[deeths]

For the first-grader (and some toddlers), you could try kids audio books. Most kids love them and it can keep them entertained for a long time and more mentally engaged than TV. Sometimes my kids just sit and listen, and other times they do other activities while they listen. Even if they get bored of the audio book, I've noticed they are much more likely to stay focused for long periods doing other activities like drawing or playing with toys if there's an audio book in the background. You can find all the children's classics in audio books. If you have an audible subscription, you can sometimes find whole children's book series for a single credit (like 19 hours of the Ramona Quimby collection). You can also check them out of many municipal libraries online. Children's podcasts are also good, and there are educational options there too.

You could also give them some screen time, but try to keep it more engaging. For instance, video calls with their friends(clearly won't work long with the toddler though) or physical activities led by an instructor on the screen like kids yoga (Cosmic Kids Yoga is good) or dance.

Also, anyone who's used to teaching dance, martial arts, physical training, music, foreign language tutoring, etc is really struggling now with the quarantines. Many of them are trying to continue classes and one-on-one instruction over video (or would be willing to), and they could definitely use the extra money right now if your kids have been doing one of those activities or have something they're interested in and willing to follow on the screen.

While engaging screen time is not as good for them as real interaction, it seems that it is much better for them than just staring at the screen. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/07/160715115023.h... https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/desc.12430 https://thriving.childrenshospital.org/video-chat-babies-gra...