The outbreak of COVID 19 forced most schools all over the world to send kids back to their homes. It’s already 5 long months of kids being at home and you will hear most of them exclaim how bored and tired they are. This is perfectly normal as kids tend to be super active so forcing them to be at home in an apartment without engaging in any activity to dispense their energy automatically causes boredom to them.

Such long holidays are not common so forget the reason why the holiday is here (COVID 19) and focus on the benefits your child can reap from staying at home for so long. There are so many ways you can help your child as a parent to make better use of this time to improve themselves and not waste away like some kids have done.

Below are quick tips to look at;

1. Encourage Them To Cultivate A New Hobby

Encourage your little one to nurture a new hobby. Hobbies play an important role in diminishing unavoidable stress, as they provide an outlet for creativity. Painting, dancing, cooking, reading, or playing indoor games, can be some of the hobbies you can help them to take up. Each hobby comes with its own creativity, and your child will have something to look forward to each day. So help your kids develop those hobbies and tap that inner passion during this long holiday period.

2. Involve Them In Household Chores

‘Cleanliness Is Next To Godliness’, your child might have learned this phrase in school, but it’s about time they implement this in practice, and that can only happen by involving them in household chores. Remember if they learn from a young age, that no work is big or small, they will turn up to be more empathetic individuals. Whether you have a son or a daughter, encourage your child to help you do little chores, like cleaning their room, dusting the shelves or folding clothes, these are important skills that will help them become organized and disciplined individuals.

3. Life Skills Is The Way To Go

Do you ever feel that most of the things you learned in educational institutions don’t seem to be of any use in everyday life? You won’t be alone, because your children might also feel the same in the future. So here’s where you can change things. Home is a great learning space. And you can teach your kids life skills that will nurture their independence and self-sufficiency. So depending on your children’s age, teach them to fix a light bulb or stitch a button, introduce them to concepts of banking, taxes, and insurance, keep them abreast with current affairs and encourage them to help you in the kitchen. This will help them go a long way. And this is your opportunity as parents to teach them something valuable, that they can never learn within the four walls of a classroom.

4. Stay In Touch With Peers Through Technology

One of the best ways to engage with your kids during this lockdown period is to make them stay in touch with their peers through technology. You can plan fun activities over a video call with their peers. Coordinate with parents of their peers, so they can do activities together over video calls. They can work on quizzes, play DIY games or read stories together. Talking to their friends and connecting with them during this quarantine time can make your kids feel that they are all in the same boat.

5. Spend Quality Time With Family

As parents, you might often find yourself juggling work and family. The balance often seems to tilt over. But consider this lockdown period to be a blessing in disguise. This is your chance to bond with your children and spend quality family time together. So do make the most of it, as your kids miss you when you are busy with your respective schedules. Watch family movies, play board games, paint, cook, make the most of every moment. After all, this is a chance to make a lifetime of memories within the four walls of your home.

So these are some of the best ways you can engage your kids during this lockdown period. Create an open, creative and learning atmosphere for your children at home. Your home can definitely be a school, and you can be their teacher who will teach them life skills, build their emotional quotient and develop their personality, so they can become strong, empathetic and self-sufficient individuals in the society and while you are making this conducive environment for your kids, ensure that you and your family stay at home and stay safe.