Survival guide for 2020 lockdown-Kids version

And the people stayed home. And read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still. And listened more deeply.

Some meditated, some prayed, some danced. Some met their shadows.

And the people began to think differently. And the people healed.

And, in the absence of people living in ignorant, dangerous, mindless, and heartless ways, the earth began to heal.

And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images, and created new ways to live and heal the earth fully, as they had been healed.” – Kitty O’Meara.

What a weird few weeks this has been, and it is still going to get weirder. From tonight 12 am South Africa will be in lockdown. I feel blessed to have a safe home and spend this time with my family. It will be a challenge so I feel the need to be prepared. These are a few things that I came up with that I will hope will be of some help to you to get you through this time.

Kids survival guide

We are already a week into self-isolation and yes it is important to let kids get bored but if you don’t have a plan mom you are in for a war. I already experienced that on the days I just let them be. Once they get too tired and bored they fight, they snap and they cry. Today was different because I had a plan! Everyone is calm and happy and I also got to do a few things for me.

• My top tip would be first of all to block out your day and set a routine. It does not have to be strict and please don’t wake your kids up, they need to sleep in it is good for their immune system. Our routine includes times and activities, free play, craft time, exercise time, meals during the day. We also included a countdown chart, a dishwashing rotation chart and all the jobs that need to get done around the house and who is doing what. I will share our routine on Instagram.

• Get them outside, it is the easiest way to deflate irritability and get our heads clean so we try to do this at least twice a day. But please don’t limit yourself. We also have our meals outside.

• Once everyone is up and ready we exercise for 30 minutes with The body coach. He is releasing videos every day and it is targeted at children but the whole family can join in.

• We sat together last night as a family as mommy had a wobble and insisted that everyone helps out. So we made a list of jobs that had to be done every day and allocated the tasks between the four of us. The children are mostly responsible for helping with washing up with adult help, unpacking the dishwasher, feeding the dog, fold laundry making their beds and also helping in the kitchen to prepare food.

• Get a list of crafts ready that you can put together in a whim without too much fuss or mess. Pinterest has a gazillion ideas. These are some of the ones we already did.

Make goop from cornflour and let them play outside with cups and spoons, it is bit messy but kept my children busy for at least an hour.

Make a bouquet of flowers with muffins cases and straws

Create pictures with glue, salt and paint.

Arrange a nature scavenger hunt in the garden

Make umbrellas pictures with tissue paper { we had loads of tissue paper from gifts}

• Create a rainbow on your front gate, drive, or windows to show solidarity with the rest of the world in isolation. Use the words ”Everything is going to be okay” and #rainbowsofhope and share on social media.

• There are so many free resources available from amazing authors, audiobooks, podcasts and, artists. Here are a few of our favourites.

Popular children’s author David Walliams released 30 of his books on audio.

Audible released a whole library of books for free to listen to. Children enjoy these especially when busy with a craft. We already listened to Alice in Wonderland and Peter Rabbit.

Mo Willems, a popular illustrator created ‘Lunch doodles’ to teach children how to draw.

Luistervink stories are also sharing a free story every day.

AnnaEmm pod is also releasing stories between 18:00-19:00 in the evening.

• Follow Justamama on social media, she has been sharing a weekly program to keep children busy and mommy sane.

• Let your children sit quietly in the garden it is called ‘Sit spot’. Take 5 deep breaths in and out, close your eyes and listen to the noise around you. Now open your eyes and observe what you see? What do you smell? Pay attention to your body and how you are feeling. Now write or draw your observations. Got this wonderful idea from Courtney Adamo on IG. I just love her parenting style.

• From the American Little sous kids cooking subscription service you can download one month’s free Cooking kit resources from Little Sous; Cheese: The Grate Adventure. They also share wonderful children’s recipes on their website so follow them on social media.

• Test kitchen young chefs club are sharing weekly kitchen classroom lessons.

• Magic cat publishing house released this bug museum download that fits beautifully with the book Slow down by Rachel Williams and illustrated by Freya Hartas. I love these nature crafts.

• We also created a care parcel for our neighbors, baking biscotti and filled brown bags with a special gift for each friend {It was not new toys just some of our toys and books we thought they would enjoy.

• Phone your friends and family and have video calls or tea parties over the internet.

• Download a free printable from Matchet love to keep you focussed:)

Recipes you could try to make with your kids from my blog

Now is the ideal time to cook with your children, let them peel vegetables and trust them with a knife once you showed them how to use it. Discuss the menu for the next few weeks and what they would like to make and eat. Here are a list of some of the child-friendly recipes from my blog.

Cherry bars, but you could easily replace the cherries with frozen berries

Delicious and easy Chocolate bars

Easy cinnamon flavoured Butternut scones

Caramel popcorn for when your family is watching a movie

Chocolate chip cookies , if you don’t have xylitol just use sugar.

Strawberry ice lollies that could also be a smoothie, just use a frozen banana

Carrot and courgette muffins, can also be frozen for quick snacks.

Enjoy your time with your family, this is really a gift if you are healthy. Create wonderful memories with them during these difficult times.