Covid-19 doesn’t just have the medical field and politicians in a frenzy. With the shutdown that came with this pandemic, parents have now, quite possibly for the first time since they’ve sent their kids to school, been spending all 24/7 with their kids at home. So to all of you moms and dads out there–we hear you. It certainly is no walk in the park to fill your kids’ time. If you’re running out of solutions, instead of allowing your kids more screentime, why not try out the ideas that we’ve listed here.
Get creative in the kitchen
Now more than ever is the perfect time to teach your kids how to enjoy cooking. Teach them the value of a homecooked meal and allow them to choose the kind of healthy meals that they can cook. You’ll be teaching them a valuable lesson, plus a ticket to a better stack of pancakes on Mother’s Day or Father’s Day too.
Nurture their green thumb
With impending economic inflation and the dwindling supplies for basic goods, now is probably a good time to teach your kids a more sustainable lifestyle too. Planting your own vegetables has a dozen perks, and doing it with your kids will just make the experience all the more rewarding. Don’t be afraid to get their hands a little bit dirty–planting will teach them some of the best lessons that one cannot learn in the classroom.
Challenge them with puzzles
The key to being holed in with kids is to keep them busy enough during the day, and tired enough at night. So, find every opportunity to make a game out of the most mundane tasks such as cleaning up their rooms. Hide little clues and gamify their chores so that you’ll hear less complaining as they go from room to room tidying up and working for their reward.
Call up your loved ones together
Instead of privately chatting with their grandparents, why not include your kids in the conversation as well? Your loved ones will not only appreciate the call, but your kids will be able to learn more about their relatives too. We know that this is an item that might constitute as “screen time,” but this is one of the positive things about technology: it has the power to bridge people despite the physical distance.
Start an art project with them
We’re not just talking about those little projects that you can finish in an afternoon–we want you to think bigger. Say, a giant puzzle or a crochet project that might be more complicated for beginners. Not only will this give your kids a sense of accomplishment once they finish this big art project, but it will have them looking forward day in and out too.
Of course, there are a handful of other things that you can do with your kids too. Just remember that whatever it is that you do, make sure to stay in a mindful zone and appreciate the time that you have with them now. Once all of this blows over and they’ll be back in school again, you might just wish that you had spent more time and extended your patience a bit.
