Social distancing during the pandemic has forced every parent to become more creative when it comes to keeping their kids entertained. While our kids are engaged with online learning for part of the day, there are still a lot of hours to be filled throughout the day.
No playdates, soccer practice, and music classes can make it tough for both parents and kids to adapt to a whole new normal. Of course, there are times when we are just so tempted to rely on devices and screens to keep our kids occupied, but this should always be kept in moderation.
Some screen time can be educational, but it can be easy to go overboard during the pandemic and many studies have shown that allowing young children the excessive use of digital devices can lead to various negative and undesirable outcomes.
This includes quick irritability and lack of concentration, on top of physical health problems like obesity, irregular sleep, and risk of near-sightedness. That’s why in these challenging times, it is up to parents to find ways to keep our home-bound kids entertained and healthy.
Plan Family Game Nights
Though you can always get toys and storybooks for your children to play independently, nothing can quite replace the experience of a family game night. It is a great way to see how competitive everyone in the family is and just an excellent way to entertain everyone in the household during a lockdown.
You can go for classic board games like Monopoly and Pictionary or newer card games like Exploding Kittens and Kids Against Maturity to have some fun and laughs. However, just the idea of having everyone in the family sitting around a table and enjoying some quality bonding time is comforting and can make for some great memories.
Plus, kids learn best through play! With every game night, you can take the chance to transform the session into a great learning opportunity.
Take a pack of UNO! cards for example, you can go beyond the traditional UNO rules and use it to make your own creative games like Snap or build a house of cards. For toddlers, they also make for a great instrument to recognize colors and learn arithmetics.
Outside card and board games, you can also try acting out a play or other fun indoor play ideas like scavenger hunts, a baking contest, and even an indoor picnic. Just push the furniture to the side, grab a tablecloth, and don’t forget the finger sandwiches and potato salad!
Stay Physically Active
With changes in the school routine and the absence of social activity, it is also essential that parents introduce activities that help their kids stay active. Ideally, young children from six and above need at least an hour of physical activity every day to grow up strong and healthy.
If this seems daunting at first glance, don’t worry! Because this hour of physical activity can be done in intervals and it doesn’t have to be an intense sport activity that exerts a lot of energy.
The most important thing is to get them up and moving. You can easily do this by implementing an active break time during which you can get your kids up to do jumping jacks or something silly like standing on one leg for a few minutes.
You can also mix this up with other indoor activities like Twister, yoga, or following an aerobic workout on YouTube. Or better yet, get your kids to do simple chores around the house, which surprisingly is great for developing their motor skills and building independence.
In cases where the number of COVID-19 cases in your country is low, you can do some outdoor activities with your kids like taking a walk or riding your bicycles around the neighborhood. However remember to make sure your mask is on at all times and practice regular hand washing and wiping down items after use.
Let Your Kids Know Everything is Okay
Right now, nobody knows how long exactly the pandemic will last. And though we are uncertain when everything will be back to normal, we need to remember that our kids are looking to us for guidance on how to react during this time.
So make sure to answer any questions your kids may have about the pandemic and reassure them that everything is okay. Help them to establish a new balanced routine to navigate during the pandemic.
Decide how much screen time your kids can have and where their devices will charge at night. Challenge your child to practice self-control and turn off the TV or tablet themselves, rather than having you remind them.
But most importantly communicate with your child and always switch things around to see what works best. It might take some effort but it is worth it to keep your kids happy and healthy.