Five home schooling hints for parents with young kids in lockdown

Lockdowns are not over yet! The words no parent, nor child wants to hear. If you are a parent, I am sure you’ve tried a whole suite of tasks to keep your little ones happy.  Running out of ideas? Or need a little extra support to get you over the final lockdown hurdle? I have you covered - I've enrolled an expert!

My mum Jenny is a well loved, and experienced childhood educator. She has 27 years of primary and pre-school education experience - fair to say she knows her stuff! From the quiet learner to the extrovert, the wiggly fidgeter and ones who just can’t keep up with the others, she has seen it all. Here are her tips to maintain your sanity in lockdowns with kids, for just a little longer.

Childhood education expert shares her top tips to help maintain your sanity, and your kid's wellbeing in lockdown.

1. Create a homeschooling timetable

Give the production of the timetable to your eldest child, after consultation with the other siblings. A white or black board plan can be published every day to include a variety of school and child activities. Vary the activities and include them all to make the day look full and enjoyable.

Have regular breaks including trips outside, rest time and no screen times. Include child-invented activities such as concerts, making TV ads, cubby building or in house shops.

2. Dedicate space for children to learn

Create a private workspace that is quiet, tidy and maintained by the child. Although this may have to be packed up each day to make way for another activity, it is a good sharing skill to learn. Alternatively, have a general workspace that is shared at different times of the day

3. Supervise your young children, don't teach

Teaching is the teacher’s task, and you are the parent!

Help where there is a problem, but don’t insist on correcting, nor on the child practising for too long. This is stressful for all concerned. This Covid cohort of children are all in the same boat. They will catch up when they are back at school.

4. Spark joy in lockdown

Make the day fun. Make fun food, do fun things, dress up in funny clothes, read funny stories. Finish each day with “What made you laugh today?”. You will all soon find joy in the little things.

Creating spaces so your children can self learn is powerful.

People have become very creative during lockdown. My brother’s grandchildren read to him every morning on the phone. Our neighbour’s children use our yard for ball games, and our creek for mud pies and cubby house building. All these things can be done within covid guidelines and help to ease stress. You may discover that you like doing kids things too! 

Eight successful, (and simple) home activities for young kids in lockdown

1. Kids Cubbies.

Drape a sheet over your kitchen table. Put cushions under it. Read in there with a torch. Eat lunch in there. Tell secrets, make up stories etc etc. Dare I say it? Sleep in there.

2. Camping at home.

Erect a tent in the back yard or in the lounge room. Pack a picnic and a thermos, even throw on camping boots. If you are blessed with space, try making a campfire and cook a simple sausage in bread, or roast marshmallows. If fires are out the of question, turn on the BBQ or simply cook inside and eat outside.

3. Get outside.

Dig in the garden, collect things for a science table, plant flowers or veggies, find worms, watch snails, listen to the birds, and discover the insects. If you don’t have a garden, go for a walk and explore the streets.

4. Dress-up even in lockdown!

Anything will do. Mum and Dad's clothes with additions of belts, scarves, hats, shoes etc. Being able to role-play is fun and creative. Even allowing children to dress in whatever they like is a form of dress-up. Where else are they going anyway?

5. Water play for little kids.

Sand and water play might be messy, but it is wonderfully creative, and a well loved activity! Float things in a dish of water; make rivers and dams in the sand, jump in puddles.

6. Build those lockdown blues away

Construction and building is a favourite activity for children at any age. Make things using boxes, paper, string and tape. Car tracks, shops, mini cities..you name it! Soft wood and nails is the next, if possible.

7. Homemade art and crafts

Creativity shouldn’t stop when homeschooling is complete. Encourage children to draw the view out the window, sketch and paint characters from their favourite book. Sew, knit, and crochet. You name it - get crafty.

8. Cook a lockdown meal

Get the kids to prepare a meal for everyone, even if its cereal. Set the table, wear fancy clothes, or use Nana’s dinner set. Make it special.