5 Effective Ways to Engage Children While in Quarantine

With the 21 day lockdown in place, suddenly everyone is finding themselves with more time than they ever imagined. While the idea of having some home time might have been appealing at the start, sitting cooped in the houses will gradually make anyone feel a bit stir-crazy. This is especially true in the case of children who have boundless energy. No more evening playtime in the parks, no more meetings at friends’ houses during the weekends, no more fun after school activities either.

In such a situation, there are increased chances of kids turning more to computer games and their play stations. As there is no school or any other activities to keep them engaged, parents cannot use those as excuses to restrict their playtime. While gaming might look like a great way to keep your child busy, it can have many harmful effects.

Gaming addiction will be difficult to overcome and would later cause many issues once schools reopen. Therefore, it is very important for parents to find alternate methods to keep the child occupied. 

So, here is a list of fun things you can do with your kid to bond more as well as make time at home a bit less boring!

Make cooking a bit fun

With everyone at home all day, cooking can become a bit mundane and boring. So make it something fun by involving the kids as well. It makes the process less tedious and also makes the child learn a useful skill for the future. Children might initially find it boring, but you can coax them into giving it a try. Giving them small responsibilities in the kitchen will make them feel important. It will also give them the impression that you are trusting them. But please make sure to keep sharp objects away from them. Also, make sure that you are always around to supervise while they are in the kitchen.

Gardening

Children today mostly grow up in the midst of the concrete jungles. They do not get to experience the simple pleasures such as watching the plant you nurtured blossom for the first time. Make this a chance to teach them more about nature and help them make their own little garden in the backyard or the balcony.  It will be an activity which is therapeutic for you as well, as seeing the result of hard work is always fulfilling.

 Promote reading habits

Reading as a hobby became scarce in children with the advent of computers and video games. But with so much time in hands, parents can now try to inculcate reading habits in their child. Start easy with smaller books. Make the process engaging by talking to them about what they read and their thoughts on it. If they like a particular author, find more books by them. With technology at fingertips, it is now easy to access any book online on your phone or computer. 

Watching movies

You might wonder how this one is helpful. Watching a film with your child is also a bonding experience. Pick out something you watched at their age and try to get them interested in it. Or watch something they are really interested in, and try to understand what they love so much about it and why. This kind of conversation helps you break the walls and become a friend rather than just a parent.  You can also try to get them interested in movies that are fun as well as informative and educational.

Introduce them to intellectually stimulating games

Instead of just FIFA and PUBG, try to find games that also promote brain activity and increase the analytical and critical thinking abilities of the child. Gamified learning is a fairly new concept even now. But it is something you can definitely look into. It makes learning fun and enjoyable and therefore more appealing to children.