Easy Ways to Keep Kids Busy While You Work from Home

Working from home with kids underfoot can be a challenge, especially during those late summer weeks before school starts. If you’re wondering how to keep kids busy when doing remote work, you’re not alone. Remote-working parents are often juggling Zoom meetings and bored kiddos who have endless energy. The good news is that with a little planning, you can keep your children happily occupied (mostly screen-free!) while you get work done. Let’s dive in!

Screen-Free Late Summer Activities for Kids

When it comes to late summer kid activities that don’t involve a screen, a little creativity goes a long way. Consider setting up hands-on projects and independent play challenges that can hold your child’s attention. Many kids love building forts out of pillows and blankets – challenge them to create “the most epic fort of all time” in the living room. You can also spark creativity by asking, “How many paper chains can you make before Mommy’s meeting is over?”. Turning play into a game or challenge like this keeps it fun and buys you pockets of work time.

Get crafty and active: Classic activities can keep kids entertained for ages. Set out a big jigsaw puzzle (older kids can tackle a 1,000-piece puzzle for a serious challenge) or bring out a bin of LEGO bricks for an engineering contest. Arts and crafts are another great screen-free outlet – think friendship bracelet making, drawing or painting, or homemade playdough. Younger children might enjoy an indoor scavenger hunt or a game of hide-and-seek with toys (hide their favorite action figures around the house and let them spend the morning finding them). Even something as simple as cardboard boxes can become a project; kids can decorate boxes and turn them into forts, robots, or whatever their imagination says. 

And don’t forget the appeal of good old outdoor play: set up a sidewalk chalk art challenge outside, let them blow bubbles in the yard, or create a safe water play station on the patio for some cooling-off fun.

Tailor activities to each age: No matter your children’s ages, there are screen-free activities to keep them busy. Here are a few ideas by age group:

• Toddlers & Preschoolers: Create a Yes Space where little ones can play safely near you without constant supervision. This could be a gated play area or a corner of your home office stocked with toys, blocks, and books. Simple sensory activities like playing with clay or stacking cups can engage toddlers for surprisingly long stretches. Messy play (think a bin of rice, water, or sand) can also be very soothing and absorbing for young kids – set it up on a mat for easy cleanup, and let them have at it while you answer emails.
• Elementary-Age Kids: School-age kids often crave a mix of active play and creative downtime. Encourage building challenges – for example, have them use magnet tiles or blocks to build the tallest tower they can. (Learning bonus: This could also be a great time to break out math manipulatives!) Arts and crafts are ideal at this age: they can draw, paint, or try Q-tip painting to create pointillist art. Many elementary-aged children also love pretend play; you might suggest a teddy bear tea party for younger grades or let older ones play teacher to their stuffed animals. And if you have a yard, treasure hunts or nature scavenger hunts can keep them busy exploring.
• Tweens & Teens: Older kids are more independent, but they still need structure to stay occupied (and out of trouble!). Provide them with outlets to dive into a passion project – maybe writing a short story, learning a new recipe, or practicing an instrument. Many tweens and teens will enjoy hands-on projects like building model kits or trying simple DIY crafts (like learning to crochet or doing an origami project). They can also help out with supervised cooking or science experiments. And while you might relax screen rules a bit for this age, you can still encourage productive screen time – for instance, challenge them to research and plan a family outing or create a fun video to share with relatives. The key is giving them a goal or project that feels meaningful.

One pro tip from experienced work-from-home parents: save screen time as a last resort or end-of-day treat. It’s tempting to hand over the tablet early on, but if you can hold off, you can use a favorite show or game in the late afternoon when you really need quiet to wrap up work. Knowing they’ll get some screen time later can motivate kids to engage in the other activities first. And when that moment finally comes, a curated educational show or a fun movie can buy you a golden hour to finish your tasks guilt-free.

Structured Schedules to Balance Work and Play

Kids thrive on routine, and having a structured schedule can be a lifesaver for a work-from-home parent. A predictable daily routine helps children know what to expect, easing their anxiety and preventing boredom-fueled misbehavior. Start by mapping out the day with blocks of time for different activities. You might create a loose schedule where mornings are for active play or exercise, mid-day includes some quiet time or independent learning, and afternoons feature creative projects or an online activity. Post the schedule somewhere visible (like the fridge or a whiteboard) and go over it with the kids each morning so everyone’s on the same page.

Remember, your routine doesn’t have to mimic a traditional 9-to-5 or school day if that doesn’t suit your family’s needs. Feel free to choose a schedule that works for you – you might work in the early mornings or evenings and spend midday with the kids, for instance. The goal is simply to lend some structure and predictability to each day, not to create a rigid timetable that adds more stress. Many parents find success with alternating blocks: for example, you focus on work for an hour while the kids do a planned activity, then take a 15-minute break to check in or play together, then repeat. Even young kids can learn that “when this timer is running, it’s quiet playtime, and when it dings, we’ll read a story or have a snack together.”

Flexibility is key: life happens, and some days the routine will go off the rails (that’s okay!). But having a basic framework in place will generally make the days feel smoother and more intentional.

Most importantly, cut yourself some slack. No schedule will run perfectly every day, and that’s fine. The aim is to find a rhythm where both your work and your children’s needs get the attention they require over the day or week. By mixing structure with flexibility, you’ll hit that sweet spot where kids feel secure knowing what’s next, and you feel less frazzled knowing there’s a plan (even if you don’t always follow it to the letter).

Online Camps and Enrichment Programs (Keep Them Learning)

Sometimes you need an all-hands-on-deck activity that engages your kids for a set period – that’s where online camps and enrichment programs come in. In late summer, many organizations offer virtual camps, classes, or workshops to keep kids busy and learning. These can be a fantastic way for kids to explore new interests under the guidance of an instructor, giving you a window to focus on work. 

For school-age kids who love STEM and games, check out Connected Camps or similar coding camps. Connected Camps runs week-long online programs (about 90 minutes a day) where kids 8–13 can learn coding, game design, or even Minecraft modding alongside peers. They even have girls-only options to encourage girls in tech, and sessions run throughout the summer. If your child is a budding artist or performer, look for virtual art classes, music lessons, or theater workshops; many local art studios and community theaters have moved online and still offer summer programs. No matter their interests, there is likely to be an online resource for it.

Yes, these programs might involve some screen time, but it’s interactive, engaging screen time, which can be a lifesaver for you and enriching for them. And who knows, they might come out of it with a new hobby or skill. (Also feel free to explore in-person learning courses or camps if reducing screen time is a priority.) Once you’ve found a few favorites, plug them into your weekly schedule. You’ll get a breather to tackle work, and the kids will have something to look forward to each day.

Creating a Calm “Home Base” Environment

Your home environment plays a huge role in keeping everyone’s stress levels down. A calm, kid-friendly “home base” setup can make those long work-from-home days much smoother. 

What does a calm home base look like? It starts with designating spaces for different activities. If possible, set up a dedicated play area near your workspace – this could be the aforementioned Yes Space for younger kids, which is a safe, child-proofed zone filled with toys they can explore freely without constant “no, don’t touch that” from you. Knowing they have a place where they can play independently (but still be near mom or dad) helps kids feel secure. 

For older kids, you might establish a corner of the living room as the “creation station” with art supplies, or a cozy reading nook in their bedroom for quiet time. Having these go-to spots gives your children a sense of stability and keeps the inevitable mess confined to certain areas.

Another aspect of a calm home base is the emotional environment. Kids take their cues from us, so managing your own stress and setting a positive tone goes a long way. Try to keep the general atmosphere calm and upbeat. One practical tip: be mindful of background noise like news or stressful TV programs. Having the news blaring in the background can make kids anxious (not to mention distract you). Consider switching off the TV during the workday, or at least limiting it to when kids aren’t around to overhear adult concerns. Instead, play some quiet music or let the kids choose a favorite playlist that keeps the mood light.

It also helps to create a calming corner for moments when anyone (child or parent!) needs a break. This is a comfy spot – maybe a beanbag or cushion pile in a quiet area – where your child can go to chill out if they’re feeling overwhelmed. Stock it with a few soothing items: a favorite stuffed animal, some coloring books or fidget toys, maybe a couple of picture books about feelings. The idea is to signal that home is a safe place to relax and reset whenever things get a bit crazy. Likewise, don’t underestimate the power of stepping away for yourself. If you’re getting frustrated by interruptions or work stress, take a five-minute breather, stretch, grab a coffee, or step outside if possible. Modeling this kind of calm self-care shows your kids that it’s okay to pause and regroup when needed.

Finally, maintain perspective and a sense of humor. Life in a home “office” with kids will never be perfectly calm or orderly, and that’s okay! Embrace the little quirks and mishaps that happen, whether it’s a toddler interrupting a video call or crayon marks on your meeting notes. Parents need permission to not be perfect, so cut yourself some slack and laugh off the chaos when you can. By keeping the home atmosphere loving and forgiving, you create an emotional safe haven for your kids. And when you finally close the laptop at the end of the day, try to transition into family time – even if it’s just a quick walk around the block or making dinner together – to reinforce that home is a place of warmth and connection, not just a co-working space.

Wrapping Up: You’ve Got This, Mama (or Dad!)

Navigating work from home with kids isn’t easy, but with these strategies, it can be rewarding. By mixing up screen-free play, a bit of structure, enriching online activities, and a calm home base, you’ll find the days are more manageable and even fun. Remember that the true measure of success isn’t a perfectly followed schedule or an immaculate house – it’s that your kids feel safe and loved and you get your essential work done. So give some of these tips a try, and adjust as needed to find what fits your family. Every family is different, and there’s no one-size-fits-all plan for how to keep kids busy.