Engaging ideas to play and educate the children while at home

We’ve been going through the archives and have pulled out some activities that we thought you may like to try at home.

• Opening Doors, Opening Books, smalltalk, (spring 2016) page 18 -21 reports on the Bookstart Superbox Conference 2015 and how the Bookstart Message has been embedded into our Learning Through Play programme and how it can be enjoyed at home.
   
• Foundation Phase: Talking Point, Mystery Box, smalltalk, (summer 2017) page 10 -11 follows the lead of Canal Playgroup in Powys who incorporated an entirely child-led ‘Mystery Box’ into their Foundation Phase planning.
   
• Foundation Phase: Talking Point, Developing creativity and language through open ended play, smalltalk, (summer 2018) page 5 -7
   
• Cardiff Deaf Creative Hands: Building bridges, removing barriers, smalltalk, (summer 2017) page 14 -17. On Saturday 18 February 2017 Cardiff Deaf Creative Hands was officially opened by the Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Professor Sally Holland. This innovative community programme was set up to support the needs of children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families. We were honoured to be asked to participate in the day and provide some sensory play activities that you can do at home for little or no cost.
   
• The Magic of Story Time, smalltalk, (winter 2016) page 18 -21. This article gives some great tips on how parents and carers can easily engage with and encourage children to explore stories in a range of different ways. Who doesn’t love the magic of story time?
• Introducing Welsh to Children with Additional Learning Needs, smalltalk, (spring 2019) page 11 -13. We look at how one Early Years setting is working to provide equity in and access to Welsh Language learning to all members of their community. Complete with a sensory story session on page 13

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Although our Active Together Wales sessions are currently on hold, we will aim to share activities that families can continue to use at home that all support movement and physical activity.

Play in early years is how young children learn and make sense of the world and the ideas we send out should encourage quality, shared time together whilst supporting your child’s development.

Encouraging children to love movement is really important and you can help this by giving them access to playful activities. Use this time at home to share stories, sing, say rhymes together, tell and read familiar and new stories like the Bear Hunt. It really does support your child’s understanding and development.

Check out our dedicated activities page for inspiration and don’t forget to share your creations with us: [email protected].

Free educational tools and materials that you can access from home:

• Hwb; Learning and teaching for Wales
• Curriculum for Wales 2022

#UnitedByBooks – a social platform by Booktrust to share children’s reading tips, activities and content to support the millions of families around the UK who will be spending more time at home following the Covid-19 outbreak.

Families will be able to find ideas and activities in Welsh and English via the #LlyfrauYnUno #UnitedByBooks hashtags.

Find more information on their website:

TTS have created a curriculum-focused independent learning resource with over 40 home learning activities all planned and all prepared!

Find them on their website:

Play Wales: When faced with uncertainty, playing helps to develop children’s resilience and dealing with stress/anxiety. play provides effective strategies for dealing with uncertainty and contributes to good physical and mental health.

• Read the ‘Building resilence – the importance of playing’ for more: https://issuu.com/playwales/docs/building_resilience_?e=5305098/31468341

Play Wales want your indoor play ideas on video. If you’d like to get involved and help other families at this tricky time email: [email protected]

Joe Wicks, The Body Coach, has said he will be running virtual PE classes to make sure children are keeping fit from home as schools close for the foreseeable future amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Join Joe every Monday to Friday at 9am for his live PE workout on his own YouTube channel:

Techniquest are holding online mini demos through their social media pages at 12pm every afternoon.

They are 1.5 minutes long and as much as they would love to do a live stream, access to the building is not possible during these times.

• These videos will be streamed through their YouTube channel, as well as their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

This Girl Can website have provided free workouts & activities you and your children can do at home to help keep you active, which do not require complex equipment.

The Disney Dance-Alongs includes dance videos to well known Disney tunes! You and your children can learn their moves or put your own spin on their routines.  At the end of the day, it’s about breaking a sweat while having a bit of fun.

Visit their website to get started!

Developing mindfulness is important and, in these stressful times, it gives children the tools to deal with the stresses and anxieties of life in a powerfully positive way.

The #MindfulnessForChildrenChallenge is an opportunity for children to try a number of strategies, find what works for them and use them as required.

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1.  Indoor hide and seek.
2. Make decorations, create a playlist, and throw a family dance party.
3. Try a new cookie or cake recipe. Bonus idea: Set up a camera or smart phone and film a cooking show!
4. Build a treehouse.
5. Make a mancala counting game with an egg carton.
6. Go camping in the living room.
7. Play board games.
8. Design and go on an indoor treasure hunt.
9. Plan a family garden.
10. Make ice cream in a bag.
11. Make slime.
12. Set up an in-home nail salon and try some nail art techniques.
13. Dress up in your best clothes and have a fancy dinner.
14. Make a piñata.
15. Make friendship bracelets.
16. Make and blow bubbles.
17. Teach your pet a new trick.
18. Make rock candy.
19. Have an indoor picnic.
20. Listen to an audiobook or podcast.
21. Try Cosmic Kids Yoga.
22. Make paper fidget spinners.
23. Create your own bingo cards and have a bingo tournament.
24. Create a family tree.
25. Let your kids write and direct a stop-motion movie.
26. Learn and play a new card game
27. Teach yourself to juggle
28. Practice origami, or the art of paper folding.
29. Play with magnets on a cookie sheet
30. Make a maze on the floor with painter’s tape.
31. Play with sidewalk chalk.
32. Play indoor volleyball or soccer with balloons.
33. Have a pizza party
34. Make paper airplanes and see whose plane flies the farthest.
35. Play dress up with mom and dad’s clothes.
36. Make your own popsicles.
37. Go in your backyard and look for four-leaf clovers.
38. Write a secret message in invisible ink.
39. Play “I Spy” inside or out the window.
40. Clean out your closets.
41. Facetime or Skype with family or friends.
42. Have breakfast in bed.
43. Have a tea party.
44. Make a water sensory bag.
45. Make some play dough.
46. Create a nature scavenger hunt in your back garden
47.  Play “The Floor is Lava.”
48. Snuggle on the couch and read your favourite books.
49. Rearrange or redecorate your room.
50. Play in a bubble bath.
51. Have a pillow fight.
52. Make an indoor obstacle course.
53. Have a family music night.
54. Build a giant fort out of blankets, chairs and pillows
55. Paint with Kool-Aid.
56. Put on a puppet show.
57. Make a scrapbook
58. Play marbles on the floor.
59. Do a puzzle.
60. Fold clothes together.
61. Create a new dessert.
62. Put on your bathrobes and play spa day.
63. Play 20 Questions
64. Create creatures out of pipe cleaners.
65. Make a treasure bottle.
66. Decorate a T-shirt.
67. Write letters to family and friends.
68. Build a bridge or building with toothpicks or Q-tips
69. Play hangman or tic-tac-toe.
70. Make a time capsule! One day your kids can use it to tell their kids all about this craziness.
71. Hwb – most children have log in’s and there are a variety of educational games.