Wellbeing & Engagement
During lockdown it can be hard to think of fun tasks to keep your kids happy and healthy. Over the coming weeks, we encourage families to take whatever time they can to take children outside. To play hopscotch, walk, ride or scoot wherever possible in your local neighbourhood.
Below is a list of physical, wellbeing and mindfulness ideas from parentsvoice.org.au which you may find useful.
Physical Activity
- The Body Coach TV – is a YouTube channel that offers fitness videos for all ages. The P.E. with Joe and the Kids Workouts To Do At Home series’ focus on exercises that younger kids can do at home, with most of the exercises running for less than 10 minutes.
- Transform-us – are now offering a free family activity pack that provides children with more opportunities to be active at home.
- Cosmic Kids Yoga – is a YouTube channel that teaches yoga, mindfulness and relaxation techniques for kids aged 3 and up. It’s the perfect way to start any day.
- Kids Coach – is extremely easy to use workout app for kids and teens and it is streamable to any device. The app offers a 2 week free trial period and then charges $4.99 a month for parents that are interested in continuing their subscription.
- Kidzbopkids – is a vibrant YouTube channel where your kids can follow along to dance tutorials taught by other kids. It’s the best way to incorporate music and movement into your kids daily routine.
- Just Dance – now have a YouTube channel where your kids can dance along for free. Once you start dancing you can’t stop.
- GoNoodle – is a physical activity and mindfulness website/app with a wide range of offerings that appeal to kids’ of different ages, interests, skills, and abilities.
Wellness and Mindfulness
- Smiling Mind – helps to combat stress, improve focus and increase resilience.
- Mindful Powers – uses mindfulness games to help kids focus, calm their thoughts, and be more mindful in their actions. It is normally $4.99 to unlock the entire mindfulness 101 story pack, but at the moment it is being offered for free.
- Stop, Breath & Think Kids – helps kids discover their superpowers of quiet, focus and peaceful sleep with their easy-to-use app.
- Family podcasts – there a lot of amazing podcasts that you and your family can listen to at home to help relieve stress, some of our favourites include; Short & Curly, Wow in the World, Brains On!, The Squiz Kids and This Kid Life.
- Bedtime podcasts – Keeping kids on a regular sleep schedule is great for their mental and physical wellbeing. Podcasts can be a great way to put kids to bed without a fuss. One that we really like is Bedtime Explorers which also uses mindfulness exercises.
- Healthy Harold, Healthy Me app – offers 3 fun mini games designed to start conversations about keeping healthy, staying safe and understanding feelings.
- Parents’ Voice blogs – we have a range of fun and educational blogs just waiting to be discovered. E.g. Our February blog by Cat Walker, ‘Staying sane inside with kids during the school holidays’, offers 8 fun activities that you can do with your kids while quarantined.
Great Ryrie families, please remember the school is here for you. Reach out to us if you need support.
Below are some additional support agencies or services:
Kids Helpline is a free Australian telephone and online counselling service for young people aged between 5 and 25.
https://kidshelpline.com.au/kids
eheadspace provides free online and telephone support and counselling to young people 12 - 25 and their families and friends. If you’re based in Australia and going through a tough time, eheadspace can help.
https://headspace.org.au/eheadspace/
For young people who have a parent that experiences a mental illness