As we enter the second month of social distancing due to COVID-19, many people will be getting cabin fever (if you haven’t already), especially kids. With schools closed and remote learning taking up only a fraction of the day, many parents are struggling to keep their kids occupied while they deal with new responsibilities of their own at work. We know it can be difficult with everyone under one roof 24/7, so we’ve rounded up some fun “news”-themed activities your kids — or you! — can do when things get dull.
Newspaper Activity Sheets from ThoughtCo. will help keep elementary- and middle-school-aged children busy learning about the news business. The website, created by veteran educators to share learning resources for teachers and homeschoolers, has a lot of content, but we’re particularly fond of their newspaper printables. From vocabulary worksheets and crossword puzzles to newsy coloring pages, there’s a little something for everyone, from tots to tweens. Access them here.
FeltMagnet.com has nearly five dozen Newspaper Crafts to keep people of all ages, from toddlers to grandparents, from going stir-crazy during this pandemic. From super simple newsprint paper dolls to complex paper wigs and decoupage, you’ll make use of every page of your daily paper – after you finish reading it, of course! The 59 projects come from crafty bloggers around the world and will keep you crafting long after the pandemic ends. See the full list of crafts here.
Want something more educational? The Oklahoma Press Association has shared a Newspapers in Education Booklet that you can use to supplement your child’s at-home education. There are newspaper-based activities for elementary school, middle school and high school students, and they cover multiple areas of study. Whether you want your new homeschooler to learn about language arts, social studies or math, there’s a news-related activity here to help them learn an important lesson or skill. Download the activity book here.
If your child is studying English as a second language (ESL), Busy Teacher has rounded up 11 Newspaper Activities for ESL Students. The near-dozen activities offer ways to use the newspaper to help your child brush up on their English, from writing stories to understanding what headlines mean to playing word search games throughout your daily paper. Learn more here.
Looking for some creative ways to recycle your old newspapers? The Alliance previously rounded up Eco-Friendly Uses for Old Newspapers around the house that will help you as you tackle your spring cleaning and gardening.
Want more? We’ve got a free set of News-Themed Coloring Pages that will appeal to anyone in your household who just needs a break and wants to do something calming. Download them here.
Jennifer Peters is former content manager of the News Media Alliance.
