Family-Friendly Lockdown Activities

Undoubtedly one of the biggest disruptions to daily life during this pandemic is having children in the home while you try to balance working and your sanity. While older kids are a little more self-sufficient, keeping younger ones entertained is no easy task, especially if you’re trying to reduce the reliance on “screen time”. Well, the great news is that coming up with quality activities to do with your kids needn’t be complicated, and if you choose well, it might even be fun for all the family. We’ve compiled some of our favourite lockdown activities that get bonus points for being easy to set-up and effective. 

Mini-Manicures

Something as simple as applying nail polish can provide hours of entertainment for little ones. Cut out a hand shape from cardboard and let them practice applying polish to their “customer”. After they’ve honed their skills on cardboard, they may even be ready to try the real thing, giving mummy a DIY manicure (check out our new shades from Givenchy for an added treat).Not only is this a fun activity, but kids will also be improving their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.

Hairdresser For A Day

Following the same theme of letting children explore “grown up” jobs, creating an in-home salon couldn’t be easier. Draw a head on a sheet of cardboard and thread wool through holes to create hair. Then, let your little one go wild with hair clips, bobbles, and even scissors (under supervision) to create their own follicular masterpiece

Facials For Two

It’s never too early to teach children about the importance of self-care and mental wellbeing. While it can be hard convincing children to sit in one place for any amount of time, the intrigue of having a facial treatment is a great tool. While mummy and mini indulge in a bit of TLC, you can use the opportunity to practice mindfulness together, creating a quiet environment and listening to the sounds around you. When choosing a facial treatment, opt for a natural product for children’s skin, which will be gentler and better suited to sensitivity. Neal’s Yard Wild Rose Beauty Balm and Caudalie Moisturizing Mask are two perfect examples which use natural ingredients and nourishing oils to hydrate all skin types

Ignite The Imagination

Kids love to use their imagination and creativity, which is why allowing them to play with makeup makes a great lockdown activity. Whether they create a smoky eye with elements of Bobo the clown, or channel their inner Joker courtesy of a red lip, kids love this take on face paint with “grown up” materials. Of course, it’s not ideal to encourage the kids to raid your makeup drawer, so consider helping them create their own mini-kit, complete with eyeshadow and lipstick. We love the Sleek Makeup i-Divine palette for an affordable, super-pigmented option.

Shaving Foam Paints

Last on our list is an activity that you’ll definitely want to do either outside, or in a wipe-clean environment. Kids (and adults) love to explore textures, which is why this recipe for shaving foam paint is so popular. Simply squirt some foam into each portion of a muffin tray, add a few drops of food colouring and stir to combine. If you don’t already have shaving foam in the house, snap up this Collistar bargain which is reduced to clear. Be warned, the foam paint will make a mess - one solution is to pop the kids in an empty bath for this activity, ready to wash mucky hands and bodies immediately afterwards.And remember folks, we’re all just muddling through doing the best we can. Regardless of what your new normal looks like, you’re doing a great job. Stay home, stay safe, stay sane.