Hello!
Through these difficult times I have been overwhelmed by the support that I have received from the photography community, business community, my clients and our local community. It has really brought out the ‘Amazing’ in people! I have been thinking about a way that I can give back from the confines of my own home.
So this is it. A list of activities and resources that can help to entertain your little ones and help them to continue learning. Please feel free to comment below with any other ideas that you think people may find useful and I will add them to the list!
This list is just a starting point for play and learning for those moments when you just need something. Bookmark the page and come back to it when you need an idea or time for a quiet coffee! Pick and choose from websites and downloadable printables and just enjoy the time together. Good luck! We can totally do this!
I will be trying out some of these and posting images on my Instagram account as part of my daily photography challenge. Hop over and join in @perspectivesdev.
Activity sheets/ learning resources:
Twinkle: Lots of teaching and educational material for primary aged children including printables, craft ideas, games ideas, maths science, story time and home learning. Used by lots of schools. Offer: Free access to materials during the Coronavirus closure. Website: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/resources/covid19-school-closures
Phonics Play -Suitable for nursery to year 2 – A site packed with interactive phonics games, phonics planning, assessment ideas and many teaching ideas and resources to help children to learn. Offer: Free during the Coronavirus closure. Website: https://www.phonicsplay.co.uk
10 free learning Websites for kids: A printable/downloadable list of fun educational websites for children to visit and explore
Learn at home using tech – A printable/downloadable list of websites, apps, podcasts and you tube
Fun and free ways to learn from home: (That fun teacher): A printable/downloadable list of online resources for useful websites – Including maths, reading, science, writing (e.g. typing club) and social studies (e.g. history for kids)
Free Educational website for kids: (ABCsToACTs.com) a printable/downloadable list including national geographic, NASA, and covering science, history and reading.
Free virtual Tours of World Museums, Educational Sites and Galleries for children Here’s a comprehensive list of virtual tours you can take with your children, adventure all over the world from the confines of your own home – see Atlanta Zoo, Ancient Rome Virtual Tour, British museum London, Eiffel tower, great wall of china, Nasa mission operations room and National Aquarium Liv Cams. A fantastic resource to have whilst we push our way through the current pandemic. A wealth of travel, geographical and historical knowledge to incorporate into your days…..
Getting Active:
Cosmic Yoga – Yoga, mindfulness and relaxation designed specially for kids aged 3+, used in schools and homes all over the world from you tube .https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JI01thiHYI
Swan Lake – kids ballet class – you tube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZYpu4pHEkY
Joe Wicks of The Body Coach TV (You Tube) – Daily P.E lessons on his channel: 9AM every weekday morning He is epic. Highly recommend this to keep everyone active:
Get Creative
Photo a day challenge: I will be setting a prompt for every day to create a photograph within your home. Creativity is a wonderfully mindful process – so ideal for children and adult alike. No need for fancy equipment, any camera you have available to you – from the DSLR you have been meaning to get your head around to your everyday phone. Create photographs just for yourself or come and join me and share them on Instagram (@perspectivesDev) tagging me in them so I can share them to my stories. Find out more on the blog
30 day Lego Challenge: Get your creative juices going with this challenge-a-day prompt
Learn to draw for children with bestselling Children’s Author Mo Willems. Take a lesson in drawing every day on You Tube!
Non Screen Activities you can do at home (Pobble): 25 activities to do when you are stuck at home from building a reading den to designing and obstacle course to junk modelling
Kitchen skills by age – from 2-16 years old- lots of ideas on things to make in the kitchen!
Pyjama Drama Online Club – Pyjama Drama Exeter’s online club. For 2-4 year olds. Join for songs, games, rhymes and pyjama drama fun. Subscription of £2.75 per week. New themes and supporting documents each week.
At home learning ideas (driangraad) – from construction using a cardboard box to creating a stop motion video to creating your own podcast
50 Rainy day activities(carsondellosa ) A printable/downloadable list of traditional play ideas from board games to magazine collages to shoebox cities to story writing, friendship bracelets to bubbles, origami and shadow puppets. Some simple classics in here.
Super home learning activities(Mrs Mactivity): Lots of fun ideasAeroplane flying, content to making a magazine about your family, making a time capsule or an obstacle course.
Instagram account: @inspiremyplay – great account with lots of ideas for creative play and learning – ideal for younger children/ early years age group.
Scouts – They have pulled together some inspired indoor activity ideas. Keep your kids learning new skills and having fun. #TheGreatIndoors.
Join me on my photo challenge on Instagram @perspectivesdev – daily prompts to help challenge you to capture your everyday and hone your photography skills.