Keeping children busy while schools are closed
With the Coronavirus now having a major effect on education and causing school closures, it may feel daunting having to juggle working from home with your children around.
We’ve put together some ideas to help keep your children busy at this time.
Setting a routine
It can be a confusing time for children as they’re so used to a routine with school. Set up a timetable with them for each day of the week and lay out a schedule. Include playtime, read time and lunch so they still have a daily routine and know what to expect.
Financial education
Now could also be a good time to teach children about money and saving. Ask them to sit down and think about what their goals are for the future and how much they think they could cost so they learn how much things are worth.
Reading
It can be the ideal time to encourage children to get their head stuck in a book. Whether that’s them reading to you or reading to themselves, or even listening to an audiobook. It not only can be educational but will be sure to keep them quiet for a little while. You could also hand them a dictionary and ask them to look up different words and their meanings.
Arts and crafts activities
Set a project for your children, something which is both educational and creative for them. This can include anything simple such as drawing or colouring. You can also find plenty of educational activity sheets online to print off and keep them occupied. Why not teach them about budgeting and planning and set them a task of planning the next family holiday with a set budget to find accommodation, flights and activities?
Cooking or baking
Food is always a winner. Get them involved with helping to make lunch or dinner and even dig out the baking recipe book and spend time with them - when you can - baking. Making cookies or cupcakes are just some of the easy recipes you can involve them with. It will also help prepare them for the future when they grow up and eventually move out!
Educational television
You may need an hour to finish that spreadsheet or clean the kitchen on the weekend so sticking your children in front of the TV for a short while won’t cause too much harm. A lot of streaming service subscriptions are running educational programmes to keep them entertained and fitness influencers are running online PE classes to keep your children moving.