Families across NSW will be able to enjoy a new website – Family Project – that provides fun COVID-safe ideas for families to connect during lockdown including rock art, backyard movies, building herb gardens, creating chalk art and meditation.
The safe online portal will provide a new project every day to help support the mental and physical wellbeing of NSW families.
Nationals Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor said COVID-19 is extremely challenging for both parents and children who may feel overwhelmed by the demands of remote learning, working from home, and the juggling of competing expectations.
“Families are under pressure in lockdown. Family Project will be the place they can go to find simple COVID-safe ideas to do within their local area, practical tips to support emotional and physical wellbeing and advice on home schooling,” Mrs Taylor said.
“Family Project is designed to provide inspirational daily activities – everything from parents and kids meditating to creating a street library for the neighbourhood. For parents struggling to find things to do with their children away from screens, this website will have lots of answers.
“We want to give families something positive and hopeful to connect with, to enhance togetherness, when we are not together, and to foster resilience through adversity.”
A NSW Government initiative, Family Project is a collaboration between Gidget Foundation Australia and parenting organisation Tresillian.
Gidget Foundation Australia CEO Arabella Gibson said it’s important to remember that adult interpretations of COVID-19 are very different to those of young people.
For a 50-year-old, this pandemic has taken up 3 per cent of their life. However, for an 8-year-old, the pandemic has taken up nearly 20 per cent of their life.
“That’s why we’re launching Family Project – to support parents in being thoughtful and engaged role-models as we know that can be a lot harder in practice than it sounds. If as a community we can demonstrate how it’s possible to be part of the solution, everyone will benefit,” Ms Gibson said.
Examples of future Family Projects include:
Wellbeing tips for the family
How to create your own worm farm
Brickman’s school holiday Lego challenge
Parents and kids meditation & breath work
Building a simple herb garden
Being a new dad (in a pandemic)
Tik Tok family dance demo
Creating kindness rock art
How to make Lebanese cuisine to gift to your neighbours
Creating chalk art with kids to connect community
Making a Street Library for your neighbourhood
Dancing with The Beanies
Building a fun volcano from your kitchen cupboards
Making Spoonville for your street
For more information go to familyproject.org.au
