Engage your child at home seems difficult since the pandemic started. After passing a very long abnormal time, thankfully world gradually started to go back to its normal routine. It is difficult to handle the children anymore at home. After lockdown children especially of little age group are more prone to go outside (just like us— the elders!). But as the vaccination for children is yet to complete, it is not really safe for your little one to go outside just as normal.
Engagement should be delightful
As parents it is important to monitor your child that they never face depression. Yes, due to this prolonged lockdown children are reportedly facing depression. The main concern is how we can engage our child at home in a productive manner so that they will be happy and delighted too. Here we listed 11 productive ways that will not just happily engage your little one, but will also provide some value, some lessons to your child.
Engage your child in home chores
Engaging your little one in home chores is a very good choice to engage your little one. I know just by hearing the idea you can possibly image a messed up situation. This could be anything! Asking them to bring a glass of water, or to arrange clothes in closet. Give them small and little tasks, it will engage them and also give some life lessons. This is how they feel that they are important in house. It also helps to build the confidence of your child.
To avoid any unusual incident, keep in mind just two things. First give your child the household works as according their age. Secondly when they are engaged in this given task keep an eye on them. If they are doing anything wrong, correct them. This is how the child learns how to learn and apply that work.
Even when your little one is messing anything up, teach them how to correct that. The reason is in our life we too messed up things and to be successful we should know how to clear that messed things up! The foundation starts from here. If your child starts to learn the things in their place, they will be more organized as a person too.
Different Indoor Games
Let your child play some indoor games. Who said games are always harmful to your child? In fact, there are many games that can help to boost the memory of your child. Games like Chess helps to develop the analytical and logical reasoning of your child.
For children below 8 years of age, it is better not to play indoor games in gadgets. So any board games, puzzles, block building games, etc. are more advised.
Physical Activity
Who said physical fitness is the matter of adults? It is equally needed for your little one. It is different issue that children have more flexibility than adults. That is why children enjoy doing physical activities. Use this as parents. Teach them some simple basic exercise like rope skipping, some yoga posture.
Otherwise, just allow them to dance for at least 30 minutes to 45 minutes a day with their favourite choice of music. It is the part your child is going to love most! Trust me, this helps to boost not just their energy level but also uplifts their mood. As a parent sharing a tip, just before such a dancing session ask them to finish the study. It is easy for them too.
Let them communicate
We are living in a time, when communication is a must skill for anyone. The communication skills develop at the little age. So how to help your child to grow their communication skill? Let them speak with everyone through phone or in video calls. Not just allow them to speak with their friends of same age, also insist your child to speak with elders, speak to anyone (even not so known to your child). It helps to develop a good communication skills, gives confidence to your child.
Study with a twist
Let them study in a different way! Now you must be thinking how to make the study different? There are many ways you can give the study a twist! Change the sitting arrangements like allow your child to finish study within the garden or outdoor. Whatever your child is reading, show some related real images from online. It will give your child an idea how actually one should use gadgets.
This way you can engage your child to gather more knowledge. This practice will help your child in later life too. Give your child a targeted study routine. When completed properly, offer rewards like playing another 5 minutes. Make a study routine for your child that will help your child to stay academically active.
Hobby
If you know what is the hobby of your child let them pursue the hobby, engage your child in their hobby that is more refreshing to them. If your child is of very young age, then help your child to find out the hobby for future! How? pretty simple. Try out everything from swimming to recite to guitar to singing to dancing to any sports. Specially try out what you as parents love to do. Very soon you will find what your kid loves to do the most!
Reading Books
Engage your child in book reading. Reading books is a very good habit that need to start from very early age. Here by books I want to mean the real books, not the audio books. It is better to read the real paperback. Books has great impact in our memory cells, building overall personality. This is considered as one of the entrepreneur skill. It increases our outward knowledge, irrespective the type of books. So let your kid to grow a habit of reading books other than the school books. This could be anything- short story books, rhymes, poems, etc.
Home gardening
Home gardening is a very interesting way to engage your child. Even when your kid gives water to the plants, or just touch to the plants they feel the thrill. It is the gateway to nature. So let them stay with the mother nature for some time, put some mud in their body!
The younger your kid is, the more astonished they will be! Try to use some kitchen gardening with fruit plants simply like tomato trees, bell pepper trees, etc. This is the live life science experience for your kid! This gardening will engage your child not just physically but emotionally too.
Cooking and Baking
Depending upon the area you live, the type of cuisine you eat, you can engage your child in cooking or maybe in baking. To engage your child in cooking or baking ask them to bring the water, ingredients, let them mix the ingredients. It is certainly going to be a funny experience not just for your kid but for you too.
Family time
We all know, once the situation is normal we will go back to normal office routine. Works are important. But never ignore the family time. It is must. Enjoy the family time with your kids is the beautiful experience you can explore. Here we are putting some options
- Let’s watch some family drama or movie together. Certainly do not react in basic love making, let them understand it is a normal thing.
- As a family you can do some social activities too. It will give some good impact to your kid.
- Together you can check out some family albums both new one and the old one. Let them introduce to the family people, elders. Tell them the behind history. It will be good time as a family.
- As parents we talk and speak, listening to your kid is equally important. Yes, everyday for at least 5/10 minutes listen to your kid. Certainly, as according ages their words, topics will change. Very young one will cook up fairy stories, or will complain about friend. Listen them and give reply too. It shapes a good relationship between you and your child.
Planning for next trip
People are not going to live at home forever. Certainly we will also go out. So making a plan is best. Engage your child in planning a trip. This will engage your child for at least three to five days in their spare time. Ask them to do the planning in detail, as much details as possible- where to go, what to eat, how to go, what will you do there, etc.
This way your child will develop a planning skill, a writing skill. We all know how the proper planning is vital for success. So why not engage your child in planning, this will also give them a hope that everything is going to be fine, again they will go out!
Lastly…
Childrens are smarter than us. So it is best to put the problem in front of them in a bit simple way and ask for their opinion. We as parents know that if they still want to go out, then discuss (rather tell them) why going out is not a right choice right now. As a child psychologist I suggest this process for even the children of 4 years of age. Yes, your child will understand, because they are smarter than we think. At the same time, this process will help them to grow their logical reasoning.
As parent(s) we always dream to make our child successful in life, be a good human being. The foundation starts from beginning, even in the spare times they spend as child. So start to give attention, because this will certainly change the future of your child in a good way.
