Coronavirus Top Tips for Parents when schools close

So with everything going on and the potential health prevention actions that will be taken I have seen alot of parents worrying around what they may do with their kids for several longs weeks at home.

I thought I would do a quick post with some ideas to help you out:

1 - 📝 Make a list of things you would like to do with your time off. This could individual or together. That way you have a lost for when they undoubtedly say 'I'M BORED' you can direct them to their list and help them choose something to do.

2 - 📅 Create a structure to your day. - I am not saying that you need to consider their learning in there, but most people's day work off routine and knowing what comes next. For children who are anxious this will help keep anxiety at bay. You may need to consider having it as a visual time table. This also allows you to create boundaries that you may want to keep around technology and such things that you may limit. Eg 9.30-10.30 maths, 11- 11.30 english Then lunch An activity of your choosing 3.30-4.30 read Normal after school routine.

Keep it varied for different days.

3 - 🦊🌲🍇🗻 This is a great chance to consider what interests your children have and what you can do to follow these/explore them more. From animals and insects to computers. Drawing, creating videos, photography, science experiments. Whether this is you-tubing or googling information and video's to ordering supplies for more craft orientated activities and such.

4 - 🤓 Reading - reading time is really important. Think about having a quiet hour where you are all together reading/reading to each other.

5 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family time. - Children often compete for our attention. Again build this into the structure of your day but consider having 3-4 times of shorter times, say 10-20 mins where you give each child your undivided attention. (so if you have 3 children that's a 10 min slot each per day, so a total of 30 mins) And also a few slots where you are all doing something together. PLAY PLAY PLAY.

6. 🍪🎂 Bake with them.

7. 🥕🥀Garden with them.

8. 🏞️🏖️ Get out in nature - keeping a distance is possible when you are at a beach, forest, field, woods etc. Taking time out in nature is vital to our well being as well as letting us feel re-energised and giving space for children to run off their energy. As it is spring time consider getting a signs of spring sheet or a life cycles work sheet and look in ponds etc for frog spawn.

9. 💃Dance/ Sing/ Listen to music - nothing like a good bit of music to get you all feeling uplifted and laughing. Especially watching some of those dance moves.

10 -🎮 Games - get some board games and various other types of games that will be fun.

11. - 🧘‍♂️Yoga, meditation - great for self care and also just tuning into how we are feeling. Again there is so much out there on youtube. Cosmic Kids I highly recommend. - make sure you build in some time for you too.

12. - 🏕️Get den building - or if you have a back garden can you put up a tent or shelter to allow everyone some space from each other if needed and to be outside.

13. - 🌎Check out educational sites for free downloads and resources. Many people who home school access tuition through skype. There are some fabulous sites such as short term home education, outschool, twinkl that will have some great resources or classes to try out.

14. - 🥰 Consider having some spontaneity as who doesn't love a random bit of fun. Campfire under the stars (assuming it doesn't rain) Movie and popcorn night.

15. -🤗 Connection - connection to the wider world is vital and so important to us for so many reason. If you have face time/skype try and arrange some calls with family and friends so that we can still stay connected. - again for children who maybe worried about others this can help ease their anxiety.

16. - 😘Don't forget some random acts of kindness if you can. - whether its looking after an elderly neighbour by bringing them some milk or making something for someone to cheer them up.

17. - 🚴‍♀️⛹️‍♂️Exercise - and with lots of free tennis courts and parks to run around why not make the most of it.

18. - 🤩Gratitude - there is so much science that supports the acts of gratitude and not only the impact it has on our minds and wellbeing but physically in us too. - take time to reflect on all you are grateful for. It's so easy to get caught up in the fear and panic.

You will mostly find me down the beach, in the forest or at local lakes with nets and sheets exploring what nature has to offer.

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