Ah yes, 'things to do with kids' is a phrase many parents have searched for over the years. From free things, easy things, educational things... there are just so many things to do with kids, let us help you narrow them down. 

With the school summer holidays and half terms, many parents are after inspiration to help keep kids engaged - be that a fun family day out in London or maybe some inspiring indoor activities for kids when the weather turns (and it's that time of year where they're asking all the questions like, who is Guy Fawkes?).

Heidi Scrimgeour, Deputy Editor at Goodto.com and mum-of-three tells us; "To keep kids successfully entertained is the Holy Grail of parenting, especially during school holidays. Anything that keeps them engaged and maybe teaches along the way is a winner." And let us just say that it's really not your job, as a parent, to keep them entertained, more to support them in sitting with their boredom and teaching them to let that boredom evolve into finding something to do - this is a skill that we expecxt kids to just have, and they don't so it's up to us to teach them.

Though, failing that we've compiled a list of fabulous things to do with kids, including everything from crafts to games and activities to will help develop key skills too. And, bonus, most of these ideas are suitable for all ages, with some adult supervision required.

Things to do with kids

Mum-of-two and author of Five Minute Mum, Daisy Upton tells us her top tip; "Let the kids come to you." It's that simple and that tricky all in one. She adds; "You set up the activity while they are busy or napping, and then when ready you start to play with it yourself. Then, when they show interest you casually say 'Want to try it too?' It works every time."

1. Create your own stickers

Everyone loves stickers - Learn how to make your own stickers using materials at home. It's a super easy activity and kids will be wowed as they turn their very own drawings into stickers to cover their bedroom and bits with.

Ages: 4+

2. Go for a bike ride

Both adults and kids' bikes can be bought for good prices on sites like GumTree and ebay, but be sure to check they're selling in your local area.

Then all you have to do is take your new ride to the park (for the little ones) or the open road (for older kids).

Ages: 4+

3. Take a museum tour

Free museum tours are perfect to keep the kids engaged, educate them a little on new subjects and tire them out enough for bedtime all wrapped up in one activity. Take a look at our article on Free museums . We cover all museums across the UK. 

They include Buckingham Palace, Edinburgh Castle and the Tower of London, along with those in the USA and Europe.

4. Join in with a Joe Wicks workout

That's right, Joe Wicks is back is still a firm favourite with kids. Perfect for adults and children, enjoy a bit of bonding and via a HIIT workout. Discover where to watch Joe Wicks workouts and get stuck in with the kids this week.

Ages: 4+

5. Interview a family member

As things to do with kids go this is a great idea! Kids are curious, encourage this curiosity and help them set up an interview with a family member, challenge them to find out something you never knew. Maybe call it 'pretend journalists' or 'pretend genealogists. 

Questions to ask;

• Where did you grow up?
• Do you share a name with someone else in the family?
• Did you have a nickname growing up? 
• When and where were you born?
• Where was your first house?
• What other houses did you live in?

Age: 9+

6. Make your own puzzle

If you've got through all the puzzles follow this great WikiHow tutorial explains how to turn a family photo, a photo of your favourite pet, television show or characters from your favourite book into a DIY puzzle. It's a great way to get the kids crafting and the step-by-step guide makes it a super simple activity.

Ages: 5+ (with adult supervision)

7. Create your own music video

TikTok exploded onto the scene in 2020 for the first time and now, everyone is a star with lip-syncing videos going viral every day. But you don't have to join TikTok to have your own fun with lip-syncing, dancing, and miming.

Create your own music video and have fun with the whole family, simply using an iPhone. Get the kids to design the video, including what the lighting will be, what song is going to be sung, what everyone will wear, and what the set will look like.

Then use your iPhone, propped up on a surface, to record the video. Send to family and friends to give them a laugh.

8. Enjoy a virtual trip to the Aquarium

While a trip to the aquarium might rack up financially, the wonders of the deep blue sea are just a few clicks away thanks to the cameras installed in various tanks around the world.

The videos are either live or pre-recorded and uploaded by the aquariums themselves, so they're great quality. Our favourite is the Monterey Bay Aquarium, as they have live cams for their fish, sharks, jellyfish and more.

Ages: 3+

9. Host a family Come Dine With Me

If you've already got the cooking down and the little ones are set to feature on The Great British Bake Off any day now, why not host your very own Come Dine with Me?

Each week, one member of the family comes up with a menu and cooks a starter, main and dessert.

It's a great way to get everyone cooking in the kitchen. Older children or adults can help little ones with the choosing of the menu and cooking (beans on toast anyone?).

Use our recipe finder to discover some of the easy, delicious and quick recipes that kids of any age can make at home - from starters to desserts.

Ages: 5+

10. Take a virtual trip to the zoo

As things to do with kids go this is a great idea! Save on pennies with the zoos who also have live streams of the animals.

Our favourite is the famous San Diego Zoo live cams. They broadcast the daily lives of some of the most fascinating animals around, such as hippos, penguins, polar bears, tigers and more.

So whatever the little ones' favourite animals are, they can get up close and personal in a way they would otherwise never have been able to. You could even set up a bingo game and the can stamp the animals they see.

Ages: 3+

11. Build an indoor den with pillows

Sometimes getting outside isn't always a choice, so have fun building a den from pillows and sofa cushions instead. It's as simple as it sounds and lets kids' creativity go wild as they arrange the living room or their bedroom into a den and create their very own playground. 

By giving your kids boundaries (showing them what they can build with) and autonomy (leaving them to it) to build what they want you'll see creativity and engagement shoot up.

Ages: 4+

12. Set up a marble run

Do you have a big bag of marbles? Or a selection of all, lightweight balls like ping pong calls? Create your very own marble run with the kids.

All you need to do is get creative with some toilet roll tubes and other cardboard to create an obstacle course for your marbles. See how long and complex you can make it, without stopping the track of the ball rolling.

Ages: 5+

13. Create pictures with melted crayons

This is definitely one for anyone whose craft drawer is overflowing with broken, used-up, or otherwise useless crayons.

Remove any paper or plastic wrapping from the crayon. Then using a hairdryer, melt the crayons onto paper or cardboard and create your very own work of art.

Ages: 7+

14. Learn how to code

As things to do with kids go this is a great idea! Any child that loves working away on an tablet or laptop might be interested in learning how to code. While it might be one for slightly older kids, even younger ones can join in with some of the fun activities that Learning Resources has put together.

Complete with fun characters to help them through the programme, it's a low-stress activity that keeps little ones' minds occupied - at least for a few hours.

Ages: 7+

15. Make a stop motion video

Stop motion videos are so much fun to make, so easy and loads of fun!

This video by Chloe Meyers is a great place to start. Once you've got all the basics covered you can create your very own stop motion videos using whatever you like. Lego and Playmobil figures work really well, but you could also make your own from scratch using playdough.

Ages: 8+

16. Create colourful ice sculptures from your freezer

All you need to make your very own colourful ice sculptures is a range of bowls, muffin tins or containers in different shapes and sizes, some food colouring and access to water and a freezer. 

Add the food colouring and water into the containers (why not try loads of different colours in all the different containers to create a frozen rainbow?), then pop it in the fridge. Once frozen, take the containers out of the fridge and use some warm water to pop the ice from the container.

Stack the different shapes on top of each other to create your very own masterpiece! If they don't stick together naturally, use a little warm water to melt the ice pieces together.

Ages: 5+

17. Play a biscuit board game

Sounds fun right? Biscuit board games come straight from the Great British Bake Off and when pulled off well, they do exactly what they say on the tin.

It's a board game that you can eat. They're super fun to make because there's a designing process, a baking bit, and then importantly, a playing (and eating) bit. Just be sure to wash your hands before you dive in.

Ages: 6+

18. Get into painting

It may sound simple but painting is one of the best ways to keep kids busy - and it can be a great mindfulness activity for kids too.

While galleries and craft clubs at museums might be off the table for now, that doesn't mean that painting has to stop. There are loads of painting tutorials for kids online, so depending on their age, they can get stuck in with loads of exciting new painting techniques and ideas.

We love the tutorials by Gogh Box Art Crate - perfect for all ages!

Age: 7+

19. Make a play with a chatterbox (fortune teller)

In the spirit of thinking ahead, why not play around with a homemade fortune teller? Just like we all had in the playground! With a handy tutorial you and the little ones can create a fun chatterbox to try out with the family. Pick a number...open the flap...pick another number...find out your fortune - it's as simple as that.

Ages: 4+

20. Make bath bombs

Whether it's little ones splashing around in the colourful water, or adults taking a moment to relax with scented oils after a stressful day, a bath bomb is a winner in everyone's books. And they're so easy to make at home. So instead of splashing out on a fancy one, you can make one with some kitchen equipment and a few scented supplies.

Find out how to make your own bath bomb for an afternoon of science experimenting and crafting fun with the kids.

Ages: 6+ (with parental supervision)

21. Visit a farm

Introduce your children to animals by taking them to a farm. Even if you live in a city, there are lots of city farms around the country, and many of them cost peanuts to get into. It’s also a great opportunity to get up close to wildlife if your child’s only previous contact has been with a cat or dog. Find your nearest free farm.

Age: 4+

22. Get stuck into a craft kit

Craft kits are the most affordable way to keep kids entertained for a whole afternoon. They can look after the garden's wildlife with a ladybird house-making kit for example, or make a fun decorative piece for their bedroom with this unicorn dream catcher kit from Baker Ross.

Whether they love painting, sticking, gluing, or building, there's something for everyone with so many out there to choose from. We've rounded up some of the other best buys in our selection of craft kits for kids.

Ages: 3+

23. Get crafty with toilet roll tubes

There's nothing more classic to do on a rainy afternoon than to make crafts out of toilet roll. Whether it's a new game made out of cardboard, a pen holder for the office, a new decoration for the kitchen...there are so many options.

All you need to get started is a couple of empty toilet roll tubes, some paint and glue.

Ages: 3+

24. Get stuck into a PlayHooray activity sheet

While kids are sure to have homework and other tasks set by their school, breaking work up with play is vital to keeping minds focused. PlayHooray has printable activity sheets available for you to download with a whole host of fun games and craft projects, all set according to your child's age. Get them here.

Ages: 6+

25. Teach them cross-stitch

Cross stitch is enjoying a new lease of life and is a great way to get kids involved in arts and craft. You can get special kits designed for younger children, so they won't hurt themselves on the needles and the pattern will be easier to follow.

Age: 7+

26. Mess around with doodling

Doodling isn't just for the back of notebooks. If you've got plenty of scrap paper lying around the house, doodling is one of the best creative uses for it. Get your kids out of their shells and put their ideas and thoughts down on paper with some fun afternoon doodling.

Stuck for inspiration? There are loads of videos on Youtube about how to get them to start thinking of ideas, like this one.

Age: 3+

27. Do a science experiment

If your child has an interest in science, nurture it. There are loads of really fun (and safe) science D.I.Y experiments you can do, with just the objects in your home and ingredients in your kitchen. But for some of them, it might be best to move it into the garden - otherwise, you'll be repainting the walls as well.

But science experiments like this Elephant's Toothpaste experiment promise minimum mess and are really fun.

Age: 9+ (with parental supervision)

28. Get messy with play dough

Almost a rite of passage, play dough is easy to make up and you can scent and colour it any way you fancy.

We've got a fool proof play dough recipe plus lots of fun makes to do with it.

Age: All ages love play dough, but perhaps just make sure they're at an age where they understand it's not the best thing to eat.

29. Bake something tasty in the kitchen

Cooking is one of the best things to do with kids, it teaches them so much no matter their age. There are loads of simple recipes you can try out with your children. If you're concerned about them getting things in and out of the oven, then why not try one of our no-bake cake recipes, which have to be chilled in the fridge. If they really love it, then why not challenge them to come up with different sandwich fillings for a fun afternoon tea?

If you're happy to get them baking, take a look at our easy baking recipes for kids. Everyone loves cakes and encouraging your kids to help you make one of their favourites should be lots of fun. See our cooking with kids recipes here.

Age: 2+

30. Have a pancake flipping contest

Pancakes have a simple recipe and are easy to make, and flipping is so much fun. 

It's a minimal mess with maximum fun. See who can flip the most pancakes then tuck in and enjoy the delicious crepes, American pancakes, or Scotch pancakes for lunch, dinner, or dessert. Whatever you fancy.

It's a game that's cheap to pull together and suitable for kids of all ages as you can always move the pancake from a hot pan into a cold one before little ones get flipping.

Discover our range of pancake recipes and toppings for pancakes on the website.

Ages: 4+

31. Write a story

Use your imaginations and write a story together. It doesn't have to be original, the kids could write down their favourite fairy tale and just change the ending if they feel like it.

Another great idea is to write chain stories with family members. Each person writes a paragraph and then shows the final line only to the next writer. Once the final person has written their section, read the whole story out loud - it's usually pretty funny!

For more inspiration take a look at story starters, which provide lots of creative writing prompts for children.

Age: 6+

32. Make a lava lamp

Lava lamps are not only colourful accessories for your home and an exciting craft activity for kids, they're a great way to teach them about chemical reaction and density. So learning how to make a lava lamp is a great science experiment to keep them learning.

Ages: 5+

33. Make a scavenger hunt

Come up with a list of odd and fun items for your kids to find. They can hunt around the house or your garden.

Suggested items can be: a stamp, a straw, a rubber band, a penny dated in a particular decade (before the kids were born, or perhaps have them find one in the year the birthday child was born), or a toothpick. If you live in the country or go to a park, some suggestions are a pine cone, a worm, a bug, a white rock, something red, or a feather.

Age: 8+

34. Get them gardening

Gardening is one of our favourite things to do with kids! Even though it's a little cold at the moment, it's something you can still get stuck into.

Growing plants is great fun and it's even more fun, if they can watch their work get bigger and flower in front of their eyes. There are lots of plants that even a young child can grow without too much trouble, from small trees to herbs and vegetables.

If you don't have a garden, then a window box or small pots are the answer and it won't matter what time of year you plant them. Try growing herbs like basil, parsley or cress - that way they can eat them once they've grown.

Age: 5+

35. Make a sundial

Teach your kids how people used to tell the time before clocks and watches were invented. All you need is a compass to find out where north is and then put a stick in the ground and watch the shadow change position as the sun moves.

Age: 7+

36. Balance like a pro

Challenge your kids to balance a bean bag, book, or cushion on their body while moving like an animal. They can balance it on their head and hop like a kangaroo, balance it on their back and run on all fours like a cheetah, the choice is theirs. This helps with creativity, understanding their body, and problem-solving.

Age: 5+

37. Join a craft club

Hobbycraft launched an online version of their popular Kids' Craft Club. Every day they posted a new crafting idea on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram stories around a theme, like space, colouring, family portraits, origami. That means there are now loads of fun crafting ideas on the Hobbycraft website and social media channels.

All you have to do is head to the Ideas Hub for instructions on how to get going.

Perfect for keeping mini-makers busy at home!

Ages: 4+

38. Indoor treasure hunt

A treasure hunt is a great way to connect and engage with little ones by creating a fun game with their favourite treats.

Hide small chocolates or sweets around the house (but remember where you put them, otherwise you'll be stepping on foil wrappers for weeks!) and create a set of clues for your kids to use, then set them loose to hunt down all that buried treasure.

Ages: 7+

39. Make a bird feeder

Wildlife is always visiting gardens and window boxes. Make them feel at home and watch pretty birds flock to your outdoor space with this easy-to-make feeder craft.

Made using ingredients from your cupboards and some basic crafting supplies, there's no shortage of fun to be had as you learn how to make a bird feeder.

Ages: 5+

40. Listen to some stories

From Monday 6 April, children's publisher Puffin will be airing 20-minute storytime episodes, every weekday at 3:30pm on their YouTube channel as well as on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

The sessions will include readings and draw-alongs with authors and illustrators, designed to get kids joining in at home. As Puffin is known for classics like Charlotte’s Web, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and Roald Dahl’s The BFG, we're expecting exciting things!

Ages: 7+

41. Practice mindfulness

Online yoga classes for kids have been popular for the last couple of years, combining physical exercise with mindfulness.

It can be tricky to get little ones sitting down for just five minutes so you might be sceptical of them doing yoga. But it's not all about the downward dog, there are loads of child-orientated videos that make yoga fun for kids - using stories, characters and playfulness. And you can join in too.

Check out some of the great videos on Youtube with Cosmic Kids Yoga.

Ages: 2+

42. Try your hand at ice-dying

You might have heard of dip-dying and tie-dying, but have you had a go at ice-dying yet? This fun activity combines DYLON fabric dyes with just the ice in your freezer to completely re-vamp old clothes and linens.

Pick a colour (that you won't mind seeing ALL around the house) and try it out today, with this handy ice dying step-by-step guide. As things to do with kids go this is a great idea!

Ages: 9+

43. Create a memory box

The folks at Write from the Heart have come up with a great activity to keep little ones and adults busy. A memory box will keep imaginations flowing and small hands occupied, creating something they can continue to contribute towards in the future.

Pick a box that's big enough to hold lots of items - like a wooden one - then get decorating. They could write their name on the box, cover it with glitter and draw all their favourite memories from the last couple of years. Then sit down with them and look through family photos and other memories to put into the box.

Ages: 7+

44. Create some flying paper planes

Use up all that scrap paper that was destined for the recycling and build a fleet of paper airplanes. Then you can launch them from an upstairs window, or in the back garden. You could make different kinds and see which one flies the furthest. Follow these simple steps for perfect planes.

Age: 5+

45. Make a wormery in your back garden

If you're feeling really green-fingered, then you can also try helping them collect worms for their own wormery. Just after it rains is the best time to hunt for worms.

Once you've collected five or so then put them in a large Tupperware box or old ice-cream tub with some soil. Make holes in the top so they can breathe. Then you'll be able to feed the worms food scraps, including eggshells and vegetable peelings. The worms will make great compost, which you'll be able to use in your garden.

Age: 7+

46. Make paper mache

So much fun can be had with just a balloon and some glue. This paper mache recipe will take you through exactly how to make the gooey mixture (maybe do it in the garden to be safe) that will keep your child entertained for hours on end.

Ages: 6+

47. Become a model maker

What kid doesn't love getting their hands dirty? Get some modelling clay, a plastic knife and mould away. You can even buy self-hardening clay if you want them to become permanent.

Age: 8+

48. Play a board game

It's a classic, but a good one! There are some amazing board games for kids out there. We love playing Articulate, the describing game as it's great for everyone of all ages and you can also get a special kids version. Scattergories, Scrabble and of course, Monopoly are always winners too.

Age: 7+

49. Take a walk

Walking is a great way to get familiar with your surroundings. Whether you live in a city, town or the country, there will be places to go they've never been before.

Think of somewhere with spectacular views, or a part of your local area that has lots of history attached to it - the local cemetery is often a great bet with kids. If you're not sure where to go, enter your location into the Woodland Trust website for lots of ideas.

Age: 6+

50. Map making

You draw the squares on a large sheet of paper and see how easy they find it to draw the local neighbourhood. Get them to imagine they're a bird in the sky looking down. Not as easy as it sounds.

Age: 9+

51. Have a karaoke competition

If you have a games console, then something like SingStar is fantastic. Alternatively, karaoke CDs cost very little from music stores. Make sure you sing along to some of the songs as well. There's nothing like embarrassing yourself to entertain your kids.

Age: 8+

52. Make a family tree

How much do your kids know about their family? Do they know anything about your parents' parents? Not only is drawing family trees fun, but it is also one of our favourite things to do with kids to teach them a bit about history. You may unearth some really interesting stories about your own family that you never knew.

Age: 9+

53. Paint Rocks

This has a two-pronged attack for keeping kids engaged. First up you go rock hunting.  Being outside gives kids time to move their bodies and a natural environment reduces stress and fatigue in little ones too. Once you've collected the rocks, grab markers or paints and stickers and go to town on designing and colouring them in. 

Age: 2+

54. Learn origami

The ancient Japanese art of paper folding is easy to do and one of the cheapest things to do with kids. You can fold a sheet of paper into pretty much anything, as long as you've got a pattern - and making paper animals is one of the best ways to entertain your kids on a rainy afternoon. Origami-instructions.com is a great place to start.

Age: 8+

55. Do some junk modelling

Get together a load of things like egg boxes, cereal cartons, plastic milk bottles and let their imaginations run riot. If you get some friends round and ask them to bring their own junk, it becomes even more fun. You just need to provide the sticky tape, scissors, glue and paint and keep an eye on them.

Age: 6+

56. Put on a play or comedy show

Encourage your child's creative side and get them to prepare a comedy routine with a few knock-knock jokes that'll have the whole family in stitches. Or find a box of dressing-up clothes and have them come up with a story for a play. You might need to help them with some ideas (princess trapped in a castle; stranded on a desert island are two). Don't forget you'll also have to sit through the performance. If they're feeling extra creative, they could have a go at making their own puppet theatre.

Age: 6+

57. Build an outdoor den

Taking them out to the great outdoors is one of the best things to do with kids. All you need is a large blanket or sheet and some cushions and let them pretend they're in a tropical rainforest, or somewhere similar. A large box is also a great idea for a cave - this is likely to entertain them for hours.

Age: 5+

58. Teach them to knit

Test their skills with a pair of needles? Never done it yourself? Read our guide on how to knit.  And, for some fantastic knitting patterns, including cute and cuddly toys for kids, visit our sister site Women's Weekly.

Age: 7+

59. Make a rain gauge

Making a weather station is one of the best things to do with kids to get them outdoors. Get the kids learning science at home by setting up a homemade weather station in the garden. A rain gauge will measure how much rain falls (perfect for the weather we get here!), a wind vane will let you know which direction the wind is blowing and a barometer will help the kids learn about air pressure. They can keep a weather diary and write down all their findings.

How to make a rain gauge

• You just need an empty two-litre plastic bottle, which you cut two thirds of the way up. Then turn the top part of the bottle upside down and place it in the bottom part using sticky tape to secure.
• Use a ruler to make a scale in centimetres on a piece of tape and stick it on the bottle.
• Find an open space in the garden away from any shelter and dig a hole to bury the gauge so that around 5cm of it is sticking out of the ground.
• Then simply check your rain gauge every day at the same time, measure the amount of rain it has collected and empty the bottle.

60. Make a wind vane

The second part of your weather station is a wind vane. It will let you know which direction the wind is blowing and a barometer will help the kids learn about air pressure. They can keep a weather diary and write down all their findings.

• Draw a 25cm arrow on a piece of card and cut it out, then draw around the arrow to make another one and cut it out.
• Place a pen top between the two arrows and glue together. Get four matchsticks and a cork and push the matchsticks into the long side of the cork at right angles to each other.
• Label four pieces of card with N, S, E, W and attach these to the ends of the matchsticks with Blu-tack.
• Fill a bottle with sand and push a knitting needle into the cork and then push into the sand. Balance the arrow on top of the needle and place the wind vane in an open area using a compass to point the N label North. The arrow will show you the direction the wind is blowing from.

61. Fruit picking

For a cheap and fun way to entertain the kids during the summer months visit your local strawberry picking farm from late May or go apple picking from August, plus other seasonal fruits. And, it's one of the best things to do with kids to get them to eat their five portions of fruit and veg. After they've gathered their fruits, teach them to make fruit cakes, pudding and even jam.

Don’t forget to pack a picnic and make the most of your day – lots of the places on our list have plenty of other activities available, from tractor and pony rides through to cooking classes.

Age: 3+

62. Make a miniature garden

Don't ditch the foil trays that ready meals come in. They make great containers for a mini garden. You'll just need a bit of tack to stick the rocks and twigs in. Add some toy figures to make it more lifelike. You could also use sand to make it a beach scene.

Age: 7+

63. Catch a movie

Netflix may be easier to get your hands on, but nothing beats the thrill of a trip to the local cinema. If you’re on a budget, many have Saturday morning kids films. Alternatively, it’s always cheaper to go during the day.

Do a home movie, and check out the 50 family movies every child should watch before they turn 16.

Age: 7+

64. Host a dance party

Invite around some of your kids' friends, put together a new playlist and let them dance till they drop. All you’ll have to do is provide drinks and snacks!

This is one of the best things to do with kids to tire them out before bedtime. If they’re more into acting than dancing, hold a Hollywood party instead.

Age: 8+

65. Host a tea party

Have your little ones create the invites, then they can pop round to friends and family - or just their toys - to deliver them. Next, they help you to make the tiny cucumber sandwiches, set the table, and get the teacups out. Ready for a real-life tea party. 

Ages: 4+

66. Check out your local library

If you haven’t managed to create a bookworm, then this could be the perfect place to start. There’s something for everyone here, regardless of whether they’re a sports buff, adventure fan or prefer something more romantic. Best of all, if they find some they like, it costs nothing to take them out! Find your local library.

Age: 6+

67. Seaside trip

You’re never that far from the beach in the UK, and even if the sun’s not shining, it can be great fun, walking along the beach looking for ‘lost treasure’. You can find crabs and barnacles in rock pools, lots of shells, and amazing coloured pebbles.

Age: 2+ 

68. Find an old ruin

Castles are magical places and capture the imagination of most boys and girls, who love crossing moats, running up and down spiral staircases and looking at cannons. Find the best value castles to visit.

Age: 6+

69. Listen to a podcast

Choose and listen to a podcast as a family. Either all together on the speaker or set it as 'homework' to all listen to it and then sit together and discuss it on the weekend. It's a great way to kick start conversations, and you can take it in turn to choose a new one each week. 

Age: 12+

70. Keepy Uppy

Keepy Uppy is also known as 'don't let the balloon touch the ground'. It lends hours of fun and helps to build team trust. The main goal; the balloon must never touch the ground. 

Age: 3+

Keeping kids entertained can be a job in itself sometimes, we have you covered with our 35 crafts to do with your kids and if the weather is a bit grim, try Indoor activities for kids and for the easy life, give our Easy craft projects a whirl.

Easy crafts for kids are the difference between a quiet and engaged activity and one that involves spending £15 and drinking bad coffee (we mean soft play). We found 50 crafts to do that are fun, cheap, and so simple.

As parents, research is always on, it starts with Googling 'best travel strollers' and it just never ends, you're Googling the best places to take kids, things to do with kids, and films to watch with kids. We know you're always on the lookout for the kids, especially at weekends or during the school holidays. And sometimes the weather puts a dampener on our ready-made outdoor plans. This is why we’ve created a handy list of craft ideas that are the perfect indoor activities for kids. And sure to save any long wet weekend.

While there's always a place for a kids movie on Netflix, sometimes we want to get them doing, not watching. Our crafts for kids are easy to do - so it doesn’t matter if you’re a complete craft beginner (like us) or already a creative pro. Plus, crafting can be a great mindfulness activity for kids too. 

Whatever your budget, and whether you've minutes or hours to dedicate to getting creative, we have 50 fantastic craft ideas for you to choose from.

Easy crafts for kids:

1. Homemade play dough

There's something both therapeutic and educational about moulding fresh play dough into shapes, especially for little ones. Young muscles can develop strength, control and fine motor skills, whilst experiencing the feel of different textures with this squidgy craft number. Better than buying some from the shops, our easy play dough recipe is as good (if not better and cheaper) than the shop-bought kind.

Get the method: Our best play dough recipe plus 7 fun things to make

2. A chatterbox or fortune teller

It doesn't get much simpler than this - with our origami chatterbox craft requiring just a few pens and a piece of paper to do. A playground favorite, kids will love decorating this toy and playing it with their friends and family.

Get the method: How to make a chatterbox

3. DIY stickers

What child doesn't love stickers and a good sticker book? This is one of our favorite crafts for kids, allowing your little ones can create their own personalized stickers and allow their imagination to run riot. This might just be the perfect activity for a rainy afternoon.

Get the method: How to make stickers

4. Lava lamp

Lava lamps are a great sensory stimulus for little ones, while showing bigger kids the science behind the cool chemical reactions. Making a lava lamp might seem like a big step forward if you're not a keen crafter, but this DIY tutorial is really easy to follow and requires mostly regular kitchen items to get stuck in.

Get the method: How to make a lava lamp with children

5. Jolly jellyfish

These jolly jellyfish another favorite craft for us. They also make for a great bedroom decoration when hung above a bed, or from a curtain pole. If you don't fancy forking out for googly eyes, the eyes can be drawn on instead. All other equipment like ribbons, tissue or wrapping paper, should be readily available in your house too.

Get the method: How to make a jellyfish

6. Rainbow wand

This rainbow wand is a fun activity, while doubling as a toy or handy dressing-up accessory. We've used glitter card, colorful ribbons, scissors and glue to assemble. Kids can always go wild and add extra customization with beads, gems or anything else that feels fun.

Get the method: How to make a rainbow wand

7. Rainbow decorations

Another hugely popular DIY activity, this time featuring the enduring popularity of rainbows. This is one of our easiest crafts for kids, with only five items of equipment needed. We reckon these rainbow decorations would go down well at any kids party too; just set up a craft table with the ready-cut card and ribbon, and be on hand to show children the ropes.

Get the method: How to make your own rainbow decorations

8. Toilet paper tube crafts

Toilet roll tubes are definitely something every household has. We recommend storing a few, and sitting down to try one of our thirteen toilet paper tube crafts once you have a collection. Our favorite includes these carp fish creations, which can so easily be transformed into a hanging mobile with some string and added creativity.

Get the method: 13 things to make with toilet roll tubes

9. Tie dye t-shirts

Another popular and colorful crafts for kids, this idea will transform an old white tee into an original tie-dye creation? Kids love rainbows and this fun activity will create a one-of-a-kind design that they can proudly show off to their friends.

Get the method: How to tie dye t-shirts

10. Rainbow sun catcher

Another one of our fantastic rainbow decorations is this rainbow sun catcher - a perfect decorative piece for any child's bedroom. We recommend constructing this craft around spring or summer when your child can be dazzled by the light, sending colorful beams around the room.

Get the method: How to make a rainbow sun catcher

11. Pen pots

Transform an old plastic water bottle into something functional to house all those pens and pencils that would otherwise find themselves lost. Children might need a little more adult assistance with cutting the plastic, but decorating their creations will occupy them once the hard part is complete. These homemade pen pots would make great gifts come Mother's Day, Father's Day or a family member's birthday.

Get the method: How to make pen pots from plastic bottles

12. Paper hats

Crafting doesn't get any easier than these quirky paper hats, which can be made using anything from old newspapers to left-over wrapping paper. They're great for incorporating into games and the origami process develops key hand-eye coordination, and concentration skills.

Get the method: How to make a paper hat

13. Party piñata

This fish piñata is a great craft to do with your child and will go down a storm at any upcoming birthday parties. Just keep an eye on your kid and any sweets that go 'missing' during the making process...

Get the method: How to make a pinata

14. Rainbow art

Why not use up any surplus rainbow ribbons from the wand and heart craft, and create this fun colorful craft too. These rainbow sun and cloud paper plate crafts uses similar materials, plus paint and a paper plate. We recommended stringing these up in the window of your home to send a positive message to passersby.

Get the method: How to turn a paper plate into a rainbow

15. Cardboard kitchen

Little ones love imitating their parents by playing at cooking in the kitchen. So why not recreate a colorful play kitchen from a couple of old shoe boxes? You can finish it off with some cheap kids play pots and pans from Amazon or they can always borrow ones already found in your kitchen cupboards.

Get the method: How to make a toy box kitchen

16. DIY dreamcatchers

Children love getting creative with beads and feathers. These dreamcatchers could also help relieve any anxiety youngsters hold over having bad dreams or nightmares too. Help them construct their own with some paper plates, string and a little imagination.

Get the method: How to make dreamcatchers

17. Vegetable printing

Vegetable printing is sure to be something any crafty kid will love. An added benefit being it's a great way to use up any uneatable fruit and vegetables from the fridge. Simply get your template, paint and material ready, then you're good to go! We love this heart-shaped potato print bunting in particular.

Get the method: How to do vegetable printing

18. Homemade hair scrunchies

This is one craft older children will especially love, as they can customize their own scrunchies with a bright array of patterns and colours. Using materials of their choice and this handy tutorial, you can learn how to make your own scrunchy. Unique and useful - this is one of our favorite crafts for kids.

Get the method: How to make hair scrunchies

19. Funny face frames

What is one of the best things about heading to the pier at any British seaside resort? The wacky photo stands of course! Capture that excitement at home with this fun craft and have children invent with their own quirky characters.

Get the method: How to make funny-face frames

20. Pebble people

Who doesn't have old pebbles from the beach or stones from the garden lying around? Instead of letting them get under your feet, get your kids to make them into fun characters - or even portraits of your family. Along with the pebbles, all you need is a couple of pots of paint and a bit of inspiration.

Get the method: How to make pebble people

21. Paper mache

Spend the weekend creating an amazing paper mache creation - one of our super simple crafts for kids. There's plenty of cutting and sticking to do with this one, which helps develop key fine motor skills in the process. As with all crafts with scissors - adult supervision is recommended.

Get the method: How to paper mache

22. Rainbow streamers

With this simple tutorial, create rainbow streamers by transforming a toilet roll tube into a fun toy that kids of all ages will love. Once finished, hang them outside to watch the streamers really come alive.

Get the method: How to make rainbow streamers

23. DIY dinosaur

Kids with a passion for the prehistoric period can create their own dinosaur kingdom from readily available household objects like toilet rolls and paper plates. Copy our sauropod design to start with, then branch out to fan favorites like the T-rex or a triceratops.

Get the method: How to make a paper dinosaur

24. Puppet theatre

This kids craft is a little more complex and will require specific items like velcro (which mum or dad will have to iron). But don't let that put you off; once constructed this theatre will keep kiddies busy for hours, as they conjure up vivid stories and characters to share via the stage.

Get the method: How to make a puppet theatre

25. Elephant's feet

To make these nifty elephant's feet you'll need some large tin cans and plenty of paint. If you've just painted a room recently, even better! Use the old paint cans to create this excellent crafting project and let your little ones bring their dreams of stomping across the savanna to life.

Get the method here: How to make elephant's feet with tin cans

26. Tin can kites

Another of our tin based crafts for kids, these tin can kites will brighten up any dull day. Anyone with a cupboard full of tinned goods is sure to have a few spare cans lying around - get your child to put them to good use with splatterings of paint and lots of ribbon.

Get the method: How to make neon kites by recycling old tin cans

27. Easter pom-pom animals

Originally one of our more seasonal crafts for kids, these Easter pom-pom animals can make an excellent decoration at any time of the year - stretch your creativity to transfer this craft to any celebration. Be sure to hang the finished item around the house ready for whichever festivity you've made them for - they could even be planted around the house to make a fun treasure hunt.

Get the method: How to make adorable Easter pom pom animals

28. Bug hotel

This is the perfect craft for any green fingered child fascinated by creatures. Source any leftover building materials like bricks, felt or even an old tire, then assemble your mini-beast motel with our easy-to-follow tutorial. Kids will love checking in on guests regularly, and learning all the fun facts about them.

Get the method: How to make a bug hotel

29. Fans

These paper fans make gorgeous decorations for a kid's play room or temporary den. Made from patterned paper and a lollipop stick, they're also one of the cheapest crafts for kids in our round-up.

Get the method: How to make pretty paper fans

30. Calming glitter jars

These glitter jars are thoroughly therapeutic and can be created in five speedy steps using a clean jam jar, some glitter and water. Kids (and adults) can enjoy a quiet moment watching the glitter fall, which in turn will enable them to re-centre their energy, focus and any pent-up stress.

Get the method: How to make glitter jars

31. Sunshine

If you've hosted a birthday party recently, chances are you'll have a few paper plates going spare. If so, this sunshine craft is the perfect activity to re-upholster and re-cycle them. Cheap to do, you'll just need some yellow paint and coloured card to construct.

Get the method: How to make a paper-plate sun

32. Egg-box bus

Never under-estimate a good old-fashioned egg-box craft creation. We've come up with 10 different things you can create with them, including this bright egg-box bus that'll keep your child busy for an afternoon or two.

Get the method: 10 things to make with egg boxes

33. Paper boat

Much like the paper hats, these paper boats are a really fun and inventive way to use up old newspaper or wrapping paper. Create unique designs with as many different colors and patterns as you like, then set sail.

Get the method: How to make a paper boat

34. A paper gun (that shoots)

Any budding cowboy or cowgirl of the house needs a pistol to re-enact their Wild West adventures. Follow our easy tutorial to create a gun from paper that actually shoots out counters.

Get the method: How to make a paper gun that shoots

35. Wanda the Witch

With some basic craft materials and a wooden spoon, your child can get into the Halloween spirit at any time of year, with this wonderful wicked witch creation. This craft doubles up as a great decoration when the spooky day comes around - try slotting the end of the spoon into some soil on your front lawn to give the neighbors a real fright.

Get the method: How to make Wanda the witch

36. A cloud pinboard

Children will be delighted to adorn a wall with this fun cloud-shaped pinboard that they’ve created themselves. Filling it with family photos, their own pictures, or reminders of important dates, will add to the fun. With only a small amount of equipment needed, get messy and transform a boring pinboard into something wonderful. 

Get the method: How to make a cloud pinboard

37. A teacup bird feeder

We have found the perfect way to introduce children to upcycling, with this teacup bird feeder that repurposes chipped or broken crockery. Instead of sending old teacups and saucers to the dustbin, add personality to your garden and help out any feathered visitors with this decorative bird feeder - just be sure to use glue suitable for withstanding all weather!

Get the method: How to make a teacup bird feeder

38. Marquee letters

These are bang on trend, but can be expensive to buy. Save yourself some money and unleash creativity, with DIY marquee letters that are certain to get visitors talking. Taking personalization to the max, anything can be created from the letters you make; names, funny or inspirational quotes, the world is your oyster.

Get the method: How to make marquee letters

39. Kids thank you cards

Nothing says “thank you” quite like a personal card from the grateful recipient. Get children to offer their thanks for Christmas or birthday gifts, with these homemade cards that offer an individual touch. Not only that, parents can help out with this fun activity, keeping the whole family entertained in the process. 

Get the method: Homemade kids thank you cards

40. Mini bow and arrow

Youngsters can keep their precious possessions protected from in-coming foe, with this bow and arrow craft! An alternative to buying a toy bow and arrow set, this activity is both environmentally friendly and offers hours of fun for a very low cost. Be sure to have Washi tape to hand for this project, which is also perfect for many other craft ideas we have for you. 

Get the method: How to make a mini bow and arrow

41. Terrazzo candle holder

Another perfect upcycling project, our terrazzo candle holder tutorial will show you how to update an old candle holder with a jazzy terrazzo effect. Modeling-clay and a little imagination are all you need for crafting a traditional terrazzo pattern, plus the environment will thank you for upcycling old candle holders rather than sending them to landfill.

Get the method: How to make a terrazzo candle holder

42. A crayon letter picture

Rainy days spent indoors are now sorted, with this project that results in the perfect picture for adorning the walls. Children can select their favorite colors and shades (or parents can help them pick out the ones that match existing decor!) to create a letter picture to be admired by all. Choosing the shape of the letter before printing the template, offers plenty of personalization opportunities for young crafters. You’ll need a glue gun for this one, so be aware of hot glue, and little fingers accidentally getting stuck together…!

Get the method: Make your own crayon letter picture craft

43. A 3D cactus

A simple paper craft, children will be delighted to create their very own 3D paper cacti. If it’s a Western-themed bedroom you’re after, or an alternative to real plants for your shelves, this project has you covered. Grab some tissue paper, card and glue, and a pot plant if this is how you choose to display them. The best thing is they won’t need watering or any attention, unlike traditional house plants!

Get the method: Fun 3D cactus craft

44. String art

This is one for slightly older children, who can give an old cork memo board a new lease of life by transforming it into a colorful string art creation. Choose a paint to make your old memo board as good as new, then let loose with weaving together colorful string into a beautiful heart-shaped pattern. While increasing patience skills and concentration, this craft will also make the perfect home decoration or gift.

Get the method: How to make string art

45. Animal plant holders

Children will love putting letting their imaginations run wild with these animal plant holders, while creating a beautiful gift in the process. Scoop up any old toy animal no longer in use, and transform them into an original way to showcase plants. Aimed at 3-5 year olds, adults will need to help with the initial cutting and the small people can do the rest. They can be themed for a room in your own room, or gifted to family and friends for something to treasure. 

Get the method: Animal plant holders

46. Fifteen amazing loom band ideas

The loom band trend has swept schools everywhere, and here we have not just one, but 15 incredible ideas for your loom band enthusiast. From Winnie the Pooh and Minions, to unicorns and personalized bracelets, there will be a tutorial for everyone. Even better, everything you need can be found online, with loom band packs starting from under £1, making this a cost-effective activity.

Get the method: 15 amazing loom band ideas

47. Bath bombs

Bath time just got even relaxing for adults, with these homemade bath bombs their children can make. Choose your own fragrances and let the kids get to work; but be aware that essential oils can cause skin irritation, and following our instructions and carrying out your own research is vital before stepping into that aromatic bath water…

Get the method: How to make bath bombs

48. Bits & bobs canvas

Not sure what a bits & bobs canvas is? It’s something you need in your life, and the children will love putting it together! Aimed at those aged 4 and over, this project will round up and find a use for the random plastic items every household accrues. Don’t throw out broken toys, odd buttons and other unwanted items, but use our method and your imagination to craft a fantastic item. 

Get the method: How to make your own bits & bobs canvas

49. Father's Day gifts

Spoil dad on the day that’s all about him, with a homemade gift. We have plenty of ideas here for children at all ages and stages, to create the perfect gift for their parent. It could be a tool-shaped bookmark, or themed storage for his office supplies - there will be something here sure to delight daddy!

Get the method:  Homemade Father's Day gifts

50. Colorful spinning tops

Picture beads are given a new and fun purpose, with this inventive project for crafty kids aged 7-9. Grab a handful of the beads and arrange on a pegboard, and be wowed when the finished product is a spinning top! This simple idea not only uses up old picture beads, but creates a new toy in the process - you can thank us for the extra hours of fun your small people will have when they’ve finished. 

Get the method: How to make colorful spinning tops from picture beads

What can kids make that is easy?

A mess. We joke, we joke. The answer to this is a bit like 'how long is a piece of string'. What's easy for one kid might be a challenge to another. You know your kid better than anyone. The safest bet to encourage kids with crafts, easy or not, is to focus on the doing no the end result. When they show you a painting or a drawing, talk about how focussed they were, and how hard it looked like they were trying, instead of 'amazing drawing'.

What crafts are good for kids who don't like crafts?

Messy engaging ones, usually. We get it, there's a lot of pressure on parents to get it right and crafting is one of them, a wholesome activity that many a parent think parenting 101. But sometimes, no matter how hard you try your kid just isn't interested in crafting. 

• Dot art - simple take a pack of colourful dotted stickers and challenge them to spell out their name out in dots, or 'fastest draw' see who can get 50 stickers on the paper first.
• Let rip - Collaging, but not calling it collaging could work. Let them rip and cut up papers, magazines, leaflets anything they can find. Then sit together and imagine something, a message you want the non-collage to convey, then get sticking. 
• Paint with marbles - all you need is a baking tray, A4 card, marbles and paint. Dip each marble in paint and roll around the baking tray. The trail of paint will create a masterpiece.  

If this list has inspired you and there's a collection of cardboard boxes accumulating in your house, we have a list of 23 cardboard box crafts for kids. Crafting isn't just for the little ones - these easy craft projects for beginners can be done when the children are sleeping, for some relaxing adult downtime. 

With homeschooling back on the agenda for families, experts have warned that children without laptops or suitable digital devices will struggle with school work.

So how can you donate a laptop for homeschooling to help a child with their education?

The idea of donating laptops to kids in need is not a new one. However, the scheme - which was originally kicked off by the government along with various broadband discounts for homeschooling during the pandemic - has snowballed since last year. Now, more people than ever are wanting to donate their old laptops.

Everyone from the BBC to independent organisations, families and businesses are getting involved with supplying laptops to schools, to help disadvantaged children with their homeschooling in lockdown.

Here's how you can donate a laptop for homeschooling too:

How to donate a laptop for homeschooling

To donate a laptop to a child, you have to go through an organisation, a local council or a school. After contacting the organisation, they'll go through the steps with you on how to donate. This include details on what to do about privacy and the equipment that the device needs to come with to make it viable for donation.

The BBC Make a Difference campaign is at the forefront of this and has a list of 26 charities and organisations on their website who are helping to collect laptops. Some only operate in particular parts of England, while others are national charities and will even come and collect the laptop or device from you. Some organisations on the list aren't just accepting laptops, they'll also take old phones and tablets to help with homeschooling.

National organisations collecting laptops for homeschooling:

• ADISA / Digital Access For All - Collecting laptops from all UK businesses.
• Business2Schools
• Computer Aid - Accepting donations from businesses. They will also come and collect the laptops from individuals from anywhere in the UK.
• LetsLocalise
• Vodafone: The Great British Tech Appeal - Only accepting donations of phones or tablets.

There are plenty of other charities and organisation on the BBC's website that are local to individual areas and will serve local schools in that region.

London-based charity, Restart, for example are also accepting laptops and have a list of charities for other parts of the UK who are collecting laptops.

These charities work in addition to the government's Get Help with Tech scheme. The programme was set up last year and 560,000 devices were given to schools and local councils. In 2021, they pledged to offer another 440,000 devices, bringing the total to more than 1 million. They also expanded the scheme to offer laptops and other devices to 16 to 19 year olds in further education.

This is the easiest way to donate your old laptop for homeschooling but some councils and schools will also accept direct donations. To go through this process, it's best to contact the local council or school directly as they'll be able to offer information on how they're receiving laptops as part of the programme.

Anywhere accepting laptops for donation will probably have specifications in place. This means there are only certain types of laptops that you can donate. This is to ensure that they'll work effectively with new school programs and be helpful to students.

The laptops will then be used by the children to access important free homeschooling resources and special educational apps to help with homeschooling. They'll also help carers and parents who are working from home with kids during lockdown, offering the chance for children to learn independently.

What kind of laptops can you donate?

To support online learning, laptops have to meet a minimum requirement of functionality. While many of the organisations listed above will have different requirements, depending on how much refurbishment they'll willing to do on the devices, laptops that have the following are likely to be donated successfully:

• A working power supply or charger
• WIFI capability built-in
• Webcam built-in (as most homeschooling takes place over video)
• A mimimum of 2GB RAM
• A minimum of 16GB hard disk
• Laptops must no older than 2008 with Windows 7 functionality, if they're not Apply MacBooks or Chromebooks etc.

Some local councils are not currently accepting laptops or mobile devices but will take laptops.

Is it safe to donate a laptop?

Local councils and many organisations listed on the BBC's website will clear any personal information on the laptop. Using specialised programmes, they'll make sure there's no personal information on the device before it's given to schools.

Norton Security also has detailed information about how you can clear the laptop yourself on their website, if you want to give it a go before donating for extra security.

Most us do banking and shopping online. We also store our passwords in auto-fill and have logged loads of 'cookies' over the years. It's important to clear this information both for you and for the child receiving the laptop, so that it's safe and suitable for them to use.

It's not surprising that homeschooling is getting the better of millions of families. Now we are in the throws of a third lockdown with schools closed, parents are once again trying to juggle their own work whilst making sure that children do theirs, too.

The difficulties have led to many asking if homeschooling is compulsory during lockdown - as it's not only the adults who are struggling, it's children too.

Many parents and carers are worried about the effect lockdown could have on children. This includes how far they might fall behind in school - with a lack of structure being a top concern.

However, homeschooling children is easier said than done - especially if you have to work from home with the kids around too. No matter how much you may want your kids to focus on their lessons and studies, it's almost impossible to stop them straying from their desks, distracting their siblings and asking for snacks multiple times throughout the day.

There might be days when frazzled families feel like letting the kids have their way, especially with so many parents' homeschooling experiences going awry. But is this allowed? Is homeschooling compulsory during lockdown? Here's what the rules are around children learning at home and where you can find help if you're struggling to get them to study.

Is homeschooling compulsory during lockdown?

During lockdown 3.0, children have to follow the rules set by their school during normal school hours - even when they are learning from home. As the government have said in their guidance to parents, 'Alongside any work your children receive from school, you can try using online educational resources covering various subjects and age groups.'

This means school and homework is largely compulsory while schools are closed and children are learning from home.

In legal terms, this is because during lockdown, a child's home just becomes an extension of their classroom. Leon Hady, former headteacher and founder of Guide Education explains that when kids are learning from home, children are being registered as 'in school', "in exactly the same way as if it were a school day. It's basically just a form of off-site learning." So the school will also be aware if a child doesn't appear for homeschooling lessons via the video link. Repeated absences will likely require an explantation for the parent or guardian.

But aside from this, the government have also told parents and carers to 'just do your best'.

"No one expects parents to act as teacher, or to provide the activities and feedback that a school or nursery would," the government advice states. "Parents and carers should do their best to help children and support their learning while dealing with other demands."

What to do if you're struggling with homeschooling

Homeschooling isn't the perfect fit for everyone. Psychologist and therapist Dr Kalanit Ben-Ari says: "Structure and routine is important, but this will look different for children of different ages.

"For young children, it can be very challenging for them to sit in front of a computer, so it might be more beneficial for them to move their body and to explore other activities at home. For older children, combining online learning with movement and off-screen learning is likely to benefit them more."

Dr Kalanit also explains that long period of time looking at screen won't work for all children, "There are also children of all ages who find interaction via screens very challenging, which can in turn induce more anxiety." So, getting kids outside to play where possible or giving them breaks from their screen is important.

If you're just looking to get kids moving and give them some structure to their day, Joe Wicks' workouts for kids are back every morning at the moment. We've also got over 60 different ideas of things to do with kids during lockdown, in case you're looking for inspiration.

Keeping this anxiety low is the essential in these challenging times, as parent and registered doctor, Dr Xand Van Tulleken, told The One Show this month. He said, "I would say to any parents who are facing this though, you're not responsible for replacing an entire school. Like you did some stuff on Egypt, that's amazing! You spent time with your kids today, that's good. You don't have to feel guilty that you can't replace every teacher in a school plus all the other activities.

https://www.facebook.com/bbctheoneshow/posts/10158731214647696

"It's enough to show a bit of love and patience and kindness. Teach them to do some household chores, spend time with them. They can catch up their education, this is not going to permanently harm children.

"The main thing is to keep their anxiety levels down, and guide them through it as a family. And don't feel the guilt and the pressure we're putting on ourselves will not be good for anybody. That's how I'm comforting myself as a parent!"

How to get help with homeschooling

As well as reaching out directly to your children's teachers, who will be able to provide support and guidance, there are plenty of free educational resources for homeschooling online that you can turn to, to help you out.

Here are a few to take a look at:

The Oak National Academy

This is one of the government's biggest funding projects for homeschooling during the lockdown. It's an online learning platform designed by teachers, with almost 10,000 lessons on subjects across the whole school curriculum right up to year 11. With only so many hours in the day, teachers have also been using it to set lesson plans and give tutorials so parents can be reassured they're on the right track with this one.

Resources are free and completely online. Some of the best ones include an online classroom for all age groups with a recommended timetable of six lessons a day, including all the essentials like English, maths and languages, to help kids retain some structure in their day.

Each of the lessons are formulated into videos of up to 45 minutes to explain key principles of curriculum subjects. There's also a specialist classroom to help pupils with individual support needs.

No need to set up an account or give any details with this one, just click and go!

BBC Bitesize

Bitesize has also re-launched their BBC educational programmes and lockdown learning timetable. The service airs every day, with a famous face taking classes on a fundamental topic of the curriculum in digestible chunks, suitable for differing levels of education.

For example, Professor Brian Cox is touring secondary school students through the solar system on BBC 2 at 2pm from January 11, after a curriculum-based lesson in biology the hour before. While in the morning, primary school pupils will be treated to a 10 minute quick P.E session with none other than Marcus Rashford, an English lesson by Geri Horner and a food science class by Heston Blumenthal.

The timetable for these lessons and more information can be found on the BBC Bitesize website, all totally for free.

Duolingo

Duolingo has become one of the best free homeschooling apps in lockdown. It's always been a hit when the time for New Year's resolutions roll around with millions of people signing up to either learn a new language from scratch or practice what they already know. But with fun graphics, special lessons for children and a huge choice of languages available, it's a great way for beginner to intermediate language learners to stay up to date during the lockdown.

The desktop site is a good way to explore all the features Duolingo has to offer (and keep kids off their phones!) but the app is the real winning part of the service. Starting by figuring out how far advanced someone is in the language, it then helps them to improve on their speaking, listening and writing skills by quizzing them on words and phrases, as well as introducing new ones.

Quick and bitesized, Duolingo is especially great for those who maybe need a little more motivation to get into languages but the best part is, it's totally free! The app and the desktop site doesn't cost anything to access, so it's worth giving it a go.

Guide Education

Anyone can access Guide Education's Tuition Kit, suitable for anyone revising for GCSEs in English, maths and science across all exam boards. There are hundreds of materials on the site created by qualified teachers, so there's no requirement for extra paid-for tuition or textbooks.

All that's required is a sign up and then it's completely free!

Parents can also access the material to help things along with homeschooling by organising all the different things they have to study and creating a timetable for them throughout the day. For anyone struggling with homeschooling right now as well, Guide Education also has a range of videos on their YouTube channel about everything from choosing a good study space to time management.

Khan Academy

Students looking to focus on sciences and maths-based subjects should head over to Khan Academy, self-described as a "nonprofit with the mission to provide a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere." Although it is US-based, there's plenty of content on there that crosses over into the UK curriculum with high-quality lessons, taught in broken-down ways so that everyone of all different age groups can follow along.

The lessons can all be accessed for free on the Khan Academy website, but we recommend signing up for a free account so that students don't lose track of their progress.

It's especially a winner for older children looking for more help with maths and science coming up to GCSE level and even beyond.

Whether you can get a broadband discount for homeschooling has been an issue weighing on a lot of families' minds recently.

The UK is in the midst of lockdown 3.0, schools closed and exams are cancelled for 2021. Many families and carers are rediscovering how to work from home and homeschool at the same time, with expenses to keep everything moving continuing to pile up.

There are also over 880,000 children in the UK who live in a home where there is no broadband and only a limited mobile internet connection. Reliable internet access is the difference between being able to learn from home or missing out on education whilst the schools are shut. 

The idea of free or subsidised internet isn't a new one. However, there's never been a more important time for all children to have access to the internet for their education.

Can you get a broadband discount for homeschooling?

There's no blanket broadband discount for those homeschooling at the moment, but there are different schemes in place to help families access the internet for free or with a discount for their kids' education during lockdown.

Those in primary and secondary school who are struggling with internet access can apply for a free increase of mobile data through the new ‘Get Help with Tech’ scheme set up by the Department of Education.

The scheme also provides 4G wireless routers to those who need them. This means that families with more than one child can ensure that all kids have equal access to the internet - as it wouldn’t just be restricted to one device with one SIM full of data. 

Aside from government-funded schemes, BT have also announced their own scheme to get families online in lockdown. This includes offering free and unlimited mobile data to EE and BT customers, as well as free WIFI vouchers for schools and charity partners, which would give families access to the internet from 5.5 million UK hotspots. 

The company are also independently removing all the data charges for popular education websites, specifically to help families and carers supporting children with no internet access. 

Who is eligible for the Get Help with Tech scheme?

At the moment, disadvantaged children in years 3 up to year 11 are eligible for free increases to their mobile data. You must also be a customer at one of the below providers and the offer differs between networks:

• EE - receive 20 GB of free data per month until July 2021
• BT - receive 20 GB of free data per month
• O2 - 40GB of data per month
• Sky Mobile
• SMARTY
• Tesco Mobile 
• Three - unlimited data every month
• Virgin Mobile 
• Vodafone - 350,000 free data SIMS have been made available

As well as this, any child who doesn’t have access to a fixed-line broadband at home, can’t afford additional data for devices in general or is experiencing disruption to face-to-face learning could be entitled to the extra support given by the 4G wireless routers. 

But unfortunately, parents or children can’t just apply to the scheme themselves. 

How to apply for the government’s scheme

Families and carers should contact the child’s school who can make a request on their behalf for the increase in data, a 4G wireless router or even hardware, as the government has provided a succession of free laptops for children since last year.

“Parents, carers and pupils cannot apply for digital devices or internet access through this scheme themselves. They should contact their school to discuss requirements for accessing remote education.” A statement from the Department of Education reads. 

This is because the government has given schools and local authorities these devices first hand via the Get Help with Tech website, in addition to the other devices and help offered to schools, trusts and local authorities during the summer last year. 

To get things moving, schools will have to provide the name on the account of the child’s mobile provider, their phone number and the network that they’re on. 

BBC education programmes will be airing during lockdown to support parents and children whilst schools are closed and to help with the huge task of homeschooling. 

The new lockdown in January will no doubt be challenging for everyone across the country, but for parents whose children will once again need to stay at home and be homeschooled, the weeks ahead will be especially challenging.

With the announcement of the new BBC education programmes on TV, the BBC is hoping their range of educational content will help children to keep on top of their curriculum whilst they can't physically be in the classroom and vitally, provide an educational resource for children and families who do not have ease of access to the internet.

Speaking about the initiative, BBC Director-General Tim Davie said: "education is absolutely vital. The BBC is here to play its part and I'm delighted that we have been able to bring this to audiences so swiftly."

So what can we expect from the new programming? Scroll down to find out more...

When are the new BBC education programmes for children on TV during lockdown?

From Monday 11th January, younger students can tune into CBBC for three hours of primary school programming from 9am. So there'll be lots to watch first thing in the morning.

The primary programmes include BBC Live Lessons and BBC Bitesize Daily as well as popular programmes Our School, Celebrity Supply Teacher, Horrible Histories and Operation Ouch.

There'll also be at least two hours of secondary school programming over on BBC Two, tailored to older students.

READ MORE: Best free educational apps for homeschooling

Can you watch the new BBC education programmes live online if you don't have a TV?

Yes, you'll be able to watch live online via BBC iPlayer if you don't have a TV. There's also additional content available on the BBC Bitesize webpage, and live episodes will be available on demand for those who can't watch it immediately.

Over on Bitesize, there's plenty of great resources to support children with classes, homework, and other important areas. There's even extra resources for parents and teachers where needed.

What age group are the BBC education programmes suitable for?

The BBC education programmes are aimed at Primary school and Secondary school pupils under the age of 16. Primary school programming is tailored to pupils aged between 3 - 11 and secondary school programming is tailored to those aged between 11 - 16.

While there won't be shows on TV targeted at their age group, there are resources for students aged 16 and over on the Bitesize website.

The Bitesize website also has easy-to-navigate sections, so you can find your child's age group, and any particular subjects you'd like to focus on.

What will be covered in the new BBC education programmes on TV during lockdown?

With many parents worrying about GCSEs, the BBC has tailored its secondary level programming to cover all the essential areas needed for the important exams. These will include adaptations of Shakespeare plays alongside science, history and factual titles.

Meanwhile, primary school programming will support younger pupils will all the core subjects like English, Maths, History and Geography.

There are even educational programmes for pre-schoolers that will be hosted by the team behind CBeebies.

Joe Wicks, AKA The Body Coach, is doing his bit to help the nation's children (and adults, let's be honest) stay fit and healthy during lockdown.

Joe Wicks, aka The Body Coach, used to be best known for his Lean in 15 recipes (such as the delicious Joe Wicks' chicken pie or turkey burger recipe) but when the UK first went into lockdown back in March 2020, the former personal trainer started broadcasting workouts to the public every day on his YouTube channel.

Now that the UK is faced with yet another lockdown in January 2021, Joe is coming back to help keep adults and children alike fit and healthy with his easy to follow workouts yet again.

During the first lockdown, where most of the world were under restrictions, Joe Wicks lockdown workouts became a roaring success and families from literally all over the world tuned in. They shared pictures and videos of themselves following along with the workouts - with Joe himself revealing that well over a million people were tuning in to his workouts by the end of the lockdown.

So if you want to join in the new Joe Wicks lockdown workouts for 2021, where should you go?

When is Joe Wicks on in January 2021?

Joe has confirmed that he'll be streaming his workouts live on his YouTube channel again every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9am (UK time). Just like last time, they'll be child friendly and easy to follow.

Joe confirmed that he was returning with his workouts for kids via an Instagram post on Monday night, after another national lockdown was confirmed by the Prime Minister.

His post explained: 'They will be 20 minutes long and designed for children. Please please share this with as many families as you can and let your schools know so they can notify the parents ASAP and we can get as many young children taking part.

'This is so important for our children’s emotional and mental health 🙏🏼🌍 Lots of love Joe 😀'

Where to watch Joe Wicks' kids P.E workout

Just like last time, all Joe's videos will be on his YouTube account where he has also shared all the live streams of his first round of lockdown workouts.

The Wake Up With Joe series started on November 9th 2020 and the Body Coach revealed that it will continue for as long as people need it to while the new lockdown restrictions are in place. His most recent one aired on December 4th 2020.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZs-mtDmEt8&ab_channel=TheBodyCoachTV

How long are Joe Wicks lockdown workouts?

These new Joe Wicks lockdown workouts, Wake Up With Joe, are almost 20 minutes long.

There's currently two already uploaded, for Monday November 9 and Wednesday November 11 but we know that in the next couple of weeks, there will be loads more - starting on January 11th 2021.

Read more: The best Joe Wicks’ cookbooks for 2021

What sort of exercises will you be doing with Joe Wicks' P.E workouts?

The Joe Wicks lockdown workout sessions are fun and simple, so that anyone can easily follow along - with moves that aren't technically confusing but will provide a brilliant workout for both adults and kids.

In his first Wake Up With Joe lockdown video, Joe started with some stretching before going into some super moves like squats and lunges.

He offered viewers the chance to adapt their lockdown to their own needs, by adding weights or doing it fast, so everyone can get the most from these quick burst sessions.

Best Joe Wicks lockdown workouts

Here's our pick of the best Joe Wicks lockdown workouts for kids so far...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23Eya6X_3rs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ7evRLFXV8&t=552s

Last summer, Joe was joined by his adorable two children (Indie and Marley) during the workouts. This video from Friday June 12 shows multi-tasking to a whole new level, as Joe squats with his youngest in his arms and toddler, Indie joins for a run around. Oh and as it's Fancy Dress Friday, Joe's dressed as kangaroo!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iDqBO34ieA

In early May, Joe broke his arm while out and about on his bike. After surgery, he realised that he wouldn't be able to take the following day's HIIT workout class. So as Joe puts it, "in sickness and in health" his wife, Rosie joined him for the session to help demonstrate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybn_SO990go&list=PLyCLoPd4VxBudCnXPQCehUq4iBnmPTKZm

A workout special! In April, Joe kicked off one Monday morning with something a little different. This Workout Wheel of Fortune was used by "Joe Twix" - the game show host - dressed in a full suit, to decide on the workouts everyone would be doing that day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z42mwuX_Xj8&list=PLyCLoPd4VxBuHn84_as427AwkVpahrqti&index=4

Another special feature! At the end of April, Joe used a coin-toss to decide what workouts everyone would be doing in the session that morning. He also spoke about wanting to "do as much as [he] can" to help get people up and moving during the lockdown, announcing that he'd filmed more of his Joe Wicks workout for seniors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rz0go1pTda8

The first ever Joe Wicks kids workout workout! The very first video of the series has now racked up over six million views and since the video first launched, Joe has launched into the spotlight of media attention. He's been offered a book deal and fans have even been calling for him to knighted, since he's raised well over £200,000 for the NHS.

Great work Joe!

Children learn best when they’re engaged and having fun, which is why learning through play is so important. Most toys help children learn in some way or other, whether it’s imaginative role playing with baby dolls, spatial skills while doing a jigsaw or gross motor skills trying to ride a balance bike. 

In the last few years, there’s been a boom in toys created to really hone the educational side of things, helping children to develop key skills that will be useful in later life, such as STEM, cause and effect, hand-eye coordination and investigative techniques, while also keeping them entertained.

Whether it’s a new language, skillset or the ability to retain facts, science tells us that young children are sponges when it comes to learning new things. That’s why educational toys are so important and why incorporating different activities and games are a great opportunity to help them to learn and stimulate their minds.   Also screen-only toys can be a winner, like the popular audio boxes Yoto or Tonie (though, be sure to check out our Yoto Vs Tonie to get a real breakdown.)

With so many to choose from, finding the right educational toy for your child can be a daunting task. To give you a helping hand on where to start, we’ve rounded up the best educational toys for children of all ages. Read on to find your perfect match.

Best educational toys for kids 

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How important are educational toys to a child’s development?

Joanne Moore, a Primary School Teacher in Norfolk and Educational Product Adviser to Learning Resources told Goodto that educational toys are ‘essential’ to a child’s development.

‘As stated by Einstein “play is the highest form of research” and from a very early age children learn and develop through play,’ Joanne told us. ‘They allow children to freely explore, challenge their minds and support the development of many skills from fine motor control, early mathematics to speech and language.’

Child development expert and psychologist Dr. Amanda Gummer, who is also the founder of Dr. Gummer’s Good Play Guide, adds that while toys that promote school-based learning can help children’s confidence at school and help them embed the learning: ‘there are also lots of educational toys that support learning through encouraging exploration, fostering curiosity, building relationships, exploring moral dilemmas etc which should not be ignored.’

What kind of toys can help a child’s development and how?

‘Toys that encourage a child to be actively ‘doing’ and toys that provide open-ended opportunities I feel are most important for early child development,’ says Joanne.

‘Toys that are kinaesthetic allow a child to develop their hand-eye coordination - plus their fine and gross motor skills. These skills are the essential building blocks before a child can learn to write. There are some great apps available out there for online learning. However, I feel it is important to do as much off-screen learning as possible for young children.

'Open-ended toys allow a child to explore their own imagination and creativity. They will often provide a child with challenges which build resilience, perseverance and problem solving skills. These are all characteristics of effective learning. These characteristics are essential for young children to develop in order to become an effective and motivated learner for life.'

For very young children, sensory toys -  those with bright or contrasting colours, feature different textures and noises - will also stimulate their senses, aid development and encourage learning.

What is a STEM toy?

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. STEM toys are designed to promote learning, curiosity, and education while they are played with.

When it comes to educational toys for kids, STEM toys in particular are great for helping your child develop innovative thinking, hand-eye coordination and spatial skills amongst other things while they play. You'll love watching STEM toys foster creativity and problem solving in your child.

What age should parents introduce educational toys to their children?

‘It’s never too early to introduce your children to toys containing letters and numbers so that children become familiar with them at an early age,’ says Dr. Amanda Gummer.

However, Dr Gummer also emphasises that it’s important not to ‘hot house children’. Basically, try not to force the educational toys on them.

'Feeling pressured to play with a particular toy is a sure way to turn a child off wanting to play with it and wanting to learn,' Dr Gummer advises.

Feeling inspired? Check out our selection of the best toys for one-year-olds, two-year-olds and three-year-olds. For more advanced learning through play, browse our guide to the best coding toys for toddlers up to teens or, for a wide range of educational, outdoor and imaginative toys, read our guide to the best toys of 2023, as recommended by the industry experts!

Let's face it - being stuck indoors with our little ones can be challenging at the best of times.

Don't get us wrong - we all love our kiddos. But spending every day with them at home, trying to keep them entertained with indoor activities for kids, and all whilst working from home, is a tough prospect.

Julie Morgenstern, New York Times best-selling author of Time to Parent, said that it's vital to keep up some sort of a routine, no matter what is on it, in order to maintain some normality during these odd times. She explained, "In a time of chaos, organisation, structure and routine where you can create it is critical to your mental and physical health and your relationships as a family. Sit down to figure out some order in your home - what rooms will be used for work , what rooms are for 'school or kid activities', what rooms for phone calls (for noise pollution), and what spaces are purely for family relaxation.

"Or, put up a large white board and create a structure for the day so that everyone can see it. It doesn't have to be perfect, or adhered to perfectly everyday (there are too many unexpected obstacles as we adjust to the new situation), but the visual and goal will ground everyone."

It's important then, during this time, to try and keep things fulfilling, productive and fun - both for you and the children. But it's also vital we don't put too much pressure on ourselves to play all roles - teacher, parent, friend - perfectly.

Julie said, "Kids crave order, and consistency. Just be sure to involve the kids in the process."

Of course there are some children who will still be able to go to school, if their parents are deemed to be key workers who still need to physically go out to work.

How to keep your kids entertained at home

But, if you and your kids will all be at home, we all know a key part of making the days bearable is staying busy, even if that does only mean doing so within the four walls of your house. By this point in quarantine, however, you may be fresh out of ideas. So here's our guide to some fun, home-based activities for when inspiration runs dry...

Baking

Because who doesn't love rustling up some yummy treats, even when we're not on lockdown? Baking cakes, biscuits, or even savoury treats is a great way to engage your children at home (and stay sane), because of the fun, interactive nature of the activity, the need to concentrate, and of course, the tasty outcome to look forward to at the end.

Try a couple of these easy baking recipes for kids, which aren't overly technical and don't take too long! With the likes of cake pops and iced fairy cakes on the list, your kids will be delighted to pitch in...

Easter is also right around the corner, so you might like to take a crack at these Easter cake ideas, with everything from a croissant ring cake to a chocolate fudge cake. We're drooling just thinking about it...

And, if you find you've run out of some essential ingredient due to supermarket shortages, these handy food swaps are here to help!

Homeschooling

There's no doubt that the recent announcement has sent parents with school-ages children into somewhat of a tail-spin.

With many kids now missing crucial exams and months of learning, many parents will be keen to keep up with normal education as best they can.

Nicola Anderson, Head of Customer Support at leading online tutoring service MyTutor, reassured that there's no need to panic, firstly. "If you have to homeschool your child, don’t panic. We’re more set-up than ever before to manage a situation like this. Remember, lots of parents (about 50,000!) choose to homeschool their kids regardless of coronavirus.

READ MORE: The best FREE educational resources online and tips for homeschooling

Nicola also advised that if you are home-schooling, it's vital to keep an eye on how your kids are dealing with the change, and adjust accordingly. "What is important is to look out for signs that your child isn’t coping mentally with a home set-up," she said. "Despondency and withdrawal or anger and higher-than-usual levels of irritability can all point to stress. There are lots of great services you can call on for support such as Kooth and YoungMinds."

Craft activities

There's never been a better time to get your little'uns involved in all the arty projects you all never had time for before.

Our 14 craft ideas and activities for kids to do at home should keep you going for a little while, with puppet theatres ready to be built and pebble people easy to make too.

Paper mache never fails to go down a treat with kiddies too, and these glitter jars come highly recommended for any children who may be feeling a little anxious at this uncertain time.

Encourage good exercise habits

Getting the kids active and moving everyday is an important activity, not only for their own health, but for burning off a little steam as well! Plus, it helps to save your sanity when it comes to coping with the kids at home.

And one exercise that the entire nation seems to be taking part in this week is Joe Wick's 9am P.E session, primarily aimed at kids but great for the whole family.

Every weekday this week (and hopefully, for the foreseeable), Joe has been live-streaming at half an hour workout on YouTube - and so far, six million households have tuned in across the world - impressive!

These exercises for kids will help the whole family stay fit altogether, although some activities (such as ice skating and skiing) won't be appropriate at the moment. Remember, it's good for your kids to know the current social distancing rules too, to keep everyone healthy.

But most things, such as dancing, running, walking and even hoola-hooping, can be done in the comfort of your own home or in relative isolation outside - so go wild!

In this time of staying inside, yoga can also be a brilliant way for children to stay active and relax, providing many mental and physical benefits.

Kyra Cruise, who teaches children's yoga in West Norfolk, told Lynn News, "Physically yoga builds strength and fitness, flexibility and balance skills, co-ordination and sensory awareness. It also it appeals to non-sporty kids as it’s not competitive."

Also, "they get better at dealing with anxiety and stress because they learn to use relaxation and breathing techniques in their everyday lives."

There are plenty of kids workouts available on YouTube too, such as Joe Wicks' (The Body Coach) five minute videos that work best for little ones.

For the parents: how to cope when the kids are at home all the time

It's so important when you've got a full house to also take time for yourself. Do what you need to do for your own mental health - and don't feel guilty, because you need to get through this too!

Julie Morgenstern said, "These are intense and trying times. Parents need alone time everyday more than ever - time when they can get some distance (even if just for 20 minutes) where they are not taking care of others, and can focus on self-care to recharge and regroup to keep on going."

Mind encourages parents to do physical activity, spend time in nature, eat a healthy diet, and of course, having some 'me time. They said, "Try to make regular time for yourself with no external demands ('me' time) – even 10 minutes a day can help."

That may be half an hour of quiet in the morning to answer emails before the children get up, or 10 minutes at lunch to eat your own food uninterrupted - or perhaps an hours walk/run while the kids are occupied (and safe of course).

Remember, you can only parent well if you take care of yourself first.

How to avoid burnout when coping with kids at home

With the weeks ticking by, the pressure on parents to continue homeschooling their young children, potentially alongside full-time jobs, is ever-growing. Reports of burnout are also growing by the day, but instead of being able to take a holiday from work to cure the exhaustion, we are having to continue as normal.

Leon Hady, a former headteacher and worldwide leader in E-learning, says that parents should relieve some of the pressure on themselves. "We’re not asking you to be teachers. My daughter finished everything that was set by the school in 40 minutes today. There’s so much that’s learnt at school that’s not about academic work; relationships, doing things together, group work, breaks and communal lunches - really there’s only a few hours of learnings.

"So for parents who are trying to recreate a whole timetable, you’re really making a rod for you in your back."

Instead he suggests, "Aim for two hour’s learning per day with no distractions. All that really matters is finding [those] two good hours to educate your child and you want to be in the situation where you never work more that 20 minutes on one thing. And sometimes it’s about building skills more than subject matter.

"Parents really need to understand there’s no judgement here. If you asked me to be a fireman, there would be a lot of damage."

Leon himself is also live streaming GCSE lessons every day from 9.45am until 12pm to help lighten the load and provide parents with homeschooling for their children.

The coronavirus pandemic is growing day by day, and since the 20th March, schools have been officially closed in the UK.

The news inevitably left parents and school-children feeling unsettled, with many having to face the reality of home-schooling their kids for the foreseeable future. In fact, it's even been reported that the world's most famous royal children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, are set to be home-schooled during the pandemic.

As such, you may be wondering how best to continue your kid's education from home, to ensure that they don't miss out - especially if you're working from home and can't have grandparents around to help out with childcare.

Firstly, it's important not to put any undue pressure on yourself, to exactly emulate the school experience.

Noel Janis-Norton, Director of ‘Calmer, Easier, Happier Parenting and Teaching’, bestselling parenting author, speaker and advisor, said, "Here’s something that should help you feel better. Did you know that studies have shown that out of a typical six-hour day in primary school, there are only about two hours of focused academic learning taking place?

"So, if you schedule two hours of homework (in the morning when minds and bodies are rested), or three hours for teens, you can relax and let them entertain themselves in the afternoon."

What resources and tips can help then if you are currently home-schooling your children?

Make the most of free educational resources online

Even though you might not be able to stick exactly to your kids normal school curriculum if home-schooling them, there are some valuable educational tools out there you can really make the most of at the moment.

If you're keen to stay closely to what they would have been learning at school, the BBC Bitesize website is a really brilliant resource. It allows you to drill down into the right tools for your child's school year, and even lets you pick a subject area to focus on - from English to Geography to Maths and History. It caters to school children all the way from primary school to post-16, so will work whatever age your kids are.

What other websites can be useful while homeschooling?

• Cenutury - in order to help during the coronavirus pandemic, the website has a section for parents, and it aims to identify gaps in knowledge, address misconceptions and personalises content for your children.
• Oxford Owl - created by Oxford University Press, it has a specific section dedicated to home-schooling, including advice for parents, as well as a range of educational games and activities and a library for 3 - 11 year olds.
• Make Me Genius - although it's an American website, this website has a huge range of super valuable videos, designed for younger children. Here, they can learn about the solar system, pollination, and primary colours, for example, with fun, interactive videos.
• BBC History for Kids - this is a great resource for learning all about the past in an easy, digestible way, from Ancient Egypt to the Magna Carta.

Hannah Titley, who runs the UK’s first professional home-schooling group The Golden Circle, and Home Schooling Association UK, also shared her top recommendations for online schooling resources.

She recommended:

• Memrise - a language-learning platform that could incredibly helpful for anyone studying the languages.
• Quizlet - which makes simple learning tools such as games and flashcards for a variety of subjects.
• Seneca - providing free revision on exam-board specific subjects, for A Level, GCSE, and KS3 and K2S students.
• Twinkl - an online education publisher, providing access to handy lesson plans, interactive activities and assessments.

'Not all learning takes place in the classroom'

We all recognise that a vital part of our children's learning and development isn't just sitting in a classroom reading a book - it's about getting out and experiencing everything the world has to offer too.

Of course, social interaction needs to be limited during the pandemic, but getting outside whenever you can is a great way to learn - and getting some fresh air can be vital for yours and your kids mental health.

If you're teaching your little ones about photosynthesis, maybe go out into the garden and take a look at the leaves, or ask them to try and identify any flowers they see. It's still okay to head out on walks too, as long as you stay two feet away from others, so try and point out the different trees and landscapes you see if you do. It could also be a fun time to teach them about survival skills, such as building a fire or using a compass.

The mental health charity Mind advises during this time, "Get as much natural light as you can. Spend time in your garden if you have one, or open your front or back door and sit on the doorstep."

Embrace the opportunity to explore creativity

When children are at school, there may be a smaller window of opportunity for arts and crafts, especially as they get older and start focusing more on exams and their future.

But home-schooling them means that you can a reserve a little more time for them to get creative. After all, there are plenty of amazing benefits.

Many studies have revealed that working on craft projects helps develop children's fine motor skills, such as hand-eye coordination and and dexterity, as well as building on their creativity which could prove beneficial in later life. Or, what not take some extra time to tecah them some new and basic cooking skills?

Don't be afraid to call in some extra help

Alex Dyer, an ex-teacher and founder of online tutoring platform Tutor House, explained that there's no need to feel like you need to do home-schooling all by yourself.

It's okay to rely on the guidance of your school's teachers, particularly if your children are a bit older and learning more advanced things. He said, "Schools and teachers will be sharing information with you, as the parent, on what your child is currently learning and what they should be learning over the next month or so. Stick to it and ask questions.

"Teachers will still be working during this time, and many schools will create a dedicated communication platform for parents and students. This will become invaluable for you while monitoring your child’s home schooling, so make sure you are keeping up to date with what’s being shared and communicated within the school’s community."

There are also various online tutoring servies that can help. Tutor House for example are offering online A-Level/GCSE exam preparation courses at a reduced rate, during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Dr Leo Evans, owner of Tavistock Tutors, who also offer online tutoring, said, "As a parent, we have many skills but a thorough knowledge of the curriculum may not be one of them, and it’s important that during this time, our children don’t fall behind. So investing in an online tutor, focusing on various subjects, even once per week will keep their knowledge and education topped up. An online tutor will also give you a break, and give your child someone else to engage with."

Set a home-schooling routine as best you can

Even if your children aren't going to school, it's important to still maintain a sense of normal routine, both for productivity and for your kids mental wellbeing.

Alex said, "This doesn’t have to be a rigid timetable, but set up a structure with daily goals to achieve, giving children something to aim for and reward them when the goals are reached to keep them motivated.

"It may be beneficial to try and mimic the child’s school day as much as possible. For example, breakfast at 8am, first home lesson at 9am, lunch at 1pm, with finishing off the learning day at 3pm."

Noel also said that it could be helpful to focus schoolwork in the morning only though, as that is when children are generally most focused.

She said, "Children can feel very anxious and weighed down by the thought of lots of homework, especially if they are allowed to keep putting it off until later and later in the day. Anxiety makes many children irritable and demanding, which of course irritates parents. But we need to remember that this reaction is not their fault.

"You can remedy this problem by making a realistic schedule and sticking to it. Academic work and household chores are best tackled in the morning, when minds are fresh and willingness is usually highest. Make sure that the homework is suited to your child’s skill level, or else she will feel frustrated, and it will undermine her confidence."

But don't forget that all-important down-time

While it might be tempting to keep working while the kids are paying attention, it's not the most useful thing for everyone. Alex said, "Breaks are just as important as study periods for resetting focus, keeping kids happy and grownups sane. Aim for a 15-minute ‘snack’ break mid-morning, and a good 45 minute to an hour lunch break in the afternoon."

Maintaining some rules from school can also be helpful for kids to create a separation between work-time and relaxing time. "Just like in school, phones will only be a distraction so try to get your children to put them to one side when going through schoolwork, and TV’s should remain off throughout the day," the team at Tutor House said.

Remember to keep socialising as best you can

We might not be able to send our kids to school where all their friends are, or head out on weekend play-dates, so it's important to keep socialising where you can. Dr Leo explained, "When children are in classrooms, they benefit from social development and interaction. They may not have this benefit at home.

"So it’s important that you consistently interact with them, give them regular breaks and an hour lunch, and talk to them about what they are learning at the end of the day. During a time of self isolating, seeing friends isn’t an option, but online calls will help to break up the day, tackle boredom and will keep them on track."

Online celebrity classes are available now from the likes of Jamie Oliver and David Attenborough to Carole Voderman. They’re sharing their skills online in a whole new way, keeping kids engaged at home.

These are just some of the celebrity kids classes available online.

As the UK is adjusting to lockdown, it’s starting to feel like working from home and homeschooling is the new normal. But while many schools are putting resources online and some teachers are even live-streaming lessons from their living rooms, the changed environment won’t necessarily been inspiring for lots of children.

However, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announced over the weekend that there is no planned date for schools to go back, meaning this for now really will be the new normal. Luckily many celebrities have stepped up to help educate the nation's children in fun and lighthearted ways, freeing up some of the pressure on teachers.

So why not keep their brains engaged with a whole timetable of classes from their (and your) favourite celebrities?

With enough things to do every day, you’ll just need to set them up and then you can get on with your own work – knowing they’re in the capable hands of celebrated children’s writers, fitness enthusiasts and maths wizzes.

Here is your timetable of all the celebrity kids classes going on

Anytime: Geography with David Attenborough

The legendary wildlife presenter, David Attenborough has joined a whole host of other celebrities in the class programme offered by BBC Bitesize Daily. He'll be teaching us all about our world and the animals who live in it, to encourage children to look not just into the wider world around them, but closer to home too.

The programme also features the likes of Danny Dyer teaching kids all about Henry VIII, and footballer Sergio Agüero helping children learn how to count in Spanish. The classes are 20 minutes each, starting with those suitable for 5-11 year olds at 9am and then 11-15 year olds at 10am.

9am: P.E with Joe Wicks

Get a rush of feel-good endorphins to start the day with these viral exercise classes from “The Body Coach”, Joe Wicks. Live every day from his YouTube channel, both parents and children have been absolutely loving the fitness enthusiast’s HIIT-inspired workouts for children.

10am: Music with Myleene Klass

Straight out of their gym kit and into the music room (or living room, as others like to call it) for a music lesson with world-class pianist and singer, Myleene Klass.

Every day on Twitter and at 10am on her YouTube channel, Myleene is leading a music lesson to teach children how to be noisy in the most useful way possible. Her first lesson taught kids across the UK about dynamics, learning Italian and “playing kitchen instruments like a boss”.

11am: English with David Walliams

The Britain’s Got Talent Judge and noted children’s author, David Walliams is hosting a reading session of his stories every day for little book worms.

Head over to “Elevenses” with the World of David Walliams for a new story every day at 11am.

1pm: Maths with Carole Vorderman

Countdown’s Carole Vorderman has long been involved in teaching kids maths with her site, The Maths Factor. Normally membership to the side costs a couple of pounds a month, but for the whole coronavirus outbreak you can join for free!

Suitable for kids aged 4-11, The Maths Factor even follows the national curriculum so you won’t have to worry about kids missing out on vital maths lessons while they’re off school.

You can access the site at any time for full maths-lessons led by Carole herself.

5.30pm: Home Economics with Jamie Oliver

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElrdzncX1Rg

The renowned television chef, Jamie Oliver is keeping kids cooking with fantastic home economics lessons every day, Monday to Friday – taught from his very own 5-star kitchen.

This is one of the celebrity kids classes for parents to get involved with, as you’ll have to supervise the cutting and chopping. But with other videos also on his channel to inspire adults to come up with new cooking ideas, it's one you'll be tuning into anyway!

Head over to Jamie’s YouTube channel for the first Kitchen Buddies class, on how to make pancakes.

There are LOADS of resources out there to keep kids busy during this chaotic time, so you can get on around the house and only have to check-in to make sure they’re still listening! But we reckon you’ll want to get involved too, with these great sessions from celebrities.

There’s no doubt family time is precious, but most parents will also admit they enjoy the break when their little cherubs are at school.

With most of the world in lockdown, it means a lot less me-time from 8am-4pm and much more mummy-mummy-mummy-time!

Still, through the mayhem and madness, lots of mum and dads have taken to Twitter to share the highs, lows, and utter absurdity of having your kids in tow 24/7…

Expectant mum-of-21, Sue Radford, took to Instagram to share a glimpse of life without school

To many parents, homeschooling their children can seem like a mammoth task - especially when you’re brand new to it. But with lockdown closing schools, it seems a lot of us have no choice but to brush up on our Maths knowledge for the sake of our little ones. For mum-of-21, Sue Radford, it’s an even bigger challenge.

Currently expecting her 22nd child, Sue, 44, is mum to Britain’s biggest family and has been hit hard by the closure of schools.

Sue, from Morecambe, Lancs, took to Instagram to show the sheer organisation involved in setting up a home-working station for her nine youngest kids.

James, 16, Ellie, 14, Aimee, 13, Josh, 12, Max, 11, Tillie, nine, Oscar, eight, Casper, seven, and Hallie, four, have been trying to get used to distance learning from the family home. Busy mum Sue, who is now 35-weeks pregnant, posted a snap to her Instagram account of her youngest children hard at work.

“Day one of homeschooling there probably won’t be a day two,” she jokingly captioned the shot.

The picture shows her nine youngest kids squeezed around a dining table, littered with piles of books, pens, papers and laptops.

Fellow parents were quick to rack up comments on her workload, offering their sympathies as they take on the homeschooling challenge, too.

“I thought I had it bad with 3!!! Good luck!!!!!” one parent commented.

Another added, “Wow! Take my hat off to you ! I have 4 and it’s something.”

One stressed-out parent added, "I've got six to do and it's killing me' - followed by crying emojis. The Radfords have often stated they do not claim any benefits, apart from Child Benefit, and rely on dad Noel’s, 49, bakery business to make ends meet.

To add to the hevaing mix, Sue and Noel also have three grandchildren and their 18-year-old daugther, Millie, is also expecting a baby.

By now all of us that can work from home are doing so. Alongside children off school and other family members in the house, it can be quite a stressful time and that’s a mood that young ones can easily pick up on. That’s where Cosmic Kids yoga comes in...

Although they might not know exactly what’s going on, they’re sure to have picked up on some of the changes going on in their lives even if they’re quite young. Their usual routine of getting up, dressed and going to school has been disrupted and instead, they’re being forced to entertain themselves more than ever while busy parents are still working.

So it’s important now more than ever, that they (and you) are finding the time to de-stress, relax and learn how to think positively.

That’s where Cosmic Kids yoga comes in! By getting children up, moving and engaging in productive activities, we can be sure that they’re staying calm and that their minds continue to whir, getting on with home-school work - while not bothering you too much!

Download the app to your phone or tablet here and start your free two-week trial today.

Here’s how Cosmic Kids can help your children de-stress, relax and think positively…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT-s1-phgxs

What is Cosmic Kids yoga?

Through entertaining yoga practices and dynamic movement, Cosmic Kids engages young minds by keeping their bodies active, even while inside. Using a combination of colourful, larger than life characters and positive affirmations, the activities and sessions also teach children some of life's important lessons - like embracing change and looking on the positive side, all from the comfort of their own living room.

This includes...

Cosmic Kids Yoga

From the highest mountains right down to under the sea, instructor Jamie takes children on a fun-filled journey in each 15-minute episode. All of which are available in the app, which you can download straight to your phone and then, if you have a Smart TV, stream to your television.

And completely for free (just type in ‘0’ in the donation box) you can also download the full 8 page menu worth of sessions, so you can navigate your way through the exercises and your children can choose which world they want to live in today.

Download here

Fun sheets

Originally created for an offline accompaniment to the online sessions, these fun sheets are packed with crafty ideas to encourage mindfulness at home.

Explanations of daily yoga poses for you and you little one to try out are included, plus activities to give them a chance to step back and consider the world around them.

These are also normally paid-for, but given recent events and the UK going into lockdown, Cosmic Kids Yoga has made them available for free. Donate if you can, otherwise use the link below to get your free fun sheets.

Download here

Guided Mediation Scripts

We all know that children are comforted most by their parents and carers, so why not try some guided mediation with them? It sounds like the last thing that hyper kids will want to do after being stuck inside the house all day, but these tried and tested scripts are determined to set even the most lively of children off into a calm state.

Each script has an introduction explaining the purpose of the mediation to you, as well as guidance on how long the session will take, plus tips on the best kind of home environment to set the mediation up in. With breathing exercises and visualisations, you can help your child to build confidence while they’re away from their normal day-to-day routine.

Download here

Fill your children's days with these fun activities, while promoting exercise and mindfulness at home.

Is Cosmic Kids Yoga free?

Currently, many of the online sessions such as those on Youtube, as well as the fun sheets and guided meditation scripts are totally free! Whereas they would normally be paid for, during the stressful times that we now find ourselves in, Jaime and Martin at Cosmic Kids have decided to release much of their material without any cost. But if you are able to, they suggest a donation towards keeping the services running.

In the donation box for each of the packages you can download above, under "Name a Fair Price" on the right hand side of the page, you can just type in "0". Click "I want this" and you'll be taken to an email page to download the files.

What are the benefits of Cosmic Kids Yoga?

In a survey taken by over 400 teachers who use Cosmic Kids Yoga in their teaching, almost 100 per cent of them said that the yoga sessions had a positive effect on the children who participated at least once a week.

They also said they saw other benefits, including:

• Changes in strength and balance in the children
• Improved behaviour
• Positive changes in students' empathy and awareness
• An improvement in children's ability to focus
• Overall enjoyment in participating in the sessions

Their colourful, dynamic and entertaining in-app sessions have been proven to not only develop children’s physical health but also to help to improve children’s general mental welling. So, taking part in mindfulness activities are sure to keep your children happy, relaxed and thinking positively about any changes to their daily routine at this time.

Keep Calm and Yoga On!

With many schools across the UK closing due to coronavirus, parents have been homeschooling their children so they don't fall behind with education.

But homeschooling is tough when you're not used to it, and parents across the UK are finding it hard to balance everything.

What do you do when you need to work, do chores and homeschool your children? One genius mum has the perfect solution.

Vicki Watmough shared her homeschooling plan to Facebook, which incorporates chores with lessons.

The schedule reads, '9am, home economics - how to make me coffee

10am, mechanical engineering, how to assemble and operate a Shark hoover

11am, PE, run outside putting recycle and rubbish out

1pm, chemistry - how to bleach the loo

2pm, geography, lesson in were floor items that they tossed there belong! Tidy up and put away ready for use another day!

3pm, science, how fairy liquid removes grease from pans

5pm, afterschool club, go to your room on your iPad and be quiet'

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10216753847146314&set=a.2011270489184&type=3&theater

Parents everywhere love the hilarious plan, and Vicki's post has gone viral racking up 23k shares and 1.6k comments.

READ MORE: Amazon sells nearly 800% more of this must-have as parents move to home-school kids

Many people have tagged their friends to let them know about the plan too, with one writing, ‘There you go home school plan for the week’.

Another amused parent wrote, 'I’ve found the perfect plan for the boys!’

READ MORE: Joe Wicks kids workout: Where and how to watch The Body Coach’s PE sessions for children

And a third joked, 'Most kids will be so glad to get back to school they’ll run all the way there.'

But if you are struggling to establish a routine during self-isolation or self-distancing, there's plenty of good ideas out there to help keep both you and your children entertained.

We put together a guide on how to keep your kids entertained at home if you’re self-isolating or self-distancing which might come in useful.

Or if you're at a complete loss when it comes to homeschooling (we understand!), here are the best FREE educational resources online and tips for homeschooling.

What do you think of this hilarious homeschooling plan?

Let us know your thoughts on Facebook!

One of the most difficult parts of social distancing or self-isolation is keeping yourself, or your energetic little ones, entertained.

Luckily, audiobook site Audible have made hundreds of their kids books available online or via the app, totally free! The selection includes literary classics that they might find harder to read than listen to, like Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Other more educational titles, like E.H Gombrich’s Little History of the World are also available.

With no need to create an account or login, why not try them?

These are our favourite audio books to keep little brains whirring away…

The best free audio books for kids of all ages

1. Story Party: The Complete Collection

One of the best parts of audible.com is how they separate their books into sections. This one comes from the Littlest Listeners selection.

Children will feel like they’re right back at playgroup with this wonderful selection of stories, told by performers from around the country. With over eight hours of delightful storytelling, it’s perfect to put on and let their imaginations run wild with tales to entertain, educate and inspire young minds.

Ages: 4-10 years

Rating: 4.5 stars

Listen here

2. Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star: Bedtime Songs and Lullabies

This adorable collection of lullabies might be just what you need to get a wailing baby to sleep. With classics like “Hush Little Baby” and “Ba Baa Black Sheep” on the list, you won’t have to stretch your vocal cords too much. Fans of this audio book describe the songs as beautiful and sought after by children at bedtime. And another great thing, it’s free to download!

Ages: 2 – 6 years

Rating: 3.5 stars

Listen here

3. The Wind in the Willows

3. The Wind in the Willows

A tranquil, timeless tale of Britain by the waterside. Loved by generations, it's one of those classics that every child should know - whether they read it, or listen to it. It's the story of Mole, Ratty, Badger and Toad's escapades around the riverbanks, messing about and driving off in Toad's shiny car.

It's a charming story that any child will love, told by many of the original cast from Alan Bennett's National Theatre production.

Ages: 6 - 11 years

Rating: 4.5 stars

Listen here

4. The First Music

4. The First Music

A wholesome tale of jungle animals, coming together to make music. Getting little ones into music is real risk, with the potential of them asking for a drum kit for Christmas. But in the meantime listening to these delightful sounds will teach your child about animal noises from the wild. Used by music teachers and enthusiasts alike, it's a great way introduction into the world of music.

Ages: 4-9 years

Rating: 5 stars

Listen here

5. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

This is a children's classic that everyone thinks they know. But with narration by Bill Nighy, this is The Wonderful Wizard of Oz like you've never heard it before! With tales of flying monkeys, cowardly lions and yellow brick roads leading to a magical kingdom, it's one way to transport your child (and you!) into a whole new world.

Ages: 6 - 10 years

Rating: 4.5 stars

Listen here

6. When Turtle Grew Feathers

In this adaption of Aesop’s Tale, The Tortise and the Hare, narrator Tim Tingle expands the plot line of the iconic story and includes a whole new cast of characters.

Alongside a wild turkey, a colony of ants and a cheering squad of little turtles, Turtle helps beat the boastful hare in the race.

Ages: 6+

Rating: 5 stars

Listen here

7. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_PWFs6tMpM Golden Globe winner Scarlett Johansson narrates this audiobook of the classic tale, Alice in Wonderland. One of the highest-rated books on the site, one listener describes it as “a veritable one-woman play in which Ms. Johansson acts out all characters singlehandedly and nearly flawlessly.”

Sounds like a winner to us.

Ages: 5+

Rating: 4.5 stars

Listen here

8. The Jungle Book

The story of a human boy raised by jungle animals has been a tale that's delighted every person who's read it for years and years. It's a story all about adventure, friendship and excitement as the characters fend off unfriendly snakes and tigers, dance through the jungle with elephants and escape from dangerous hunters.

With this double part collection, you can bring the magic of the jungle into your home.

Age: 7 - 11 years

Rating: 4.5 stars

Listen here

9. Timeless Tales of Beatrix Potter: Peter Rabbit and Friends

Narrated by the excitable Katherine Kellgren, this wonderful story is has been loved for generations. Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit has also been made into films, television shows and now…an audiobook.

Listen with your little one to 21 tales of Peter Rabbit and his clothed furry friends in this wonderful compilation.

Ages: 5+

Rating: 4.5 stars

Listen here

10. The Mystwick School of Musicraft

Young musician Amelia Jones has always dreamed of attending the Mystwick School of Musicraft, where the world’ most promising musicians learn to create both magic and music. But after a shaky audition, Amelia’s dreams are put on hold – until the school agrees to give her a second chance.

In a tale of inspiring commitment, Amelia vows to do everything she can to reach her goals. Equal parts magical and mystical, this series is over eight hours long and perfect for those who might not be quite old enough for Harry Potter.

Ages: 8+

Rating: 4.5 stars

Listen here

11. Only Emma

Eight-year-old Emma is used to being the only child in the house, with all her Mum’s attention. But that soon changes when Anthony moves in. He’s 4 years old, loud and touches all her stuff. Any older sister can relate to that!

But as time goes on, Emma realises that having a little brother might not be as bad as she first thought. An uplifting story about family and getting along – what could be better when you’re all stuck in the house all together?

Ages: 7 – 11

Rating: 5 stars

Listen here

12. Little History of the World

For inquisitive minds forced to stay at home, this audio book might be the perfect cure for boredom. In 40 chapters lasting for almost ten hours, narrator E.H Gombich tells the story of world history from the Stone Age to the atomic bomb and beyond.

It creates a colourful picture of history and everything that has come before us, as well as introducing ideas about art and science to young ones.

Ages: 9+

Rating: 4.5 stars

Listen here

Get all these free books for kids and plenty more online at audible. Happy listening!

Encouraging your child to care about schoolwork, homework, or exams is a fight hard fought, and (if we're being honest) one that all parents unite in.

And, while it’s frustrating, no amount of empty parent threats will work (you know the kind; no internet, you’re grounded, no devices etc) but if you can identify HOW your child or teen learns and work with them on that level, then you're winning half the battle, especially if you're attempting to home school for the first time.

We speak to the experts at MyTutor to reveal the different learning styles and how to get the best from them.

1. The logical learner

If your child has a natural aptitude for maths, harbours a secret love of science, and has always excelled in the architectural delights of Lego, then everything makes sense if it’s in a logical order.

If you find your kid uttering phrases like, ‘lets make a list’, ‘we can work this out’ or ‘there’s no logic’ then they may be a logical learner.

For these sorts of learners, they like to understand the reasons behind the content and skill, they like categorising and sequencing different pools of information can help them break things down into systems they can remember.

2. The social learner

If your child is always the last one to leave school or social gathering because they’ve hung back chatting, or if they love taking part in team sports then they could be a social learner.

Some kids can go into themselves when they struggle with a problem, but social learners do the opposite, they’re vocal and love to discuss what they’re learning.

These discussions could be with peers or adults. They learn best by chatting it all through, whether in the classroom, small ‘study groups’ after school or in a pair with a friend.

If they find topics tricky or needs some extra help, one-to-one tutoring can be perfect for social learners as it give them the undivided attention they crave for open discussion.

3. The visual learner

If your son or daughter is great with a map and has an amazing sense of direction, as well as a love (and skill) of doodling then they may be a natural visual learner.

Visual learners understand things best simply by looking, if they can translate information into diagrams, illustrations or mind maps then it can help them remember what can seem like the trickiest topics.

That could mean drawing quick illustrations next to words when language learning, or creating a visual timeline to remember historical dates and events.

4. The verbal learner

Reading aloud and writing is a passion with these types of learners, as well as a natural fascination with languages. If you see these characteristics in your teen then they may be a verbal learner.

This means that when it comes to tests and revision, they can memorise things by using rhymes, acronyms, and other word games to remember numbers, sums, languages, dates and anything else they need to learn.

Read more: Tips on how to deal with exam stress

5. The physical (or kinaesthetic) learner

These guys can not sit still. If your teen can’t make it through a film without fidgeting moving or just blatantly losing interest and walking away, then they may be a physical learner.

These learners remember things best when their bodies are engaged – not just their minds. Sitting still can be particularly hard for physical learners, and often they’ll have a sporty side too.

For optimised learning weave in activities such as practical experiments for subjects like Biology and Chemistry, great for knowledge to really sink in.

When it comes to written subjects such as English, History, Politics or languages, highlighting, note-taking and making flashcards can help them engage better and remember.

6. The solitary learner

If your teen keeps a diary, prefers to spend time alone has a strong sense of self and are highly dependent they may be a solitary learners.

Solitary learners study best on their own where they have the space to fully focus and think deeply about what they’re learning.

If this sounds like your teen, it’s extra helpful for them to have a desk in a quiet corner of their house where they can knuckle down.

The school library or public library a really useful place for them can also be if they want to get out of the house.
READ MORE: The best FREE educational resources online and tips for homeschooling

7. The auditory learner

Auditor learners like to talk about what to do, about the pros and cons of a situation. They enjoy listening but cannot wait to get a chance to talk, they like to hear themselves and others talk.

They tend to remember names but forget faces and are easily distracted by sounds.

This learning style lends itself well to classroom learning, as well as audiobooks and podcasts in their own time.

They could try recording lists of quotations for English Lit and vocabulary for French and Spanish before listening back to soak in the knowledge.

Homeschooling has become increasingly popular in recent years. And in order to keep things as productive and helpful as possible, many are turning to the brilliant resources available online and through our phone.

While there are plenty of educational websites, there are also many free educational apps, if you want to switch your focus a little bit. Working on a phone may provide your children with a bit of a chance of pace, and could even allow them to engage with the material in a different way.

Plus, there are so many brilliant educational apps out there that it makes sense to take advantage of them during this complicated time.

Free educational apps for homeschooling

BBC Bitesize

The BBC Bitesize website is one of the most popular tools for at-home learning, and their app is a great tool as well.

The app has material for all school years and all ages, and the information is all tailored towards the National Curriculum. Interactive quiz's make learning fun and a bit different, and videos will help to engage visual learners too, as well as adding a bit of fun into the homeschooling day.

Cost? It's an entirely free app, so no need to worry about any extra charges.

Star rating: 3.5/5

Get it here

Duolingo

The language learning brand also has a highly-rated app, which isn't just tailored towards adult learners - you can also delve into lessons specifically targeted for school children too.

Whether your little ones were learning a language in school or not, it could be the perfect time to give it a try, if you're attempting to supplement their school learning or not.

The app has fun, bite-sized lessons to help test knowledge, making it easily digestible, and also allows you to listen and learn too.

Cost? Free, but with in-app purchases

Star rating: 4.7/5

Get it here

Khan Academy

This is normally a resource for teachers, but now that more and more parents are homeschooling, it could be a great one for us at home to use.

It's got a huge range of educational resources, with thousands of exercises, videos and articles for your kids to devour. Quizzes with instant feedback and hints can also be hugely beneficial for children, and when you log off at the end of the day, it's easy to pick back up where you left off.

On this app, you can also make use of the daily schedules they offer, to add a bit of structure to your homeschooling day.

There's also a Khan Academy Kids for real little ones, with fun educational games instead.

Cost? Free

Star rating: 4/5

Get it here

Quizlet

The app version of the Quizlet website offers a great way for children to study, revise and practise all the subjects they'd ordinarily be learning about at school.

With this app, they can learn with flashcards, but their memory to the test, and also keep in touch with classmates who are also using the app, by sharing flashcards amongst each other.

While there is standardised test prep on the app, there's also different ways to keep learning about science, maths, and history, as well as less typical school subjects, like coding.

Cost? Free, but with in-app purchases

Star rating: 4.8/5

Get it here

Homer reading

If your kids are still learning to read, this free app can help them do so in a fun way.

It includes lessons on phonics, sight words, ABCs and more, and is catered for children between the ages of 2 and 8.

The app engages kids by tapping in to their interests, with fun cartoon characters there to help them learn.

Cost? Free with in-app purchases

Star rating: 4.5/5

Get it here

Apps that aren't free - but are well worth the small one-off cost:

Hit the Button Maths

Aimed at 5-11 year olds, this is a fun way of getting in a maths lesson if you are homeschooling.

There are a series of games on there to complete, which are actually maths tests, with questions on everything from times tables, doubling, halving, division and square numbers.

And even better, you can play without the pressure of a countdown timer if you want to reduce stress for your kids even further. Bronze, silver or gold stars and trophies are also awarded, to help with motivation.

Cost? A one-off payment of £2.99

Star rating: 4.1/5

Get it here

Forest

This isn't technically an educational app, but can help immensely with productivty and focus if your kids are struggling to concentrate.

It works by having the user plant a seed in a forest. As time goes by, the seed will grow into a tree. However, if the user gets distracted and picks up their phone, the forest will begin to wither and die. There's also an incentive to plant some real-life trees, to help save the planet too!

Cost? £1.99, plus some in-app purchases if you wish.

Star rating: 4.8/5

Get it here

Joe, 34, who is dad to daughter Indie, aged one, and son Marley, three-months, juggles parenthood with his fitness empire and it's clearly paying off as doing work outs from his living room has enabled him to spend time with his own family and also help out other families across the globe who might be struggling to keep active with the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.

Joe kick-started his first week-day PE workout and after the 30 minute session he was blown away by it's success.

"That's it we've just completed day number one of PE with Joe, I've been blown away, I can not believe the numbers there was 806k households - individual computers, or TVs or laptops - streaming that so you so you can only imaging how many millions of people just took part in that.

"And obviously the views that are going to come afterwards, it's blown me away. Thank you for sharing it, thank you for tuning in!'

That got 806k viewers 51 years of total watch time - how ridiculous is that."

And celebrities who have been forced to home school their youngsters had also joined in.

Stacey Solomon had her kids Zach, 12, and Leighton, seven, joined in and partner Joe Swash couldn't resist. Meanwhile Coleen Rooney got her kids involved.

After the session Joe promised, "Although this is a weird time we're in, we're going to get through it."

What did parents think of Joe Wicks PE work out?

And fans were very grateful, one wrote, 'Not just for kids - mummy burnt 280kcals. No need for additional HIIT today! Amazing Joe, it's kicked our day off in the most positive way.' Another put, 'you should be very proud of this movement in the UK and the rest of the world! Thank you x' and a third wrote, '100% what we all needed this Monday morning...30 mins break from this crazy world...with laughter and massive smiles off my anxious kids... thanks Joe x'

Among the funny phrases that got kids smiling was "Don't drop your Joey!" when doing a kangaroo style jump.

He captioned his clip with a reminder that the sessions are running all week, "Unbelievable Thank you so much. Just completed day one of #pewithjoe and we had 806k households tuned in ❤️ See you tomorrow at the same time: 9am Monday - Friday."

When huge global health crises hit the headlines, it's only normal to experience anxiety.

But if your child is questioning the coronavirus news, especially since it's been announced schools will close from Friday, it's easy to imagine how scary it might be for them. Hearing about scary, seemingly unending world events can be overwhelming for our kids, particularly if they aren't able to fully comprehend what it means.

It's always best to be honest with your little ones. Especially as worries over the virus seem to continually be growing and their day-to-day lives might be affected. So here's what you need to know about schools closing, plus how to speak to kids about the current outbreak and how to maintain hygiene - in the most helpful way possible.

School closures: what you need to know

Schools, colleges and nurseries in England are to join those in the rest of the UK in closing on Friday “until further notice” to try to curb the spread of coronavirus, the government has announced.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson told the Commons, as reported by the Telegraph, “The spike of the virus is happening at a faster pace than anticipated, and it is right to consider the right measures to arrest this increase and to relieve this pressure on the health system.

“I want to provide parents, students and staff with the certainty they need … After schools shut their gates on Friday afternoon they will remain closed until further notice. This will be for all children except to those of key workers and children who are most vulnerable.”

When will schools close?

As of Monday 23rd March, schools will be closed until further notice.

Will exams still go ahead?

GCSE and A-Level exams will now not take place in May and June, but pupils will still get qualifications, which some have speculated may be a result of their predicted grades. However, Boris Johnson has not yet given details on whether this will be the case or not.

MORE: Things to do with kids: 44 cheap activities to keep children entertained

Am I expected to homeschool my child?

There aren't specific government guidelines on homeschooling your child, but there are plenty of handy websites and free educational resources online to help you keep little ones learning. You can see our list of the the best free educational resources online and tips for homeschooling here.

How to teach children the importance of hygiene in the midst of the coronavirus

The main advice for minimising the risk of coronavirus infection, for children and adults, is similar to that of any other virus. Dr Daniel Atkinson, GP Clinical Lead at Treated.com, explained that schools can be a breeding ground for illnesses - even without the coronavirus. "Illnesses and viruses spread easily in schools, so teaching children the importance of hygiene is important.

Showing children how to adequately wash their hands for at least 20 seconds is key, and repeating this so it sticks in the child’s mind," he said. "Keeping this habit when away from the home will help children to protect themselves from illness like coronavirus, when parents cannot be with them."

WHO has advised that washing your hands frequently, using soap and water, is an important way to stop the spread. It's an important lesson to teach your children - in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak and beyond - that handwashing after playing outside, before eating, or after they've coughed or sneezed is a good habit to maintain.

Dr Atkinson told GoodtoKnow, "Giving your child hand sanitiser gel can help to protect them too. But it’s worth bearing in mind that they shouldn’t rub their eyes immediately after applying sanitiser nor use it for anything else except hand-sanitising. For example, ingesting hand sanitiser can be extremely harmful."

The organisation has also suggested maintaining a distance from people who are coughing and sneezing, and although it's important your children know not to isolate anyone, it's good general hygiene practise.

Perhaps let your child know that it's okay to turn their head away when someone may be coughing or sneezing - especially if it's another child, who might not know to cover their mouth while they do so.

MORE: Hand washing video: are you washing your hands properly

It's also an idea to try and encourage your kids to not touch their eyes, nose and mouth too much, Dr Jonas warns - as the virus can be spread via the hands from infected surfaces.

How to speak to your children about coronavirus - without scaring them

Dr Atkinson has reassured parents that while the news might seem terrifying, it's important to remember yourself, and remind your children, that it might not be as dramatic as it may sound.

But when it comes to explaining the subject to children, it's important to not pretend it isn't happening, given how big the story has become worldwide.

He said, "While the virus spreading rapidly is unsettling, parents should remember that the vast majority of those who have been tested for Coronavirus in the UK have been confirmed to be negative, and of those that have tested positive, most have now fully recovered."

If your little ones begin to mention the coronavirus, or any worrying illness, Relate counsellor Dee Holmes says it's important to ask them how they're feeling. She recommended, "Ask them what they’ve heard about it and what specifically is making them worried."

And while it may be tempting to pretend that everything is totally fine, and that these kinds of things don't even exist, it might be better to share the reality with them - in a gentle way. "Avoid telling them that they’re being silly for worrying," Dee said. "You may think that acknowledging their fears will add fuel to the fire but showing empathy is a really important way of supporting your children."

Equally, explaining to them that the coronavirus might not be a terrifying as it seems is important. If your kids are school-age, they may well have heard all sorts of myths or exaggerations from their friends or school mates.

"You may think that acknowledging their fears will add fuel to the fire but showing empathy is a really important way of supporting your children."

Dee told GoodtoKnow, "Once you’ve acknowledged how your child is feeling, let them know the facts about the disease and dispel any myths they may have picked up. For older children you may want to look up the facts together to reassure them."

However, Dee suggested - "Keep things age appropriate. A six-year-old may not grasp the statistics around coronavirus, whereas a teenager may find these useful."

Symptoms of coronavirus to look out for

According to the World Health Organisation, the main signs of the coronavirus include:

• a high temperature
• a cough
• shortness of breath
• general difficulty breathing

Dr Daniel Atkinson urged, "Parents should familiarise themselves with the symptoms of coronavirus, as some of them are similar to the flu."

In severe cases, infection from the coronavirus can lead to pneumonia, kidney failure, and severe acute respiratory syndrome.

Normally, older people or those who have pre-existing medical conditions can be at greater risk of suffering complications as a result of the virus. WHO says, "[they] appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill."