The last year has taken a toll on children. They have not been able to play with other children, see people they care about or explore the world. Now, the government suggests they need longer school hours and extra tutoring to ‘catch up’ on missed lessons. This means children will again be stuck indoors, with their freedom restricted.

What are you most looking forward to once lockdown has ended? Is it returning to your place of employment so that you can complete all that work that awaits you? Or are you most looking forward to seeing your colleagues, friends, and family again? Do you dream of extended hours spent at work? Or are you dreaming of picnics in the park, walks on the beach, holidays, theatre trips, family BBQs, or an evening at the pub?

Our children need and long for the ability to be with and reconnect with their friends. They may be keen to return to school but I bet it is so they can spend time with their friends. Our children are not wrong (and neither are we.) In a post lockdown world we all need time to reestablish relationships, reconnect with family and friends, and help each other make sense of a stormy season in our collective lives.

When we look at the impact of events on people’s lives, it isn’t just what happens that counts. How we make sense of what happens is what makes the difference. Children have the potential to make sense of their own lives but they can only do that if we provide them with the opportunity to do so. Giving our children space and time to do this, through the use of creativity and play, will help them weather this storm, recover from the emotional strain and stress of a difficult year, and build resilience.

Dr Naomi Fisher, clinical psychologist and author, and Heidi Steel, qualified teacher and play advocate, will discuss how, through giving children time and space to play, they can build their own narratives around COVID. We’ll give practical examples of ways to creatively connect with children and help them make sense of their experiences.