Lockdown diaries - Children's experiences of COVID-19

LOCKDOWN

DIARIES

CHILDREN’S EXPERIENCES OF COVID 19

2020 the year of a global pandemic Introduction The outbreak of Coronavirus earlier this year (2020) and the “lockdown” rules that applied have meant it has been a challenging time for our children , young people and their families. Everyone will , ce have had a different experien e some of those times may hav been sad or worrying and others may have been happy, great times !

There have been lots of changes to all our lives, some children have had to stay at home and not go to school, others have had to leave their primary or secondary schools early and some have not seen their friends and family for a very long time.

Here in Durham we would like to say a huge thank you to all of our children and young people, their families, their carers and all the people who help us to stay safe and well at this time.

We have loved hearing about your “lockdown” adventures and we have been amazed at all the brilliant, amazing, imaginative, incredible, and inspiring things you have achieved during this time.

You have kindly shared some of your experiences with us, which we have put together in this book, we hope you will all enjoy sharing these memories for years to come....”

A WELCOME MESSAGE FROM OLWYN GUNN

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What’s included? a day in lockdown life

Lockdown activities

HOME school LEARNING OUR FAMILIES SAID . . .

Thank you key workers

A day in lockdown life

A day in lockdown life “Our names are Alex and we d an s er th o br e ar e W . as m o Th e wrote about what activities w”. do each day during lockdown

A day in lockdown life I’m Leon and I wrote a letter to my Headteacher and the Queen during lockdown about what life has been like since I’ve not been at school. I actually got a reply from the Queen!

Fab fitness fun Green Fingers

Getting Crafty

LOCKDOWN Creative Writing

The Great Outdoors

Home is where the art is VE Day

ACTIVITIES

Creative cooks

A picture speaks a thousand words

Fab fitness fun We have been creative with our exercise routines during lockdown with back garden gyms and living room yoga!

Lockdown Yoga

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getting crafty We continued our learning from home during lockdown and art was a great way to make learning fun!

getting crafty Look at our spaceship model.

Rocket launch . . 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 . . . .

getting crafty I’m Keira and I love crafting and drawing, here is a mask I’ve made.

I made my own memory box during lockdown to remember my younger sister.

I love painting!

I like play dough.

Home is where the art is Activity packs for children and young people were delivered across County Durham with a variety of activities available to us and our family during lockdown.

“Here are some of the plants we’ve grown and crafts we’ve made from the materials in the activity packs”.

creative cooks

With lots of spare time during lockdown, lots of cooking and baking took place!

“When the boys are celebrity chefs i hope we’re going to get a discount at their restaurants! We made a chocolate tart and Wesley made the hotdog rolls with pizza dough.”

This is me l about ingr earning edients.

creative cooks

My name is Emelia and I’ve been learning how to make and decorate rice cup cakes in lockdown.

I’m Corben making banand I loved ana bread.

We took part i virtual cookinn g!

creative cooks - come dine with me We took part in ‘Come Dine With Me’ and took it in turns to make a starter, main and a dessert!

Toby was very proud of his cheese and cracker starter!

Nicko got stuck in making the main

Our come dine with me tea was a big succ chose and made their own courses and we ess! The boys look forward to doing this again!

William was thrilled with his banoffee pi

e dessert!

A picture speaks a thousand words!

I had a great time taking a trip to the beach and took some photos of my lovely dog to remember it!

the great outdoors

I’ve been enjoying time outside in my garden, I love the trampoline and the swing.

the great outdoors

Competing to find the most interesting tree, climbing, dens, playing with sticky jack plants and most importantly rope swings!!!

Although the COVID-19 restrictions had there difficulties, we also found positives. We discovered how lucky we are to have the most amazing woodland walks on our doorstop. We never got tired of exploring, and realised the woods are the most natural playground of them all!

green fingers

is th g in en d ar g at s d n ha r u o d We have trie lts! su re g in az am e m so d ha e v ha summer and

green fingers

y My name’s Alexander and I contacted m w ho teacher during lockdown to show them is much my plants have grown, gardening my new hobby!

Newsletters We are the Children in Care Council (CICC) and we’ve produced our own newsletter during lockdown to showcase our cooking, home learning, poetry, life during lockdown and much more!

1st Edition

2nd Edition

Read all about

it!

Creative Writing CLICK PLAY TO LISTEN I AM NO

D I K E R A C T JUST A

re kid a c a I am e fine m e d t ’ n oes That d re I am e h t u b ggled u r t s e stic I hav a stati t o n I am ber A num gh life u o t a d as live h o h e eone w reotyp e t s ’I m som a r ot be Beake y I will n c a r T ing like h t ad o n s ’ are b s d i Care i k re us ‘ca f o e n rstood e No d n u s mi e just r a e W nique u e r a utures f We r u o r fight fo d n a l l so far a t o d g n n a t a r we c We’ll s e h t e g ing to Stand

GOODBYE easy by now Goodbyes should be u say it a lot For being in care yo

ork a home that didn’t w to e by od go be d ul It co s elves are moving team rs ou us or b jo w ne A worker that has a hat comes next It’s hard for fear of w end of family time e th at be n ca st or w The a stranger ’s car A hug, love you into the tears be brave Waving trying to stop s fall room safety the tear Once home into my ly been an hour I miss them and it’s on hard odbye to family is still go ng yi sa d an on s Year odbyes lead to a hello I suppose that all go to know someone ng tti ge of e ur nt ve A new ad uldn’t say goodbye to co e w e os th to t en A mom rever in our hearts fo gh ou th e ac pl er Who are in a bright

CLICK PLAY TO LISTEN

creative writing Brooke wrote this lovely poem as a virtual postcard to help year 6 children with their preparations for a new school in year 7.

You may get lost But you will get there On this long journey You won’t get bossed

You will make friends Some fake, some real You will have fallouts But it might not end

The friendship might not last But you will find others e Just remember you are never alon With others you will have a blast Brooke - Year 7

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Quarantine

by Sophie

Quarantine is dull nds ie fr om fr ay aw , TV e th at e m ti ur Usually you spend yo and family RARELY GETTING FRESH AIR DOORS IN ON TI RA DU E TH G N DI EN SP S AY W AL TES NO SCHOOL, NO PARTIES, NO PLAY DA REVER TIME GOES SLOW, A DAY FEELS LIKE FO INSIDE IS SO UNINTERESTING NEVER GOING OUT TO PLAY Everyday blending into one

CLICK PLAY TO LISTEN

creative writing Lonely

by Sophie Lonely Lonesome, alone Watching, dozing, daydreaming Bored all the time Isolation

CLICK PLAY TO LISTEN

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VE day

day Across County Durham, we celebrated VE by decorating our homes and having a traditional tea party.

I will never forget . . .

I will never forget....

have a met. I knew from the start you we t tha y da the t ge for r ve ne I will t makes me upset. big heart, and would get all tha

e, you held my hand, tim the k too u yo d, an rst de un Even when you didn't shoes I stand. to get to know in exactly which

d for my life, not once but twice, an d ve sa u yo t tha t ge for r ve ne I will bt. that I will be forever in your de

ing a bond, and of you I will ild bu , nd yo be d an e ov ab go You always be fond.

that the s strong and made sure I knew wa I d ve lie be u yo e on y da From self-doubt was wrong. my all t tha s wa u yo m fro on opini

s full of regret you would say wa I ys da the on t ge for r ve ne I will tter days to come yet' 'hey don't sweat, there are be

on all ys mam you shone the light up bo my ing be of ht sig t los I n Whe a joy. ed me of how my boy is such ind rem d an ht rig t go I s ng thi the

me ne for me and my son, getting do ve ha u yo all te cia pre ap ly I tru full time mum... nearer my my goal of being his

kick up the bum!!!

Even the time you needed to

et.....

You Nichola I will never forg

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Home school learning Schools and colleges closed to most children and young people . Although this was sad as we couldn’t see our friends, fun and learning didn’t stop for us!

Home

school

Home school learning

y I’m Lennix and here I am completing m my g quadrilateral home learning and showin teacher on video call.

Our families said . . . the kids r fo ly ve lo en be ve ha s ce ur so re “The to go y ad re g n vi ha k in th I e! m r fo d an us all n ve gi d an t ea gr en be s ha es ti vi acti things ly ve lo e n do ve ha e W s. cu fo e m so ys as da e m so lt cu ffi di ’s it t bu s ve el rs ou dren il ch e th r te af g in ok lo e m st ju ’s it tly be an st n co to gy er en e th g n vi ha d an school g in ag an m d an es ti vi ti ac g in n plan else is g n hi yt er ev d an k, or w e us ho k, or w loves he s, ok bo e th d ve lo s ha P . lt cu ffi di our to es on ew n e m so d ad to so s ie or st collection is great!”

Parent

“Fantastic, I can’t thank you enough for everything you are doing. The food package and work sheets last week were out of this world, I am so so grateful, thank you from the bottom of my heart xxx” Parent

‘M loved the book and she has not put it down, it’s made me want to buy her more as I didn’t realise how much she liked them’.

‘It makes me smile when I see her laugh and smile at the bubbles’.

Carer

“the staff have been fantastic.. they have gone above and beyond.. they have all welcomed her with open arms and I can’t thank them enough, on her behalf, and also for putting my mind at ease…what lovely, committed people they are” Parent

Thank you key workers “We wanted to show our appreciation for key workers during lockdown so we made some colourful pictures and stuck them in the window to show how much we support them. Every Thursday at 8pm we stood at our front doors and clapped for carers, lots of our neighbours in our street did the same.�

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Thank you key workers

O de to

the NH

click play to listen S by So

phie

You are Oh NHS, With yo as br ur fr Uniform s red, w ee healthcare ave as a lion. a We lov e your hite green and nd caring fro determ nt blue, w ination e put ra line workers. t o inbows help pr Unifor NHS, u ms like colour otect our batt up for you. nderfun ling na f tions. ded! un ul armour. der pre ssure!

How we Oh NHS love yo If you w , u s o , eren’t i n our li our overlook ed su ves, w Oh You are the Kin NHS, nothing e wouldn’t k perheroes. now w gs an can And mo d Queens, wo compare to y hat to do. ou. st impo r rtantly, th more than emp you Stay Ho me! Sa need protect eror ’s riches. ion. ve Oh NHS , we lov Lives! e you!

Thank you key workers

Dear Fra ncene a nd Jo,

I hope y ou are h a quarant ine and ving a lot of fun I ’m b everythi ng you h writing to you ut staying safe w ju a me load s and I h ve done for me st to say thank hilst your it means av yo spoke to a lot and u for me and e been a lot cal mer and help me i relaxed t has helped out. w I’m than hen you kful for first y ou helpi and help n in g realise h g with my autis me through th e o m I’m very w much help I w , anxiety and m hard and tricky times grateful y depres l for wha as getting until s i o n and I t you ha ve done really thought a I didn’t Stay saf n for me, e thank yo d now to repay I hope you are u. st you, tha nk you. aying happy an d I really can’t fin Love fro d a way m Osca r

“Somewhere o Doctors work ver the rainbow, h of the people jard saving lives ust like a real bodyguard” “I will never for saved my life, noget that you twice, and for th t once but at forever in your di will be ebt.”

Teachers Police Officers Supermarket W orkers Delivery Drive rs Binmen Social Worker s Fire Fighters Transport Wor kers Family Suppor t Workers Post Office Wo rkers Doctors & Nur ses . . and to all other services and keyworker s