Coronavirus (COVID-19) Things to do for children and young people
Updated: 23 April 2020
Up and down the country, a variety of individuals and forums have been sharing ideas of things to do for children and young people. If you're looking for something to do to keep yourself busy while you're at home, we have a selection of websites covering almost everything we can think of.
Firstly, we understand that the current situation can be worrying. News about coronavirus changes every day, is very fast moving and it can be difficult to keep up with the latest developments, and more importantly, what news is real and what isn’t. It’s really important that we know how to spot fake news, so we stay informed about what is really happening and don’t become fooled, scared or frightened by something that isn’t real.
- Take a look at the BBC Bitesize website for some tips on how to work out what is real and what is not.
- If you want to keep up to date with news, then BBC's Newsround website offers news stories in short films or print.
- If you find yourself experiencing anxiety about coronavirus there is support and advice available on the Young Minds website.
- Childline have a fantastic website with information on coronavirus, tips for if you're feeling worried and ways of coping whilst you are off school. Find out more on the Childline website. If you feel like you may need a little more support, they also have a phone number you can call to speak to someone on 0800 1111.
- Information for those caring for a family member can be found on the Carers UK website.
- The Children’s Commissioner has produced an easy to read guide which you can find on the Children’s Commissioner website.
Animals
Lots of zoos and aquariums are live streaming on their websites where you can see into animals enclosures from around the world:
- Holiday Pirates
- San Diego zoo
- Zoos Victoria
- Longleat Safari Park - has a 30 minute virtual tour
- Dartmoor Zoo are offering live talks at 2pm Monday to Friday
-
ZSL Wild Science Podcast
If you type an animals name into Google on your phone or tablet and press ‘view in 3D’, it will bring up your camera and you will have a 3D virtual animal in your house you can walk around and look at!
Finally, if you are on twitter, you can search for the hashtag #BringTheZooToYou.
Art
- Skillshare is an innovative online platform offering creative courses ranging from illustration and design to creative writing and marketing. Find out more on the Colossal website.
- Visit the My Modern Met website for five online art challenges to help you to stay creative and connected.
Virtual galleries
You can visit the following virtual art galleries from around the world:
Pebble painting ideas
Get crafty
- Crafty Teacup Creative Centre
- Krokotak
- Draw with Bob! Have a go at drawing with an expert on the Rob Biddulph website.
- Explore Arts and Culture on the Google Arts and Culture website
Mindful painting
- Learn about mindful painting on the Good HouseKeeping website
Artist activity packs
- Get artist activity packs from the Firstsite website
- Get a weekly challenge from the Queen on the Royal Collection Trust website
Art printables from famous artists
Animation
- Learn about animation from behind the scenes on the Pixar website
- Aardman animation - challenges, tutorials and animations to watch
- Drawing with Nick Park
Books
- Audio books shared daily for 30 days are available from the The World of David Walliams website.
- Download free eBooks, audiobooks and magazines with your library card form the Plymouth City Council website.
- Free audio stories to listen to are available from Amazon
- Harry Potter at Home, reading activities, craft and more on the Wizarding World website.
Circus
Cooking
Child friendly online cooking classes
Healthy recipes
Dance
Dance with Darcy Bussell
Dance with Oti Mabuse
Ballet for all ages and abilities
Learn to tap dance
Learn to Salsa
Italia Conti
Emotional health and wellbeing
If you find yourself experiencing anxiety about coronavirus there is support and advice available from the following websites.
- Young Minds (anxious about coronavirus)
- Young Minds (looking after your mental health)
- Childline
- Mind Your Way
- The Mix
- Public Health England (easy read looking after your health)
Meditation
Free, safe and anonymous online support
Sort your life out challenge (14 tasks to make your feel great while you’re at home
Increase your resilience
A to Z of ideas for self care
Environment
Recycling activities
Farming from home
- Learn about farming from home on the Royal Cornwall Show website
- Take a virtual tour of Canadian farm and food tours
Nature and craft projects
- Easy craft projects and outdoor nature activities for children to do at home
- Gardening projects for kids
Grow plants from food scraps
Geography
Geography activities
- Keep young minds busy with National Geographic Kids
- Take a look at some of the best Geography YouTube channels
- Have a go at some fun world geography games
History
Information Technology and Information
- Educational games that teach programming
- Create stories, games and animations
- Online safety activities
Languages
LGBT issues
Maths
Museums
Take a virtual tour of some of the world’s greatest museums.
Music
- Music with Myleene Klass
- Virtual drumming
- Virtual music lessons with the Livewire project in Saltash - Monday and Thursdays from 7pm to 9pm and Wednesdays 6pm till 8pm. Details will be on the Livewire members support page
- Bands live streaming
- Listen to Opera
- Join a virtual choir on Facebook
-
The Sofa Singers - a free and weekly online singing event
Parliament
Photography
Physical activity
- PE with Joe Wicks
- Stay in, work out with Sport England
- GoNoodle - children's physical activities
- Yoga - Search for ‘down dog’ on your app store. The Yoga app is free to download and use until 31 July 2020
New skills
- Advice and instructions on how to make virtually anything
- Free online courses, audio books, eBooks, movies, colouring books and more...
- Daily activities from the Scouts
- Learn to touch type
- Complete a free course (more suitable for older students but if you like a challenge check it out)
Science
Science with Professor Brian Cox and others on the Cosmic Shambles Network, looking at all things scientific and space related.
STEM
Theatre
- Access the National Theatre Live streams on Thursday’s
- Write and perform your own characters and performances with help from professionals
- Musicals on Friday’s at 7pm
- Shakespeare performed at The Globe Theatre
- Culture in quarantine
- Opera
Theme Park Rides
Wildlife
Science platform to discover, share and identify wildlife:
Activities to help wildlife:
https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/actions
World culture
Take a virual world culture tour
- Great Wall of China
- Some of America’s great National Parks
- Ride a toboggan down a Swiss Alpine mountain
- Visit castles around the world
- Visit towers around the world, including the Eiffel tower
- See the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights)
- Visit ancient Rome
- Virtual field trips for kids
- Join a walking tour and see the world
Other activities
Not being able to go out at the moment, every time you wish you could do something, go somewhere, treat yourselves, see someone you love, visit a new place or invite people to visit us, write it down on a post it note and put it in a jar. When all this is over this will be your bucket list and you can work your way through the jar and be more grateful than ever for the little and lovely things in our lives. Until then we can enjoy watching the jar fill up with magical things to look forward to.
- Activities to make and games to play
- Activity packs from The Wave Project
- Learn to make animal shadows with your hands
- Videos for kids - science, technology, engineering, art, and math
- Indoor activities for kids
- Scavenger hunt ideas for kids
We hope you find useful and have found a link to something you enjoy.