By Greg Ellison

(April 2, 2020) While families are sequestered at home during the COVID-19 pandemic response, and with playground facilities temporarily closed, the Ocean Pines Recreation and Parks department is providing alternative inside activities to help parents keep their offspring entertained.

Recreation Program Coordinator & Camp Director Brittany Jarman said the stay-at-home directive issued Monday by Gov. Larry Hogan could leave parents at a loss for ideas for ways to channel the pent-up energy of their children.

“The goal is to help parents keep their children active and entertained during this chaotic time,” she said. “We are coming up with ideas for everyone to do in their home or in their own backyard.”

Jarman said her department recognized the need to assist families in keeping youngsters entertained while school attendance and other social interactions are restricted

“I have recently been posting activities on our Ocean Pines Recreation & Parks Facebook page, as well as our Camp Ocean Pines Page,” she said.

Jarman said the recreation department is embracing social media to help quell boredom for residents of all ages.

“So far, we have posted an ‘Indoor/Outdoor Color Scavenger Hunt’ for everyone to complete and … post their findings in the comments,” she said. “We also have posted an Ocean Pines-based word search and word scramble for people to solve.”

Jarman said the online fun is just getting underway, with future posts highlighting crafts, educational experiments, assorted scavenger hunts and creative exercise suggestions.

To offer a brighter outlook during the pandemic, the recreation department recently decorated the front doors at the Ocean Pines Community Center.

Ocean Pines Recreation Program Coordinator & Camp Director Brittany Jarman

.

“Need something to do in the upcoming weeks?” she said. “Try decorating your door and posting your pictures”

Jarman started a thread on the recreation department’s Facebook page this week and encourages residents to follow suit and share their creative flair in the comments section.

Jarman said another parent-child venture likely to keep tiny fingers occupied is homemade Play-Doh, with a basic modeling compound recipe currently posted on Facebook.

While the immediate future requires society to maintain a holding pattern, normalcy will return in time.

“We are doing our part here at rec & parks to help flatten the curve and keep the families in Ocean Pines enthusiastic for the weeks to come,” she said. “I cannot wait to see all of the smiling faces back on our playgrounds, on our basketball courts, and in our facility for camp soon.”

For more information search Ocean Pines Recreation and Parks on Facebook or call 410-641-7052.