Resources to use while at home with the children

Please ensure you supervise children when using the internet & have enabled safe searches & parental controls. It is important that your children know how to stay safe online. The resources listed below are to help & support you while at home with children; they can be used together by yourself & children - but we cannot be responsible for the content or links you may follow so please remember to stay safe! Find out more about staying safe online on the NSPCC website here.


Useful Websites  

Dr Chris & Dr Xand from CBBC answer questions from kids about Coronavirus 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/51861090

Great indoor physical activities 
https://www.nhs.uk/change4life/activities/indoor-activities

YouTube physical workout for kids with Joe Wicks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rz0go1pTda8&t=1460s

Educational sites

Keeping Kids Entertained


Fun Activities

Make paper planes - find some guides and plans here.

Balloons - blow up a pack of balloons – you’ll get a good 30 minutes or more of of memorable entertainment!

Puzzles, card games & board games – a great way to have fun together away from screens.

Drawing & colouring – develop your drawing skills – create an art gallery at home – take some photos & share them with us!

Write a story or poem – share it with us or your teachers when you are back to school, you can even decorate the paper you have written it on to make it extra special. 

Make a book together – fold some pages together, write out your story & draw some pictures. Struggling for ideas?? Write about a dream holiday, an adventure story, a mystery, castles, space, fairies, football...the list is never ending let your imagination run free!! If you really struggle, check out this fun story maker here.

Read aloud – choose a story and read together as a family – what adventures can you discover? There are some great online books too & Amazon are offering Audible for free at the moment – choose a story & listen along.

Freeze water - to play with in plastic cups or empty yoghurt pots – pop them out onto a plate or tray – will keep the kids entertained for ages….add some small dinosaurs...buttons….other small toys & then see if you can set them free!!

Get out for a walk – use some of the scavenger hunts found in the resources above – or just talk about what you can see & hear.

Home made play dough – easy to make & lots of fun! Add ½ cup of salt to 1 cup of flour and a tablespoon of oil, then add 1 cup of boiling water (add a few drops of food colouring to this if you have some). Pop it all in a bowl & mix. Be careful with the boiling water! Keep in a food bag or tub with a lid.

Aquafaba foam - made with the liquid from chickpeas – so if you are cooking with some chickpeas, save the liquid & have some fun! Aquafaba foam works much better if you have cream of tartar but don’t worry if not – it will just take a bit longer to mix! This is a great messy play activity – once made play with the soft foamy peaks – a bit like shaving foam – but safe if it ends up in mouths!

To make aquafaba foam  - use the liquid from one can of chickpeas, ¼ teaspoon of cream of tartar, a few drops of food colouring. Pop them in a bowl & mix with an electric whisk until they form stiff peaks. Pop on a tray & have fun. How does it feel? Add some toy animals or dinosaurs to the play foam if you have them!

Dance party - just find some music & bop away – great way to get rid of pent up energy & get in some of your daily exercise! 

Regular Refuel Guests

Please connect with Yvonne, Vineyard’s Care Centre Family Coordinator, for additional help or support!
Call her on 07563258582 or email her at yvonne@thevineyardchurch.co.uk