People in Ireland are in a period of isolation as the country tries to slow-down the spread of Covid-19.
This period also co-incides with the annual national holiday - St. Patrick's Day.
However, there are some ideas that people can try to keep the family entertained during this difficult time.
St.Patrick's Day Parade
Put art work up in front windows for St Patrick’s Day so families have something to look at when we go our on our walks (observing social distancing advice of course). It’s called a Reverse St Patrick’s Day Parade - we walk by the entertainment instead of the parade going by us.
Also, RTE have a virtual St. Patrick's Day Parade #rtevirtualparade where everyone can share their own party piece. St. Patrick's Day is not St. Patrick's Day without some baton twirling!
A Cork comic book artist has come up with a great way to get kids to be creative while schools are closed for two weeks. Will Sliney, who has worked for Marvel Comics for the last six years, has asked the kids of Ireland to take on an art challenge every day. He published the entries on his timelime.
Also, this week, Will is hoping to start a daily one-hour YouTube live art class for kids.
Hairy Baby T-Shirts will be picking some of their favourites to print on a t-shirt for the artist as a prize! So you could have your own drawing on a T-Shirt
Dance It Out Ireland - At Home
Dance it Out want to help keep children active, in routine and out of your hair for a while and, after the success of yesterday's free class are holding another free online LIVE dance class this Wednesday, March 18th at 12pm for ALL Primary School Children.
Playball will be live for 5 mins every day this week . Suitable for age 2-10 years plus!
- Monday 16th 10am: jumptastic animal ? fun!
- Tuesday 17th 9.30am: if possible a tennis ball, small ball, apple/orange & a saucepan
- Wednesday 18th 10am: big ball (football size) & a chair
- Thursday 19th 2pmL hoop & wooden spoon/ladle
- Friday 20th 10am: skipping rope if possible
- Saturday 21st 10am: hockey stick & ball!
It can't all be about the children, parents have to pay attention to their own mental and physical health too. Toned Fit in Howth are helping with a daily workout at noon on Instagram live that will help keep everyone's training and spirits up.
A little exercise every day can make a big difference! Gráinne Bleasdale and Micheál Ó Ciaraidh recently got active while having fun for 10 minutes on RTÉjr over three weeks. They recorded all the activities (in Irish and English) so you can start them now. With exercises that can be done inside so it doesn’t matter what the weather’s like outside.
Every day at 2.15pm RTE Junior also have a Creative Quarter (quarter past? ) with drawing prompts on Facebook. On Monday, they wanted to see what your child thinks they’d find at the end of the rainbow?
The 30-day Creativity Challenge
Creativity is the essential 21st century skill. Creative Sprint makes it easy and fun. It provides a simple structure that requires no special skills, materials or preparations. Sign up and receive a daily 5 minute challenge, like find an anagram of your name. Not easy if your name is Bob!
Join the Craft Cabin in Cavan for a Facebook Live event at 12pm everyday with a craft challenge, prompt or activity for the kids to do while at home. They'll be mainly paper-based and use things that you probably have at home. Hopefully, it'll help stem the boredom and provide some nice decorations for your house.
Twinkl.ie provide teacher-created resources with entire schemes of work, lesson planning and assessments right through to online educational games, augmented reality and so much more. Enjoy free worksheets for different classes as well as some St. Patricks's Day fun packs.
Award-winning children's writer Sarah Webb and the Museum of Literature Ireland are sharing Bright Sparks #CreativeBursts short activities to do at home with your children.
Soccer and Gaelic Skills Challenge
