With the Greater Sydney COVID-19 lockdown extended for an extra week, and announcements made that schools are offering online learning for the first week back after the school holidays, you might have run out of ideas on how to best utilise this time with your children and keep them entertained.
The Kalpaxis Legal Family have collaborated together to bring you this Support Space article with our top 10 fun things to do with your children during lockdown.
(1) Cook with your children and make recipes that you’ve never made before!
Lockdown is a unique time where you are able to utilise the time you have at home with the kids doing things you’ve never done before. For us, we have been very interested in attempting new recipes and cuisines.
“My kids love to cook. Food is a big component in our family and always brings us together. There’s nothing more comforting than sharing a home-cooked meal together that we’ve all helped each other to create.” – Cassandra
Below are some dishes that Cassandra has created with her children during this lockdown including Spaghetti Bolognese, Chocolate Fudge Cake and Moroccan Lentils.
Here are our top 3 recipes to try:
Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)
(2) Bring it back to your childhood… board games bonanza!
If you are a parent in 2021, you probably remember the “old days” when staying at home and playing board games was the highlight of your Saturday or Sunday night tradition.
“Board games were a big thing in my household when I was little. I remember collecting different versions of Monopoly. I even had a Sydney version that had street names such as Enmore Road, Darlinghurst Road and places like Central Station and Sydney Town Hall. I was a big traveller when I was little so when I went with my mum to Disneyland I got a Disneyland Monopoly, when I went to New York I got a special edition Monopoly from M&Ms world. I also loved playing chess and checkers with my family. I’m really liking that board games are making a comeback, especially now that we are in lockdown” – Stefano
Our Principal, Cassandra and her children have a Monopoly ritual in their lockdown routine after dinner two times a week.
“The kids really enjoy it. They love knowing that on Sunday, after dinner, they can look forward to spending quality time with Mum and Dad having fun. It gives them a sense of routine in a way, during what is definitely a time where stability can be compromised.” – Cassandra
What are your top 3 board games?
Heela’s selected three that she believes are timeless classics.
(3) Arts and crafts time – what do you look like in your children’s eyes?
“I think it’s fascinating how we never really know what we look like in someone else’s eyes. Perhaps what we see in the mirror is simply a fiction of our imagination and we don’t actually look like that to someone else? Perception is everything.” – Stefano
Bring out the watercolour paints, the crayons, the sketch pads and the colouring in pencils. Have an arts session with your family and create a challenge where each member is to create an artistic piece based on what the other person looks like to them.
Fun Fact: Did you know that there is a theory that Leonardo Da Vinci’s iconic painting “Mona Lisa” is actually a self-portrait that he had created? Some scholars suggest that Da Vinci’s presumed homosexuality and love of hidden meaning inspired him to paint himself as a woman.
(4) Chores time but fun!
It’s no secret that chores seem to be the most tedious exercise for everyone (not just children) to do.
“Every Saturday is my chores day. This includes vacuuming, mopping, wiping, disinfecting, aerating, changing sheets, emptying out bins, the list goes on!” – Stefano.
Do an early spring clean with your children and make it fun by clearing out your wardrobes and closets and removing items of clothing that you and your family no longer wear. Lockdown has affected our society in a wide variety of ways. There are many who have had their specific circumstances significantly exacerbated by this current situation. Inform your children that if you are no longer wearing those clothes, using those toys, or utilising other items around the home that someone may be in need of it.
Create a list of all the items that you’ve collated and arrange for a donation to a charity or organisation where these items can be greatly appreciated.
Who is Dress for Success?
Dress for Success is a global not-for-profit organization that empowers women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and the development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. They have a number of donation points Australia wide. Click here to access their website to learn more about them and how you can assist them during the COVID-19 lockdown.
(5) Taking regular walks with your children every day
Walks… we know you’ve heard it so many times during COVID! But walks are another way to solidify routine and stability in your children’s lives during this time. Having a set, regular time where you can go out and smell the fresh air outside is a unique way to grow your relationship with your children.
Have you ever thought about having a conversation with your children during a walk about a particular issue? Have you ever considered that children, in comfortable environments, are able to open up to you more freely?
“I live in an area where I am surrounded by greenery. It’s really refreshing even in these winter, chilly months. After a long day working from home and assisting people who are going through a tough time, I like to go on a walk around my local area. Even if it means just going to the local shops and buying some groceries. I find that being outdoors clears my mind and allows me the opportunity to reflect on the day that I’ve just had and puts me in a positive mindset for the next one.” – Heela
(6) Reminiscing and remembering.
Life is quick and short. Lockdown has taught us that there are so many precious moments in life that are fleeting.
A really great thing about lockdown is that it’s given us the time to reminisce and remember times that have passed. Another fun thing to do with your children is to look at old family photos whether in a photo album that you’ve created or on an electronic device.
Take a look at all the cool places that you’ve travelled to or laugh with your children about how they’ve changed over the years. You can also take a look at photos of loved ones that have passed and tell stories to your children about them to ensure that their spirit and legacy continue.
“Story-telling is one of my favourite exercises. That’s what inspired me to become an author with “Change Makers”. I always love hearing other people’s stories, especially about their family life. It’s interesting to know about the experiences that other people have had and learn more about their unique circumstances and upbringing. I have stories in my life that range from extremely fantastic to soulful and macabre. One thing I know is that every story has a lesson and being able to reflect on your story and share it with others is a signifier of personal development and growth.” – Cassandra.
(7) Virtual tours from the comfort of your own home
There are a number of virtual tours for some very unique places that kids can enjoy even in lockdown.
The best thing is, you are not confined to just Sydney or Australia!
Stefano has selected his top three virtual tours from overseas to take your children to on the web:
(8) Scrapbooking and poetry time!
“The kids and I love to collect things on our walks and make scrap books. Whether it’s funky coloured leaves or pretty purple winter-flowers, my kids love seeing what they discover and adding it to their lockdown scrapbook. I think it’s one of the most unique ways to document this time.“– Cassandra
A unique way to “level-up” the traditional scrapbooking way, is to accompany each page of the scrapbook with a poem.
Poetry is one of the most unique ways for children to express themselves. Selectively choosing words and the formation of them is one of the most long-standing forms of expression.
Teach your kids how to create a Haiku poem and share them with each other at the end of the day.
Click here to learn how to write a Haiku poem in 4 easy steps on Masterclass.
(9) Let’s get fit, but let’s call it a dance challenge!
Making fitness fun with your kids is a unique way to pass the time during lockdown.
“My kids and I do dance challenges from Youtube. We find choreographies with their favourite songs and do even a short workout just to get every body up, moving and laughing.” – Cassandra
This is our favourite video right now!
(10) Create a veggie garden!
“My children and I ever since the first major lockdown last year have created a veggie patch which reaps rewards every day. The kids love seeing a new flavour or vegetable spruce up. They feel a sense of satisfaction knowing that something that they’ve been diligently attending to is growing and flourishing into something that we can eat or use in our cooking.” – Cassandra
Here are some photos below of Cassandra’s veggie patch that has grown exponentially in the past year including cabbage and green basil.
Well those are our top 10 fun things to do during lockdown with your children.
What’s yours? We’d love to hear what you’ve been up to!
Interested in taking the next step in your separation journey?
Get in touch with us (click here!) to schedule an Initial Strategy Session with the family at Kalpaxis Legal to get started on creating your own unique and bespoke separation pathway today.
Collaboratively written by the Kalpaxis Legal Family.
