By: Liz Merrill, LCSW
Online Camps for Kids:
Many parents are worn-out after taking on homeschooling duties between March and June this spring, and now that most camps are canceled for the summer and idle kids are hanging around the house, maybe these virtual camps (many are free) can bring some structure and substance to their day-to-day routine:
· https://www.parents.com/fun/activities/outdoor/free-virtual-summer-camps-2020/
· https://www.washingtonparent.com/guides/guide-camp.php
· https://www.varsitytutors.com/virtual-summer-camp-catalog?
· https://dmv.kidsoutandabout.com/content/guide-summer-camps-dc-metro-area
· https://parade.com/1037196/jessicasager/virtual-summer-camps/
· https://playtivities.com/free-summer-camps/
· https://redtri.com/national-summer-programs-for-families/slide/5
TV, YouTube, Live Streaming, and other entertainment specials
· Disney Plus: Hamilton, the wildly popular hip-hop musical by Lin Manuel-Miranda is premiering July 3rd on Disney Plus. For those who haven’t seen it, having access to the production alone might be worth the cost of a Disney Plus subscription for $6.99 / month or $69.99 / year. OR, you can get Disney Plus for free as part of a promotion through Verizon. Here’s more information about it HERE
· Here’s a link that lists a variety of other TV / Streaming specials going on right now due to COVID-19: https://www.mymove.com/broadband/covid-19/streaming-deals-coronavirus/
· This isn’t a special since it’s free to begin with, but it’s definitely worth mentioning. After COVID-19 caused a nationwide lockdown in mid-March, John Krasinski got creative at home and launched a new and very low-budget show on YouTube. It’s a humorous and heart-warming newscast called Some Good News and focuses on positive stories around the globe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOe_y6KKvS3PdIfb9q9pGug
Free or Discounted Online Fitness Classes:
All of the computer-working, video-watching, zoom-meeting, and web-surfing in our day-to-day lives adds up to a lot of people leading very sedentary existences, which makes it all the more important to be intentional about making time to get moving. Exercise is such an important part of mental/physical health and wellness, and many studies show that it creates immediate changes in the brain that help boost mood and calm anxiety, largely due to the release of natural “feel-good” chemicals, endorphins, in our brains. Now more than ever exercise is important, but it’s probably more difficult than it was before because of the sedentary nature of this pandemic – not having access to fitness centers, being stuck in front of a computer in order to work, and feeling tied down by both parenting and work all day long. When you’re not even leaving your house to take the short walk from your car/bus/ train into the office, or to dash down the hall to chat with a co-worker, it’s easy to settle into a non-moving mode. While it would seem that working from home would offer more flexibility for exercise – by being able to squeeze a work-out in at various times between appointments – the reality is that for many people, the lack of routine and structure in quarantine can make it hard to find blocks of time for everything. And for parents of young children, then the problem becomes the lack of child care that would allow you to go to a gym with a child care center, or go for a run if your co-parenting partner is on a work call or going into the office. But using workout videos (and there are many free options out there these days) really is a solid solution. You can prop your baby up in a bouncer or keep your eye on your kid across the room (or maybe they want to join you!) while you work up a sweat. It takes up a smaller amount of time, and you have access to a shower right there in your home if you need to get back to work afterward. Here are various exercise videos to test out:
· https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/nhs-fitness-studio/
· https://www.healthclubs.com/online-workouts
· https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/free-home-workouts/
