Before working full time for Touretteshero I was an inclusive playworker. This means I’ve got a lot of games stored in my brain which until recently I’ve had much less use for. But now this pandemic has come along I’m reaching for them so I can share them with the parents, carers and children care about, in particular my niece Bean who’s almost three, and my God-kids Leo and Ruby who’re seven and eight.

To help keep them entertained I made challenge boxes for them over the weekend with twenty challenges each, and I included some basic resources so that everything was ready to go and could be grabbed as needed.

For the next month I’ll share five of these challenges each week in case they’re useful to anyone who has children at home. The challenges are mainly for primary aged children, but many could be adapted to work for those who are older or younger. Here’s this week’s five challenges from Touretteshero.

Listening Challenge

Find a place at home or in a garden where it’s safe for you to stand with your eyes shut.

What sounds can you hear?

Write down or draw the things you can hear.

Think about the sounds you like and which ones you don’t like.

Think about your favourite film – what noises can you make that would fit the story?

Race Track Challenge

Can you make a racetrack for a toy car or toy wheelchair?

How long can you make it?

Try adding a tunnel, a bridge or a ramp.

Take photos to share with your friends.

Story Stones 

Some stories we read ourselves or have read to us, and some stories we help create.

With an adult choose some medium-sized stones from the garden or a park nearby – ones that fit in your hand are best. Colour them with pens, stickers or paints. If you don’t have stones you can decorate paper and attach this to other objects with to tape to make ‘story stuff’

Put one word or picture on each stone or object.

Arrange the stones or objects to help you tell a story.

Mix them up and tell a new story.

Tangle Maze & Walk the line

Ask an adult to stretch masking tape out between two points like two walls or two pieces of stable furniture.

Your challenge is to crawl through the tangle maze without getting stuck, try not to break the tape.

With an adult, make a line on the floor with the tape. It can be straight or wiggly.

Now practice balancing on the line – try to keep your feet or your wheels on the line.

Finger Spelling Challenge

The finger spelling alphabet is used by Deaf people as part of British Sign Language.

Try learning the alphabet: you can find it here

Can you spell your name?

What’s the longest word you can spell with your fingers?

Test each other and practice to get better.

Challenge adults you know to learn it too.

If you want to learn more about British Sign Language you can check out online courses here.

I’d love to know how you get on with these challenges so do get in touch if you’d like to.

I’ve already got some great challenges back from Ruby and Leo and I’ll write about these soon.

Right now though, I’m going to do the first challenge they set me – have a sleep for thirty minutes! Zzzzzzzz.