7 Ways To Keep Your Child Engaged During Lockdown

It is distressing to see what the world has been going through since the outbreak of the coronavirus disease. The government of India has further extended the lockdown till 17th May 2020 adhering to the growing number of cases in our country. Therefore, it is essential that we have our kids realize the reason behind this “vacation” that they have been given and why it should be utilized as a time bonus.

Work meetings on your sofa and getting your laptop to the breakfast table becomes even more challenging when this mix comes with children. It is important to understand that we as adults are still volatile to change but it’s not quite a welcome in the routine lives of young children and puts them into a perplexed state of mind which therefore hampers overall development.

Hence, it is important to adopt some smart parenting hacks and use this time wisely.

1. Set a Routine: It is important to set a routine, not only for kids but also for parents like there was one for their regular days. This is an important step for the kids to realize that it's not a vacation and everyone has to work like every other day in their lives. They must have fixed mealtimes and bedtime, to say the least.
2. Encourage Them to Help with Household Chores: Persuade them to do little things on their own. Household activities like making their bed and cleaning their room are some chores which the kids can do themselves with a little guidance.
3. Develop a Reading Habit: This is the best time to engage your kid in reading books and newspapers. Inculcating a reading habit will make sure that their time is being used wisely along with being informative at the same time. This will also enhance the communication and language skills of the child.
4. Move Move Move: Since the child is restricted to the boundaries of the house, it is essential to engage in activities that require them to move. An hour of cardio exercise, yoga, or dancing will help achieve the daily physical movement requirement of the body. But it is also important for you to participate with them for the added motivation.
5. Do some Art and Craft: By involving your kids in art and craft, you’ll not only be helping them pass the time easily but you’ll also let their creative juices flow. Making easy, simple craft projects can help your children hone their artistic talents and sharpen their minds. To build this skill, you can take help from the expert-led workshops at Hobby Tribe. Their platform and teachers are well-acclaimed for their passion and ability to transform their students. 
6. Set a Restricted Screen Time: Be it sitting in front of the television, playing video games on the tablet or mobile phone, or being on the laptop for hours in the name of online classes and projects- children have one reason or another to stay glued to these screens. Make sure you restrict their screen time to activities that cannot be done without using these gadgets.
7. Introduce them to Traditional Games: Instead of playing video games, introduce them to the traditional games which this internet generation is not aware of. Tell them your childhood stories and how you enjoyed playing these games in the absence of gadgets. Some good choices would be Hopscotch, Kabaddi, Pithhoo, Kho Kho, etc. Reliving memories? We know :)

These are some activities that would help you and your kids beat the blues of staying confined to the walls of your home and stay positive, productive and proactive at this time.

Stay Tuned, Stay Relevant!