Keep kids occupied with fun activities
Ideas to keep your young children gainfully engaged during this lockdown period as they must stay indoors
We’re all going through an unprecedented experience. But those of us who are parents, in addition to having to navigate other aspects of this difficult time, also have to cope with the honorary title of “full-time teacher and caretaker.” If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone! The good news is, there are ways of making things more manageable. Here are some ideas.
Create a schedule for your child each morning and map it against your schedule. With that alone, you’ll have predictability, alleviate the stress and effort of ad hoc planning, and get time for the things you need to get done as well.
A young girl spending time painting
(right) Actor Saif Ali Khan keeps son Taimur occupied with a bit of gardening
Each day, the winning formula should be: something for the hands, something for the mind, something for the heart. Aim to get your kids to do something creative, something intellectually stimulating, and something simply for the fun of it
Each day, the winning formula should be: something for the hands, something for the mind, something for the heart. In other words, aim to get your kids to do something creative, something intellectually stimulating, and something simply for the fun of it.
This may sound intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. For instance, getting your child involved in the kitchen while you’re cooking instantly turns the mundane job into a creative activity. Instead of cleaning up your child’s room yourself, get them to do it, and, while they’re at it, put on a performance with their toys!
Think outside the box when it comes to intellectual stimulation as well. Consider using a language app like DuoLingo to learn a new language together. We’re also big fans of journaling and story-writing. If your kids are too young to write, have them draw scenes, and tell you what to write down about each.
●
Dress up and have a little costume party, and have fun. Make a tent out of bedsheets and pretend you’re on safari, or have a dance party. Of course, make sure you take your child’s suggestions too about how to spend time and be engaged.
With a little bit of planning, and a little bit of teamwork, this unexpected time with our kids might just be what gets us through this worrisome period.