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 Maths
Art Museums
Animation Music
Books (reading and audio) Parliament
Circus Photography
Cooking New skills
Dance Physical activity
Emotional Health and Wellbeing Science
Environment STEM
Geography Theatre
History Theme Park Rides
Information Technology and Programming Wildlife
Languages World culture
LGBT issues Other activities

Animals

Lots of zoos and aquariums are live streaming on their websites where you can see into animals enclosures from around the world:

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

Mindful painting

Artist activity packs

Art printables from famous artists

Animation

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.

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

Nature and craft projects

Grow plants from food scraps

Geography

Geography activities

History

Information Technology and Information

Languages

LGBT issues

Maths

Museums

Take a virtual tour of some of the world’s greatest museums.

Music

Parliament

Photography

Physical activity

New skills

Science

Science with Professor Brian Cox and others on the Cosmic Shambles Network, looking at all things scientific and space related.

STEM

Theatre

Theme Park Rides

Wildlife

Science platform to discover, share and identify wildlife:

https://www.projectnoah.org/

 

Activities to help wildlife:

https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/actions

World culture

Take a virual world culture tour

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.

We hope you find useful and have found a link to something you enjoy.