Best Things to do with the Kids in Lockdown

According to the UN reports, more than 95% of kids across the world are now off school due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s, however, not just the kids as most parents also now work from home with the complete closures or lockdown imposed in most countries. In fact, it can be both tricky and hard to juggle between focusing on career and entertaining your little ones at the same time.

But, did you know that it’s also the best time to know your kids better or vice versa? So why not utilize this phase wisely to bond with your kids and other family members. Now if you’re looking for innovative ways to keep your little warriors busy, we hope that the following creative ideas will help you to get them through this pandemic time.

Before we get into the activities for kids, here are some effective tips for work from home parents to ensure maximum time with kids

• Create a realistic yet flexible schedule and try to stick on to it
• Equally vital is to set a perfect meal plan with innovative but kid-friendly, healthy recipes
• Make sure that you stock up your pantry and refrigerator plus freezer as well
• If possible, cook bulk, store well and eat all week
• Make the most of your kids’ nap time to finish your important task
• Try to plan kids’ activities that need your minimal or zero supervision
• Be sure to take a break in between. For instance, if you’re continuously working for an hour or more, try to spend 5 to 10 minutes with kids.
• Staying completely indoors can make both kids and parents sluggish, so add refreshing family workouts in your daily routine.

Interesting kids’ activities during this pandemic time

1. Be creative using eco-friendly materials

Yes, this is the time to bring out both your and your kids’ creative side. But this really needn’t have to be a pricey affair. You can make this happen while being kind to our planet by using recycled materials. So make sure that you don’t just trash these things away, such as shopping cartons, cereal boxes, kitchen / toilet paper towel rolls, plastic bottles, corks and lids. Let your adorable ones blend their imagination, inventiveness and motoring skills to create some really amazing and cool stuff out of them, including paper flowers, rockets, trees, and even superheroes.

2. Revive the old-school techniques to reduce screen time

Regardless of the age group, our little ones are now so addicted to televisions, smart phones, computers and tablets that it has now almost become impossible for them to imagine a life without these gadgets. So why not use this quarantine phase to set some screen-free goals! As an alternative, you can encourage them to:

• Read books
• Listen to an audio story (if your kids are too small to read books)
• Be creative with crayons or water colors
• Do some art and crafts
• Do science experiments
• Design an interesting treasure hunt game
• Play the long-forgotten board games
• Strike a healthy conversation on what’s happening around them

But, most importantly, to make this happen, you yourselves have to set an example for your kids by limiting the use of these gadgets and via listening and giving undivided attention to them.

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3. Assign them an important task

Kids are active and free-spirited, but they easily get bored too. That said, you can help them to easily overcome this by making them special. Allocate your little ones a task and be sure to magnify it as an important one which gives them the feel that this could be done only by them. Ask your kid to make a drawing to surprise his or her dad or create a birthday card / jewelry / toys for their grandparents or friends. The bonus is that this would help to bring your children’s inner qualities and hidden skills.

4. Plan games or activities that tap your kids’ talents

Is your kid a good singer? Does your kid love to groove or is he / she a budding writer or adept in debating? Turn this time of social isolation to a platform which helps to nurture or improve your child’s passion. As the first step, know your kid’s unique abilities or skills. The next step is to plan outside the box to keep the spirit of their talent alive. Instead of relying on any highly structured or pressurized methods, you can give them the ideas to develop it in a more fun-filled and enthusiastic manner. For instance, gift your little engineer a LEGO Robotic kit or set the right stage within the house itself for storytelling, drama or whatever their passion is.

5. Let them learn some life skills

Have you ever made an analysis on how independent or capable your kid is? This is the right time to instill in your little ones the essential life skills, which make them confident to face the world in future. The first thing is to teach them how to take care of themselves. Another important thing is to inspire them to do their own work without taking your help. You can start by asking them to keep their bed space and study desk / play area tidy which would gradually encourage them to take up more responsibilities. Along with this, make them aware of the importance of time management, money spending and decision making skills too.

6. Do home chores together

Well, this is an extension of the above point. After all, involving your little ones in your day to day activities is also an important part of developing your kids’ practical life skills. You can ask them to assist you in cooking, fill water bottles, put washed clothes on stand, fold clothes, set the dining space, mop up the house and remove the trash. In return, don’t forget to shower them with praise and if possible reward them by cooking their favorite dish for dinner or reading their favorite bedtime stories.

7. Plan a play date

If your kids miss their school mates or fellow kids in the neighborhood, it’s a great idea to host a play date (but only if you think it’s absolutely safe and agreeable as per the community / government rules). As it’s a difficult time, make sure that you keep it simple and short by restricting this play date to just one or two of their friends, preferably staying next doors or in the same building itself. Prep your house and plan some interesting activities or games to make this brief session as entertaining and interactive as possible.

8. Arrange for a chat session

If a play date is not a feasible option in this pandemic time, there are several other ways for your little ones to remain connected with their friends, thanks to technology and many reliable teleconferencing apps. You can install Zoom or its alternatives such as Smoothy, HouseParty, or FaceTime. While it’s a great idea, make sure that you decide on the amount of time as well as number of days that they should set aside to communicate with their friends, possibly 15 minutes to 20 minutes once or twice in a week.

9. Allocate time for real-time learning too

As majority of the schools are now closed for an indefinite period, it’s now a challenging period for parents to keep their kids motivated and interested in studies. This is vital to get them ready for the school once things get back to normal. Luckily, most schools have now begun to tap the potentials of e-learning which to an extent gives your kids the feel of being in a physical classroom while ensuring that they’re not missing out on their academic syllabus. But if this is not available in your area, you can sign up for a private virtual learning session or work with your kids’ teachers to create an effective lesson plan as per your kids’ abilities and interests, so that they don’t lag behind with their studies.

10. Spend some time with nature

If you’re fortunate enough to stay in an apartment or a building with your own private outdoor space, allow your kids to get some sunshine. As they play and run around, let them appreciate the beauty of nature and enjoy the soothing sounds of birds chirping. Now for those who don’t have the luxury of a yard, you can give your kids some seed or a plant which they can raise on the windowsill. They would definitely be excited to water them on daily basis while keeping a track of its growth.

Once we overcome this isolation phase, make sure that your kids learn some valuable lessons such as:

• Time spend with family is better than screen time
• Let them make a self-discovery while analyzing their real needs
• No junk or outside foods come closer to the healthy, home-prepped meals
• Working together with family is fun (and it eliminates the reliance on external help as well)
• Let them learn to make the most of whatever they have
• Let them realize the importance of everything which they had taken for granted earlier, such as playtime with friends, eating out, park visits, holiday trips etc.

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Conclusion

As a parent, things may not be always in favor of you and some days you’ll have to almost give up on your kids’ innocence and mischievousness! But don’t fret; be patient, use negotiations, and we’re sure that you’ll finally be able to set up a routine which not only help your kids to make the most of this isolation time but also prepare them to return to school more productively. So stay safe while being creative and proactive! Now if you’ve got an inspiring idea to engage the little ones, feel free to share with us in the comment below.