POPULAR BOOKS/AUDIOBOOKS
A BOY FROM THE WOODS
This #1 New York Times Best-Seller follows the search of a missing girl and the private investigator’s feral upbringing becoming an asset to the search.
EDUCATED
The daughter of survivalists educated herself enough to leave homeschooling for university.
LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE
Read the book and then catch it on the big screen with Reese Witherspoon! The story follows an artist as she upends a quiet town outside of Cleveland.
WINGS OF FIRE: LEGENDS DRAGONSLAYER
This teen book follows Ivy, Leaf, and Wren as they fight for the survival of the human race to defeat dragons.
THE COMPLETE COOKBOOK FOR YOUNG CHEFS
Bring a new chef into the kitchen with you and help them learn new skills with all this free time. This book features over 100 kid-tested recipes from America’s test kitchen.
CHAIN OF GOLD
This young adult fiction tale follows Cordelia as she battles demons in a quarantined London, unveiling a world that she’s never seen before.
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POPULAR ON NETFLIX/HULU
TIGER KING
This documentary exposes the owning and exploitation of endangered animals and just how prevalent it is in America. The film (currently the #1 most-watched Netflix program in the U.S.) follows animal rights activist Carol Baskin, and animal breeder and exploiter Joe Exotic.
OZARK
Season 3 has been released, this crime drama features a character (Jason Bateman) and his family struggling to keep their head above the water from a drug cartel.
THOMAS & FRIENDS
Follow Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends in new adventures on Netflix with season 23.
THE WITCHER
Geralt of Rivia is a monster-hunter for hire. Follow him on a journey where people prove to be more wicked than beasts.
BOOKSMART
This hilarious and surprisingly heartwarming story follows best friends on the night before graduation.
NEW BOARD GAMES
THE CHAMELEON
Catch the chameleon in this board game, everyone but the chameleon knows the secret word, use hidden codes, and finger-pointing to track down the guilty player before they blend in and escape!
PUZZLES
Didn’t have a chance to stock up on puzzles? Check out puzzle apps that allow you to play from your phone, or even with a friend!
THROW THROW BURRITO
This boardgame intertwines a card game and dodgeball! Play your hand and throw things to win the game.
COLORING BOOKS
Coloring books don’t have to be just for kids, check out these online sources for printable coloring pages.
CHILDREN’S PLAYTIME
LIVESTREAM ZOO
The Cincinnati Zoo offers a live stream video series featuring Fiona the hippo. Explore.org offers live streaming on its website featuring elephants, bald eagles, lions, monkeys, and more! The Smithsonian Zoo, Houston Zoo, San Diego Zoo, and Safari Park, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium also offer live streaming as well.
A DISNEYLAND ADVENTURE
You can watch footage of Disneyland rides online, spreading joy and making your home the happiest place on earth… Or close to it. Use an empty laundry basket in front of the TV, for your little one to climb aboard and enjoy a ride on their favorite Disney adventure without lines.
BOB ROSS
A great activity for the whole family, especially with older kids is to have a paint night! Head to Netflix, pull out your paintbrushes and choose an episode of Bob Ross. Try your best at painting a masterpiece or have fun with it!
SENSORY BIN
Make a homemade sensory bin and become an archaeologist for the day! Fill a tub with dry rice or beans and bury dinosaur toys to unearth with spoons or fingers.
CARD GAMES
Dust off a deck of cards and entertain yourself for hours with new and old games like the Devil’s Grip, Chain solitaire, the Idiot, and much more. Check out this list of card games and how to play them.
TENT TIME
Clear a space in a section of your home for a tent and create an imaginative play-land celebrating the creativity of your child.
TORNADO IN A JAR
Use this classic experiment with a clear, round bottle and have the kids fill it with water and dish soap. Shake it to create a tornado of your own.
DIY HAND SANITIZER
You may have noticed hand sanitizer is hard to find on the shelves. Make your own at home as a fun family activity! You’ll need 99% isopropyl alcohol, 3% hydrogen peroxide, and 98% glycerin along with distilled water. Follow the steps here.
THINGS TO DO:
- Adopt or foster a pet! Contact local animal rescues, all this free time at home is the perfect time to potty train your new four-legged best friend.
- Calling all seamstresses! Contact your local Jo-Ann fabric store for a mask-making kit! They’ll give you pieces of fabric and you can create masks, drop them back off at Jo-Ann’s and they’ll take them to the local hospital for our heroic medical teams.
- Stream the digital concert hall website free of charge and enjoy the celebration of Beethoven’s 250th birthday.
- Support local small businesses and local restaurants by ordering take out on Doordash, GrubHub, and more!
- Edit your photos and create photo albums encapsulating your memories.
- Connect on Nextdoor to see what’s going on in your community and check-in with your neighbors. Make sure to practice safe social distancing with neighbors but be sure to check-in with your elderly neighbors. A quick phone call to boost their morale or an offer to walk their dog will go a long way.
- Detail your car and give it a thorough wash and use some elbow grease to give those hub caps a new shine.
- Home improvement stores are still open and offer home delivery, consider updating a section of your home.
