Keep busy during self-isolation

The Easter holidays are here already, and while the current situation means we can’t get out and about to enjoy the outdoors during Easter, there are plenty of activities for children and families to take part in together at home.

Staying in shape

Being stuck indoors is bound to have an impact on our waistlines, and children with too much energy are challenging at the best of times, so why not take part in a daily group exercise activity.

Joe Wicks, the body coach is doing daily live workout for kids over on his YouTube channel, but adults can join in too! These short workouts are perfect for staying in shape, and getting some of that excess energy out.

Dance with Oti: Strictly Come Dancing star Oti Mabuse is currently providing daily dance lesson for kids at 11.30am on her Youtube, Facebook and Instagram accounts, so you can shake your hips and build up those appetites for lunchtime.

If you’re looking for something a little bit lower energy, but that can help with mindfulness and relaxation, why not look into Cosmic Yoga? Aimed at younger kids with lots of nursery rhyme references, it could be just what you need to get your morning off to a relaxing start.

Getting creative

Now is a great time to encourage creativity in your kids, and there’s no reason why you can’t join in either, there’s plenty of arts and craft activities taking place across the internet that you can get involved with:

Anna’s Funky Art: One of Hertfordshire’s Year of Culture participants, Anna is sharing art activities on her YouTube channel which can be used to help relax.

Draw with Rob: Artist Rob Biddulph is live streaming a draw-along every Tuesday and Thursday at 10am, you and your kids can follow along and even send your drawings in for Rob to see.

Myleen’s Music Klass: If your or someone in your family is a budding musician, why not get started with these free online music lessons from Myleene Klass?

Five Minute Mum on Instagram has got some fun, quick games for parents to play with their younger children, and she’s posting regularly during the coronavirus lockdown so there’s plenty of content to enjoy.

Enjoy some culture

With plenty of time on our hands, it could be a good opportunity to get kids into interests they might not normally consider.

The National Theatre are live streaming plays every Thursday night, which will be free to watch on Youtube for a week after. These plays can be fun for all the family and possibly even useful as a bit of English revision.

Our libraries may be shut, but that doesn’t mean you can’t access all of our great books and magazines. If you’re a library member, get the BorrowBox app to have access to thousands of books from your device.

If you’re worried about your kids spending too much time on screens, why not look into the activities you can do in your garden? You could build a bug hotel, create a cairn, make flower crowns or a number of other fun outdoor activities.