Watch: Life for children in the 2010s

Life at home

• More and more children used tablets and smart phones to play games, watch films and TV and for learning and homework!
• This was the decade when music streaming services took over traditional methods of listening to music on CDs and the radio.
• Virtual assistants arrived. Siri, Alexa and Google assistant meant you could ask a machine to play music, search the internet, order shopping or even tell a joke.
• Outdoor play had not changed though. Scooters, bikes, sports and traditional playground games were still popular!

What was school like?

• School learning changed, too. Homework could now be done using the internet and school learning platforms.
• In the classrooms screens, laptops and tablets were used.
• British chef Jamie Oliver campaigned for schools to serve healthier meals.

The London 2012 Olympics

• In 2012 The Olympics took place in London. 204 countries took part. The USA won the most medals.
• The opening ceremony was called Isles of Wonder. There were lots of fireworks and dancing. The ceremony was watched on television by around one billion people all over the world.
• The London Olympics and Paralympics had two mascots. They were called Wenlock and Mandeville.
• Britain's Jessica Ennis-Hill (pictured) won gold in the Heptathlon at London 2012 Olympics.
• British athlete Mo Farah won double gold in the 5,000m and 10,000m races.

What did Greta Thunberg do?

• In 2018 Greta Thunberg, a Swedish teenager protested outside the Swedish Parliament about the dangers of climate change.
• In 2019 she sailed across the ocean to an international meeting called the UN Climate Action Summit in North America.

• What things do you do at home to help slow down climate change?
• Perhaps you recycle materials or hang out your washing in the sunshine?
• Have you done anything at school about climate change?
• Can you make a poster with all the things you do to help save the planet?

Did you know?

• In 2012, Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her diamond jubilee. This means she had been queen for 60 years!
• The only other queen to celebrate a diamond jubilee was Queen Victoria in the 19th century.
• In 2010 the FIFA World Cup was held on the continent of Africa for the first time. The tournament was played in South Africa.
• The wider world was introduced to the vuvuzela, an instrument that fans in the stadiums would blow during the games.

Activities

Activity 1: Life in the 2010s quiz

Activity 2: 2010s colouring sheet

• and print this colouring sheet of Lucy, Nathan and Maya in the 2010s.
• Can you colour it in and label it with some of the items that were familiar to children in the 2010s?