20 Best Social Distancing Games And Activities For Kids
Enjoy games and have fun, all while maintaining adequate social distance.
nisha bharatan 
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In This Article
Social distancing is the new normal, and everyone, including children, is still adjusting to it. While staying at home is necessary for safety, you can try some social distancing games for kids shared in this post. Our list has a compilation of interesting indoor and outdoor games that your child can play while maintaining social distance. Indulging in these games will keep your child engaged and entertained. Also, they will aid in their social, emotional, and physical development. You can make these games more fun and joyous for your children by playing along with them. So, scroll down and find the best social distancing games to keep your child active, happy, and healthy.
Explore these indoor and outdoor social distancing activities to keep children busy amidst the restrictions.
Outdoor Physical Activities For Kids
We have listed some outdoor social distancing activities for kids that make good physical activities for children.
1. Scavenger hunt
Organize a unique scavenger hunt for children. Prepare a list of objects that they can go out and search for. To make the game more interesting, you can let them create a collage out of the objects they have found or make a craft using them.
2. Charades
It is one of the most common games children of all age groups enjoy. Without having any social contact, you can let children act out the names of the movies or titles of the books or TV characters and have the rest of the group guess the correct answer by using the cues.
3. Egg and spoon race
Engage your children with the egg and spoon race. Here, children have to stand at a distance from each other, holding an egg in a spoon in the mouth. The one who reaches the finish line without dropping the egg wins the race.
4. Dance session
Make the children stand in a circle for a fun dance session. One kid has to stand in the center and dance as the music plays. The rest of the children will have to copy the steps of the child in the center. Give each kid a chance to be the dance teacher.
5. Sidewalk games with chalk
All you need to keep children engaged are chalk pieces and a concrete backyard or sidewalk. We’ll tell you how. You can organize tic-tac-toe, multiplication ladder, and addition ladder games, which are not only entertaining but also educational. You could even draw the human respiratory system, and let them learn about it as they play by marking different organs.
6. Sack race
This game guarantees endless laughter. Give one sack to each child and ask them to put their legs in it as they hold the ends with their hands. They will have to jump with the sack and make it to the finish line. This is a simple social game for children that supports their gross motor development.
7. Golf with foot
All you need is an open space. You can create the target using chalk or use hula loops. Ask the children to take turns and kick soccer balls into that target area. The child with the maximum scores wins.
8. Rope jumping
Engage your children in rope jumping while encouraging them to maintain social distancing. You could teach them different tricks such as heel-toe, scissors, skier, or straddle-cross. This is also an excellent game for improving their concentration and stamina.
9. Simon Says
Simon Says is an interesting game that can be played anytime, anywhere. Make the children stand in a circle and appoint a child to be Simon. Now, whatever Simon says, the rest of the group has to do it. For instance, if Simon says, “Look at the sky,” everyone has to look at the sky. However, if Simon gives the instructions without using the phrase “Simon says” and someone performs on the instructions, they are out of the game.
10. Field day
You can have a field day planned around sports to keep the kids active and energetic. Include different exercises, such as squats, lunges, skipping, and jumping over hurdles. All these activities can keep the children physically and mentally fit and healthy.
Indoor Activities For Kids
Have a look at these indoor activities that are sure to keep your little ones entertained and help them learn new things.
11. Cookie decoration
Bring out your child’s creative side by teaching them how to decorate cookies. Each one of them can have a bowl of colorful sprinkles and other baking goods. This is an interesting and safe social distancing activity to keep them busy and help them learn something new while having fun.
12. Bingo
Playing a game of bingo is always fun. You can play it conveniently sitting in a room while keeping a two-meter distance. This game can also be played online over a zoom call with a random number generator and amusing calls.
13. Jigsaw puzzles
Keep the children busy with jigsaw puzzles of different difficulty levels that match their potential. These games can be played online as well as offline and make for an excellent indoor activity to keep them busy and develop their focus.
14. Online music games
For children who love music, there are several music games available online that can keep them entertained and connected with music even during the pandemic. GarageBand, Simply Piano, and SingTrue are some of the popular apps for learning music.
15. Quizzes
You can find all kinds of online quizzes on different topics for children. Select the topics that interest your children and improve their knowledge in a fun way. You could choose science quizzes, IQ quizzes, geography quizzes, and many more.
16. New language
It is always a good idea to learn a new language, and with various online language learning classes, you can introduce your children to a language of their choice. Some of the popular apps to learn languages are Memrise, Rosetta Stone, and LinguaLift.
17. Mathematics games
Online math games make an interesting indoor activity for kids. There are different math puzzles and games available online that vary on their difficulty levels and make math more interesting. Download an exciting math game online and improve your children’s math skills.
18. Yoga
If you do not wish to take your child outdoors for physical activities, teaching them a few easy-to-do yoga poses is a great idea. It will not only keep them engaged but also keep them fit and healthy.
19. Indoor adventure
Create an indoor camping site using drapes and cushions, and let your children enjoy reading, learning, and playing. You could also let them get creative and decorate their camp or conduct some indoor activities.
20. Craft fun
Bring out your child’s creative side by giving them paper tapes, cardboard sheets, paint, aluminum foils, and various other recyclable items. Assist them in creating unique crafts by using different items.
Some More Fun Things To Do While Staying At Home
Here are some more fun ways for kids to practice social distancing.
- Write an email or a letter to a friend or family member.
- Use different building toys to create one big structure.
- Spend half an hour every day learning about a topic that interests them.
- Read one picture book every day.
- Organize backyard races, such as a frog race.
- Arrange for Facetime with extended family or grandparents.
- Have a storytelling session.
- Learn about plants and flowers.
- Learn baking or cooking.
- Play card games.
- Learn basic sewing.
- Build tents using pillows and drapes.
- Write a story.
- Follow kid-specific YouTube videos on exercises and crafts.
- Listen to podcasts or audiobooks for kids.
- Organize cupboards.
- Have an indoor party.
Though social distancing seems to be the new normal, it is more difficult for children than adults. To help them make the most of this situation, involve your child in interesting and safe social distancing games for kids. For example, you could try some interesting outdoor games such as charades, hopscotch, tic-tac-toe, and sack race to keep your child active. Alternatively, indoor activities such as baking, cookie decoration, and bingo can help them learn new skills and keep boredom at bay. Moreover, these games will help them develop their cognitive and social skills and form friendships while remaining safe.
Key Pointers
- Social distancing can help children get physical exercise and have a fun time outdoors.
- Scroll down to know more about outdoor social distancing games such as sidewalk games with chalk, golf with the foot, and jump rope.
- Fun indoor activities such as jigsaw puzzles, bingo, and online music games have also been listed.
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