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FOR CHILDREN aged 7–12 years:

How to deal with boredom, frustration or worries during the Corona lockdown

Hey - I’m Nia and I’d like to talk to you today about what I do when I don’t feel my best during the lockdown. I have come up with various activities that help me to distract myself from feeling bored, worried, annoyed or frustrated.

More children's resource links:

Boredom busters

Breathing to relax

5-finger breathing

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Screen Shot 2020-05-29 at 12.56.57.png

#1 How to make a Corona virus
anti-boredom box

I like to fill it with things to satisfy all my senses - something for my eyes to look at and feel soothed or taken in by, my sense of smell to be engaged (like a wonderfully baked cake), my hands to touch (sowing seeds or planting) or create (drawing a sunset or rainbow on a boring brown flower pot), my ears to hear and enjoy and for my heart to be touched.

Step 1 - Make it
Take some card board out of the recycling box...and cut into the box shape as I have done! You can use my template at full size which is A4 or enlarge to make a bigger box if you like!
click here for my template!

Step 2 - Fill it with fun suggestions!

Now that you’ve built the box, you need to fill it.
I went back to the recycling box, cut out small pieces of cardboard and wrote a different activity on each one:  
For example;

physical activities: skipping, jogging around the block, dog walking, yoga, having a shower/bath, having a healthy snack like fruit, drinking plenty of water..

calming activities: drawing, colouring in, writing a journal, listening to calm music or an audio book, stroking my/a dog, looking at old photographs, reading a book, designing clothes... 


creative activities: taking photos, making a funny video clip of my dog, baking, listening to up beat music and thinking of a dance routine, playing the guitar, making a perfume from different herbs or flowers in the garden, putting on different types of make -up, making cards with inspirational quotes, making stuff out of felt like animals.


social activities: write a message to a friend or talk to a friend on FaceTime, talk to your mum or dad or other family member, make
a fun video of you and your family 
all dancing or doing a funny
shape and send to others , think of a quizz you can play online via zoom or skype...

Step 3 - Keep it somewhere safe!
Keep it in a place where you can easily find it when you need
or want it most.

 

Step 4 - Use it!
Just take a lucky dip and do the activity you’ve drawn.
It has so far not failed to change my mood pretty reliably! These are just my ideas to get you inspired or started - what would you like to put into your box?

Here's my dog learning the xylphone!


All these activities will help you to change your mood and become
happy and calm again. 
Here are some other ideas:

 

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#2 Get Dancing –
it creates happiness

  • Get together with a friend via FaceTime or WhatsApp and create a fun dance routine.

  • Meet up at regular intervals throughout the week to practise and add on moves.

  • If you like you can video yourselves and send to
    friends or family members for fun and entertainment.

  • Most importantly, dancing keeps you fit, you see a friend and it keeps you active.


Mum says, happiness hormones flood your body
when you move!

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#3 Get Writing - poems/songs –
it all clears the mind

It can really take me into a different space whenever I try to put my thoughts or feelings into short, snappy poems - haven’t had the patience for longer ones yet.. During the first week of lockdown I felt as if everything became very small around me, a feeling as if I were fenced in...

 

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Screen Shot 2020-05-29 at 12.56.57.png

#4 Get Breathing - its helps to RELAX
CLICK HERE to learn about how breathing can help you and for a free audio file to listen to.

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TOP TIP:
My mum always says:
'Cross that bridge
when you come to it',
which means deal with the worry when it actually
happens instead of
imagining what could be!

People vector created by pikisuperstar - www.freepik.com

Music vector created by freepik - www.freepik.com

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