Stuck at home due to the confinement period? We got your back!

Unexpected holidays tend to bring relief and satisfaction, a moment to slow down from the rush of everyday life and appreciate the surroundings. With every household harbouring a little extra chaos and the uncertainty of coming days, we’ve rounded up an almost perfect list of various things to do at home not only as kids but also as adults.

Not everyone is wired the same, and it is essential to respect this thought now more than ever. If you have more than one kid, you know that interests vary, and no two kids necessarily like the same thing. But fear not, because our list tries to encapsulate different areas, from art history and classic literature to writing a novel in 30 days. Hopefully, you’ll find something that each of your child enjoys!

Kaleidoscope Festival 2020’s Home Club

The Irish music and camp festival has introduced Home Club – an interactive experience for kids and their parents. The festival has posted a ‘Creative Brief’ that helps kids build up a routine. This brief is a great way to effectively communicate in a house without going bonkers on the first day of isolation (we know, it sounds difficult!). Throughout the day, kids must perform various activities from checking up on friends and family that stay far away to spending quality time with the people in the house. It is a great way to learn to communicate feelings of anxiety and stress during this tough time and ensure some level of calm.

Bonus point: Even after the quarantine period is over, this ‘Creative Brief’ is a great way to bond as a family from time to time.

Oliver Jeffers ‘A Book A Day’

It is very easy for our little ones to get fussy with their tiny attention span. And it can be difficult to read to them constantly. This is where visual artist, illustrator and writer Oliver Jeffers swoops in to help you! Everyday, Oliver will do a live reading of one of his children’s book on Instagram. If you’re unable to catch the live version of his readings, you can also visit his website where he will upload the same. This concept is a fun way to keep your kids captivated for almost 30 minutes while you catch up on some much needed ‘ME-time’. There are many more interesting people who are doing readings of a variety of books, and you can easily keep your ‘mini-me’ occupied whenever you need a break.

‘Metkids’ by Metropolitan Museum of Art

Metkids provides a kid-friendly introduction to the enormous world of art. Brought to you by the Met Museum, the interactive map is filled with videos and heaps of simplified information about the art network of the real life Met. It has various areas that kids can explore such as the ‘Time Machine’ that takes you through different eras and the development of art across timelines. It is one of the easiest ways to introduce children to the world of art without overwhelming them with long corridors filled with paintings. I’m sure art history has never been more exciting.

Project Gutenberg

This quarantine period is the best time to cultivate the habit of reading in your kids. And what better way than to log in to Project Gutenberg! An online portal with more than 60,000 free books, Project Gutenberg is a great resource to expose the kids to a variety of literature from across the globe and centuries. You don’t have to make an account to access the books. Available in formats such as PDF, EPUB, and Kindle, you can read any book on any device at any time and any place. All you need is some imagination and your favourite corner!

‘NaNoWrMo’ Young Writers Program

When I read my first interesting novel, I was motivated to write a book that would eventually become New York Time’s Bestseller and make me famous all over the globe! If your kids develop these feelings after reading from Project Gutenberg, ‘NaNoWrMo’ Young Writers Program is one of the best ways to help them create a book. The portal lets kids explore different writing skills through an online community where the kids are challenged with completing a novel within 30 days. With writing resources that help them by providing writing prompts, the kids learn how to make plots and subplots, how to develop intriguing characters and bring surprises. The progress badges ensure kids stay motivated to complete the novel.