If you have children, you are likely monitoring your email and social networks for potential school closings.

Coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on Wednesday, and schools throughout the region are grappling with whether to close or pivot to remote learning. There is the possibility that your family may have to self-quarantine.

A 14-day or longer period of isolation is no joke for parents who already know the challenge of keeping kids engaged. And in this case, it may not be advisable for them to spend time with other children.

With that in mind, we’ve come up with 12 creative suggestions for having fun and continuing learning as a family.

Random Wiki

Did you know the Boiga guangxiensis is a species of snake of in the Colubridae family? Or that The Five Pagoda Temple dates back to 1727 in a Buddhist region of northwest China?

You can learn about these things and much more by visiting Wikipedia and using the random Wiki generator to pull a topic at random for the website’s deep archives.

Use Wikipedia to learn more about geography, science, history, the arts, sports, pop culture, true crime and pretty much anything else. Random Wiki can be used as a prompt for short stories, poems, essay topics or drawings; as a launching point for family discussions; or as a first stop in a deeper investigation of any topic. Keep in mind: Wikipedia is an open platform that can be edited by anyone, so facts should be double checked with standard sources of information such as encyclopedias and traditional media.

Go: Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

 

Yoga

These are stressful times. Whether you have done yoga for years or have never unfurled a mat, it’s a good time to explore some of the ancient practice’s soothing benefits. And why not explore cat stretch, downward dog and crow (all common asanas, or postures) as a family? Everyone from toddlers to teens can get in on the act. There are tons of good, free yoga classes available online (start with YouTube). Or order a deck of Yoga Pretzel flash cards and learn a few poses each day.

Go: Yoga Pretzels: amazon.com/Yoga-Pretzels-Cards-Tara-Guber/dp/1905236042

 

Plan a dream vacation

If your family is feeling bad about derailed spring break trips, and the threat of infection hanging over all of us, it may seem an odd time to plan a trip. But how often are you all sitting home together in need of distraction? No one says you have to pull out your credit card. This is about aspirational travel. Whether your drive around Prince Edward Island, hike through Yellowstone or journey to Spain becomes reality or not, it can be fun — and educational — to research it. And all those beautiful photos on travel websites and blogs are better than watching “Stranger Things’’ for the fourth time. Need daydream inspiration? Check out Atlas Obscura.

Go: Atlas Obscura: atlasobscura.com/

 

Follow a live cam

There are few things more soothing than watching animals at play. Wildlife centers and zoos throughout the globe offer live cams so you can tune in anytime to check out how your favorite wild things are doing in real time.

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo Conservation Biology Institute offers live cams of naked mole-rats, panda, lions and elephants. From the Philadelphia Zoo, you can watch the penguins glide around Penguin Point.

To think globally, check out the live feeds of explore.org, which offer the chance to observe manatees, Grace gorillas, hummingbirds and much more. And don’t just settle for watching: Commit to checking in at the same time each day and keeping a log of what you witness, Googling around to learn more about your favorite wild things and searching streaming services for National Geographic Explorer documentaries that can offer opportunities to learn more as a family.

Smithsonian: nationalzoo.si.edu/webcams

Philadephia Zoo: philadelphiazoo.org/penguin-point-cam/

Explore.org:  explore.org/livecams/grace-gorillas/gorilla-forest-corridor

 

‘Camp’ in your own backyard

When is the last time you pulled out the family telescope? Warmer weather and clear nighttime skies offer an opportunity far from the flat screen to gather together and learn about the heavens. Consider downloading an astronomy app that uses your smartphone’s gyroscope and compass to determine what you can observe in the night sky.

You could also use your flashlights to read bedtime stories gathered ’round  a firepit and sharing s’mores.

Go: digitaltrends.com/mobile/best-astronomy-apps/

Puzzles

My husband got lost in a complex National Audubon puzzle of backyard birds over the winter holiday break. And at some point, everyone in the house wandered by the table we left it on, taking a stab at a feather, a beak, a claw …

Magnificent puzzles by both Audubon and National Geographic offer opportunities to work your brain and spatial skills while learning about nature.

And you can always check out a National Geographic Explorer documentary or stream a nature podcast while you puzzle over the pieces.

Go: imdb.com/title/tt0146386/; audubon.org/ or nationalgeographic.com/

 

Make slime

Sometimes nothing quite cuts it like getting your hands dirty to blow off stress.

What better way than making your own slime? Kids of all ages love the ooey, gooey of it.  And you can use clean up time as an extra lesson on the importance of thoroughly washing hands.

Slime-making offers some valuable STEM lessons. Check out the website below for dozens of ways to concoct it.

Go:littlebinsforlittlehands.com/make-slime-recipes-ideas-kids/

 

Bingewatching & Playlists

Remember mix tapes? If you’re over 40, you undoubtedly either received or created mixed tape — or the CD equivalent — at some point in your life, for a road trip, a new love, a breakup recovery package.

Two current shows you can stream with older teens on Hulu — “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist’’ and “High Fidelity’’ — are celebrations of the power of music in very different ways, and are both escapes from the news right now. And “High Fidelity’s’’ premise is built around the power of a perfectly crafted mixed tape.

Want to share the fun with your kids? There are plenty of digital means of crafting your family’s homebound playlist.

Go: nbc.com/zoeys-extraordinary-playlist or imdb.com/title/tt8577458/