Introducing Refresh @ Home

The novel coronavirus COVID-19 has changed our daily lives and routines. With large numbers working as best as they can from home and many parents having to navigate educating their children from home, Australians are learning to adapt to a unique new landscape.

To help you during this time, we’ve relaunched our Refresh – Kids & Families page to become Refresh @ Home. Here you’ll find a collection of our resources, as well as information and advice on a number of topics, from exercising at home, to cooking healthy meals, activities and games.

Please continue to check this page for further updates.

Last updated: 3 April 2020

Activities and games
Home exercise
Healthy eating
Home safety

The novel coronavirus COVID-19 has changed our daily lives and routines. With large numbers working as best as they can from home and many parents having to navigate educating their children from home, Australians are learning to adapt to a unique new landscape.

To help you during this time, we’ve relaunched our Refresh – Kids & Families page to become Refresh @ Home. Here you’ll find a collection of our resources, as well as information and advice on a number of topics, from exercising at home, to cooking healthy meals, activities and games.

Please continue to check this page for further updates.

Activities and games

With kids at home, families will need plenty of games and activities to keep them occupied. Fear not, we’ve got you covered with a number of resources to help keep you and your family both active and entertained.

• Our Q4 Family ACTIVation Pack has fun, quick and easy games to play at home with 5–12-year-olds.

• Our Get Active Today tool has some ideas on simple games and activities you can play to support the development of children ages four to eight.
• The Healthy Kids website has some great backyard physical activities for under-fives.
• Click on our Healthy Graphic below for instructions on how to build a fort. Feel free to download the image and share on your social media channels, in your newsletter or on your website.
• While it might not be possible to cut out screen time while learning and working from home, it’s important to take a break and cut back while you can. Click on our Healthy Graphic below for a simple yet fun drawing activity. Feel free to download the image and share on your social media channels, in your newsletter or on your website.

Home exercise

Exercise is more important now than ever before – both to support our physical health and mental health.

With gymnasiums closed under current restrictions, many of us will be looking at converting our living rooms and gardens into exercise spaces. Here are some great exercise routines to ensure we continue to give our body and mind the work out it needs.

• NSW Health’s Make Healthy Normal website has some simple exercises to do from home or outdoors. You can view and download a range of workouts, from beginner, low-intensity and high-intensity workouts. Check out its TV Workout below.

• Exercise & Sports Science Australia has developed an Exercise Right at Home landing page with links to various home workouts and advice.
• For those who wish to cycle for exercise or transport (if necessary), Bicycle NSW has provided updates and resources to support its community during the COVID-19 situation.

Healthy eating

Planning your shop to ensure you have an adequate supply of healthy foods is top of everyone’s minds right now. Preparing and cooking meals as a family is also a great way to spend time in the house. Below you’ll find recipes and information on nutritious meals so you can be prepared when you need to grab some supplies.

• The Dietitians Association of Australia’s advice on planning your pantry during the COVID-19 pandemic has a handy list of foods you should consider buying in the event of needing to self-isolate, as well as some helpful recipes.
• Click on our Healthy Graphic below – which promotes cooking and eating together as a family – for instructions on how to make gozleme. Feel free to download the image and share on your social media channels, in your newsletter or on your website.

• The LiveLighter program has a number of healthy recipes and meal plans to download, including 12-week plans and family meal plans.
• NSW Health’s Get Healthy in Pregnancy program has loads of great advice and information to help you eat healthy and remain active during pregnancy. Click on the image below to take you through to its web page.

• Our Patch to Plate recipe book contains a collection of tasty and healthy recipes from high schools on the Central Coast, curated by our Central Coast School Garden Interest Group.
• If you’re stuck inside, the good news is you won’t be short of the only drink you need to keep you and your children hydrated and healthy – water. Check out this infographic that includes information on sugary drinks and tips to help your child drink more water.
• Our Thirsty? Choose Water! research program is all about promoting the benefits of making water your drink of choice. Naturally then, we love this hard-hitting advertising campaign from the Rethink Sugary Drink initiative. The ad demonstrates just how much sugar you consume when you drink sugar-sweetened beverages such as soft drinks and sports drinks. Watch the ad below and see for yourself.

Home safety

While we spend much more time in the home than usual, home safety awareness becomes even more important.

Sunday 5 April is April Falls Day. Originally initiated by Northern Sydney Central Coast Area Health Service to promote falls prevention and to raise awareness with community members, patients, carers and staff, the day has become a fixture in the NSW health calendar and now includes all of April (Falls Month).

The following resources contain advice and information on how you can stay safe in the home this April Falls, along with some fun games too.

• Download our Falls prevention checklist to help reduce your risk of falling.
• Download our Home safety checklist, which includes suggestions on how to make your home environment safer.
• Play our Falls are preventable wordsearch. Can you find all the words?
• Play Spot the Falls Risk. Can you spot all 21 hazards?
• Take a look at out our informative poster on what to do if you fall at home. Feel free to print and keep around the house as a reference.
• The Clinical Excellence Commission has developed a number of April Falls resources including posters, flyers and videos for families, carers and healthcare professionals to reduce the risk of falls.