So, you’re in lockdown. Are you ready? No?
Don’t worry we have some top tips to get you through…
Table of Contents
Routine
A top priority is to have is an established routine to help everyone in your family settle back into lockdown circumstances. An example of this could look like:
- Wake up/ free time
- Breakfast
- Chores (if needed)
- Learning activities and virtual classroom with school
- Lunch
- Independent time
- Family learning time
- Outside/fresh air (get active)
- Dinner
- Screen time (facts and questions)
You can personalise this to make the right routine that fits you and your family. Sticking to a routine can anchor us and the predictability of routine can offer some comfort in an otherwise unpredictable world.
You can use our downloadable weekly schedule to make life easier!
CLICK IMAGE TO DOWNLOAD
Get Outdoors
Simply going for a walk or on a bike ride with your family can help to step away from the overwhelming stresses of lockdown life, enjoy each other’s company and get back into nature, while also promoting a healthy lifestyle.
To make your time outdoors more fun check out:
Social Media
- Get connected! Just remember you’re not alone, something positive that has surfaced from Covid-19 is the support of others on social media. Join groups and follow influencers that support wellbeing and aid parents in these tough times.
Positive influencers:
- @Brummymummyof2
MumBody Confident Author Blog brummymummyof2 - @MrsGiFletcher MUM & WIFE Founder of @happymumhappybaby
- @LouisePentland UK #1 Parenting Vlogger YT Louise Pentland
- @jamesrcs •award-winning #Parenting DadBlogger – SocialDad.ca
Mum
Body Confident 
Author 
Blog 
MUM & WIFE 
Founder of 
UK 
YT Positive social media groups:
- Mums Supporting Mums- welcomes all Mums to their group! For support and advice
- Cat & Nat Chat – making motherhood a sisterhood
- Parents Support and Advice Group UK- this is a support group for all parents. Share your stories and ask for advice
- Single Parents Support and Advice Services UK – uniting and inspiring single parents through community and support
Even creating a group chat or parents’ page for your children’s school parents and carers for helpful and useful tips/activities…you never know who needs the help
Quizzes & Online Game Time
As children are not at school, they are probably missing seeing their friends and connecting, creating and strengthening friendships.
Give them time to reconnect with each other online through a game or quiz, this gives them something to look forward to and keeps them engaged with one another in a safe environment created by parents.
Some examples include:
- Lockdown quizzes
- Favourite film quiz (Harry Potter, Disney, Star Wars)
- Minecraft
- Skribblio
Making Lunch Healthy
It’s not new news that healthy food and lifestyles promote healthy wellbeing!
Get together at lunch time and implement healthy snacks into your children’s diet as well as your own while showing your children vital life skills in cooking.
Fun lunch time recipes ideas:
- https://www.yummytoddlerfood.com/advice/50-healthy-kids-lunch-recipes/
- https://www.delish.com/cooking/g4146/healthy-lunches-for-kids/?slide=13
- https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/10-healthy-lunch-ideas-kids
Apps, Audiobooks & Podcasts
These are a perfect way to keep you sane during the lockdown as well as keeping the brain juices flowing with educational podcasts for the kids, perfect for learning at home.
Podcasts and Apps for wellbeing:
Podcasts and Audiobooks for education:
Emile Education
The fundamentals to keep learning are being curious, seeking out new experiences and stimulating the brain.
Blast off to the universe of knowledge with Emile, Scrambler and Aimee with Emile Education a fun and competitive app for children to learn Maths and English with game-based learning.
- Emile is offering FREE access throughout lockdown for teachers to sign up their classes for homework and resources.
Documentaries, Questions & Facts
To promote learning and retention of information get your kids to watch a documentary on Amazon, Netflix, Disney+ (National Geographic), etc.
Afterwards, set a couple of questions that they can answer and for a fact they can remember from the documentary – discuss as a family unit!
- Note: From the 11th January 2021 the BBC is dedicating a three-hour block of primary school programming from 9 am on CBBC each weekday. Including, BBC Bitesize Daily, Horrible Histories, and much more…
- Bonus: If you have older children in High School, BBC 2 will cater to the GSCE curriculum with programmes that support students learning with two hours of content each weekday.
- Get the full story here
Time for You & Working
Allocation of time for yourself is important. Whether it’s taking time to watch your favourite show or attending that important meeting. You need a little break throughout the day.
How?
Set time aside for quiet time, this can be for your children to do some silent reading, researching something for a project or activity they want to try or get a head start on chores and homework.
Chore Wheel & Star of the Week
Simple but effective to get children to behave with a small incentive to strive to be good.
Examples of chores:
- Wash/drying the dishes
- Clean their room
- Take the rubbish out
- Wash the car
- Feed pets?
Click image to download
Examples of when they can attain stars:
- Taking notice of a family member in need
- Behaving throughout important calls and meetings/staying on task
- Good report from school
- No arguments with siblings Taking initiative to clean something or put something away
Click image to download
Examples of incentives:
- Sweet snack
- Magazine or small toy
- Extra time on games
- Pocket Money
- Choosing family movie
We hope you have found these top ten tips for learning at home helpful!
