Keeping kids entertained at home

One tip is getting the kids to be part of setting a daily schedule the night before – let them pick the academic or free time activity and tick it off at the end of the day – if there are things you didn’t get to do, schedule them for tomorrow. With this in mind, it might be worth putting a routine in place even during the holidays. An example of an easy to follow kid’s routine is:

But how do you fill the days with activities which are both engaging and educational? We’ve compiled a list of a few things to keep your kids entertained while they are at home.

For younger kids

Create a scavenger hunt – Arm the kids with a list (do drawings for little kids) and a bag and ask them to collect certain items either inside or outside the house. Keep it simple, and broad, with items such as “4 things that are green”, or “a stick that is longer than your hand”.

Activity sheets – Think dot-to-dots, mazes, crosswords and problem-solving puzzles. Jump online and you’ll find a bunch of free resources.

Email a relative – Emailing and letter writing encourages kids to read, spell and practice sentence structure.

Drawing lessons – Set up a simple still life for the kids to sketch. You can also follow some drawing lessons online such as Art for Kids Hub, or check out Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems.

Keep active -If the kids need to burn some energy, then an obstacle course, either inside or outside can help. Make it as simple, or as complicated as you want (the kids could even help design it). If you want something more structured, PE with Joe offers a Phys Ed lesson right in your lounge room. Your little ones might also be dancing queens, so pump up the music and get them jumping around.

Check in with your local library - Libraries have online resources which members can access for free. Think movies, e-books and audiobooks, as well as virtual story times.

See the animals - Melbourne Zoo has live webcams so we can all see what the animals are up to. Likewise, The San Diego Zoo

For older kids

Virtual museum tours - Want the kids to experience a bit of culture, even while they’re at home? Using your computer, you can take a virtual tour of famous museums and see the sights without the crowds. Some examples include the British Museum in London, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the Guggenheim in New York City, and others.

Head into outer space – If you’re looking for something even more out of this world, thanks to technology you can explore the surface of Mars with the Curiosity Rover.

Learn a language – Learn a second language with free online courses at Duo Lingo.

Experiments at home – Steve Spangler Science offers a library of science experiments you can do at home, with everyday items.

Resources for Parents

• The South Australian Department of Education has recently launched Our Learning SA. The site allows you to search for educational activities by age group, and subject matter.
• ABC Education has a range of activities for both primary and secondary students.
• The Home Education Association has a wide variety of resources available from links to lessons and curriculum ideas to podcasts, videos and exercise classes.