Parenting Tips during Covid
Part 2: Kids engagement
Let’s make staying at home fun together. Now is the best time to do things together that you were struggling to find time for earlier.
One of the things children miss during this period of lockdown is the chance to go out and play. How many times have we heard our children asking us to take them to the park where they can play with friends, run around in the playground, or play on the swings! Unfortunately, we can’t do that in the current scenario. But that shouldn’t stop us from devising ways to include physical activity in the child’s routine.
Here are a few simple ideas:
1. Let them help you
It’s a great idea to get your little ones to take part in simple chores around the house. Besides reducing your workload, this will help to increase your child’s concentration, sense of order, independence and self-confidence. Keeping away books and toys, putting laundry in the laundry basket, matching socks and fetching things from another room are tasks your little helpers will enjoy doing.
2. Play games
Select a game a day that everyone can play. Sorting and nesting toys work very well for infants and toddlers and hone their motor skills. Jigsaw puzzles and memory games are a great tool for building logical thinking among pre-schoolers. Word building, Pictionary, Ludo or Snakes and Ladders can turn parents into children in no time!
3. Art and craft
Get their creativity flowing as they dabble in drawing and colours. Create a messy zone where it is okay to get a little dirty. Guide them to create masterpieces with finger-painting, vegetable cut-outs and leaves. Create cards for the grandparents that they will cherish forever! Non-toxic paint, play dough, slime are all great tactile tools for sensory development.
4. Get close to nature
Being housebound all day can get boring at times. The whole family can spend some time outdoors in the balcony, terrace or home garden without leaving the house. Getting some fresh air and vitamin D is vital for proper growth. Children can help water the plants, count the flowers, or pick herbs from your green corner at home. Watch their eyes fill with wonder and amazement as they explore the variety of leaf designs and textures.
5. Exercise and stay fit
Exercise together to stay active even when indoors. Short sprints across the halls and fun workouts are a great way to release energy. Parents can get the kids to help out and join in their daily workout or devise simple exercises that they can do together. Skipping rope, spot-running and jumping are activities that are easy to do indoors. Infants can enjoy tummy time and massages a couple of times a day, strengthening core muscles vital for development.
By Roopali Singh
Creative Team Leader, Suyog Sunderji Wisdom School, India
July 2021
