Child Play and Development Activities During a Pandemic
Overview
Maintaining routines and consistency for children during stressful times is essential for adaptive coping. Review these ideas for keeping children and adolescents healthy and busy during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Printable Tools
Simple Activities for Children and Adolescents
Creating a routine where children and youth are offered options of creative activities is one way to create consistency and routines. Download this factsheet for simple activity ideas for all age groups.
Videos
Stress Relief and Homemade Slime
Watch a demonstration of a project available on Guardian Lane on how to make homemade slime as a way to relieve stress with grief counselor Hayley. The video starts with the materials and Hayley guides the audience through how to make the slime as well as talking about feelings and using the slime as a way to manage stress.
Prevention in Practice
Anxiety Management During Uncertainty
During times of crisis, disaster, change, and uncertainty, we can expect our children to feel more than the usual amount of anxiety. Anxiety thrives on uncertainty and uses the unknown to fuel its thoughts and behaviors. For kids with anxiety disorders, fears and unknowns may become overwhelming. Parents, educators, and other caring adults can help guide children into successful anxiety management strategies.
How to Still Have Fun During Social Distancing
Got cabin fever? Time to spice up your social distancing.
Restoring Normalcy During the Unknown
In our house, my husband and I use a white board with a monthly calendar to help our young child anticipate less routine happenings, such as days we will each be out of town for work, birthday parties, afterschool activities and the like and review it with my child each week. Since most of these events have been put on hold, like many other families, we have had no need to write down the specifics of each day because they're all the same.
Supporting Family Resilience
An unexpected or difficult event always has the potential to get us down; being resilient refers to our ability to move through tough times, grow and adapt in the face of stress, and support our overall wellbeing. Key skills that support resilience can be practiced as an individual or as a family. Communication, problem-solving, setting effective goals, and managing stress all contribute to resilience. Practicing skills that support resilience can be helpful, even when times are difficult. Here are a few of our favorite strategies.
Websites
Activity Tips - Managing Emotions, Routines, and Exercise Through Play
The use of play and learning activities are helpful ways to promote routines with children during a stressful time. Utilize this resource to help young children manage their emotions, add playful learning activities to daily routines, and get some exercise.
At-Home Activity Guide for Children
Play promotes healthy development. By planning early for this possibility and having some activities and experiences ready, you can feel less stressed and more prepared!