16 Jan NN News #23: Stay Home, Stay Safe

Posted at 23:04h in News by Neighbourhood Network News

Hello Neighbour!

Checking in with those around us

As we head into another few months of national lockdown it’s important to keep an eye out for each other. Our neighbours need support, especially those who are high-risk and cocooning.

Read our guide to volunteering and checking in with your more vulnerable neighbours. It’s important to know how to help and check in as safely as possible, whether you’re coordinating a large group of volunteers or checking up on your next door neighbour. Read our Volunteer Guide here.

Home Schooling Essentials

Keeping kids engaged & busy at home

Many of us are facing the challenge of trying to juggle working from home and keeping the kids entertained! With the schools shut and the switch to virtual learning, it can be difficult trying to manage all of that under one roof!

Here are some helpful tips and resources for keeping the kids engaged and busy through the day….

Purposeful screen-time

We’re all in a losing battle with keeping off screens and computers. Being online has become a necessary part of the lockdown lifestyle, so why not make the most of the free online resources that are on offer?

Here’s a great list from HiMama, a helpful early learning advice website, with loads of online resources. Some other great Free Online Resources for Kids here.

Get Crafty

There are loads of brilliant, easy craft projects you can set kids of all ages up with. With a bit of preparation and encouragement, it’s a great way to focus your kids’ energy on making something they can be proud of while they burn off some steam!

Set a routine

Getting into new habits and figuring out a new routine can do a world of good. You might need to break some old habits and put in some practise, but once you get your routine up and running you’re sure to feel the benefits. Below are some great tips for building a daily routine.

Remember, be kind to yourself and allow for the fact that we’re all trying to make the most of a difficult situation as best we can!

Wicklow Time Machine

Looking for a Lockdown project?

We’re looking for people in County Wicklow to help us bring our new cross-generational time capsule project with Creative Ireland and Wicklow County Council to life!

Our aim is to connect teenagers with seniors in their communities so they can learn more about the history of where they live, build up an archive of stories from the past and create their own artistic response.

If you’re based in Wicklow and work in a school, youth group or sports club, are a member of a residents association or community group, or work with teenagers or older adults in another respect we’d love to hear from you.

Get in touch with [email protected] to get involved and check out this blog post for more information. We’re accepting expressions of interest until January 25th. We hope to hear from you!

Say hi!

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