The kids are alright: Isolation activities beyond the iPad screen

Kids couped up in their homes can benefit from a variety of sensory activities – but parental involvement the key to engagement.

Kids couped up in their homes can benefit from a variety of sensory activities, with parental involvement the key to engagement.

Northern Children’s Network centre base service manager Sebastian Tuttle said parents can go the extra mile during isolation to entertain their kids at home.

“One of the best things to do is to engage with the kids instead of giving them an activity to do,” he said.

“Giving them an activity is more likely to lead to them saying they’re bored or saying they’re finished, whereas if you do the activity with them and get involved, they can sustain interest for much longer.”

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For families without an adjoining garden, or for rainy day activities, Mr Tuttle recommended transforming the lounge into an interesting play space rather than a cleared, empty space.

He said kitchens made the ultimate science experiment and cooking labs, while bathrooms were great for sensory water play.

He said it was an important time to avoid only discussing the downsides of COVID-19 and isolation, with even young children able to pick up on the negativity.

With play time a precious commodity for kids, Mr Tuttle said parents making a promise to “play again later” should always stick to their word.

TOP TEN TIPS: KIDS’ ISOLATION ACTIVITIES BEYOND THE IPAD SCREEN

1. Scavenger hunts. Mr Tuttle said hunts were fun for all ages with varying degrees of difficulty. “Some towns are doing bear hunts, where on walks you have to spot different toy bears around the neighbourhood,” he said.
2. Cubby houses. “Kids like having their own private place they can be in and invite people into,” Mr Tuttle said. “It can get more and more complex, they can plan it out with multiple rooms and decide what they need.” He said cubbies made perfect role playing settings.
3. Role playing. Mr Tuttle said younger children “really enjoy” role playing, especially with their parents. “A lot of children aren’t yet at the stage where they want to sit and write stories, so acting them out is a good way of keeping their creativity going,” he said.
4. Obstacle courses. Rearranging your loungeroom or yard into obstacle courses can entertain children of all ages. Mr Tuttle recommended filling doona covers with cushions for a fun, uneven surface to crawl or roll over.
5. String laser courses. A more inventive approach to obstacle courses, Mr Tuttle said creating a maze with “laser beams” made of string hanging wall-to-wall would entertain children re-enacting their favourite Hollywood movie scenes. “Be careful sticking string onto the walls that it doesn’t ruin your paint,” he said.
6. Wool craft. Rather than hanging string from the walls, Mr Tuttle said knitting pompoms, or even basic finger threading, was a fun, messy and crafty way to engage kids.
7. Box craft. For fun on a budget, Mr Tuttle said old cardboard boxes could be transformed into anything, from houses to robots to rocket ships. He said glue, sticky tape, string and scissors made the possibilities greater.
8. Dancing. Mr Tuttle said music and dance were a fantastic mood booster for children during gloomy times. “Having music on and playing freeze games are great,” he said. If dancing and music fails to amuse, he suggested adding bubbles to the mix.
9. Memory games. Whether it’s with cards, a selection of toys, or “anything around the house”, Mr Tuttle said taking one item away and asking your child to remember which is missing was fun and handy for developing memory skills.
10. Hide and seek. An old favourite, Mr Tuttle said hide and seek occupied children for sustained periods. For smaller homes with less room to hide people, he suggested hiding toys or teddy bears for the other person to find.