School holidays seem to come around all too quickly and children across the country have spent time in isolation, for all the parents who are searching for ideas on how to cope, we are here to help. Read on for plenty of activities to keep boredom away from toddlers to teens.
How often have you said you "haven’t got time” to do (something)… And if you now find you have time on your hands, you could be feeling overwhelmed and lost. Now is a great time to invest quality time.
Think of your childhood and those experiences that stand out. Use these to guide you for activities. I recall making gingerbread people with my grandmother, so this could be great bonding with my child now. My grandfather tried to teach me chess, not my strong point, but I know the basic rules to pass on.
My child loves board games, and yet at eight-years-old had never played the traditional version of Monopoly until one Sunday in lockdown. His excitement at this game, and that it took up an entire rainy afternoon is a joy I will remember from this time of restrictions.
I also recall learning how to sand, stain and varnish a piece of furniture with my father, I still own it 30 odd years later. My mother I can thank for teaching me countless favourite recipes made together, many are my own child's favourite to this day, and often serve as the "comfort food" when we need to mend.
We all learn from the experiences of our life. And this pandemic is shaping history right before our eyes. It is a period in time our children will remember. As a parent, I want it to be remembered for the good memories, not the tough stuff. I hope you do too.
If you are struggling for activities, distractions, or fulfilling pursuits for your children, below are some inspirations for you.
Toddler/ Preschool
- Playdough
- Playing “shops”
- Duplo
- Wooden puzzles
- Learning nursery rhymes
- Spend time on a swing
- Dry and press some flowers
- Pizzas – Use a flatbread, and prepare cut capsicum, mushrooms and grated cheese and ask children to decorate the pizza
- Sandpit play
- The Imagination Tree is a crafting site from babies through to school age.
- Scope suggest some fun things to do for sensory play
Primary
- Building an indoor cubby or outside tepee
- Scavenger hunts
- Puzzles, Card games and board games
- Gardening or pick and press flowers
- Paper plane making – turn it into a competition
- Build a marble run from round materials
- Thinklum coding and robotics school offer Online Coding School Holidays Camps for Kids
- Hewlett Packard are offering free printables
- Build a Domino trail
- Indoor treasure hunt
- Scavenger hunt in your yard – Nature Play SA have some resources to use for scavenger hunts and outdoor play
- Make Sock puppets – a few socks, big buttons, needle and thread or glue, then put on a play
- Chalk art –draw, write, on concrete – your driveway, a path – share a positive message with your neighbourhood
- Go fishing (check on the latest regulations for this, you may not be able)
- Listen as David Walliams narrates some of his stories from “The Worlds Worst Children” Series (free during COVID-19)
- Little Scribe have free educational activities for literacy
- Story Factory offer free online workshops facilitated by Story Factory Storytellers.
- School on TV with ABC TV
- Make a kite and fly it
- Play frisbee
- Let off some energy with Totem tennis
- Bounce on a trampoline
- Try origami
- Encourage Nature play, if you need a little inspiration check these kits from Poppy and Daisy Designs.
- Some areas, local sports clubs are offering virtual sports camps. Ideas information Officers can help you source virtual sports too.
Teen
Encourage teens to unplug from devices
- Life skills like cooking if not already mastered, now is a great time to share the load
- Try renovating a piece of furniture
- Do a crossword or sudoku puzzle
- Home manicure and paint nails
- Take the time out for a home spa with face masks, exfoliators and letting your skin breathe without makeup
- Learn calligraphy
- Macrame is trending! From starting out with key rings and wall hangings to making indoor teepees, outdoor porch swings, the inspiration is out there! Mary Maker Studio is an Australian stockist of fibre, cords, ribbons and tools and accessories.
- Sew a garment or reversible bag – check online for a pattern
- Learn a language – try Duolingo
- Curate a Spotify playlist if you haven't tried it already
- Start a book club (virtually, of course)
- It's never too late to learn a musical instrument, and many teachers are offering virtual or video-call lessons.
- Creative photography portraits or still life
- Create something with a 3D printer
- Try Yoga or Pilates.
The Whole Family
- Encourage outdoor time in your backyard, skipping, shooting basketball hoops, playing tennis against a wall
- A picnic in your yard. The blanket, the thermos, and picnic food. You could also try this indoors if the weather is wet!
- Camp in your backyard – pitch the tent, build a campfire, cook damper and toast marshmallows
- Keep a gratitude diary, or take photos to record your gratitude moments
- IF you are using isolation to repaint a room. Older children (that understand not to do this every day) can draw artwork on the wall before you paint
- Plant a garden. If you only have a windowsill, herbs like mint, chives, thyme and rosemary are easy to grow and take up little space.
- Wash the car - have fun getting wet
- Is it too early to start Christmas baking?
- Keep a gratitude diary, or take photos to record your gratitude moments. this can be done individually or as a group
- A treasure trove of online games and puzzles can be accessed at Crazy games.
