So you’re stuck at home with your brothers and sisters... Fear not!! There is hope for you!! Here’s my top 14 list of things to do in 14 days with your time together.

1. Knee Hockey Think normal hockey, but on your knees and no sticks! Use any kind of ball you want, and be creative with your goals. My brother and his friends would play this for HOURS. They’d make up their own rules and adapted every time they played!

2. Play pretend Have younger siblings at home? Embrace your inner child and play what they want to play! School, House, Superheros ... whatever they want! My brother and I used to play “Restaurant” and serve our dolls and stuffed animals.

3. Surprise your parents Chances are there’s a lot of stress in your house right now. Help each other clean your rooms. Add some fun and excitement and move things around! I would rearrange my furniture all the time, it felt like a whole new room!

4. Board Games You’ve definitely got some games lying around the house that nobody has touched in ages. Pull out one of your favorites, or give one a try that you’ve never played.

5. Cards Learn a new card game to play together, or bonus points if you make one up! Look up some fun ‘magic’ card tricks to impress your friends later. Practice on each other!

6. Pillow Forts Who doesn’t love a good pillow fort?! Ask your parents permission to gather up blankets and pillows. How and where you build it is up to you!

7. Wheel of (Mis)Fortune Follow these instructions to build a wheel of fortune. https://playtivities.com/how-we-made-wheel-of-fortune-from-cardbo ard/ Instead of hammering it to the wall,I recommend fashioning a paper spinner to the middle. Your parents will be happier. Fill the wheel with silly dares like ‘eat a teaspoon of mustard’ or ‘brush your teeth while singing a song. Take turns spinning the wheel.

8. Donut Game Make a cardboard donut. Gather pencils and put them through the hole and make the pencils stand. You might have to try this a few times to get it right. Instruct each player to pull out 1 pencil at a time. The goal is to NOT collapse the donut structure. The pencils will shift obviously every time you pull one. When the donut touches the ground, the game is over. Whoever has the most pencils at the end of the game is the WINNER. Find the instructions and a video here: https://playtivities.com/donut-game/

9. Potato drop Put 2 bowls at the finish line. Then mark the starting point across the room. Each of you gets a potato (or a ball- whatever you have). The task is to race while carrying the potato between your knees and drop it in the bowl at the finish line. No hands! Bump up the intensity and put the finish line on the other side of the house!

10. Indoor Slide Ask your parents, and then turn your steps into an indoor slide! Follow these instructions: ​https://playtivities.com/slide/

11. Video Games Have any multiplayer games sitting around? My brother and I burned quite a lot of time playing Mario Kart, Guitar Hero, and LEGO Star Wars.

12. Yoga / Zumba Get up and move! You don’t have to take things too seriously, but it can be fun to find free instructional videos and burn some energy in your living room together! May I recommend “Yoga With Adriene” on Youtube? I’ve heard good things...

13. Go on a "picnic"! Make your own lunches. Pack a basket or lunch boxes and a blanket. Then eat somewhere different, even if it’s just another room in your house. Or maybe your backyard!

14. Reach out to others!

In times like this everyone is struggling and feeling lonely. Break out the crafting supplies and make cards for neighbors, grandparents, friends... Anyone you can think of that could use a little cheering up. Did I hear someone say glitter??

Remember to try your best to be patient. If you need a break from your brother or sister it’s is totally fine to say you need a little time to yourself and go to your room. It doesn’t help anyone to fight and argue for days until we can all roam the earth again. Be the salt!! Don’t be salty. And if you need someone to talk to, I’m only a text or phone call away!

Good luck!

Mandi Pascarella

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16