Virtual Classes for Kids in Lockdown
In quarantine, the days tend to blur into one long unending moment. The moments of peace and quiet parents have come to rely on when the kids are at school or nursery are distant memories and stealing to the pantry or the loo for a fleeting second of respite is the new norm. Of course, the increased family time is lovely and it’s nice to see so much of our children right now but the proverb ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ exists for a reason. Maintain your sanity with the kids home by breaking up your week with virtual classes and sessions to keep them occupied, assist with their development, tire them out and give you a bit of quiet, too.
Anyonita Green, a mum of two from Manchester, scoured the internet to assemble an initial collection of virtual classes and courses. Thank you to everybody who was inspired to send us even more suggestions. Let us know if you’d like to add to the list or comment on any classes that you recently experienced.
1. Cultivating Wonder is a set of six 30-minute photography lessons for children aged 5 to 10. This innovative online course is designed to help awaken a child’s sense of wonder and encourage a whole new way of looking at things. The sessions are led by Jonathan Self, a family and child photographer.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/jonathan-self-photography-30108732052
2. Full of Beans Fitness offers National Curriculum-based PE classes as well as a variety of videos suitable for the whole family including dance, yoga, gymnastics, cheerleading and much more. For £10 a month you get access to full 40-minute sessions suitable for children from 3 to 11.
www.fullofbeansfitness.co.uk/online
3. Equip your children with basic life skills such as tidying, clearing the table and doing basic chores. Tired of pleading with your kids to pick up their mess? Get expert tips on the best ways to get the whole family tidying with online sessions and downloadable chore charts all available from Helpful Kids.
4. Wrap your kids in a pinny and preheat the oven for a live bake along with Kelly and her daughters. Each bake along is streamed live on the Kelly’s Kitchen
5. Little Crowns Storyhouse is offering parents of young children a bit of respite with virtual puppetry classes twice a week suitable for children from five months to four years. Their sessions introduce toddlers and babies to a world of rich sensory experiences in an enjoyable and creative environment with an aim of encouraging growth and development, nurturing imagination and boosting confidence.
6. Mindful Magic offers online mindfulness sessions for children and parents focusing on breathing, moving, creating and meditating. In response to the quarantine, Mindful Magic is now offering their sessions via video call.
7. Pasta and Play have moved their child and parent cooking classes online and anyone can join in from the comfort of their kitchen! You and your child can whip up classic dishes like gnocchi, pizza, arancini and more. Follow along with live sessions and help your child discover the joy of cooking.
8.Pact Creative is offering a variety of online sessions for adults and children including children’s music sessions. This class is a bit different from some of the others out there, the content is tailored specifically to them, with the musician speaking directly with your children on the video call to get their ideas. Each session is 30 minutes and can be booked in blocks of three.
www.pactcreative.com/online-play-sessions-for-uncertain-times
9. Robot Reg is taking the overwhelm out of teaching phonics and literacy at home with online classes aimed at children from 3 months all the way to Year One. Simply choose the appropriate class for your child based on age and get them registered for an upcoming session.
10. Steam School is a virtual club for future inventors, engineers and digital entrepreneurs. They host six missions each year exploring #Steam4Good projects and futuristic technology. Learners can journey through each mission by participating in weekly broadcasts and choose different challenges to complete as scientists, engineers, artists, digital makers and entrepreneurs.
www.steam-school.com
11. Keep your kids in the colouring sheet with original artwork from Tilly Hobbs & Co. Tilly Hobbs & Co has a selection of colouring sheets with a Manchester flair available for free download which is sure to keep you and your child busy and expressing your creative sides.
12. Bloom Baby, a Stockport based national chain of baby classes, has created a free Facebook group offering weekly expert advice to support the wellbeing and mental health of parents. The group is aimed at parents who feel isolated during the lockdown and offers help in developing and strengthening the bond between a parent and a baby.
13. LinguaBugs offers virtual and interactive ‘Love French’ packs which follow theme, i.e. animals around the world, but also cover the basics like numbers and colours. There are three different age groups preschool, age 5-7 and 8+. The packs give parents the flexibility to fit them around jobs and school work rather than being tied to a particular time each week.
Mush is also doing a free session every weekday at 11, they’re a mixture of advice for parents and activities for babies and young children- we’ve been enjoying them! letsmush.com That’s the website, and I’ve found the app is a great way to make other mum friends locally!