest child! This whimsical set is amazing because the designers paid careful attention to detail with everything from a flying fairy to an actual garden area with quick-sprouting seeds to a water feature with floating lily pads.  Here is the product overview:
  • My Fairy Garden Nature Cottage: Start an enchanted science project with your kid and take them step-by-step on how to plant a magical garden for fairies. My Fairy Garden Nature Cottage is a flowerpot that comes with everything you need to create a new fairy world; watering can, gardening tools, soil, seeds, and a cottage to house fairy Isla and her friends.
This toy is sure to create happy childhood memories! My children love it! This is a must-have toy for young children.



5. Stock up on board games that encourage problem solving.
Two games that we love for active little minds include Zangle and Set. These trendy games encourage competition and fun. Here are quick overviews:
  • Zangle Card Game: Family nights will get more fun and competitive with Zangle! Find a Zangle with two or more cards to make the shape on another card. You can twist, flip or spin your cards to find the best angle to make your Zangle. You won’t stop playing this game once you start racing to find Zangles before your opponents!
  • SET card game: Children often beat adults in this extremely addictive and fast-paced card game. All players compete simultaneously and try to claim sets of cards in a single pass through the deck. A set consists of three cards that are either all alike or all different in each attribute. Whoever claims the most sets wins!

Our family loves playing these fun games!


6. Encourage creativity with face painting.
Face painting isn't just for Halloween. We love the Face Paintoos Wild Pack for our children to use their imaginations!  I'm not the most artistic person, but this kit is easy to use and we had a great time with it.  Here is a quick overview of this trendy kit:
  • Face Paintoos Wild Pack: Traditional Face painting can be messy and requires artistic skills, but not with Face Paintoos. Easy to apply and easy to clean, Face Paintoos will give your kids professional face paint in minutes, helping them to spend hours dressing up in costumes and role-playing. Who said you could only wear costumes on Halloween? Dress up and transform into fun animals with Face Paintoos to create all kinds of stories with your kids.
I hope that you enjoy some of these ideas to help make your children's time home special.