Me, Myself & Isolation ■

1. It's Spring Cleaning Time■

Yes, that's right - nothing gets that adrenaline pumping as much as some good ol' classic dusting and vacuuming. Turn it into a game: give the kids a feather duster and see how many cobwebs they can reach. Preferably to the tune of ♪A Spoonful of Sugar♪

It's also a good time to sort out unwanted toys - ask your kids to make separate piles of which toys they'd like to keep and which to give to other less fortunate children.

2. Zoom Zoom Zoom...We're Going To The Moon■

We're not talking about the popular (if mildly irritating) song from a few years ago. Arrange with other parents to set up Zoom calls with your children's classmates - it'll give them a huge boost to see their friends, not to mention some familiarity and structure.

Watch the video for more info (sorry about the American accent, it was the only decent one we could find).

3. Family Lockdown Tips & Ideas■

This nifty Facebook group has over 1 million members and was created by two busy working parents (one a teacher) with two children under 6. So basically, they've got you covered. 

There are two set times for posting each day: 8am-12 noon and 4pm-10pm (BST). Well worth checking out. 

Join the group HERE

4. Disney Virtual Rides■

If Mohammed won't go to the mountain...

Thanks to the wonders of modern technology (i.e. a few cameras people have blatantly smuggled in), you too can experience a selection of heart-stopping, thrill-seeking rides at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Paris, right from the comfort of your living room. No queuing times. No standing in the pouring rain. No throwing up. No entrance fee. Just pure unadulterated fun for you and your kids. It's just like being there. Virtually. 

We've included a couple of videos below - The Mirror has selected 9 HERE

5. Pesach Prep■

Yup. We said the P word. Want to teach your kids about Pesach but don't know where to start? Fortunately there's no need to panic as there's plenty of educational material and fun activities online to keep them busy. Here's a list of a few of them:

https://www.activityvillage.co.uk/passover
http://www.chinuch.org/topic/1/Arts-And-CraftsProjectslzkq
https://better.net/chicago/life/weddings-celebrations/12-creative-ideas-for-a-kid-friendly-passover-seder/
https://www.jewishboston.com/downloadable-passover-activity-pages-for-kids/
https://funfamilycrafts.com/passover-crafts/

And check out this brilliant video about finding the Afikomen by the lovable muppets at Shalom Sesame!

6. Spot Those Rainbows■

You're currently allowed to leave your home once a day for exercise. So even people who have never done so much as a star jump in their lives will be eager to use this as an excuse to get some fresh air.

Recently, children have been drawing rainbow pictures and sticking them to their windows to help cheer others up and raise a smile as they spend more time inside. If your kids have bikes or scooters, this would be a great time to take them out and try to spot as many rainbow drawings as they can, even if it's just for 10 minutes up and down your street or round the block.

Some other ideas from workingmums.co.uk to get those endorphins surging:

• Choose a song for a choreography challenge. Work together to create a funky dance and see if you can remember it all!
• The floor is lava. Even older children are obsessed with this game. Put cushions and tea towels on the floor to help you make your way around the room without touching the floor.
• Musical bumps or statues. The perfect opportunity to revive these favourite party games.
• Fun circuit training. Draw pictures of different activities and place them around the room – or all over the house. The children need to visit each picture and  do the activity – e.g. hop on one leg 10 times, do 10 star jumps, 10 squats, 2 roly-polies etc. See how many circuits they can manage.
• Dodge ball or catch in the garden 

7. Boogie Beebies■

If you want your kids to burn off some energy, this is the way forward. CBeebies present a collection of fun, interactive dance routines that will (hopefully) encourage kids to get off the sofa and onto your newly created imaginary dancefloor. Time to invest in a disco ball and blue suede shoes. Or something like that.

8. Save Recycling■

As the saying goes, one person's trash is another person's treasure. So keep hold of those used toilet rolls, empty cereal packets, egg boxes, plastic bottles, milk cartons - basically, anything you'd usually throw away. 

With a bit of creative flair (scissors, glue, sticky tape), you can turn these into buildings, dinosaurs, heck, you could probably even recreate Tracy Island. Stick white sheets of paper to the surfaces and get the kids to draw and decorate them. That should keep them busy for at least as much time as it takes you to boil another half dozen eggs so you can reuse the box.

9. Origami Napkins■

Admittedly for slightly older kids, this adds a brilliant touch to your Shabbat table and is a great way to involve them in helping you get things ready. From Bishops Hats to Concertinas, there's something for even the most adverse folder. 

10. Especially For Toddlers■

Limited attention span? Temper tantrums? Over-tiredness? And that's just the parents. 

Here are a few suggestions of toddler-appropriate activities:

• Blow bubbles outside
• Jigsaw puzzles
• Fill up a small squeezy bottle with water and squirt it in the garden
• Play dressing up (either with your rarely-worn outfits or their fancy dresses)
• Hide and seek with objects
• Bowl indoors (using empty plastic bottles as pins)
• Play-Doh (with shape cutters)
• The phone is your friend. YouTube Kids. Netflix. iPlayer Kids. Coz let's be honest - we all need a break sometimes.