Socially Connecting during COVID 19

As adults we are feeling the emotional strain of not seeing our friends and family and let’s be honest our social lives tend to be much less than that of our children. Children are around their friends at school, lunch and recess, in class, after school and sports and hobbies and on the weekends. So if we are feeling the strain, imagine what a massive social change this is for them. So how do we help them feel connected to their friends when they can’t see their friends?

In the last week of working with children who are in isolation, the biggest difficulty they report they are facing is loneliness and missing their friends. But one thing they report to have been enjoying in isolation is more quality family time (Oh and the sleep in’s!)

So here are some of my suggestions to help kids and teens feel and stay connected to family and friends.

1.      Schedule regular times for kids and teens to facetime, skype or video chat their friends

2.      When doing schoolwork, for more responsible teens, allowing them to video chat with their friends regarding school tasks can be helpful.

3.      Videogame with friends – link in on PlayStation, Xbox, computer- such as Minecraft (build 1 amazing world together using Realm!) and Roadblocks.

4.      Play an App with a friend – checkers with friends, words with friends, Risk Global domination – see below for my full list of App suggestions you can play with your friends.

5.      Set up skype with family so kids can stay connected to grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles.

6.      Create a book club – school holidays are just around the corner. So choose a book with your friends and start your own book club, where you discuss your likes and dislikes about the book.

7.      Send voice memo’s to friends – It can be way more personal then just getting a text!

8.      Create group chats – send hilarious texts, funny cat videos, song suggestions to all your friends and let the banter begin!

9.      Send your friends a letter or a care package – Who said that written language is dead! Everyone loves getting Mail.

10.   Watch a movie with friends – or host a movie marathon – Using Netflix party – for the details of how to have a Netflix party go to www.netflixparty.com

App Suggestions - majority are free in the app store.

  • Smart dots and boxes

  • Chess with friends

  • Uno and friends

  • Ludo King

  • Draw something

  • Yahtzee

  • Boggle with friends

  • 4 in a Row (like connect 4)

  • Monopoly

Jessica Alpin

Registered Psychologist


















Parenting, TeenagersAndrew WilkinsonCOVID 19, isolation, child psychology