These are anxious times for our kids, and they may need some coping skills, emotional support or just to vent! Some children don’t share their thoughts with their parents…especially if they are frightened, they don’t want to cause more stress.

And let’s be honest most of us are feeling pretty stressed right now.

Whether it is how we are going to pay the rent/mortgage now we have been laid off or how are we going to cope surrounded by kids’ day after day. How are we going to stop them from killing each other? How are we going to keep them amused and happy?

Here are a few ideas for you…

This is a great activity to engage with most children especially if they need to be on the move.

Use a roll of Sellotape to create an assault course around and through a table and chairs. The Sellotape is a laser beam they must avoid touching…touch it and you have to go back to the start and twirl around three times. You can make the penalties more interesting…write out your 7x table before you are able to restart etc.

This will keep them busy, test their knowledge of words and spelling, improve their memory, improve their self-confidence and be great fun…all at the same time.

Write out a list of 10/20/30 words (depending on age of children). You can start them off by telling an incredible story using these words, make it as ridiculous and funny as possible giving emphasis to the listed words. Now ask the children to tell you the words without site of the list, in order…then backwards! If you have done a good job on the story, they will find the recital easy.

Then leave them to it taking turns at telling stories or reciting lists.

Practical fun, careful planning and creative thinking for one or more children.

Create two teams if more than one child. Teams compete to build the highest tower that holds a weighted object off the ground for a minimum of ten seconds. Equipment Required: 2 x newspapers,

2 x tape, weighted object (anything will do). Space Required: Small. Indoors or outdoors. Total Time:

20-30 minutes 5 minutes to brief and setup 40 minutes to achieve outcome 5 Minutes for testing 5 minutes to review. Get them to name the teams and create a badge/label. If the children are younger you can stay and offer guidance, of course you will be the judge…or perhaps you will
challenge them and make your own.