You love your kids. No one’s saying you don’t. But who knew they were so loud? If wake up calls are less tranquil and more traumatic, the soles of your foot has permanent Lego imprints, or you can now recite every episode of Dora verbatim, you may need help to keep things fresh.
Here’s our tips for keeping things running smoothly while you’re home (again) with your children during the pandemic.
Hook them up with great podcast edutainment
Content creators have pulled out all the stops to keep kids learning. Even the national broadcaster is extending its education offering from mid-April, with ABC Kids screening shows and miniature lessons.
Brains on! and But Why?
Wide-ranging science questions with kid-friendly answers. Ever wanted to know if plants have feelings, whether animals get married, or why sequins are shiny? Tune in immediately.
This Kid Life
An offering from the Sydney Opera House that’s for kids and by kids. Young folk are invited to come in and talk about a whole range of topics, from the environment to creativity and more.
Story Pirates
Stories! Pirates! What more could you want? A completely gorgeous show that takes kids’ stories and acts them out. It encourages ideas about storytelling and creativity, while learning about interesting topics.
Bedtime Explorers
If your little ones are having trouble sleeping in this tricky time, this podcast will help them drift off. It’s a meditation series designed for kids as young as two, and there’s a daytime version to help build confidence and life skills. Maybe adults should also be listening?
Take them on a fantastic journey
There are all kinds of COVID-19 entertainment options for grown-ups, but there’s plenty going on for kids, too.
Travel the world from home
Visit the Great Wall of China. Join the Royals at Buckingham Palace. Tour iconic buildings like the Taj Mahal, the Empire State Building or the White House.
Wander great exhibitions
Galleries, concert halls and museums are tripping over themselves to create wonderful online experiences. Bring the kids along to check out exhibits they might not otherwise have the chance to see.
All the big players are here: the Louvre, the Tate Modern and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
But make time for the specialised places, too. Head to the London Transport Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Boston Children’s Museum. The Smithsonian has a whole section dedicated just to really fun stuff for kids.
Exhausted all of those options? Google has a seemingly endless list of others to explore.
Send them to outer space!
Not literally (though there might be moments you wish you could). NASA and other space agencies have all kinds of brilliant streams and interactive sites to explore.
Watch NASA’s live stream. See the surface of Mars as recorded by the Curiosity rover. Get on board the International Space Station. Take an actual (virtual) tour of the actual (virtual) sun.
Enrich young minds
Whether you’ve got a science buff, a muso or a bookworm, these offerings will keep their brains ticking.
This How the Body Works series will take them on a tour of all our moving parts, from brains to bones. For littler ones, The Imagination Tree offers all kinds of play-based learning and fun. At Funbrain, you’ll find heaps of learning disguised as games.
There are options galore for reading fanatics. Check out the State Library of Victoria’s digital collection, or this incredible playlist of celebrities reading children’s books. Nanowrimo’s Young Writers Program will help your kids tell their own story, with guided exercises and worksheets.
If they’re interested in creating their own interactivity, Tinkercad is a free app for 3D design, electronics and coding.
Or how about 150 science experiments, complete with (safe) explosions and plenty of gross stuff?
Stay happy and healthy
With no signs of rolling lockdowns ending any time soon, it's important to acknowledge that this is a weird time for everyone. Even in 2021, kids are adjusting to a whole new way of life, just as we are. There are many tools available to help reduce anxiety and stress – and encourage littler humans to be active.
Get them moving with Cosmic Kids, a ‘yoga adventure’, or the curiously-named GoNoodle. This British PE teacher is rocking some very tight shirts while running virtual classes on YouTube.
At The Well, younger listeners will find peaceful ways to explore how they’re feeling. If they need more specific mental health support, Smiling Mind has a COVID-19 initiative, Thrive Inside, to help kids stay connected and inspired while they’re isolated.
For good food, Buddy Oliver (son of Jamie) has a whole YouTube channel with simple, kid-friendly recipes to follow along. Nomster Chef is a delicious food monster with illustrated meals you can all cook together.
And when you just need to unwind with a little silliness, play with some virtual LEGO or take a virtual ride at one of the world’s best theme parks.
Or join the chalk creatives taking over the country’s sidewalks with games like hopscotch or signs of support and love for the community.
Talk to them
Kids Australia-wide have shown a surprising resilience with their ability to adapt to these new changes – no doubt due to their still flexible minds. Talk to your kids about what’s happening in a language they’ll understand, because what they’re part of is (hopefully) a once in a generation experience that they will tell their kids about one day.
This article is prepared based on general information. It does not take into account individual financial objectives or needs and is not financial product advice.