Productive Activities for Children During Corona Virus Lockdown

The Coronavirus pandemic has put a lot of people’s lives to a halt. The impact is felt the world over and this is forcing children out of school (as most classes all over the world had been suspended), just as much as it has forced businesses to temporarily shut down. The need for quarantine has found parents suddenly having ample time at home with their children. With no clear end to this pandemic mayhem, it is important for parents to think about how to keep their children occupied with something productive. In particular, learning should not stop just because your kids are locked down in your home.

The following are some of the productive activities that you can get your kids involved in. It is important to focus on productive activities so you can still foster learning at home, especially when school is out. There are a number of ideas if you seek active and engaged learning for your kids.

Reading Exercises

Staying at home is no excuse to forego learning for your children. You can do a lot of reading exercises for them to improve their reading and language skills. Gather up the books you have at home and get your kids to read at least one book per day. It can be any kind of book – storybooks, picture books, and interactive books.

The goal is to help your child develop their knowledge and understanding of words and language. It is important to choose books that will encourage them to become actively engaged as it will facilitate more learning. The more visual aid the book has, the better for your kids, too!

Learning Games

It is important to let your kids play and have fun while on lockdown. This is vital in order to help them combat boredom. But playing games can also be productive if you choose the right learning games. There are plenty of options when it comes to educational games such as Brain Trainer, Funbrain, and Rush Hour. If possible, let your kid/s choose which game they would like to play as this will make them more engaged. These games are designed to be fun while also incorporating learning in the process.

If you do not have the tools needed to play these games, you can always download an app on your phone or on your computer. There are many good apps out there that will foster learning as your child plays.

Practice with a Musical Instrument

Learning how to play a musical instrument is another productive activity that you can get your kids to do while on lockdown. If your child wants to learn how to play a musical instrument, this is the perfect time to do so. You can find instructional videos on Youtube or apps for this.

There is no need to enroll your child in a musical lesson (that is something that is best reserved for when they really want to progress with it). But for now, you and your kids can enjoy the process of learning how to play a musical instrument at home. Music can also do wonders for your child’s brain so that is an added bonus!

Get Crafty

Are your children into crafty and creative stuff? This is a great idea for an activity that they will enjoy during the Coronavirus lockdown. You can bring out your craft supplies and get your kids to make something creative. They can color a picture book, draw, make cards, and more!

You can also bring out the playdough and get your kids to knead items they want out of it. As parents, you need to let your children get creative. Provide them with the supplies they need and see what they can come up with. You will be surprised at what they are able to make using their bare hands and imagination! This is a fun activity that is suitable for younger and older kids.

Go on a Scavenger Hunt

Children love scavenger hunts! Thus, this activity is a great idea to keep them busy and productive while you are on lockdown. Scavenger hunts are easy to prepare and also a great way to keep their minds and bodies working at the same time. Just because you are on lockdown, it does not mean that you have to literally be confined within the house.

You can get them to go out into your backyard for a fun scavenger hunt. A scavenger hunt will benefit them physically as they get to enjoy the outdoor space while also staying active. At the same time, it will enhance their observation and cognitive skills as they decipher clues. Another positive result they can get from this activity is the ability to understand and regulate their emotions.

Cook it Up

Invite your kids to the kitchen and get them to join you in cooking. Kids are naturally inclined to learn so this will be another fun activity for them to be involved in. You can start with simple recipes such as baking cookies. Eventually, you can try different recipes with each day until you are able to advance to baking a cake.

Baking is one of the recommended activities for children because there are plenty of opportunities to get creative. For instance, you can let them mix the ingredients or decorate the baked items when done. It is fun and rewarding for them to be able to eat something they helped make.

Let Them Enjoy Some TV, too!

You need to limit your kids’ screen time while on lockdown due to the Coronavirus outbreak. However, it is completely acceptable to let them watch TV for a few hours each day. If possible, opt for educational shows and programming. Choose the ideal channel or show that will keep them engaged while learning at the same time.

Do Household Chores

Last but not the least, you can get your kids involved in performing basic chores at home. It is important that you promote not only academic learning in your children. You need to be able to teach them important life skills, too. This is where basic household chores come in.

Conclusion

As the world is filled with a cloud of uncertainty with regards to the end of the Coronavirus pandemic, it is important to heed the command of the government seriously. Keep your family members (and especially children and the elderly) at home to ensure that they do not contract the virus. In the meantime, the above-listed activities should give you plenty of ideas so your kids do not get bored while they continue learning at the same time.

Do you have any activity ideas that are missing from this article? Comment below to add your helpful advice for other parents 🙂