Since schools aren’t re-opening anytime soon, parents are now tasked with the responsibility of keeping their children occupied during the COVID-19 pandemic. This can be difficult for most parents who have to assume the role of a teacher, friend, and counselor on top of being a guardian and provider. However, with adequate preparation, this can be a fun experience that can help strengthen the bond with your children. Here are some activities to do with your children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
1. Take a walk in the neighbourhood
It’s easy for children to spend the whole day seated in front of the TV which is not healthy. Getting the kids out of the house will help motivate them to stay active and channel their energy to doing something productive. It will also expose them to the sun which provides essential vitamins for healthy development. During the walks, they can have supervised interactions with other neighbourhood children while maintaining the social distancing guidelines. This helps them with socialization and reduces the effects of isolation. Make sure the children have masks on before leaving the house and carry a sanitizer while going on a walk.
2. Have a movie night
The pandemic may have brought confusion and despair but it also brought an opportunity to bond with loved ones. For busy parents, this is the perfect time to catch up on some movies with your children. A movie marathon night will take your mind away from the pandemic while allowing you to spend some quality time with your children. You can dig up your old collection or subscribe to streaming platforms like Netflix and Showmax which have an impressive collection of movies for all ages.
3. Cooking/baking
Being able to cook is a important life skill that will enable your kids to be able to take care of themselves when they eventually move out. You can introduce your children to the kitchen during this long holiday. With nothing much to do around the house, this is the perfect time to nurture talent and new skills as children will learn easily. Make sure to start with easy recipes that don’t require too many ingredients to avoid wastage. For younger kids, you can give them simple tasks such as pouring in the ingredients.
4. Arts & crafts class
Setting up an arts and crafts station at home will go a long way in engaging your children during the COVID-19 pandemic. With plenty of time and unlimited YouTube tutorials, they can make a new craft for each day spent at home. Additionally, arts and crafts helps develop their creativity and improves the quality of life which is needed during these times.
5. Gardening
Children love playing with dirt so gardening can be a fun experience for them. Now more than ever, it’s important to learn how to grow your own food in case another pandemic that prevents us from leaving the house hits the world. If you live in an apartment, you can transform your balcony or a kitchen corner into a garden with planting boxes. Start with low maintenance plants such as tomatoes, garlic and beans which will encourage the children to participate in the process.
6. Keep education going
Parents have a crucial task of being an educator during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though schools will not resume till January 2021, some teachers are still sending reading materials and homework to their students. As a parent, you can help your children study and do their homework. If education isn’t your forte, there are numerous tools online that you can use to continue the learning process and ensure your children don’t lag behind.
7. Host a game tournament
Parents know that children and excess energy are a recipe for disaster. They can destructive, aggressive not to mention that they barely get adequate sleep at night. However, you can get the kids up and running safely in the house with an indoor game tournament. Transform your house to a playing field for various games such as hide and seek, obstacle course, charades and balloon games among others. This will not only enable them use up that excess energy but also it will inspire their spirit of competition while at the same time giving the winning team a sense of accomplishment.
8. Karaoke session
Karaoke helps boost confidence, stimulates the brain and relieves stress making it a great activity to do with the children during this pandemic. You can have a karaoke session from the comfort of your home with apps such as Smule that enable your devices to become a karaoke machine. The kids will definitely have a blast singing their favorite songs.