Tips for Keeping Children Engaged During the COVID-19 Lockdown
While there are now more opportunities for children to get some outdoor time during the COVID-19 pandemic, they’ve likely still been indoors a lot more than they’re used to. And when your kids end up locked inside, it’s not necessarily something they – or you – enjoy. To keep them engaged, you’ll need to get a little creative to find activities that keep them busy. And if you do it right, you can also sneak in a bit of learning while they’re having fun.
Use Tech for Learning
Letting your children sit in front of a screen might be the last thing you want to do, but it doesn’t have to be as mind-numbing as you think. In fact, instead of having your kids watch movies or cartoons, they can use technology to increase important life skills and improve their education. One unique activity that’s both educational and fun is genealogy, because it teaches your kids to be more self-confident while brushing up on their history skills. Your children can learn more about your heritage by visiting Ancestry.com, taking a native language course, or watching a movie that takes place in the country of your family’s origins.
You can also let your kids access art and craft videos or kid-friendly workouts to help keep your kids active. Active Kids notes you can even get fitness apps that will keep your youngsters entertained and moving. Not only is it a chance for them to burn off energy, but it also buys you a little time to think about what to do for the rest of the day.
Get Them Involved
It can take a little time to put together more structured activities, so how about starting with getting the kids involved with the things you have to do on a daily basis? The average household never seems to run out of areas to clean, and it’s easy to get your kids involved if you make it fun.
With that in mind, instead of an hour-long cleaning session, consider breaking activities into short bursts. Adding some music to the mix can also bring the fun dial up a notch. For multiple kids, having a cleaning competition could be just what you need to get some work off your plate while keeping them busy.
Cooking is another activity you can get your kids into, and you can even gear their tools and jobs to their ages. They’ll still need your supervision, but it can be fun to have them in the kitchen, and they’ll enjoy eating something they helped cook.
Let Them Create
Since they’re locked in, now would be an opportune time to let your kids explore their creative sides. You can arrange simple and creative projects like painting and making fun masks. Everyday items like jars and plastic plates can be used in craft projects; just think about what you have on hand to get things rolling.
With multiple kids, you can let them give each other temporary tattoos and make jewelry for each other from strings and “O”-shaped cereal. If your child has a green thumb, you can have them plant seeds they will nurture and move outdoors as the weather warms. For kids who like to draw, how about helping them create their own comic book? This can showcase their talents while teaching them how to build an interesting story.
Plan Structured Activities
Having your kids inside can be an awesome opportunity for you to teach them some science. Mommy Poppins has some excellent suggestions for science experiments you can try out with regular household ingredients. For example, a bit of lemon juice and some heat can give you invisible ink. Adding borax to some glue can give your kids some homemade slime to play with.
With some time and a bit of planning, you can also have your very own indoor scavenger hunt. All you need is a theme, some fun clues and a prize that will make it all worth it. When writing your clues, don’t be afraid to slip in some learning moments so they’ll have to draw on their knowledge to figure them out.
It’s certainly not easy for you and your kids to handle being cooped up inside the house, but if you put the right plans in place, you’ll not only survive it but also have a ton of fun. Make sure to have more than one option available just in case your first plan doesn’t work out as you hoped.
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