Covid 19 coronavirus: NZ-wide bear hunt to help kids deal with isolation

Kiwis are leaving teddy bears on their windows, to give kids a reason to smile. Photo / Facebook

New Zealand children in lockdown will be able to partake in a nationwide bear hunt, all while keeping within the rules for alert level 4.

A Kiwi woman has created a nationwide bear hunt for children to take part in while they are in isolation for at least the next four weeks.

Debby Hoffman created the page 'We're Not Scared' - NZ Bear Hunt in a bid to get children to look out for bears in their community while they are getting exercise with their parent or guardian.

People across the country are being asked to place a teddy bear in their window and put a pin on the site's map so children can take part in a safe game while at a distance.

Kiwis are leaving teddy bears on their windows, to give kids a reason to smile. Photo / Facebook

Hoffman told the Herald more than 1000 people from Auckland to Invercargill have dropped pins so children can locate and tick off the teddies they see in different locations.

"I just wanted to give children something to smile about. It's an unsettling time for a lot of people and this can give young ones something to look forward to.

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"We want children to get fresh air but still make sure they're staying 2m away from others.

"Putting a teddy in your window means you can play too without stepping outside.

"You never know what a difference your bear will make as people are out and about while maintaining social distancing."

So far the We're Not Scared - NZ Bear Hunt has had more than 10,000 views.

New Zealand will enter alert level 4 at 11:59pm on Wednesday and will stay in lockdown for at least four weeks.

The government has reiterated that, while it is asking to Kiwis to stay home as much as possible, people are allowed to go outside for walks and exercise, either on their own or with the people they are self-isolating with.

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website