One of the best indoor games for kids is ‘Monsters in the Dark’! This game is best done at night so that it is dark when the lights are turned off. Have the kids sit in a circle and close their eyes. You gently tap one child on the shoulder, and they are the monster. Everyone opens their eyes and you pick a detective.

The detective leaves the room and waits outside until 5 seconds after they hear a scream.

While the lights are turned off and the other players mix and mingle around the room. The monster must tap their victim on the shoulder and whisper into their ear, I am the monster and you are now dead. The victim must give a blood-curdling scream and collapse to the floor.

Everyone except the monster must stand still.

The detective enters the room 5 seconds after the scream and turns on the lights. The detective looks at the victim and starts to question everyone in order to identify the monster. Only the monster can tell a lie. Everyone else MUST tell the truth.

Once the detective has decided who they think the monster is they must touch the accused monster on the shoulder and announce I am arresting you for scaring an innocent person, John Smith (name the victim).

If the detective is right, then the monster can confess. If the detective is wrong, then the true monster can reveal themselves.

I heard you were making plans to cheer up an older person.  I think that is a great idea.  I called my grandmother and she was so glad to hear from me.  I could tell by her voice, that she felt happier when she heard my voice. 

Here is a game we used to play called Messages.

Ask all the members of your family to sit, one behind the next, in a straight line. Everyone is facing the same direction.  That will make each person looking at another person’s back.  Then you let them know that you have drawn a symbol on a piece of paper, and you are going to send that symbol as your message to the last person in the row, by drawing the symbol on their back with your finger.

A message should be simple with only one to three lines.  Start off with numbers or something like a tree or an aeroplane shape. Here is an example:     

23

The game is for each person to draw the symbol they feel on their back, onto the back of the person in front of them.  The message starts at the back and moves toward the front of the line. Each person can ask the person behind them to repeat the message only twice if they don’t get it the first time. 

The original message giver goes to the front of the line and waits for the message to the front person.  The front person draws the message they believe they received on a piece of paper. Now compare the two pictures. 

You can change places so that each person gets a chance to send a message.  It is fun to see how many of the messages received by the front of the line resemble what was originally sent. 

I am Larry Limo, Doug Dragster’s dad.  I usually drive celebrities around but right now, I have my business closed so that I can stay safe at home. 

I asked Doug, What was the hardest thing about staying home?  He said he missed his friends.  Do you miss your friends?  Have you found a way to connect with them on the phone, text or internet? 

Who do you miss the most?  How will you be able to connect with them?  Can you talk to your family and plan how you can stay in touch with friends and other family members who do not live with you?

It is important for our wellbeing that we stay connected to our special people. 

Do you know older people who do not have family and need to feel connected?  Can you and your family find ways to connect with them so they feel cared about?  We call Uncle Diesel every day on skype and he is always happy to hear from us.  We feel happier, too, seeing him on the internet knowing that he is healthy and safe in his home. Yesterday, Doug shared one of Sid’s jokes with him.  We were all laughing and we all felt happier.

Do you want to be a good neighbor to an older person?  Plan with your family how you can help an older neighbor who might live alone.

• Who will you reach out to?                                                                         
• How will you connect with that person?
• What can you do to bring some cheer into their life?

Maybe you can share the ideas in the Magic Book. It helped my family realise that we can’t always control what happens, but we can always choose an effective way to deal with it.  Staying safe and healthy are effective ways now.

‘Doug told me that he was feeling a bit lonely and missing his dragster friends. We played this game.

You might like to try it too!

Think about the thing you miss most about staying at home all the time. Now imagine that you were able to have it. Maybe it’s a hug from your grandparents or your aunty and uncle.

Do you remember what it feels like to hug that someone special? If that person isn’t with you, you can imagine that you are giving them a hug. 

Sit back and take a deep breath. Relax and think about a wonderful place where you really like to be. You might close your eyes so you can see it and really imagine how special it is to be there. Think to yourself, ‘I love this place and it feels so nice to be here. I feel peaceful and comfortable. I am glad that the person I love can be here with me’. We are so glad to be close together in this place.

Now imagine that your special person reaches out to you for a hug. 

Reach your hands out and cross them in front of your chest, as though you were bringing your special person into your arms in a hug. Then think silently, “I am so happy that we can be together like this. I think we can have a great day together.” 

Maybe there are other special people you would like to invite into your peaceful, happy place. Open your arms wide enough to bring all of them into your imaginary hug. How exciting it is to have everyone you love so close! 

Now imagine that all the people in the world are your friends and bring everyone into your imaginary hug. Say something like, “I hope everyone is healthy today and getting stronger. I want all of us to feel safe, loved and happy where ever we are. I wish everyone well.”

Now open your eyes.

Mini says, “Do you feel happier now than you were before your imaginary hugs?  How do you feel when you send friendly wishes out to others? Imaginary hugs are one way I can feel cared for and stronger. If it helped you to feel happier, share your imaginary hugs with your family. They may choose to try it too.     

Here is another memory game. In my bucket for my picnic …..

The first player says, “In my basket for the picnic, I packed …,” and then says what item he or she has packed.

The next player then says, “In my basket for the picnic, I packed…,” and then repeats what the first player packed and adds his or her own item to the basket, and so on.

After you have played this a few times, talk about your favourite foods, and why you like them.

After you have played this a few times, look at the TRUSTING Open road poster.

We know that we are all different and have different skills and gifts, and so we NEVER compare ourselves with others! We just trust our own special ways of doing things, and keep learning from others. 

Print out the TRUSTING poster and decorate it as a reminder to trust yourself. In acitivity 19 you will play a game where you have to trust someone else in your family. It will be fun.