It is important to reassure yourself and your children that what is happening now is temporary and life will eventually return to normal. Babies and toddlers feel your stress so try to look after yourself.
Here’s some go-to activities, games and songs to help brighten the days and weeks ahead.
- Throw a doll’s birthday party. Wrap up a few “gifts,” decorate with balloons and streamers, and enjoy a mock — or real — cake.
- Open a petting zoo. Place stuffed animals around the room, pet each one, and talk about what they like to eat.
- Camp out in your living room. Climb into a tent and sleeping bags. Turn on a flashlight, and eat marshmallows on sticks.
- Imitate animals. Practice hopping like a frog, squirming like a worm, waddling like a duck, and stretching like a cat.
- Play restaurant. In the real kitchen or a pretend one, alternate between being the customer and the server or chef.
- Blow bubbles with mixture made of water, dishwashing detergent, corn starch, baking powder and glycerine.
- Draw with crayons and a colouring book.
- Make puppets with socks and draw on faces with a texta.
- Make a collage. Use decorations, such as torn pieces of tissue or construction paper, cotton balls, feathers, images from magazines, and photos.
- Adopt a pet rock. Adorn stones from a nature walk with paint, glitter glue, and stick-on eyes.
Source: Tweddle Child & Family Health Services
