LIFESTYLE - THIS column was supposed to be an entertainment listing for kids and families before the first-term school break and Easter holidays.
But everything changed when President Cyril Ramaphosa declared South Africa to be in a state of national disaster because of the coronovirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
Ramaphosa advised that all schools close until after the Easter break and that all events catering for 100 people and more be cancelled.
Some Plan B options to keep your children busy, happy and healthy in this time:
OUTDOOR FUN:
Regular physical activity can strengthen your immune system and help your body fight off infections and viruses. It is widely advised that we get at least 30 minutes of physical activity for three days a week. Here’s a list of good old-fashioned outdoor entertainment to keep kids active and busy. As a bonus, we share some of our indigenous games.
*100 stones/diketo is usually played with pebbles or marbles by two players. One player throws a stone or a gum into the air and then tries to grab as many stones as possible in the circle before he or she catches it again with the same hand. If the player does not catch the gum, it is the next player’s turn. Diketo, also known as magave, upuca, or puca, is one of 10 recognised indigenous games of South Africa and Lesotho, and it is similar to Jacks. - Wikipedia
Picture: Wikimedia Commons
*3 tins, also known as dithini, amathini or chigago, this game is played in townships with a ball made of paper and plastic, or a tennis ball and tins. Hence the name 3 Tins. You need two equal teams with a minimum of five people. Three tins are placed on top of one another. The first player has three attempts to knock down the tins. The player throws the ball from outside the marked playing area. If successful the player runs out, rebuilds the tins, draws a square around the tins and hops over the tins three times. If the ball misses or is thrown too far, the players shout thayma until the ball is returned. If after three throws the player has been unsuccessful, the first player from the opposing team becomes the thrower. - recallgames.com
Picture: Twitter
*Kgadi/jump rope is a rhythmic jumping game that was popular with young girls, but is now played by boys. One team swings a rope while singing a rhyme and the other team has to try to jump through the rope without making a mistake. When the whole team is out, they change roles. - iol.co.za
*Any number of people in a team can play kennetjie. The kennetjie (a stump) is placed on two stones and one team has to hit it as far as possible. The team that hits it the furthest, wins. - iol.co.za
*Hopscotch is played two ways. Either the player hops from one square to another within a diagram, avoiding the lines, or he or she kicks a stone from block to block. - iol.co.za
Picture: Wikimedia Commons
*Set up a fun obstacle course in the yard. First child to finish it properly wins.
Picture: Pinterest
GAMES THAT ENCOURAGE GOOD HYGIENE
Practising good hygiene is crucial to help prevent the spread of Covid-19. Here are few game suggestions from hellomotherhood.com to make this a fun habit for kids:
*Glitter hands: Some children only rinse their hands quickly under water, if they wash them at all. But hands should be washed with soap for at least 15 to 20 seconds. Sprinkle glitter on your child’s hands and challenge them to wash if off with soap and water. Because glitter is sticky, it will take up to 30seconds to scrub the glitter away. Explain that your child should scrub off germs like they did the glitter.
*Matching game: This game teaches young children the tools of personal hygiene and which body part to use them on. On one set of cards, draw pictures of soap, a toothbrush, fingernail clippers or mouthwash. Create another set depicting shoes hands, teeth, nails and mouth. Flip over all cards and have kids match the tool to the body part.
*Good habit, bad habit: Hit home the importance of good hygiene habits when you play this sorting game with children. On pieces of paper, write 10 good hygiene habits, such as flossing teeth each night, washing hands for 20 seconds or covering your mouth with your elbow when you cough. On 10 more pieces of paper, write down the bad habits. Fold all the pieces of paper and place in a hat. The children take turns drawing out one at a time and decide if it is a good or a bad hygiene habit.
INDOOR FUN
*Movie camp-out: Day or night, children are always eager for a good camp-out. Set up your lounge using sofa bottoms, blow-up beds or just the mattress. Use some old sheets to make a tent, and movie night is quickly transformed into a fun camp-out for kids.
Picture: Pinterest
*I spy: This is a guessing game where one player (the spy or “it”) chooses an object within sight and announces to the other players that “I spy with my little eye, something beginning with...”, naming the first letter of the object. Other players try to guess this object. This is a great game for outdoors and (if the weather is not so good) indoors too. Try variations like “I spy colours” (... something that is black), or “I spy shapes” (... something that looks like a circle). This also boosts children’s learning skills. - Adapted from Wikipedia.com