Today I am taking over the resource round up.
![Sarah Wood](https://blogs.city.ac.uk/wideningparticipation/files/2020/07/C92A3A6E-B7A2-4759-8E68-AD6E4AD2D976-241x300.jpeg)
As well as working at City, I am the mother of two girls aged 6 and 8.
![Kids in face paint](https://blogs.city.ac.uk/wideningparticipation/files/2020/07/DF7CCEE0-8BC4-4277-B840-A4D7150A2511_1_105_c-300x300.jpeg)
Like many I have struggled my way through lockdown whilst trying to provide my children with some form of education. It has been difficult, oh so difficult, but what I realise now is the focus on (attempt at?) “home schooling” provided some form of structure and purpose to our days. Now we face six weeks of summer! A week in and I am struggling to keep the kids busy and my stress levels are rising. So I have scoured the web to find things to help, below I share some of what I plan to do with my young family over the next 6 weeks.
Top Pick 1 – Online: Virtual Summer Camps and Activities
Barracuda’s are running daily sessions online, with different themes, challenges and activities.
Maddie Moats YouTube channel is a firm favourite of ours, it is fantastic at keeping my kids entertained whilst learning and is full of good ideas for activities you can do at home.
Top Pick 2 – Low Tech: Treasure Hunts
![Treasure hunt map](https://blogs.city.ac.uk/wideningparticipation/files/2020/07/5F4E690A-4B49-41EA-B0D7-DDCC841E3152-300x225.jpeg)
If you need to get outside but want to do more than just run the children around the block or take them to the park, why not put together a treasure hunt. This is an all-time favourite of mine and the kids. You can find loads online and if you don’t have a printer just draw it out yourself. Or even ask the kids to design their own! It could include a feather, a big stick, a snail, a round stone, a flower, something interesting, something blue, words, letters, numbers or something they love – the ideas are endless. The kids enjoy ticking off each item as they find it and you can take a picture of each find.
Top Pick 3 – Books: Read Or Be Read To
![Stacks of books](https://blogs.city.ac.uk/wideningparticipation/files/2020/07/image-200x300.png)
As an alternative to TV (and my kids watch a lot of TV when I am working!) I have managed to find a number of ways for my children to access stories during lockdown, from audio books to podcasts there is so much free online.
- KidsRead2Kids Kids reading abridged classics
- Audible has a wide range of free audio books, poems and stories for children and young people, including Harry Potter,In Praise of Difficult Women and Say Her Name.
- The Book Trust has lots of story books and games for younger kids
- Common Sense Media has a list of 25 podcasts for kids
Also, why not see what your local library is doing. Mine has now opened for pre-reserved books, others are making content available online and being really creative about how they support young people reading during the summer!