As the global pandemic persists, classes are canceled, and most parents are working from home.For many families, it is thefirst timekids and parents are all under the same roofround-the-clock.
Most babies and toddlers have short attention spans.While it’s easy to spend the first few weekswatching TV or playing video games for hours on end, they’re bound to get bored and restlessas the days go by.Balancing child care with remote work can test your patience. As parents, you need to have an endless supply of creative ideas to keep your kiddos occupied and give you more time to work.
Below are fun activities you can do with your children during the lockdown.
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Bake their favorite goodies
Cooking is an important life skill that helps build confidence and provides rich sensory experiences.
Most kids love sweets, so why not start with simple baking recipes? Make their favorite goodies like cookiesand brownies. Hone their creativity by letting them decorate cakes and cupcakes. Baking is also a great lesson in measuring and learning about different ingredients.
Getting the little ones involved in the kitchen will help them develop new skills and keep them out of mischief, even just for a little while.
Play dress up
Children’s imaginations are limitless. Dress-up play allows kids to dream and explore their personality and interests. By putting on a cape or a crown, their brain gets to develop in more ways than one.
For example, role-playing helps builds a child’s vocabulary. As your kid decides on their character’s dialogue, they might use words or phrases from their favorite stories. The more familiar they become with these words, the more likely they’ll incorporate them into everyday conversations and expand their word bank.
Kids grow up very fast. Before you know it, they’ll be tired of imaginary games and fantasy. Take advantage of this time to bond with them and have fun together.
Bring out the board games
From Scrabble to wooden puzzles, playing board games is great for boosting mental growth. It exercises your child’s brain and stimulates areas responsible for memory formation. Playing also helps them developessential cognitive skills like problem-solving and decision-making.
Board games keep your kids off of electronics and teach them to read and follow directions. Engaging in play encourages competition and proves that it’s fine to be on the losing end sometimes. After all, losing is the best motivationto practice and be better.
Work on art projects
Art has a lot of positive effects on a child’s physical, mental, and emotional growth.Most arts and craft projects involve hand and finger movements that stimulate fine motor skills and improve muscle strength.
Every finished art project isa boost to your child’s self-esteem. Letting your kid create something on their own will help build their confidence and independence.
There are many craft projects you can do at home with just a few materials. You can teach them simple papier-mâchéprojects or help them design cards to send to their friends and grandparents.
It’s easy to feel stressed and angry with all that’s happening in the world that we forget to appreciate the bonding opportunities we have with our kids.Take advantage of the lockdown to help them develop their skills and create good memories together. Helping them enjoy their time at home also puts your mind at ease and lets you treasure every moment of their childhood.
