When my firstborn son was a toddler, I had a particularly memorable bad dream. I was with a small group of familiar faces. In the way that only makes sense in dreams, we knew we needed to get to a certain destination and we were headed in that (ambiguous) direction. Determined though we were, around every corner of our journey we were met by another life-threatening obstacle. Quicksand, falling rocks, medieval weaponry—the obstacles became more and more terrifying and relentless. In the dream, I remember feeling real fear. I also began to dread the next turn in the journey because I knew something else was coming, most likely more awful than the previous passage.

Being quarantined with two rambunctious little boys and a nursing ‘round the clock newborn has been equal parts wonderful and exhausting. The gift of togetherness has been such a blessing to us as we’ve transitioned to a family of five and learned our new normal along with the rest of the world.

Certain moments and seasons of life require that we stay home more than is typical. In my case, more than me or my people would like! Staying in because of inclement weather, illness, or any other reason typically requires a bit more creativity in keeping young troops from getting too restless. Sometimes I struggle to drum up this creativity. I am so thankful for the myriad of free, online education resources and activities available, but I do occasionally find myself slipping into what feels like a black hole of trying to find the right activities. So I asked three Kindergarten teachers what activities they recommend for parents and preschoolers spending extra time at home. Here are some of their suggestions, along with related links that I've sifted through...