Nature & Wildlife Lovers
Spring has finally arrived and we can start to enjoy some outdoor time again after months of deluge. New life heralds the perfect time to be out in the garden and for learning more about the natural world around us. If you have the outdoor space, why not devote a section of your garden specifically for the children to cultivate, encouraging them to either grow their own vegetables or create a wildlife-friendly garden or both? You may even benefit from some of your own home-grown produce as a result – yum!
Here is some advice from BBC Wildlife on how to make your garden wildlife friendly
Find out which butterflies and bees to look out for in your garden – the team from BBC Wildlife have outlined a selection here:
Hampshire based Marwell Zoo are currently offering FREE Activity Sheets for housebound children – even if you are unable to visit this great conservation-focused zoo your children can continue to learn about the animals which reside there. Just click on the level which is relevant for your child - https://www.marwell.org.uk/education/free-resources/
Watch the animals live through the webcams too - https://www.marwell.org.uk/zoo/keep-in-touch/webcams
Keeping Fit & Healthy
Following on from the nature theme, apart from the physical benefits of keeping the body fit, studies have also outlined the mental benefits of immersing yourself in nature. Whether cycling through a park, heading out for a jog around the block or practising football in the back garden, nature’s gentle caress will soothe and uplift the spirit.
Why not follow fitness coach Joe Wicks who has started an online daily fitness class aimed at children - https://www.thebodycoach.com/blog/pe-with-joe/
Lessons with Love
Lessons will never be quite the same again – some celebrities have stepped up to the plate, offering their own versions of online lessons for struggling parents:
Maths lessons with Carol Vorderman
Science lessons brought to life through Skype a Scientist LIVE
Community Spirit
We all need a friend in times of need. Random acts of kindness are needed more than ever now, especially by the elderly and those less fortunate than us. Is there someone in your area you can assist by helping them with some shopping, gardening or a helpful errand?
Older people love to receive letters and written communication of any kind so why not get your children to put pen to paper and write messages and updates to grandparents or perhaps care homes, where the staff can distribute and read them out to their wards. Decorate and illustrate the letters, poems or stories with joyful artwork. Look out for care homes in your area.
Bookworms
Not all children will be overjoyed by the prospect of school and library closures. Books can provide hours of entertainment and a source of escapism from the potential fears generated through daily news updates. Here are some of leading publisher Bloomsbury Books’ most recent book releases by age group:
Books for 0-5 - https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/childrens/books-for-0-5/
Books for 5-7 - https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/childrens/books-for-5-7/
Books for 7-9 - https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/childrens/books-for-7-9/
Books for 9-11 - https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/childrens/books-for-9-11/
Books for teens 11+ - https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/childrens/books-for-teens11/
Kitchen Capers
Don’t let those outdated stereotypes prevail – get ALL your offspring into the kitchen and learning some fantastic life cooking skills. Everyone will have fun creating tasty bakes or meals and you are sure to notice your shopping bill decrease the more you make yourselves. Home cooked meals have the added benefits of being healthier and you will no doubt become very creative with your meals depending on the ingredients you are able to get hold of.
The BBC Good Food Guide has plenty of online recipe suggestions - https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/kids-cooking-recipes
Get Arty
Who doesn’t love getting the colouring pens and paints out? Well, parents who have to tidy up probably, but that aside, channel your child’s creativity into something positive about their restricted time away from friends. How about a group project in which different pieces of artwork can be created individually but then come together through photography and social media, or perhaps a visual or written journal of their time during isolation to share with their friends? A large puzzle or, for those builders out there, a massive Lego construction could be more enticing.
Virtual Travel
Specific days could be devoted to a virtual overseas holiday. Children can spend the previous days researching a chosen country which might lead to dressing up in makeshift national costumes, cooking and eating a different meal, playing certain kinds of music, learning about that country’s wildlife and culture and playing games traditionally played in that country. Keep a photographic souvenir of your travels. You may get so engrossed in a destination that it will become your must-visit destination for your next real holiday! Here are some destination ideas.
Acquiring a New Skill
Nature or Nurture? Studies have found that great skills are acquired through practice and repetition, so Coronavirus-imposed isolation is the perfect time to devote to something you might otherwise struggle to find time for, whether juggling, drawing, hula-hooping, practising a musical instrument or building that mini Rube Goldberg chain-reaction setup you’ve always wanted to! Dominos and recycled rubbish are great starting points for this which will bring out the ingenuity in you. See an extreme version here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBOqfLVCDv8
Goggle Box
Is it a last resort to turn on a screen? No, not at all as long as days aren’t packed with being in front of it! There are some great family films to catch up on together and the Disney Plus channel starts screening from March 24.
So, to quote from the Lion King – ‘Hakuna Matata’, stay safe and enjoy your family time together.
