#21DaysLockdown: Don’t go crazy at home, have some fun
To maintain some form of sanity during lock-down, plan some activities such as learning a new hobby, reading, share recipes and cook up a storm. And, send us photos to share!
SO, things just got real and we are now facing a 21-day lock-down.
As we are so used to rushing around meeting the responsibilities of work, children and running households, this may be quite a shock to our systems not to mention that of our children.
While some will relish the 21-day lock-down others may fear catching yet another ailment, cabin fever.
To stay sane and even enjoy the time out we could probably do with some planning and reflect on what people did in days of yore, before we all got frantic and attached to cellphones.
One can so easily get caught up in the upsurge of technology and cyber-space activities that we forget about the simple things in life. And, let’s face it, there is only so much time we can spend staring at the screens of our various devices.
So let’s call back the past and teach the children the fun games of yesteryear.
There is hopscotch and remember elastic (Google this). I recall spending hours jumping in, on and out the elastic with friends.
There are tops to spin and marbles and miniature cars that can “drive” along roads made in sand. Remember train sets and those kits to craft aeroplanes or ships?
Art is always a good way to get whimsical and express ourselves. Get water paints and paper and let the children paint outside and give prizes and get craft paints and fabric paints for yourself and have fun creating and decorating stuff.
You can arrange for older children to camp in the back yard. Sit around a braai and tell your children stories about when you were young and let them tell you about their lives, much of which we miss when we are rushing around.
You can share baking days and let each member of the family choose a dish and make it for the rest of the family. Set the table properly inside or in the garden with candles and so on and let the children play at having a restaurant.
Get out the old board games and enjoy time together playing Snakes and Ladders, Ludo and Drafts, Monopoly and chess for some stimulation. Families may also enjoy doing puzzles together while listening to music.
Make a chore chart and use fun stickers to encourage children to stick to their duties.
Build a tree house, create a pile of fun clothes for dress-up games, teach children basic skills such as knitting, sewing, woodwork and so on. Get journals to write in, paste pictures and use them as a way to vent; get pensive, write a poem and express your inner feelings.
Read. There are so many wonderful books to enjoy and read to your children.
Garden and plant vegetables. Do a spring-clean and tidy up – something we never have time for. Discarded toys and clothes and kitchen crockery and so on can be donated to a good cause. Bathe and groom the dog; and the car.
It’s going to be, well interesting, but let’s at least try new ways of connecting, new hobbies and keep as positive as we can during this unusual and scary time.
Email your high resolution (at least 1 meg) photos of your activities during lock-down as jpeg attachments to michelled@dbn.caxton.co.za and pls include full names from left and tell us what you are doing.
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