If you’re a parent, grandparent, or guardian wondering what to do with your children after you’ve already taken them to the Marbles Kids Museum, the NC Zoo, or Pullen Park — or if you’re simply at a loss while things are closed for COVID-19 — then this guide is for you.

Because let’s be honest, no matter how much you love ‘em, if you’re cooped up in the house all day, the risk of someone getting cranky (you or them, we’re not judging) is there.

So, whether you’ve got the kids for a few hours or the whole day, this list will give you plenty of ideas for your next outing.

For the bookworms 📚

Check out the public library
As kids, the RALtoday team spent hours at our respective hometown public libraries. There’s a certain magic to wandering the aisles as a young person and a sense of empowerment to having your own library card.

The Wake County Public Library is currently hosting Storytime Anytime, a collection of virtual programming for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and families. También hay opciones bilingües de cuentos disponibles en español. There are also additional resources available to help kids and teens research topics they’re interested in + when libraries reopen, in-person programming will return. ProTip: you can find downloadable books and coloring pages through the library’s online resources.

Get involved with their schooling
Since school is back in session this week, finding the time to spend with kids who are constantly doing homework or extracurriculars can be difficult — especially as they navigate the new challenges of virtual learning environments (more on that here). Try taking them for a picnic lunch during the day, or take a walking tour of downtown murals. You could also encourage little music-makers to host their own at-home recitals for you to attend virtually or in-person. Each school has different volunteer opportunities and procedures about how to participate, so if you’re looking to get involved at that level start by asking someone at the school or reaching out to the county’s family engagement coordinator, Kelly Harvell.

For the animal lovers 🐮

Take a farm tour
If you’re tired of running after kids (or running around in general) and need a break, Spring Haven Farm in Chapel Hill is a perfect stop. Socially-distanced farm tours include meet-and-greets with goats, pigs, horses, and cows + kids can ride the Tractor Train Express and explore the on-site maze.

For the ones who just won’t sit still 🤪

NCMA’s Ann and Jim Goodnight Museum Park
We love it because it offers 164 acres of green space, art installations, and nature trails with easy access to I-40 and downtown. When all else fails, just head that way and see what’s new to discover.

Take the kids for a burger and milkshake at Chargrill before letting them exhaust their energy in the Goodnight Museum Park, which is sure to keep their attention for at least several consecutive minutes. Bonus: when museums reopen locally, there’s even more programming inside.

If you’ve exhausted the sights at NCMA, check out this list of lesser known hiking trails we curated + get the full list of local green spaces from Raleigh Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources.

SkyZone Raleigh
When gyms reopen (hopefully this fall), this trampoline park is a great place to bring the kids who never seem to run out of energy + they have an age limit for jumpers, just sayin’.

For outdoor lovers 🌳

Lake Crabtree County Park

Rent a canoe or paddleboat and sail away on Lake Crabtree, or spend some time teaching the tykes to fish.

If your kids are teenagers 🎧
If we remember correctly, the teenage years were a little dicey. RALtoday editors Erin and Trevor stayed in their rooms a lot, writing short stories and obsessing about music. So, we suggest asking your teenagers about their interests and taking cues from that — then email us and let us know what they say, so we can add more resources for parents, grandparents, and teens in our upcoming coverage.