Save the Children: creative play ideas – to brighten up lockdown!

Save the Children have devised the following activities, hand in hand with early learning experts, to help promote creativity, fun and wellbeing at home during the current period.

In the UK and around the world Save the Children make sure children are safe and healthy. They strive to support them to learn, grow and become who they want to be. Save the Children have devised the following activities, hand in hand with early learning experts, who have used their knowledge of what works for children at different ages and stages.

Getting creative is a great way to fill the hours when going outside isn’t an option. From building dens to dancing to keeping busy doing something fun is the best way to fill the time. 

Lets build dens!

Where will you build yours – inside or out?

How will you build yours?   

Will you use some sheets and upturned chairs? Maybe a clothes line and blankets can create the perfect pitch. Fairy lights? Cushions? 

So many options…so much time! 

No den is too big or small… 

Lets make pom poms!

Why not learn something creative together?

Making pom poms is a simple way to bring some colour into the day.

Why not transform them into a decoration to brighten up your room?

Or you might even make them into something new to play with?

Most of all, have fun together!

Lets get cooking!

Making food together can be great fun. 

It also offers an opportunity to work as a team, weigh and measure ingredients and enjoy a tasty, end product.

How about trying this: Two Dads Leek and potato soup recipe – a healthy lunch for all the family to enjoy.

To get the full recipe read more here.

Lets get dancing!

While we are all staying at home, it is important to keep active. Now is a great time to learn dancing – and who better to teach you than Bruno Tonioli!

Dancing helps us release tension and promotes togetherness; both these things are so important at this time.

Lets relax together!

After all that fun, it is good to make space to relax together. 

Looking after your wellbeing as a family is so important, particularly given that our lives are more restricted at the moment.

Taking time to breath and listen to our bodies can really help us stay happy and healthy.

Flower and the candle 

A simple exercise that encourages deep breathing – a way to relax.  

• Pretend you have a nice smelling flower in one hand and a slow burning candle in the other.  
• Breathe in slowly through your nose as you smell the flower.  
• Breathe out slowly through your mouth as you blow out the candle.  
• Repeat a few times.

The lemon

This exercise releases muscle tension. 

• Pretend you have a lemon in your hand. 
• Reach up to the tree and pick a lemon with each hand. 
• Squeeze the lemons hard to get all the juice out – squeeze, squeeze, squeeze. 
• Throw the lemons on the floor and relax your hands. 
• Then repeat, until you have enough juice for a glass of lemonade! 
• After your last squeeze and throw, shake out your hands to relax!

The turtle

This exercise releases muscle tension. 

• Pretend you are a turtle going for a slow, relaxed turtle walk. 
• Oh no, it’s started to rain! 
• Curl up tight under your shell for about ten seconds. 
• The sun’s out again, so come out of your shell and return to your relaxing walk. 
• Repeat a few times, making sure to finish with a walk so that your body is relaxed.

For more information on Save the Children and their national and international work to support children, during Coronavirus and beyond, read more here.

To find out how you might support their efforts to make the world a brighter place for our children please Click here.

Thank you to HEY Smile for obtaining this content enabling us to share this.