It may not sound like an easy task to keep your kid (or kids) at home all day. No matter how many children you have – they must spend energy, play, get attention, have positive interactions, and let’s not forget: give and receive affection from others.

Then how mums and dads can support their little ones’ learning and physical development while staying at home?

Whether you live in a house with a big backyard or in a small unit, there is always some space that combined with creativity can provide you lots of opportunities to have your little ones moving their bodies and improving gross motor skills.

Craft materials will be also very helpful to keep their learning going. Parents will be able not only to teach their kids but also to observe very closely their progress – that’s a super chance to spend quality time with your child. Don’t waste it!
It will be fun and rewarding if you’re both engaged with the experiences, enjoying the company of each other.

First things first – have a routine!

Young children need to have a routine, this is important for them to understand what’s happening around them and also to be able to predict what’s going to happen next.
Keeping a consistent routine is also the best way for parents to organize themselves and take turns in case they are both working from home.

How about creating a schedule together? You can organize a daily routine based on your children’s interests and add different types of learning – but don’t be like a sheriff! If your child is not in the mood or just want to play something else – let it be.
It’s time to be together when the world outside is all over the shop – so, be supportive and understanding, just like you would need someone doing the same when things are not so well.

Remember that their routine is not the same, there are no best friends around, nor teachers or Educators, mums and dads “are not supposed to be at home” – their whole world has suddenly changed! So, take it easy and don’t forget to have fun!

Physical Activities at home – Simple ideas

“5 little monkeys jumping on the bed…” 

You certainly know this song, right? Then, why not put a mattress on the floor and turn the music on. Trust me, they will jump for hours if you join them. You can add some balloons and pretend that’s a party!

Talking about party… 

Pajama Party! Children absolutely love it and what can be better than wearing PJs all day? Have some Teddy bears around, blow some bubbles, put nice music on and you won’t regret it!

Hide and Seek

Well.. not so hard and everyone can play! Hide yourself underneath the bed or the couch, let them count and take turns hiding – it will last all day if you use your creativity and show enthusiasm!

Chairs dance

Everyone dances around the chairs while the music is playing, then when the music stops, everybody quickly sits in an empty chair. Remember, you don’t need to stick to the rules if your child is too young for the game. Try something similar where they can dance and have fun – that’s the purpose anyway!

Hopscotch

If drawing on the floor is something out of plan then just stick pieces of paper with numbers on it – make sure everyone is wearing socks to not rip the paper (you can also laminate them).
Have a little rock or any object and throw on the numbers – you must not step on the number the stone fell on.

Hula Hoops

You will certainly have a lot of fun hooping and performing with your child. Try it on the hips but also with the different parts of your body such as the neck and arms. Children love to watch it and they will try to do the same – I guarantee you lots of laughs – not to mention the improvement on flexibility, coordination, balance and circulation for you both!

Simon Says

Such an amazing and fun way to practice and improve body awareness. You can take turns and let the imagination flow by just saying “Simon says…” e.g. “Simon says stand on one foot”, “Simon says walk on your knees” or “Simon says hide your head in your shirt”. Put some great music on and enjoy!

Art and crafts / Learning activities

Some of these activities don’t require any supply. Others will require simple supplies that you might have at home or buy online. You can create an “activities box” and have some learning supplies in there that your child would love to explore!

Colouring and Painting 

Those are typical activities that children absolutely enjoy, especially if you’re sitting with them – talk about the colours, you can use crayons, pens or pencils, add some stickers and let them explore their creativity!

Water Painting

If you don’t have this at home yet – please buy it (you can find it at Kmart and order online!) You won’t believe how much your child will love to sit and paint with water. This is a fantastic activity and provides a great opportunity for learning as this experience also helps them to build creativity and confidence to develop early writing skills!

Recyclable activities 

Too easy! Just save egg cartons, water bottles, cans, cardboard tubes, cereal boxes or whatever you have available. They can be used to make crafts, create games or even for painting and colouring. There are thousands of ideas you can find online using any recyclable material. Just imagine how fun this could be if you take a big cardboard box in your garage, then make this looks like a house (or castle) and get your child to paint all over it!

Books

Reading books is both fun and enriching. You can create a special room with a nice atmosphere just for the reading time. Put a relaxing song, bring the books your child loves the most and enjoy the moment!

Sensory activities: Playdough / Kinetic sand / Shave cream / Ice 

Sensory tools allow your child to slow down while playing, having fun and improving creativity. There is a wide range of opportunities you can promote to encourage your children to explore different textures, create and learn!

Blocks / Puzzles

These are excellent learning toys that will allow your children to improve concentration, eye-hand coordination, problem-solving and fine motor skills. Building with blocks is fun and they love it. You can sort the pieces by colours, build a castle or big towers! When playing puzzles encourage communication skills by talking about the pieces, such as animals colours and sounds, or numbers and shapes. There’s always a possibility for learning!

Baking a cake

Children love to help and most of them are very curious about ingredients and kitchen utensils. Then how about cooking together? Baking a cake can be more fun if you let your little one contribute by simply mixing the ingredients or pouring the milk!

Threading

Another great way to help your little children improve their concentration, hand manipulation, coordination and cognitive skills. You can thread almost anything that has a hole in it. A hole punch is great for making holes. Cut a length of string, thin plastic tubing or wool and arouse your child’s curiosity.

Watch a movie, but provide an activity!

Screen time should be limited by parents. Each family has a personal opinion about it so the idea here is just to use this as an option if you feel it will provide a learning, enriching and fun experience to your kids.
You can watch a movie together – preferentially something short and that your child would be interested in, then talk about it with them, you may suggest a colouring/painting activity, or perhaps read a book with a similar story helping them to make connections and enhance their vocabulary.

Don’t forget to: demonstrate an interest in what your child is doing and exploring, be there for them, (not on your phone or notebook while providing these experiences), let them guide you with things they show more enthusiasm. Understand they have their own pace and be patient. This will be an incredible opportunity for a stronger connection between you!