Now that we are all {well, most of us} keeping our distance from those we usually interact with so often, more and more are connecting by way of computer and phone. Here are some ways you and your Bambinos can connect virtually. The easiest ways to connect are via Skype, FaceTime, Zoom and Google Hangouts with family and friends. We have been doing virtual happy hours on FaceTime with adult friends and recently downloaded the Houseparty app which lets you play a few fun games while on FaceTime together- just like a game night but virtually! Another one to check out is Jackbox Games for the more advanced.

Play a Game: Depending on the age of your children you can play a board game by facing the camera toward the game. You can also play a game virtually such as Go Fish or War where each player uses cards. Check out this  virtual dice roller which works best for simple games where you roll a die or draw cards to move around the board, like in CandyLand, Monopoly, Yahtzee, cards, and Sorry!  We haven’t looked into Pogo but hear you can play games together on that also. A lower-tech game, Let’s Play Uno allows kids to play this timeless card game with friends for free.

Book Clubs: Simple– read a book separately, meet online or call a group on the phone to talk about it. Adults can do this virtually with their favorite beverage alongside as if they were having a real book club in person.

Pokemon Go: The game allows kids to interact with friends and even track their activity in the game. Pokemon Go creators have also adjusted the game a bit and made Pokemon closer to your home to allow for more involvement.

Netflix Party: A new way to watch Netflix with your friends online. Netflix Party synchronizes video playback and adds group chat to your favorite Netflix shows.

Read Aloud: Our Nana is infamous for bringing a book to FaceTime and reading to our kids! Your kids could read to their caller or vice versa. A great way to practice reading and sharing the pictures. This can be made fun by getting cozy with blankets too. Reading aloud via video chat is a great way to enlist family members who live far away and allow kids to stay connected with them as well as to give you a small break maybe while you make dinner.

Charades: Players take turns thinking of a word/phrase. Then they have to act it out for the other players to guess but are not able to talk. You could use a timer to set a time limit for each round, and try to guess before the time runs out. You can choose a theme for the game also; actions, sports or animals are a few.

Cooking: Our kids love watching Top Chef Junior and fun baking shows. Perhaps they connect with a family member or friend and cook together. They can cook the same recipe or use the same ingredient and see what they choose to create. These are some good places for kids to find kid-friendly recipes, Food Network, Delish who also does an Instagram Live cooking for kids weekdays, and Weelicious.

I Spy: This can be a traveling around the house game with a device. Take your friend who is on the call into various rooms in your home, face the camera toward the room and have them “spy” different items!

Game Systems: Perhaps you have an X-Box or Play Station. If so your kids can connect with their friends and meet in a game by sharing their user names. Some of these games allow you to put on headphones and chat with your friend you are playing.

Twenty Questions: This can be played with many people or just two. One player thinks of a person, place or a thing {nice opportunity to practice what a noun is}. They tell the other players the category their word falls into. For example, if their word is “pool” they could say “place.” The other player can ask only 20 questions to try to guess and they can only be yes and no answers.

Phone Calls & Walkie Talkies: Now is the time to work on communication skills. Our kids have used walkie talkies with neighbors and I have been writing out some prompts to help get them started as it’s a bit unusual for them to be initiating conversations without looking at them.

Craft Together: Our five year old has FaceTimed with a friend and they sat and drew pictures for each other, showed them and talked about the masterpiece. You can also visit sites offering DIY crafts such as KiwiCo.

Show & Tell: Just like your child is in school- they can share their favorite toy or artwork with friends and family members. They can show it and talk about why they like it, any facts they know about it and even take questions!