As the first half of a term draws to a close, parents and children alike let out a huge sigh of relief. We have done it! Six impossible weeks of home schooling have come to an end and we, at last, have some respite. No more writing poems about bowls of fruit, recreating The Fire of London out of egg boxes or, bribing your child to hold a pen. It then took me approximately 55 seconds and halfway through a glass of wine before the sheer terror and realisation dawned upon me. What on earth now? Usually holidays are filled by meeting other exhausted parents comparing notes on how tired we are whilst our children run wild, but as we are in the midst of lockdown this is a luxury we no longer have.
Cue a frantic google search to come up with ways to break up the week without resorting to Minecraft YouTube tutorials on a loop:
- Indoor obstacle course
It is freezing outside, and any novelty of snow has long gone. Try creating an indoor obstacle course using buckets, balls, cushions and toilet rolls for criss crossing hallways. Incorporate some star jumps in there and they can achieve a bit of exercise too!
- Treasure hunt
My kids love these. Leave clues around the house to lead them to the “treasure”.
- Build a den and sleep in it overnight
Not for the fainthearted so, maybe stop at building an epic den. However, if you are feeling brave enough, throw in some sleeping bags and set up camp for the night.
- Have a birthday party
Ok it may not be anyone’s actual birthday but let them celebrate their favourite teddy’s birthday and go all out: party food, party games, give them time to create presents and bake a cake.
- Book an online class
There are hundreds of online classes out there and one of them will suit your child’s passion. Whether it is learning to draw Minecraft characters or craft a project, there is something for everyone.
- If they are old enough put them in charge of dinner
Let them come up with a menu and research the ingredients. Or why not have a bake off with friends or family over Facetime?
- Home cinema
Choose a film, give them cinema ‘tickets’ and money to buy some treats from the homemade kiosk beforehand. You can even extend this activity by designing the tickets and snack boxes together.
- Get outdoors
Everyone is a bit bored with family walks at the moment so try and make them a little more exciting. Introduce a scavenger hunt or bring along a hot chocolate and marshmallows.
- Try a Lego challenge
There are some great daily online challenges to try or simply devise your own. Create a castle for a toy, a space centre or even a robot.
- Have a science fair
There are some great ideas online such as building an indoor volcano, making scented salt playdough or creating a homemade lava lamp.
Also remember you are not superhuman! A bit of screen time and staying indoors all day, in your pyjamas, is ok too.
Karen Olney
