We all know how important it is to stay at home as much as possible during this bizarre time. We also know that sometimes this can be quite a challenge, and certainly if you have (young) children in your home who you have to entertain (at least until May 11) while you may still have to work yourself. Because at some point your children are tired of their toys and have already seen all episodes of Juf Roos.
What then? Don’t worry, below are some great activities by Rotterdam initiatives that you can use to entertain your children. This way you can make a party of staying at home.
1. Maas Theater
The Maas theater makes theater and dance for children and young people, among others. Now that you cannot visit them, they have come up with many activities that you can do from home with your children, they call it Maas@Home. For example, you can follow a workshop “making masks” or a workshop “doing nothing”. Or how about a workshop “crooks mime” or a folk dance tutorial?
There are also interactive workshops that you can register for. Are you looking for something to watch from your couch? On Maas TV you will find the registrations of various theater performances that were previously shown at Maas Theater. So plenty to do and see!
2. SKVR
SKVR offers several short courses that you can do with your children from your living room, they call it Quarantainekunst. For example, take the “theater” course with your family or let your children attend the “To the beach” workshop.
Need a little exercise for the kids? Then the workshop “Dance appetizer” might be a nice idea. And do you have little brave children at home? Let them do the workshop “Go bear hunting”!
3. Youth theater Hofplein
A little actor or actress at home who likes to be in the spotlight? For the young actors, Youth theater Hofplein offers acting lessons online! So your kids can easily practice their acting performance in the living room.
From Monday to Friday at 4 pm there is a lesson for children from 6 years old and on Saturday at 12 pm there is a lesson for children from 12 pm.
4. Maritiem Museum
Photo by Theo de Man.
The Maritiem Museum gives some great educational museum activities to perform at home. The activities are mainly suitable for school-aged children. For example, there are some experiments that your children can do at home, such as “Make your own greenhouse effect” or “Make a solar windmill”. There is also a quartet game and a memory game that you can print out and play at home.
Would you like to read something else for a change? There are also stories about Professor Plons that you can read to your children (or let them read for themselves if they can).
Are your children in a creative mood? Then you can print the coloring picture on the website and let them color it. The museum even wants to make an exhibition of these coloring pictures, so you can send or email them to the museum and you may see it later in the museum!
5. Wereldmuseum
The Wereldmuseum also offers fun creative activities online. On their website you can find do-it-yourself activities to teach school-aged children in a playful way. Think of making an amulet and folding a frangipangi or cooking a Laddu, a snack that many Hindus eat at the Raksha Bandhan party.
Every week the Wereldmuseum publishes a new worldly activity on their website!
6. Rotterdam Library
Unfortunately, the libraries are also closed at the moment, but that doesn’t mean you can’t borrow new books. The library of Rotterdam offers online e-books and audiobooks!
Borrow 10 e-books at the same time for up to three weeks and read the books online via your smartphone, e-reader or computer. To borrow you need a Plus or Basic subscription from the Rotterdam Library (children up to the age of 18 have a free membership).
The Rotterdam Library has also started the ThuisBieb-App, where you can find 100 e-books. This app is completely free, so you don’t have to be a member of the Library to read these e-books. Between this diverse selection there is something for everyone, so also for mom and dad! You can use this app until the 1st of June.
7. Drawings to stay inside for
“Drawings to stay inside for” is a Rotterdam initiative by young illustrators, designers and artists. They have made a creative “do book” for primary school children.
When the creators of Drawings to stay inside for unexpectedly had extra time due to canceled assignments as a result of the current measures, they decided to spend that time making a coloring book. In this way they try to introduce children sitting at home to art.
The idea came about after a large part of the Netherlands was stuck at home because of the measures and primary school pupils were no longer able to go to school. This way children can still be physically creative.
Those were 7 fun kid friendly activities to do at home! Do you have a great tip as well? Share them below!
