What to do with a 10yo girl in lockdown?

[Trousersareoverrated]

DSD is entering a more ‘teenage’ phase and just wants to be on a screen all day. She isn’t interested in craft, baking or any other indoor activities I can think of. She will sometimes read if we don’t allow her to be on a screen.

She will reluctantly go on a walk/cycle. Normally she would love things that we can’t do like going to a theme park, out shopping, meeting up with friends.

I have her all next weekend as DH is working. I also have toddler DD. Any ideas on what I can do with her?

Would a project work? If she has her own room at yours, could you between you over the next month let her redecorate it? Painting walls, maybe let her paint an old piece of furniture as new for her room, and similar. She could look up easy artwork ideas on Pinterest (screen time she likes), then recreate if you buy a large canvas and paints.

That is a lovely idea @Caspianberg- I really like it. Thank you. I think it would be a bit much to start actually doing it next weekend with a toddler running around our feet and no DH to help but we could definitely look online at paint colours etc.

Project work is a great idea, especially the decorating she will learn some good practical skills and get to see her hard work unfold in front of her very eyes!

I don’t know if she will be in to this but my 9 yo has started acro dance this year, so she’s a beginner but she’s learning fast. She’s having to do zoom classes now, but there are so many YouTube tutorials for beginners moves. She can be practicing for hours a time and loves it. Is there anything practical/physical like that she would be interested in? It will keep her healthy too!

She tries things like dance tutorials but loses interest very quickly. The issue is that if she can sit down and play games on a tablet then she will. The situation isn’t helped by the fact that most of her friends are allowed smart phones and unrestricted access to apps like TikTok that we don’t allow her to use. Also they chat on whatsapp and she feels left out of that.

Awh it seems like she’s missing the social aspect then. I don’t blame you for not letting her have access to those things I’m the same.

A bit old fashioned but what about a pen pal? I’m sure there will be something where she could write to someone from another country or even the elderly who need company. If a bond is formed there, it might take her mind off the Tablet!

Another idea if keeping interest is an issue is to do something different every day and mix it up. Find a month long plan of things to do on the Internet, stick it up on the wall and see how many she can tick off or how many days she can stick to