The speech of the President of the Republic, broadcast live on our television screens yesterday, revealed, among many important announcements, that the confinement has been extended until May 11. Stay confined at home with your children for so long? You weren't prepared for it... Once the homework is done, how do you occupy it all day in order to avoid boredom and routine? Are you out of inspiration to keep your toddlers busy? Our ideas should appeal to them.
Physical activities to exercise
During confinement, outdoor activities are prohibited. But as you know, children have an inexhaustible source of energy and need to exert themselves. If you are not lucky enough to have a garden, it takes a great imagination to get them to do physical activities. Here are some ideas for physical activities to do at home:
- Practice yoga . Just look on the Internet to find yoga classes for children. Practicing yoga will help them channel their energy. Show them the right move to avoid injury. To introduce them to the practice of yoga, here are some sites that will be useful to you:yoga-child, grandizen, the YouTube channel 123 Piwi.
- Do an obstacle course . You can use your furniture to create a route for children (crawl under the table, hop on one foot, do a pirouette on the carpet, etc.). It's up to you to use your imagination.
- Hop Hopscotch . If you have the space, you can draw a hopscotch with brown tape on the floor.
- Have a pillow fight . There is nothing simpler to let off steam...
Set up a suggestion box
To get all family members involved in activities throughout the confinement period, you can set up a suggestion box. Everyone is therefore free to register the activity they would like to do as a family (a game of Uno, make a chocolate cake, watch a cartoon, etc.). Then hold a vote to select the activities you will do together.
Share a moment with family
Here you are all gathered under the same roof for a few weeks... So why not take the opportunity to strengthen family ties with activities for young and old?
- Create a family choreography . Each member of the family can bring their little touch. You will be able to do your choreography at each event (Christmas, birthday, etc.). Do not hesitate to film yourself to send the video to your loved ones.
- Set up an indoor camp . A few hanging sheets and blankets will be enough to create a family cabin. Broadcast a campfire video on the TV to create the camp atmosphere. Don't forget the marshmallows if you have them.
- Do a treasure hunt . Choose objects (toys, sweets, etc.) and place them in different hiding places. The player who finds the most objects in the shortest possible time wins the game. On Jeux et Compagnie, discover a guide to create a real treasure hunt easily.
- Become a chef. Make a paper hat, put on an apron and make all the fun recipes you want with your children (mini pizzas, muffins, cookies, biscuits, homemade spread, etc.). You will find many ideas on the net, Gulli, Hugot the snail, etc.
- To tinker with the means at hand. During confinement, now is the time to use whatever is at hand to occupy the children. For example, you can do many activities with toilet paper rolls or egg cartons. Get inspired at lacourdespetits.com.
Reconcile working from home with children
Working several hours a day with children at home can become a real obstacle course. How to get organized? How do you make them understand that you are not available to play? Here are 3 tips for successfully balancing telework and children:
- No room for improvisation. To be successful in finding a niche to work in, you need to get organized. You can set up a schedule visible to the whole family by indicating the time slots when you are not available.
- Conversely, plan time slots dedicated to family activities. For example, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., the children choose a game or activity and you remain available and present during this time.
- Set up a workspace. Difficult to concentrate from your sofa with the children playing next door. Find a place in your home that will only be for work.
Draw your inspiration from the Internet
The Internet is an inexhaustible source of ideas to keep young and old busy. If you lack inspiration to do original activities with your children, take a look at our selection of websites:
- The AGEEM:the General Association of Teachers of Public Schools and Kindergarten classes helps you keep your children busy during confinement by offering you a daily challenge to download. Your child learns while having fun!
- Educatout:this site offers you 100 ideas for games to do with very little material.
- Taleming:This site offers a wide selection of podcasts (stories, educational content, audiobooks), albums, shows, videos, activity sites, etc. It is a really complete site updated regularly.
During confinement, it is not always easy to find ideas to occupy the children, especially without outdoor space. To vary the pleasures, make sure that all the members of the family are at the initiative of at least one activity.
