With half term approaching, many parents are feeling anxious about entertaining their kids whilst balancing work and other commitments. Whether you are a working parent or simply have enthusiastic kids, keeping them satisfied and stimulated can be a difficult task. With play dates and soft play centres out of the question due to the pandemic, we spoke to Richard Evans, founder of The Profs, who outlines 7 unique ways to keep your child occupied during the half term break.

 1) Scavenger hunt hikes

Incorporating a scavenger hunt into lockdown activities can help overcome boredom and provide hours of fun for children of all ages. Simply ask your child to research and make a list of items they would like to look for on a neighbourhood walk. Then cross them off during your adventure together. If your child is old enough and has siblings, you can set this as a bonding activity too.

2) Quarantine time capsule

Without a doubt, COVID-19 will go down in the history books. Whilst it may not be a time you want to look back on frequently, a time capsule will serve as an important reminder of the valuable moments you spent together as a family. Have your child locate items around the house that are unique to lockdown habits you’ve formed as a family and put them into a time capsule. Then in 10 years, you can open it together and reminisce.

3) Teach your child new recipes

If you are a working parent, you may find it difficult to slot out time to entertain your child during half term. But why not use time that has already been put aside? Whilst you’re cooking, get your child involved and try out a new recipe together. Not only will this improve upon both your skills, but it will teach your child new techniques such as problem solving, creativity, improvisation and adventurousness. Above all, cooking together means making memories together.

4) 30-day challenges

Throughout lockdown, 30-day challenges have consistently risen in popularity. Committing to something small for 30 days will give your child a sense of accomplishment post-lockdown, whilst also feeling like a manageable task. Whether it be for fitness, mental health or learning a new hobby, 30-day challenges are a great way to keep your child entertained during half term and beyond.

5) Mad Hatter’s tea party

Why not make your child’s lunch or snack time even more exciting by attaching a theme? The Mad Hatter’s tea party is the perfect way to get your child dressed up and excited about an event again. Mad Hatter tea parties have extravagant decorations and striking costumes, which you can ask your child to craft for the big day. This is the perfect way to have a sensible, family celebration and use the half term period to create precious memories.

6) Create a soundscape of your house

Your children might think they know every corner of their house, but do they really? Create a soundscape together by going on a journey around the home to find different sounds. Whether it be the microwave beeping or scraping a stick against a wall in the garden, each time they find a sound use your phone and record it. Click pause until you find the next one, then record again. When you both listen to it back, you will have a soundscape of all the noises around your house.

7) Organise a virtual field trip

Although we cannot physically travel and explore the world, we live in a digital age that makes it possible to still see the attractions. A virtual field trip is a fantastic way to teach your child about different countries and cultures. There are plenty of ways to do this including visiting the English Heritage website to explore England’s history or using  Google Street View to virtually visit another country. If you can’t visit a volcano, why not get creative and make one at home? Science Fun offers great at home science experiments for your children to learn.

This piece was brought to you by the experts at www.theprofs.co.uk