How can I surprise my daughter and make her feel special

[Naz2009]

Hi mums I'm desperate for ideas, advice. Help me please!!!.
I have a soon to be 5 year old daughter. She is an only child and has been shielding since 31st December.
She is in school in reception. All her friends are going back to school on the 8th. However my LO will not be going as she is CEV and told to shield till 31st March.
This week her teachers have been doing a countdown to when they return back to school. Teacher has been encouraging and saying to the children during the online lessons. How happy and excited she is to have them all back. Today she said “just like at Xmas we had a surprise Santa’s groto and had yummy cookies and hot chocolate. When the children come back, teachers have a similar surprise for you all”. Yesterday teacher took her laptop and walked around the classroom saying. “Children do you remember, this is our reading area, this is our play area” etc etc
Today my my DD got very upset when she saw all her friends had their hands up showing their excitement and ready to come back to school.
I really felt for my DD. It’s not her fault, she can’t return to school just yet.
Mums I need you super mums to help me please.
I need ideas to make Monday morning at home for my DD really special. So she doesn’t feel left out.
What can I do for her. I was thinking get her a gift and say it’s for all her hard work at home schooling. But I feel a surprise gift will not do. She keeps saying “I want to go play with my friends” everyday the kids have been able to say hi to each other and she will no longer have that as kids will all be back at school.
Poor child has been isolated at home with just her dad and me.
What can I do???

Aw bless. That sounds really difficult. Could you maybe get her all excited about Monday and tell her that you have a surprise for her, and then organise something fun to do like a mini party (doesn't have to be huge but stuff like balloons and a couple of games, maybe a gift?)? Or something like den building and then you spend the morning in the den doing fun stuff like watching films (or even schoolwork!)? My kid loves a den and it makes any day special, especially if we have lunch in the den. Or maybe a zoom call with grandparents or cousins? A scavenger hunt outside (bonus points for fresh air and exercise!)? Or maybe you could bake a cake together and eat it. That's always a hit in my house. Haha.

It is tough with an only and shielding. I hope you find something fun to do!

Aw poor little thing, it is really hard on her.
I'd buy loads of balloons there's great ideas for games with them.
I'll see if I can find the page we had hours of fun, with a hairdryer and balloons.

What is she into?

Could you decorate one of your rooms in a special way to make a fairyland, or something similar? I remember someone doing this for me when I was younger, and it was magical!

You could create a science day making foam, slime, lots of messy stuff too.

Could you speak to her teacher? Perhaps your dd is best not being involved in the online "countdown to back to school?" as its making her feel so left out? Or would she like her teacher to give her some praise and recognition for continuing her work from home? A phone call or note or something?

I think she'd love a present on Monday, that's a lovely idea.

Can she return to school on 31st March? That's not long now. You could make your own Countdown calendar at home? Tick off the days or make a sticker chart.

My sister has tried to organise a few online activities with her 6year-old dd's friends; they've played Zoom bingo and done little quizzes with a few of their friends. It's not the same as playing in real life of course but it's something.

Thank you mums for all your wonderful ideas.
I decided to give her a surprise party.
I have just finished decorating the lounge and packing her gift.
I bought a gold plastic trophy and a "star student" certificate from Amazon. Which DH and I will present to her in the morning (a little ceremony awarding her).
I got a banner saying "we are proud of you"
We will be celebrating her academic achievements and for being a super star shielding and following the rules.
Make her fav breakfast & dinner.
She will help me bake rainbow fairy cakes in the afternoon which will then be our desert after dinner.
I wrote down activities we can do and put them in a bowl. She can pick 3, whatever she takes out the bowl. We shall play or do throughout our day.
Luckily her teacher had sent me the homework pack for this week and we done our school day on Sunday. So Monday it's her special day. No school.

@Emeraldshamrock thank you so much for the video link. Ballon activities look so much fun.
I put down making slime as one of the activities she could potentially choose from her random selection.

@AlexaShutUp she is into a lot of things.
Problem is we do so many fun activities and I tend to teach her during play especially maths
This is why I struggled to think of what I could do for her to make her feel special. I couldn't think of anything we haven't done already.

@BabyPotato thank you for your ideas. Den making is something we haven't done. I can imagine she would love it. I just don't know what I need and how to set it all up.

Your plans sound brilliant. I hope you all have a great day

You are a lovely mum 💐

Obviously might be too late for this week, but for some point- do you have a local company doing sleepover teepee tents (see attached photo)? I have seen a few of these on Facebook, I have booked 2 tents for my DD’s 7th birthday- obviously normally it would be a sleepover with friends but I have booked 2 for a living room sleepover for her and me. This might be a fun treat for your DD?

@sadonfriday awwww thank you so much.

@LittleRa wow, that looks amazing!
I will look into this. It's completely different from something we have done. Thank you for sharing.