Create, connect and recharge in a Pandemic.

We are feeling overwhelmed, we’ve got all our children home, you and/or your husband working from home and still having to keep everyone busy and occupied.

Also, as most children are not going into child care or kindergarten, and we worry that we are not giving them enough. We feel that we should be entertaining, giving them activities to do but what if I tell you that just following their lead is enough.

Let’s be honest the educator from your child’s child care or kindergarten would not be developing activity after activity to keep your child busy and engaged.

Children learn best when they are given opportunities to guide themselves through play, we just simple need to provide those playful opportunities.

It’s not about setting up your house up as a “kindergarten room” but simply having a few things available throughout the day/week that will keep them busy or occupied.

Letting children find their own play activities promotes independence, a sense of responsibility and provides an opportunity for curiosity.

It is important that throughout the day you provide opportunities for connection. Your child is likely to be more demanding during this time, because their routine has changed, they could be picking up on anxiety and possible are worried about what their little future would be like.

We also need to provide a chance for us to recharge when our energy levels are low.

So what could you do to provide opportunities for connections, opportunities for play promoting independence and a chance to recharge?

Here are some ideas:

Connection:

• Spend the first 10 minutes of the day connecting with your child/ren. It might be allowing them to come into your bed in the morning for cuddles, tickles or just to chat about the day ahead or spending breakfast together and chatting about what the day would look like.
• Spend some time together outside or on a walk, fresh air fills everyones cup and you can have some great conversations together while you are walking.
• Spend the last 10-15 minutes of the day together. It might be sitting down at dinner time and talking about your favourite thing you did today or something you learnt, or it might be cuddles during story time.

Create:

• Set up puzzles, new stories, games or even some small world play sets up the night before. Make it into an inviting space and watch your child/ren get excited the next morning. With puzzles, depending on the child’s age you can start the puzzle and leave a handful of puzzle pieces ready for them to put back together.
• Rearrange the play area regularly. Changing it up will make the area interesting and you’ll find your child/ren will begin to be interested in certain toys again. You can even involve them in this activity.
• Rotate toys around. If you put some toys away, and bring new ones in regularly you’ll find that some of those old toys will suddenly become exciting again.
• Schedule in 1-2 structured activities once a day, it could involve cooking, sensory, art or a game. If you have an older child you could involve them in organising these activities. You’ll be surprised on how much learning can happen during these times.
• On a nice day, and if you have a backyard or even a front yard set up some inside activities outside. You can put out a rug on the ground with some books or set up some art activities outside.
• Check out your local council, many local councils are offering free story time sessions throughout the week.
• Join an online virtual playgroup most are free and always have some great ideas to follow up on. The Early Parenting Village Virtual Playgroup is offering live sessions on Facebook three times a week and Playgroup Victoria is also offering some free zoom playgroup sessions.

Recharge:

• Spend 10-15 minutes doing a yoga session. Yoga with Adriene is great for adults and is free or involve the child/ren in a yoga session with Cosmic Kids Yoga.
• Make yourself a cup of tea, sit down, read a book or simple be in the moment for 10-15 minutes. You may need to set your child/ren up with an activity so you can enjoy that moment.
• If you have a partner/husband who can watch the child/ren, take a time to go for a walk around the block.
• Put some music on throughout the day, and dance like no one is watching.

Remember we are in crazy times, we are going to need to give ourselves a Mental Health Day so somedays if your child/ren is watching more TV or playing the iPad know that this is ok and that we too, as adults need a break. Curl up watch a movie together, if you can or spend that time chatting to a friend.

If you are looking for more support The Early Parenting Village can help with brainstorming new ideas to help engage your child/ren throughout the day.