Corona Virus Quarantine Tips for Families – “ make quarantine fun
Being stuck at home with kids due to the Corona Virus Quarantine period does not have to be spent in front of the TV or squabbling. In fact, it can be a great opportunity for being creative, having fun and some real connection. Here are some Corona Virus Quarantine tips to lighten the load.
Because we are parents ourselves, we have come up some great ideas for you to use to make the time worthwhile. These activities are entertaining yet focused on building life skills like improving memory, enhancing storytelling and communication and enhancing bonding.
So then, take a pick from the list below and make the most of your time together (Of course some tweaks may be required to suit different age groups).
CONNECTING SKILLS: Corona Virus Quarantine Tips #1
- Tell stories about when you were growing up
- Draw a family tree and see how far back you can go
- Go through some old family photo albums and discuss the different photographs – “ give them some background and context
- Share some culture by telling some folk tales or traditional stories that you know
- Share your worst fears or greatest dreams when you were a child
- Tell each other about the top 5 things you love most or appreciate most about each other and why you appreciate those things about them
- Each person shares the top 3 things they are truly thankful for
- Pitch a tent in the garden and camp out
- Pack a picnic basket and host a family picnic outside on the lawn
- Create a visual journal of your days at home – “ each day take some photographs and keep a record of what you did together, what you learnt about each other and anything else that stands out. Download an app and turn it into a collage or book that you can print off and keep afterwards
CREATIVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS: Corona Virus Quarantine Tips #2
- Find a great classic story and read it out aloud with lots of expression.
- Tell a chain story: “ each person has a chance to add 1 sentence to the story – “ let it build.
- 1-minute non-stop: “ pick any topic “ each person has to talk for 1 minute non-stop about that specific topic e.g. paper clips. The talk must be logical and make sense.
- Cut out some pictures or print some from the net on different topics. Start by turning them upside down. Next, allow each person to pick 1 on their turn, reflect on it for 1 minute, then talk about what they see: “ what they think is going on in the picture, what story might be told from this picture etc. Set a time limit of at least 2 minutes per picture.
- Have a silent conversation: “ no words, no sounds, just body language, then discuss what is was like afterwards.
- Play I spy
- Share your favourite stories (these could be real or from books).
HOUSEHOLD SKILLS: Corona Virus Quarantine Tips #3
- Bake something delicious for afternoon tea: “ for younger kids teach them how a recipe works; for older kids outsource the baking to them.
- Re-arrange a room together. Discuss what makes a room look attractive, how best you like to arrange your space and why.
- Prepare a menu for the week : “ discuss what ingredients you have, what you may need to buy, how you will go about making the meals.
- Set a dinner/lunch table together: decorate it and discuss where the different cutlery and crockery gets placed and what the purpose is of each.
- Make some eco bricks and donate them.
- Find a cupboard that needs to be de-cluttered or tidied. Work together planning how best to do this then set to work.
- To begin with, pick an interesting country; find a recipe from that country to make and then source a traditional song from You Tube to play while you eat the meal.
- Firstly, create some interesting and thought-provoking questions for people to answer. Using the colours of SMARTIES, assign each question a colour. People can pick a SMARTIE and then they need to answer that colour question. Here are some examples:
- If you could be an animal, what would you be and why?
- If you were ruler of the world for the day what would you do?
- If you could have a super power what would you choose and why?
- If you could spend the day with anyone who would it be what what would you do?
- What is your worst fear?
- What is the 1 thing you can’t live without and why?
- If you were only allowed to take 1 thing with to a desert island, what would it be and why would you take it with you?
- What is the craziest thing you have ever done?
- What chores do you hate doing and why?
- If you had to change your first name, what would you change it to and why?
- What’s the hardest thing you have ever done?
- If you won the lotto what is the first thing you would do?
CREATIVE THINKING SKILLS: Corona Virus Quarantine Tips #4
- To begin with, choose a variety of small objects from around the house, Next, pop them into a bag so they can’t be seen. Then, allow each person to pick an item. Finally, the individual needs to describe their item, without giving away what it is. The other person or people playing must try and identify it. An alternative may be to get the others to ask questions about the item and then guess.
- The Minister’s Cat is a fun game and can be played by any age. Working through the alphabet, each person describes the cat but, they must start with “The Minister’s cat is a” For example, “The Minister’s cat is an ARTISTIC cat.” or “The Minister’s cat is a BEAUTIFUL cat”, etc. In short, the players work through the whole alphabet describing the cat. However, if someone can’t think of an adjective, the next person must go. The aim: keep the story moving.
- Choose a variety of typical household items e.g. a paper clip, pencil, egg. Then, ask each person to find as many alternative ways to use that object as possible. But they cannot use it for what it was originally intended for e.g. a paper clip can’t be used to hold anything together. Whoever comes up with the most options wins.
- The good news and the bad news: this game encourages us to see both sides of a situation. In short, each person is given a topic. They need to discuss the topic using “The good news about this is” and “The bad news ” e.g. Topic: Corona virus quarantine: The good news is we get to spend time together but the bad news is people could get very ill. The good news is scientists are working hard and may develop a cure. The bad news is we can’t go out as much as before etc. In conclusion, each person keeps going until they can’t find any more reasons. Choose topics that are appropriate to the age. (pets, sport etc.)
- Make a dream board together: “ discuss what your dreams and goals are for the next year: “ using a piece of A3 cardboard, find pictures to decorate and bring these dreams to life
In conclusion, we have been given this opportunity to slow down, to reflect, to reconnect, to take care of our health and the well-being of our families. We hope these Corona Virus Quarantine Tips will spark some creativity and also build some skills. Lets use the time to deeply connect, not only to focus on physical health but to also build our mental and emotional immunity and re-Thinck connection..
