The COVID-19 pandemic brought with it a lot of changes. More people have had to adjust to working from home. This change has given working parents an opportunity to spend more time with their children.
However, keeping kids busy at home for an inordinate amount of time is no easy task — even more so as there’s no way to tell when quarantine measures in Australia will end for good. With social distancing measures in place and children’s facilities still closed in some states and territories, parents in these areas are left with no choice. They need to think of novel ways to keep their kids preoccupied.
If you’re struggling to manage the chaos brought on by restless children, then keep reading. Here, we’ll share how you can keep your kids busy during quarantine.
1. Play together
Depending on how young your kids are, make time for playtime together. You can play board games like Monopoly, Jenga, Scrabble, or Pictionary. If you have younger kids, you can make clay models or make sock puppets. Create your own bubble solution and blow bubbles together. Doing these things will prevent them from spending too much time on their gadgets. It’s also a fun way to relax and bond together as a family.
2. Let them help around the house
A great way to keep older kids busy is by letting them do extra chores. You can let your children help out in the kitchen. You can work together as you make a nutritious immunity-boosting smoothie or salad. They can wash fruits and vegetables, peel potatoes, or do any other age-appropriate task. You can let your younger kids help with feeding pets, watering plants, or weeding in the garden.
3. Declutter together
Use the quarantine period for decluttering and organising your home. You can ask your teenager to put all scattered first-aid items together in a kit.
Provide your younger kids with their own cartons to fill with toys they want to keep or donate. There’s no better time than now to set your household in order. Once your kids are done, reward them with their favourite home-cooked meal or ice cream.
4. Teach them
Parents are their kids’ first teachers. You can take this time to teach them a few lessons. If your children are into art, encourage them and help them start with the basics. If you’re not an artsy person, you can help your children find good video instructions online.
You can also use this time to teach your kids mathematical operations in advance. Depending on their age, now would be a good time to teach them the basics. This includes lessons on addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. You can even enrol them in a foreign or sign language programme whilst they're studying online.
5. Keep them entertained
Remember those sock puppets? Now would be a good time to use them; that is, if you have very young kids. You can also read stories together. You can make storytelling fun by holding shadow plays and letting them participate. You can even use those funny FeverMates children’s face masks during storytelling.
If you’re a musical family, this would be a good time to set up your karaoke in the living room. You can also play instruments together and sing your hearts out. Music is not only fun and entertaining; it’s also a great way to de-stress.
6. Camp in your backyard
Everyone longs to spend more time outdoors. However, you can get creative and have a picnic or set up camp in your backyard. Let your kids help in the preparations. You can even camp outside for the night. Set up your tent and sleeping bags. It’s a fun way to pretend you’re on one of your caravan camping trips, with all creature comforts close by.
Hopefully, you’ll have time to implement these tips while you’re working from home with your children during quarantine. There are others you can try, but these are a start. Have fun with your kids!
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