Tips for School Age Children while Riverside Schools Remain Closed

4/29/2020 (Permalink)

Take a deep breath. Know that we are all in this together. And together we will get through it.

Having school aged children at home during the stay-at-home order can be challenging! But there are some things we can do to help keep children focused on online or virtual school and activities to keep them busy.

Keeping a routine is key

Healthy Children.org recommends the first step: Take a deep breath. Know that we are all in this together. And together we will get through it.

They also recommend to keep a routine.  Children thrive with a routine.  Daily expectations will keep them on track and focused.  Create a daily schedule that can be placed on the refrigerator where they can see it each day.  Be sure to include breaks from tele-work or schoolwork to relax and connect with each other.  Here are some ideas to help you create a daily schedule:

• Wake up, get dressed and have breakfast at the normal time.
• Decide where everyone can do their work most effectively and without distractions.
• List the times for learning, exercise and breaks.
• For younger children, 20 minutes of class assignments followed by 10 minutes of physical activity might work well.
• Older children and teens may be able to focus on assignments for longer stretches, taking breaks between subjects.
• Include your hours as well, so your children know when the work day is done.
• Schedule time for nutritious lunches and snacks. Many schools are providing take-home school meal packages for students who need them.
• Don't forget afternoon breaks as well!
• Have dinner together as a family and discuss the day.
• Enjoy more family time in the evenings, playing, reading, watching a movie or exercising together.
• Stick with normal bedtime routines as much as possible during the week to make sure everyone gets enough sleep.

CDC recommends keeping children active:

Make physical activity intentional.  If you don’t plan it, it probably won’t get done.  Dedicate one-hour blocks of time for exercise each morning and afternoon, with ‘free exercise’ outside after ‘school’. For older children and teens, many coaches have been sending home training ideas. Be intentional about this and include it on their daily schedules.

• Encourage your child to play outdoors—it’s great for physical and mental health. Take a walk with your child or go on a bike ride.
• Use indoor activity breaks (like stretch breaks or dance breaks) throughout the day to help your child stay healthy and focused.

•  Create Your Own Workout-Create your own “high intensity” workout with your family. Each person chooses their favorite moves, such as lunges, jumping jacks, squats, or even hops. Using a timer, do each workout move for 20 seconds, then take a 10-second break. Do four sets of each move, then take a 30 second break. This “interval training” is fun, fast-paced and really gets hearts pumping! 
• Offer a challenge—i.e., challenge your kids to do a certain activity XX number of times, or challenge them to do X in XX number of minutes, with a reward for achieving this.
• Have a dance party
• Start planning your summer garden!
• Create an obstacle course with toys and games from your garage.
• If they play instruments, have them learn new songs.

CDC recommends helping your child stay socially connected

• Reach out to friends and family via phone or video chats.
• Write cards or letters to family members they may not be able to visit.

• Families can connect with Jackbox TV, for great family games. 

 Players play using their phones, tablets, or even computers as controllers – making it the perfect easy-in entertainment piece for your next game night or party.  It can be displayed using Zoom to play with others outside their home.

• Create a scavenger hunt.  This can be done several ways.  Have neighbors place certain items on their windows for kids to find.  You can easily create one in your back yard.  It can also be played on Zoom, where a list of items will be called out.  Kids have 2 minutes to locate the item in their home… the person with the most items collected from the list is the winner!
• Make dinner as a family; find recipes and tips for cooking with children safely on the Cooking with Kids webpage.

Parents can be creative and be flexible.  You have to find a balance that works for your family. The goal should be to stay sane and stay safe.