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10 New Skills Children Can Learn During Lockdown

1. Animation

Got some fans of Wallace and Gromit or Shaun the Sheep?

Get them involved in some animation! You could go down the more traditional route using playdough and plasticine with some stop-motion effects. Or, for any computer whizzes out there, computer animation could be a fun alternative.

Animation Year 4 Unit Pack Got some fans of Wallace and Gromit or Shaun the Sheep? Get them involved in some animation! You could go down the more traditional route using playdough and plasticine with some stop-motion effects. Or, for any computer whizzes out there, computer animation could be a fun alternative.

2. App Development

Ever wanted to design your own app?

You don’t need to be a coding expert or child genius to get going. It’s a lot easier than you think! To make a start, you could fill out this worksheet, which asks children to come up with an idea and design an app.

Design an App Worksheet How can I use this Design an App worksheet with my child? Help your child to consider and navigate the world of mobile applications.

3. Baking

Baking is a relaxing (and tasty!) hobby to get into. Even better, it’s an important life skill and an opportunity to learn about maths. There’s lots of maths involved in baking: measuring, weighing, telling the time. With these biscuit recipe cards, children can make delicious biscuits whilst also practising essential maths skills.

Biscuit Recipe Cards Baking is a relaxing (and tasty!) hobby to get into. Even better, it’s an important life skill and an opportunity to learn about maths. There’s lots of maths involved in baking: measuring, weighing, telling the time. With these biscuit recipe cards, children can make delicious biscuits whilst also practising essential maths skills.

4. Drawing

Drawing has lots of great benefits. It can help develop fine motor skills, as well as being a useful mindfulness tool. Drawing helps children to be in the moment and focus on the here and now, which can enhance their wellbeing.

What’s more, you’ll have lots of lovely pictures to hang on a display or the fridge.

Want to learn how to draw a face? You can use this handy resource:

How to Draw a Face Instructions Drawing has lots of great benefits. It can help develop fine motor skills, as well as being a useful mindfulness tool. Drawing helps children to be in the moment and focus on the here and now, which can enhance their wellbeing. What’s more, you’ll have lots of lovely pictures to hang on a display or the fridge. Want to learn how to draw a face? You can use this handy resource:

5. Fashion Design

Lots of children dream of becoming fashion designers.

During lockdown, why not get them to start designing their own clothes? It’s a great activity at home or in the classroom. The designs would also make a wonderful addition to a role-play corner.

With this resource, children are asked to design items like skirts and jumpers. Get those creative juices flowing and download the resource below:

Fashion Design Studio Clothing Design Worksheet During lockdown, why not get them to start designing their own clothes? It’s a great activity at home or in the classroom. The designs would also make a wonderful addition to a role-play corner. With this resource, children are asked to design items like skirts and jumpers. Get those creative juices flowing and download the resource below:

6. Film-making

Film-making is easier now than ever before. With technology like smartphones and tablets, most people have access to video equipment.

Pick a theme, topic or story and get children to film it. Then, using free software like Windows Movie

Maker, iMovie or PowerDirector, go in and edit your masterpiece.

After you’ve finished, you could get everyone to share their videos! You can do this on a home TV, computer or in the classroom if you’re still at school.

7. First Aid

This is a great life skill for someone to have at any age.

Children will really benefit from learning how to deal with a medical emergency. To start learning this new skill, you could play a fun game like charades and discuss how you’d help someone in need. This will really help to embed learning and familiarise children with these new skills.

First Aid Charades Activity This is a great life skill for someone to have at any age. Children will really benefit from learning how to deal with a medical emergency. To start learning this new skill, you could play a fun game like charades and discuss how you’d help someone in need. This will really help to embed learning and familiarise children with these new skills.

8. Journalism

In a world of social media, fake news and amateur reporting, spotting the signs of a trusted news story is more important than ever. Learning how to write a great news report will equip children with lots of skills. It’ll build their news literacy and boost their writing skills too. Plus, if you film some pretend news reports, it can be great fun as well! To get some inspiration, head over to Twinkl NewsRoom for a daily news story for kids.

Journalism In a world of social media, fake news and amateur reporting, spotting the signs of a trusted news story is more important than ever. Learning how to write a great news report will equip children with lots of skills. It’ll build their news literacy and boost their writing skills too. Plus, if you film some pretend news reports, it can be great fun as well! To get some inspiration, head over to Twinkl NewsRoom for a daily news story for kids.

9. Learning to Play an Instrument

Please check out the music section on our web-page for some extra ideas for this one.

There are lots of benefits to children learning an instrument.

It can improve:

Memory
Fine motor skills
Hand-eye coordination
Maths
Auditory skills
Reading and comprehension

Not only that, it’s a great way for them to express themselves, reduce stress and can build their confidence.

If you haven’t got any instruments lying around, not to worry!

You could make one yourself - it’s easy, we promise.

With this craft activity pack, you can make a drum using tin cans. Download to get started:

Learning to Play an Instrument There are lots of benefits to children learning an instrument. It can improve: Memory Fine motor skills Hand-eye coordination Maths Auditory skills Reading and comprehension Not only that, it’s a great way for them to express themselves, reduce stress and can build their confidence. If you haven’t got any instruments lying around, not to worry! You could make one yourself - it’s easy, we promise. With this craft activity pack, you can make a drum using tin cans. Download to get started:

10. British Sign Language

British Sign Language (or BSL) is a handy way to help children improve their communication. Not only that, it can improve memory and recall and even make learning languages easier in the future.

If you don’t know anyone who can teach BSL, where can you start?

First of all, you can dive into this BSL taster pack for beginners. Or download this BSL greetings resource for your first lesson.

If you need a bit more guidance, there’s lots of videos on our YouTube channel too!

British Sign Language Baby Sign | Everyday Words in BSL | Twinkl

Using baby sign language basics with your child is an amazing way to encourage communication. In this baby sign tutorial, we go over some everyday words in B...

Useful Tools and Websites

DIY

DIY is a really useful website, where kids can learn new skills - including everything mentioned in this blog post - using videos, interactive activities and more.

There’s a variety of courses for every skill level and badges for children to collect.

You can try it for FREE for 14 days by visiting their website.

British Sign

As a result of school closures, British Sign has reduced the cost of their BSL courses.

Now, you can contribute on a pay as you feel basis, but they do ask for a £3 donation so they can keep the website running smoothly.

Learn all about the offer here.

Natasha Lamb

Natasha Lamb has a brilliant YouTube series where adults and children alike can learn BSL.

It’s perfect for beginners and can be done easily in a classroom, living room or any educational setting!

Check out lesson one below.

Learn Beginners - Alphabet - Lesson 1.

Join Natasha Lamb and Kelly-Ann for Episode One of a brand new series teaching beginners Sign Language (BSL).