Times of isolation can feel difficult, but we want you to know that the IARS community is with you all the way.
And there are also a range of other great opportunities and organisations out there to help support you during this time. We’ve put together this quick list to help you find the things you need.
- Online portal with lots of information and tips for improving and protecting your mental health and wellbeing. This includes:
NHS mental wellbeing audio guides
- A series of audio guides to help you cope with issues including depression, stress and anxiety. Listen here.
It is a free addiction helpline run by people who’ve beaten addiction in their own lives in London and the South East. This is a free helpline set up by people who are themselves recovering from drug and alcohol addiction
The Mix: Coronavirus support hub
- Lots of information and resources to help you cope with coronavirus and the impacts it has on you. Access it here.
Young Minds
- Young Minds have published a lot of blogs for young people with advice for looking after yourself during the coronavirus outbreak. Some really useful ones are:
- What to do if you’re anxious about coronavirus
- Looking after your mental health while self-isolating
- Tips for creating a routine during self-isolation
- Looking after your mental health while studying from home
- How to look after your mental health in a difficult living environment
- Young people’s self-care tips for self-isolation
- Tips for coping with OCD during the coronavirus pandemic
Anna Freud Centre: Advice for young people
- Advice for young people and their families on how to cope with anxiety and other issues during the coronavirus outbreak, including guidance for self-care and how families can work together. Find all the advice here.
AYPH: A rights-based, survivor-led approach to coping with lockdown
- A resource created by the Youth Advisers on the We’re All Right project. They developed it in response to the kinds of issues young people may face during lockdown. You can download a pdf version. AYPH has also put together a list of useful resources for young people about Covid-19.
Become: Advice for care-experienced young people
- Advice specially for care-experienced young people on how to support yourself during the pandemic. Find it here.
Body & Soul MindSET livestreams
- Body & Soul is providing a weekly MindSET Livestream session that will be accessible to any young person in psychological distress. Sign up here.
- A phone app providing support and information to anyone who may be in an abusive relationship or those concerned about someone they know. It’s disguised as a weather app for safety and confidentiality. Find out more here – or download it for free in the Apple App Store or Google Play store.
Government advice for young carers
- Advice for young carers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Access it here.
How are you feeling? Coronavirus resources
- Lots of resources to help with things like going back to school and learning from home. Read them here.
OCD Stories: Coronavirus & OCD
- A podcast where OCD expert Dr Jon Grayson answers listener questions about the coronavirus and OCD. Listen here.
Self injury support: Coping with Coronavirus Lockdown When Your Mental Health is Already Not Great
- A blog about the impact of the current lockdown situation if you are already struggling with your mental health. Read it here.
Looking for ways to stay fit whilst you’re at home? Exercise can reduce stress and anxiety and help to keep you feeling well. Here are some great online workouts to look at.
If you don’t have internet you can print off or take a screenshot of some of the one page workouts at Darebee.com, they are all free and they have workouts that focus on pretty much every part of the body as well as full body workouts, so pick one that meets your interests and goals (check out the filter option to choose specific parts of the body or aspects of fitness to focus on):
https://darebee.com/workouts.html
Awesome online resources:
Sworkit: Free Customizable Follow Along Kids Workouts
- Sign up for Sworkit and use them for follow along workouts for kids
- They have a free kids workouts for anyone to use after signing up and they are even customizable and have student examples for all of the follow along workouts, just click on the “Kids Workouts” section after logging in
- This is awesome because since it’s customizable you can delete activities that are too hard and replace them with easier versions – or if it’s too easy, you can replace them with more challenging activities and exercises…
Follow Along Workout Channels on Youtube
- Great for Kids Workouts is Glenn Higgins Fitness
- Good for older kids or Adults Fitnessblenders Youtube Channel
- “PE With Joe” – Daily follow along at home workouts
- Workouts with Coach Foy – Follow Along At Home Workouts
- Yoga
- Great for younger kids: Cosmic Kids Yoga
- Good for older kids and adults: FitnessBlender Yoga Videos
Follow Along Dances:
- Pick your favorite Just Dance Video on Youtube and bust a move – Or Download the Just Dance App and have a virtual dance competition with your friends
- Have students complete GoNoodle Follow Along Dances
- The site below offers a huge library of follow along videos teaching dance moves and health concepts to kids:
- Born To Move: This site has a variety of Follow Along Dance and Activity Videos for kids
Practice or learn a popular Line Dance
- Like the Cupid Shuffle for Example
- Or the Sid Shuffle from the movie Ice Age
PE ACTIVITIES WITH LIMITED EQUIPMENT
SKILLS REVIEW
If you have any of the equipment below (frisbee, ball, jump rope, balloon etc), you can practice reviewing or working on any of the skills that we’ve learned in PE class this year.
- Jump Rope: If you have a jump rope, you can review some of the Single Jump Rope Tricks we learned in PE, or if you have a sibling or family member you could even try out some of the Partner Tricks we learned
- K-2nd: If your learning to jumprope for the first time – Check out this video for some helpful tips
- Throwing and Catching: If you have space in your yard and it’s safe to go outside, try to practice throwing and catching with a family member with a ball or a frisbee
- Striking a Balloon (awesome activity for K-2nd Grade)
- Blow up a balloon and practice striking it with different items in your house (or different body parts)
- What is the hardest item or body part to control the balloon with? What’s your record for the most number of hits without moving your feet?
- Here’s an example of this balloon striking activity
- Basketball: If you have a basketball or playground ball, practice some of the ball handling drills and challenges that we worked on in PE over the last few weeks
- 4 Square
- If you have a playground ball and a garage or driveway you can play a game of 2 Square with a family member, draw a court with some chalk and check out this post if you don’t have the rules to play the game https://www.thepespecialist.com/foursquare/
- Cup Stacking
- If you have some Speed Stack Cups, check out the Speed Stack Website for some fun “Stack at Home Challenges and Activities“
- Fitnessgram:
- Practice doing some of the fitness tests you’ve completed in PE before
Inspirational Character and Confidence Building Video Series:
- Check out the website below for a great set of inspirational videos for students to watch and have some conversations about perseverance through hard times, believing in yourself and making an impact in the world. I think this series offers a great perspective for students.
- https://www.varsitybrands.com/believe-in-you-video-series-one
FOR PE TEACHERS
If you’re a PE Teacher looking for some resources, below are some helpful links and resources from other Teachers that might be helpful as you embark on the journey of figuring out what online PE is supposed to look like.
- Compilation of a Variety of Home Activities and Resources
- Active Home Resources from OPEN Phys Ed
- Activity Log:
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- Keep an activity log and track your activity over the break from school
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- Activity Calendar (do 1 activity per day)
- Home Activity Packets and ideas from other PE teachers:
- My Take Home Packet: https://twitter.com/thepespecialist/status/1239565871133134849?s=20
- Pete Charrette: https://twitter.com/CapnPetesPE/status/1239202278122369031
- Jenny Horowitz: Google Drive Folder
- Kevin Tiller: https://twitter.com/physedreview/status/1239168726450286593
- Bob Vogt: https://twitter.com/GlengaryPE/status/1239341018459377664
- Jason Denk: https://twitter.com/mrdenkpeclass/status/1238508561447227393?s=11
- CBHPE Activity Ideas: https://www.cbhpe.org/projector
- PE Follow Along Videos Collection (Google Slide)
- Create your own follow along dance or workout video for students to follow along to
- Health/PE Theory Lessons on Youtube: PE and Everything YT Channel
- Be Well Played: PE at Home Ideas Blog Post
- Create an America Ninja Warrior Course at Home: https://youtu.be/TXer2Oxu37Y
- Follow Along PE Class Ideas from PE Teachers on Youtube
- Coach Wood – Daily Online PE Class
- Ben Prillo – Fun At Home Activities
- Marcus Nellems – Short Activity Ideas to try at Home
- Mallory Nutt – Sample At Home PE Class
- Derek Zachary – Sample PE at Home Lessons
- Mike Morris – Sample PE at Home Activities
- Joey Feith (curriculum resources and YT videos)
- Peter Connell – Short daily activity ideas
- Remote PE Learning: At Home Activities and Lessons
- Coach Gelardi: Fun At Home PE Challenges on YT
- Randy Spring: Lots of Virtual PE Ideas
- DIY Equipment – for PE Activities
- Milk Carton Scoop and Catch
- Make your own jump rope (from plastic bags)
- Make your own jump rope (from old T-Shirts)
London Learning at Home
The London Curriculum has reached out across the city to bring together free learning and cultural offers that children can access from home. Their aim is to support families, teachers and nurseries during this challenging time and ensure that young Londoners still feel connected to the incredible people, places and culture of their city. They have focussed on London-specific offers, which add to the national list of online education resources published by the Department for Education.
IARS TRAINING
We have our own e-learning platform that you can access here
Audible Books for Homeschooling
Audiobook company are offering a range of free books for homeschool students. You need to sign up to the service, but once you’re signed up, you can download the books for free.
Future Learn
There are hundreds of online courses and even bachelor degrees on Future Learn. Whatever your area of interest, you can find short courses here, whether for personal interest or for potential future employment
Learn to Code with Blockly
Blockly will teach you how to code video games and websites via their online tools.
TED ED
TED talks are fantastic and are a great way to entertain yourself whilst at home, and they’ve also made a specific educational part to their website where you can watch educational talks and videos too.
Science Lessons
Mystery Science is offering online science lessons for young people of all ages.
Science Projects with Crest Awards
Take on a science project and get an award via the Crest Awards.
History Lessons
The Big History Project is offering history lessons that you can do from home, helping you to keep up with school work whilst you stay in.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy have been innovating in online learning for several years, and during the COVID-19 outbreak they are offering online schedules for 2-18 year olds as well as a variety of remote learning resources in all of the core subjects.
GCSE & A-Level Content
If you’re revising for GCSEs or A-Levels, you can get specific resources to help you study via Seneca – and it’s all free.
Open University
The Open University offers remote working, flexible hour short courses and degree courses online. There are a variety of subjects to choose from.
iDEA
If you want to learn more about digital media and online resources, iDEA are offering free courses on everything from e-safety to coding.
If you’re looking for some ways to entertain yourself whilst at home, here are some great ideas.
Virtual Museum Tours
This is a great list of museum’s who have posted virtual tours, so you can look around from the comfort of your own sofa.
Online Classical Concerts
If you miss live music, take a look at this growing list of classical concerts being streamed online. It’s constantly being updated as new concerts are announced.
Scouts
The Scouts have hundreds of activity ideas to entertain young people and their siblings – from making glow in the dark maps of the stars to creating a calendar of the highlights of your year. Visit their website for some ideas.
