5 ways to engage your kids at home

 

Just a few days ago, I felt wrecked while talking to my brother. A parent of a 3-year-old boy told me about a conversation with his son that happened the very next day of the lockdown. Ray, his highly energetic son, loves the outdoors. Always looks forward to his evening playtime in the garden, located just nearby to his home. A routine of coming back from the day-care, eating his favorite fruit & getting ready to go play outside was the highlight of his day.

But, on the first day of the lockdown, no such thing happened. There was neither day-care nor evening playtime. 

With a sad little face, Ray asked his father, “Baba, why is no one getting me dressed today? I wanna go out & play a new game of hide-n-seek with Shiney (his best friend) today!”

Engrossed in work & trying to figure out the newly implemented work from home rules, my brother felt helpless at this little kid's question. He picked Ray up in his arms and walked towards the window, overlooking the park.

He said, “Beta, there is a very dangerous virus out there, & if we go outside, we might fall sick.” He continued “Till this bad virus goes away, we have to stay inside our home & keep ourselves safe.”

“Then what am I supposed to do, locked in the house all day, Baba?” Ray asked. 

And that right there was the dilemma of the situation. My brother & his wife were left thinking about how to keep their little one busy & engaged.

There are many parents out there, facing the same issues with their children. Taking inspiration from different families & after observing several parents I have come up with a few easy to do activities. Here are 5 ways you can engage your kids & still make it fun! (Though very easy, all these require both the parents & the children to participate equally)

1. The best time to learn a new art & craft activity 

Getting kids involved in several different art-related activities is one of the most fun things to do. Colored Clay being the most loved one. All you need is a box of colored clay (can be ordered from any online shopping platform), & a creative mind! Just sit down with your kid, open the box of clay and try to teach them how to hold, shape & mold the clay. In no time, your kid is surely going to develop a keen interest in this activity.

Just make sure they don’t ingest it & also do wash their hands properly after they are done playing with it.

2. Masterchef junior in the making

Get your kid to mix the ingredients, the next time you’re baking a cake! Many children love to observe their parents whenever something is being cooked in the kitchen. If your kid is one of them, you can take a step forward and hand them those dry ingredients. Under guidance, and with constant involvement, who knows your kids just might find their next big passion. I still remember my childhood days when me & my brother, were given the important task of making round Gulab Jamun from the dough, kneaded by our mother. Not round roti’s, but we sure can make round Gulabjamun’s now!

 

3. Plant a seed, Do gardening with your kids

Be it a Vegetable, a fruit, or a small houseplant, gardening is a soul-soothing activity for both adults as well as children. It also teaches the importance of patience & caring about the ecosystem to the little ones. You can start with just a few flower seeds or rice seeds, which are easily available at home. Help your kid to plant the seeds in the soil, & tell them the routine of watering it regularly. And when the plant starts growing, the happiness on your child’s face will be evident.

4. A family workout routine

Aerobics with mommy or Yoga with daddy, an exercise routine with your kid will make them super happy & elated. This is one of the important ways, that a parent can keep their child healthy & far away from gaining those extra pounds. Obesity is becoming quite common in the younger population, leading to many systemic diseases at an early age. A workout session with your kid’s favorite music is surely a good way to get them interested & involved in this activity.

5. Make learning fun with games

A storybook full of beautiful illustrations, a board game with numbers, matching alphabets with corresponding animal names & many such learning games are easily available these days.

These educational games are always helpful in keeping kids both entertained as well as engaged for longer periods. For kids who have started reading, an investment in a storybook full of illustrations is a win-win situation for the parents. Developing an early habit of reading always helps children in becoming better readers later in life.  

If there’s one thing that this lockdown has taught us, then it is the fact that no one can match the energy levels of young children! With the closing down of schools, kids playing grounds & all sorts of outdoor activities, our young ones are left feeling bored all the time. They can no longer visit their best friends or play their weird but cute made-up games. No more birthday parties or school trips to amusement parks. Balancing work with household chores, along with raising a kid, has become a difficult task for all the parents. But as the saying goes, “Necessity is the mother of invention”, parents are coming up with new & innovative ideas to keep their kids occupied in such difficult times. Hope these few activities help you in keeping your kids engaged throughout the day.

Dr. Gatha Shelar