Indoor activities to survive lockdown!
Posted on 13th April 2020
A lot of nannies are still working during the Covid-19 crisis so I thought it might be helpful to compile a list of activities to do indoors.
My two are still pretty young so my thoughts are all based on preschool ages – of course a lot of these can be adapted for older children!
Please feel free to comment on this article with your own suggestions – especially for older ones. Another nanny could use the inspiration!
Millie and her robot
Painting:
Potato / going old veg printing
Bog standard paintbrushes
Finger painting
Use loo rolls to bend into shapes and print the edge pattern
Hand and foot painting
Playdoh:
You can make your own using 1 cup of flour, half a cup of salt, and add half a cup of water slowly. Knead it, separate into balls and add food colouring (5-10 drops) to each!
This recipe is similar to salt dough so once your charges have made a shape they love, you can bake it to go hard (lowest oven temp possible, for 3-4 hours) to keep it!
You can make a softer version with 1 cup of cornflour and half a cup of conditioner – a bit more like cloud dough!
Baking:
We’ve made endless cookies and fairy cakes in the last month. I also try to get them to help make meals where age appropriate. Home made pizzas are always a winner. We've got a great pizza recipe here.
Junk modelling:
Use up that recycling! We’ve made rockets, a robot (accompanying photo below!) and a fish tank out of a box, with tissue paper sea and fish hanging from string at the top.
Mask making:
Easter Bunny anyone?
Colour sorting:
If you have some ball pit balls, colour code some boxes (painting activity…) and sort the balls into the correct colour box. Throwing practice too!
Have you got a tuff tray?
I adore ours. We use it for everything as it’s a great height for crafts – my two love water play, washing their toy animals, shaving foam, rice and pasta play (although they’re luxury items at present!)
Threading:
Either pasta necklaces, or pipe cleaners into a colander – make an alien hat!
Chuck them in the garden!
Help with gardening, make a dinosaur land out of an overgrown flowerbed (I am not a gardener) with this beautiful weather we’ve done a lot of washing their playhouse /little tykes car, as well as general sand and water play.
Rock painting:
Although advice is not to leave them for others to find, given the risk of transferring the virus on the rock. But perhaps start a collection in the garden!
Chalk drawing:
Our street has a lot of decorated rainbow driveways at present. Or draw a hopscotch on the pavement outside their home – you’ll be amazed how many passers by will get involved, kids and adults alike!
Painting the fence
With water only!
Board games:
Millie is a big fan of the Orchard ones, eg spotty dogs
Flash cards:
I’m trying not to focus on the educational stuff, as mine are so young, but Millie was learning a lot at preschool so flash cards are a fun way to build on that
Toy dinosaurs:
On a sunny day, line toy dinosaurs along the edge of a large piece of paper, so the sun makes their shadows on the paper. Draw around the shadows!
Tree rubbing:
In the garden
Leaf collecting:
Again in the garden to avoid possible exposure, to make a collage
Other Ideas:
Hide and Seek
Build a fort
Read Stories
Cutting and sticking, drawing, card making, whatever you have in the craft cupboard
Please do comment with your additions!
Share this post: