(ALL UNDER $20!)
Welll helloo! Here we all are. Week one thousand six hundred and forty-eight of quarantine lockdown. Or at least that’s what it feels like?
In reality, it may be closer to three months depending on what part of the world you are in, but three months is enough to make any parent stuck home with their kids start to go a little bit stir crazy! We’ve learned that a cheap, under $20 toy or activity can really help pass the time lift the kids spirits.
Here are the top nine quarantine purchases to keep kids entertained for hours – and all well under $20!
DANCE AND JUGGLING SCARVES – These colorful, light-weight scarves are under $10 and my kids have played with them for HOURS.
From starting to learn to juggle to dancing around to Disney songs to throwing them back and forth to using them as doll covers – this is an amazing quarantine purchase to keep kids entertained.
HUGE INFLATABLE UNICORN – Yes, this is technically a pool float, but my 3-year old plays with it for hours and hours each day outside of the pool. She loves to curl up and cuddle with the unicorn, feed it, and pretend she’s flying in the sky.
Of all my quarantine purchases, this has been one of the best.
WATER BEADS – If you have not heard of water beads, let me be the first to tell how amazing these things are. For $10-$15 bucks you get thousands! You can use a big container and set it up on an outdoor table, or we also fill up our water table with these beads. If you buy a cheap set of plastic dinosaurs or sea animals to hide in the beads – even better. These water beads create endless fun for kids in quarantine.
METALLIC FRINGE CURTAIN DECORATIONS – I know it sounds crazy, but for under $12, we just buy a new color of these fringe curtains every few weeks and they have kept all of our spirits up during quarantine.
The kids love running through them for “performances” and each time we change the color, it’s like a whole new living environment.
GIANT COLORING POSTER – These humungous coloring sheets are great for kids. It can take us a few weeks to get it fully colored and it teaches the kids to work together on a project they can both be proud of.
ALEX KIDS CRAFT BOX – If you are not a hyper-creative crafty type (like me!), you will really appreciate these awesome ALEX Kids craft boxes that come with everything you need for hours and days of craft activities.
They come with everything you need – including glue, stickers, etc.
SIDEWALK CHALK – This has actually been a somewhat difficult thing to find during quarantine, but new sidewalk chalk entertains my kids for endless hours.
MAKE YOUR OWN CHALK – If you can’t find any sidewalk chalk for sale, or if you want to try making your own sidewalk chalk paint, this recipe works great!
I ordered these plastic squeeze bottles from Amazon and just cut a little bit off the top and they work really well!
KIDS GARDENING KIT– I wasn’t sure how this one would land, but it’s been a quarantine activity highlight for my kids who are just loving digging up dirt.
We planted a few succulents and the kids check on them every day and make sure they have enough water, light and soil. We have the Melissa and Doug Sunny Patch set, and it’ very well-made and durable (even when my kids leave everything out in the rain overnight!)
The best thing about all of these quarantine purchases to keep kids entertained is that they can all be used at home and in your own outdoor space.
If anyone has made any other great purchases under $20 that has kept your kids entertained for hours, please add your tips below!
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