Lack of indoor activities ‘affecting children’s mental health’

Children’s mental health is being affected by a lack of organised indoor activity classes, according to those who run them.

Rebecca Hutcherson-Jones, who owns and teaches at Caerphilly-based Elevate Ballet and Dance, has not been able to teach in-class dance lessons since before Christmas due to lockdown restrictions.

Since the first lockdown in March 2020, Ms Hutcherson-Jones said she has had just three and a half weeks of in-person teaching.

For most of the pandemic, she has been running classes online through Zoom, but says she has seen a difference in the way children have engaged with the classes and is concerned with the effect the pandemic is having on them mentally.

“There’s a difference in how kids are engaging online. We can’t give individual tips on things like technique the way we do in class.

“How much longer can they take it?”

Charlotte Bishop, manager of Abertridwr-based Fighting Dragons Karate Kickboxing, said many of the younger pupils have struggled with motivation and concentration while training on Zoom.

She said: “Students can’t interact on Zoom like they would in class. They’re not building up relationships with other youngsters.

“It’s harder for us to correct mistakes over Zoom, stuff that could cause injury later on, such as not pivoting properly when doing a roundhouse kick.”

Mrs Bishop said social anxiety has also become more of a problem, while the number of children attending classes has dropped over lockdown.

She added: “They need their routine back and a sense of normality is needed. Their motivation has gone through the floor.”

The club has recently restarted outdoor classes and has been preparing to resume indoor teaching from May 17.

Mrs Bishop said risk assessments have been carried out, with plans to hold more classes so that social distancing can be adhered to, with a maximum of 15 children per session.

However, scout leader Alan Britt said the switch to Zoom has brought many positives for the children involved with the 1st Abercarn Scouts.

The scout group has been holding regular virtual meetings throughout the pandemic using Zoom, with around 20 scouts, aged between ten-and-a-half and 14, attending every Wednesday.

In that time, they’ve met virtually with scouts from across the world, in places such as the Czech Republic, Sweden, Egpyt, Bahrain and Chile.

Mr Britt said the children had enjoyed the switch to Zoom on the whole, but were looking forward to seeing each other again in-person.

He said: “The kids are engaging and taking part, and if it wasn’t for Covid, we wouldn’t have spoken to half the people we have.

“But we’re hoping to start back outdoors this weekend, weather permitting.

“Indoor sessions will be restricted with numbers, but we’re all geared up with sanitizer and PPE and are just waiting for the nod from the powers that be.”

The last time the Scouts met up in-person was before Christmas, when they went for a hike in the pouring rain. It was the first time many of them had seen each other since before the pandemic began, and Mr Britt said they were “very excited” to see each other.

He added: “Parents have been really supportive and have helped a lot. Some of them have been just as enthusiastic as the kids.”

Earlier this month, the Welsh Government published a roadmap outlining the upcoming easing of restrictions as Wales’ lockdown is downgraded from Alert Level 4 to Alert Level 3.

The roadmap indicates that outdoor activities of up to 30 people will be able to resume from Monday, April 26, should coronavirus rates continue to fall.

The roadmap also suggests children’s indoor activities will be allowed to resume from May 17.

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “Supporting children’s health and wellbeing during the pandemic remains a priority, including ensuring children have been able to return to schools after the Easter Holiday.

“As part of our phased and cautious approach to easing restrictions, we have already provided for organised outdoor children’s activities to take place.”