This is a strange time for us all. Add the challenge of being at home with the children day in, day out, indefinitely. Below are some FREE ideas for at home activities to do together with your child/ren while in isolation. Most importantly, enjoy each others company. Use this time to connect. You dont have to ‘play’ all day, but, be sure to make time to connect with your child so they have a full ‘love bank’ and therefore don’t seek connection with you all-day-long. When you give them pockets of your undivided time, you fuel their soul to then be able to go and do something alone. If you forever ‘rob’ them of this, they will seek connection from you for what seems like ALL day, EVERY day.
NATURE IS THE BEST PLAYGROUND!
Go outside, no matter the weather.
Rain, hail or snow… dress for the weather and get out in it. Feel it, taste it, explore it.
Walk in the neighbourhood, notice the trees, the numbers on letter boxes and look at the clouds.
Go for a Bush walk – listen to the birds, look closely at the ground, what wildlife can you see? Are there bugs under the dirt?
Go to the beach and collect treasures.
Go on an outside ‘treasure hunt’ – pine cones, gum nuts, pumice, stones, shells, sticks – take it home and play – look closely at the treasure, sort them, create pictures with them, build with them, use them to create art. When done, return them back to nature.
Create a fairy garden
Buy a magnifying glass and go out and explore nature up close. Rummage through the top layers of soil, look close up at a tree.
Plant some flower seeds, nurture then and watch them grow.
Pick daisies.
Make a sensory vase with sweets from the garden – even if only greenery… bring nature inside.
Learn the art of weaving harekeke/flax.
THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING TO DO!
Play…. let the child lead the play. “Tell me what you want me to do”. Or, simply follow their lead.
Play dress ups
Do some baking together… lick the bowl and spoon
Make pizzas.
Prepare meals together.
Build huts inside with furniture and sheets… Sit inside and tell imaginative stories, read books, puzzle, eat, sleep.
Laugh
Draw pictures of each other
Draw pictures of yourself while sitting in front of the mirror
Make junk creations
DANCE
Play hide and seek
Tell imaginative stories
Have a long bath
Learn a new craft
Read books.
Do puzzles together.
Make a band… using kitchenware and nature! Hot tip: Wood, nature and plastics make softer sounds
Wash the car.
Write letters and draw pictures to send to family and friends.
Do YOGA together
This is a strange time for all of us. Ultimately, we need to look after ourselves and our families first. Remember what is important. Time.
Children sense our feelings. They pick up what we put down. So, Keep clean, keep calm, and keep positive. We have so much to be grateful for. Find joy in having the opportunity to spend this time together.
Make new memories.
For more, see Covid 19 – The challenge is set for us to rise above!
Wishing you well.
Stay Healthy, Stay Strong.
Kia kaha. Stand Tall.
Arohanui, much love.
