It is realistic to expect most countries to continue to be on lockdown for at least the next two months as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be on the uprise. Whether the lockdown extends for a more prolonged period or not, it is crucial to be prepared and to take measures into hand during the earlier stages of the lockdown. With that said, children at home should occupy themselves with fun and engaging activities to keep them off the screens. Although some children’s programmes have been proven to be educational, too much screentime can be bad for children. Here are several ideas for activities both you and your children can do at home, during the quarantine.
Pool Party
Organize a pool party with the children on the porch of your house. It is time to pull out the old inflatable pool that has been collecting dust in the corner or invest in a new one. Choose a beautiful sunny day to have some fun outside, splashing around in refreshing, cool water. Aside from setting up the pool, children can also prepare refreshments and have a small picnic out. It’s great for children to indulge in these engaging activities; the memories created will be brought with them forever. With the advancement of technology, children are more inclined to play games and watch television at home; this is an opportunity to give your child a memorable childhood. Here’s a delicious kid-friendly piña colada recipe that your children will love.
- 1 cup unsweetened pineapple chunks (frozen)
- Ice
- 1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- Sugar to your preference
- Blend the above ingredients
- Garnish with fresh pineapple wedges and maraschino cherries
Learning The Art Of Origami Folding
Origami is the art of paper folding that originates from Japan. The number of benefits it can bring to your children is enormous. There are numerous easy origamis that your children can follow with just a few simple steps, such as origami tulips, origami dogs, paper boats, among others. It equips your children with patience, problem-solving skills, self-accomplishment, and joy of finishing their projects. Parents can help to print out Origami modules for their children to follow; thus, eliminating any distractions from tech devices.
Build A Treehouse Or An Indoor Fort
Every child’s long-awaited dream is to build a treehouse, and there is no better time for it than during the quarantine. You’ll need a back or front yard with a tree to pull off this activity, get some wood, and get hammering; be sure that your child is getting maximum engagement by helping. Keep in mind that it does not have to be perfect, but always be sure to prioritize safety. Now, not all of us have backyards, so opt for the next best thing; build an indoor fort with your child. Tepee tents work best, and you can easily get some good ones online, but if you’d rather build one from scratch with your child, pillows, sturdy furniture, cushions, and blankets, make up the perfect base exterior for a DIY indoor fort. Store some packaged snacks, toys, and books to keep your child entertained as they hide from fire-breathing dragons in their very own indoor fort.
Carry Out Science Experiments
Get your child to learn about science while having a blast, by helping them carry out science experiments from the comfort of your own home (there’s nowhere to go anyways). There are many cool science experiments that you can help your child with, such as using density to make a groovy lava lamp, creating a mini volcano inside a bottle, and even making crystal sugar candies with science. Some of the materials needed for these experiments can be found lying around in your home, which makes it an excellent activity to engage your kids in during the quarantine. Each experiment will educate your child on a science lesson; for instance, children will be learning about the simple principals of saturation with the crystal sugar candy experiment.
Colouring
Children enjoy colouring, and it can be considered as one of their favourite pastimes, an ideal activity that sparks imagination in your child and allows them to express their creativity. It is easy to put together your child’s very own DIY colouring book by printing out colouring pages and compiling them into a book. There are so many advantages that your child can attain from colouring such as better concentration, they learn the skill of patience, and it stimulates creativity. Colouring also helps children perfect the way they hold a pencil and, in turn, contributing to improved handwriting.
Gardening
With gardening, children can learn lessons on responsibility and patience. Children will feel a sense of accomplishment; children will have the opportunity to witness the cycle of life firsthand. They’ll be delighted to see their planted seed sprout into a seedling and grow into a fully developed plant. Plant seeds that are easy to germinate like carrots, cherry tomatoes, and pumpkins; harvesting the produce and cooking or eating them with your child will elevate the experience even further. If you happen to stay in an apartment or have limited space for gardening, potted indoor plants will work just fine; examples include rosemary, basil, and marigold flowers. Choose among seeds that are easy to grow, fun to harvest, and have a fast-growing rate to make the most out of the quarantine period.
Play Make-Believe
Playing pretend spurs child development, not only does it nurture your child’s imagination, but it also develops thinking skills, social and emotional skills. Play along with the make-believe scenarios that they’ve imagined, like a restaurant or an art museum; the sky is the limit for children. Help your child create menus and help them prepare the food that is to be served; it’ll encourage them even more if the whole family could get involved and play along. Playing pretend is an ideal way to merge your child’s skills and knowledge; they learn new things as they play make-believe, like calculating amounts, determining shapes, and will even help nurture your child’s language development.