The pandemic has affected adults in myriad ways, but what about kids?
After receiving countless emails and messages during lockdown from parents and kids, Katoomba podcaster Brianna Peterson decided to make the podcast At Home With Brie, specifically for kids.
From the maker of Imagine This on ABC Kids Listen, Ms Peterson said parents wanted a reassuring voice to explain to kids what was happening, as well as provide something for kids to hear and do.
"This podcast is a way for kids to connect across the country, and to hear that they aren't alone. No matter your circumstances, there's always another kid out there listening - who likes the same things or is going through something similar. We're really not that different from each other," Ms Peterson said.
She found children were doing lots of things at home to keep busy.
"They were doing crazy things around the house like making slides," Ms Peterson said.
Others were throwing a birthday party for the family dog, camping out in the lounge room, or going out into the garden and learning about bees.
Manu Domicelj from Leura, said he had missed his friends during the lockdown but he found plenty to do at home.
"It was quite different doing school at home. We played Memory and sometimes handball at recess and lunch and we would kick the soccer ball at lunch. We rang the bell at home and sometimes I wore a uniform, and sometimes I would use my lunchbox and sometimes I didn't," the six year old said.
Manu's mum, Tamara Domicelj, said the podcasts had been bringing joy for several years and were particularly helpful during the pandemic.
"There's a gentleness and connection which feels important through the time of separation. The podcast connected people. She [Brie] created a bit of a sense of community around her," Ms Domicelj said.
Everette Maundrell from Little Hartley, also featured in the podcast. He said during the pandemic he'd been doing craft, origami, making paper planes and building a house for inside and outside that he could squeeze into.
"I like playing games and doing fun stuff. I like doing quizzes," the six year old said.
His mum, Bridget OKeefe said: "It was nice to spend the extra time together when we had school together".
Ms Peterson said she had a blast making the podcast.
"It's just fun. I didn't realise how much fun having a phone and microphone is. It's not about what you look like or social media or being cool. It's just having a chat and connecting," she said.
Kids from three to 12 years old feature in the podcast, which has attracted 700 downloads a week, and there are plans for a second season.
Several Blue Mountains people worked on the podcast, including children's book illustrator Beth Norling who did the podcast design, musician and teacher Matthew Toohey who created the word of the week jingle, Steve Crinks who set up the website and Anne Niddrie who helped with the finer details of creating a podcast.
All 10 episodes of At Home With Brie are now available to stream on iTunes and Spotify.
