8 Child Games To Play While Keeping Social Distance

The Covid-19 pandemic drastically affects how we interact with our community. You know that your child’s development is helped so much by playing with their peers. Amidst the panoply of restrictions and guidelines in place globally, social distancing is one of the most important. 

Like with many aspects of life, bringing up kids has suffered from having the usual methods put on hold. Now, a simple and informative guide on an essay writing website might replace an afterschool tutor. Also, the park rather than the front room and the games console becomes the venue for playdates.

When balancing the need for safety with the need for play, it is an opportunity for creativity. Distanced playdates don’t always have to take place on Zoom, although we have some suggestions for that too.

Outdoor games for kids

Spending time in the fresh air keeps little ones happy. Nothing beats carrying your sleepy child from the car to their bed, knowing they’ll wake up tomorrow feeling invigorated and ready for more fun. Outdoors is one of the safest places for us to interact right now, so the emphasis has to fall there.

Remember to dress appropriately for the weather. Depending on where you are in the country or the world, there is a good chance you’ll be venturing outside in less than peak conditions. 

Unfortunately, distancing means classic games like red rover, tag, and duck duck goose are out the window. In their place, some substitutes have some common characteristics. Some games are ideal ways for children to practice turn-taking. Hopscotch, for instance, keeps kids apart, but they share the task of hopping up the squares. 

Maybe it doesn’t fit your definition of a game, but cycling is a great way to have fun outdoors. There are many different things to try, like BMX. So whether you’re just going for a ride to the park or setting up a time-trial race, there are many socially distanced elements to cycling - so long as you’re not on a tandem.

You may wonder whether soccer, basketball, and other ball sports are appropriate in this climate. While full-contact versions of the game are likely to increase the risk of virus transmission, alternatives exist. These games are not all about the tackles and the close-contact.

What about focusing on another aspect like passing or penalty shootouts? A core part of sports in this vein is to keep away from your opponents. Why not emphasize this by making the game about which team can keep the ball for the longest? 

If arts are more your child’s thing, why not get some chalk and start drawing on the sidewalk? The colorful product will bring smiles to people who could need one, and your kid gets to enjoy making a big mess for once - because the rain will do the cleaning at some point.

1. Hopscotch - turning, taking, counting, and a bit of fun skipping combined while keeping apart the players.
2. A treasure hunt - try color coordinating the objects after sanitizing them so each team, or child, will have to look for their color and leave the other one’s alone.
3. A bike ride - cycling is an excellent way to spend the day while keeping healthy too.
4. Ball sports - modify the rules and the objectives to create a socially distanced game.
5. Sidewalk chalking - decorate the neighborhood without leaving a permanent stain, send messages of love and support to strangers as well as express your child’s inner artist.

Indoor Activities for Kids

Dance games for kids are a way to let loose and have fun. Musical chairs are out due to the close contact necessary when scrabbling for the last few seats. Musical statues, however, are well in vogue. Marking out the room with socially distanced dots and directions quickly alter gameplay. Try making some fun objects to act as markers to another activity before playing.

Indoor activities for kids that don’t involve lots of running around and spreading germs include quieter activities like arts and crafts. However, the sanitization of materials and emphasis on not sharing certain things is paramount.

The classic parlor game charades are a great way to share and discuss many Netflix specials watched during the lockdowns that occurred and are occurring. The rules of the game are simple, the gameplay is fun, and you can work in pairs to help little ones who may be less confident. 

6. Musical statues - no one has to touch other players, and everyone can go as crazy as they want while the music plays.
7. Arts and crafts - the possibilities are endless. All that is required are clear instructions on sharing and cleaning.
8. Charades - this game requires thinking outside the box to mime TV shows, songs, and other things such as films.