Parenting can be tiring and never easy. After working full-time jobs for 10 years and now being a stay-at-home mom who works from home, I can vouch for the latter’s possibility of draining one out. Especially when the kids are tiny during this lockdown or ‘extended holidays’ as my kids, aged 7 and 3, call it.
But parenting doesn’t have to be hard or nerve-racking, either. Keeping our kids engaged is not rocket science. We just need to know them well.
When we took our kids out for a drive to feel the fresh air, two months into the lockdown, they told me that they didn’t miss the outside world one bit, as there was plenty of fresh air through our well-ventilated house and they were quite busy doing interesting things at home. I was happily surprised.
Of course, my daughter did miss some of her friends, but WhatsApp and Zoom were there to see them, unlike 30 years ago when we went through a lockdown because of the Gulf War in Kuwait and had no clue who was where.
Only after a few parents asked me how I was managing the house, handling the kids, posting on Instagram, editing videos for the same and volunteering around our apartment complex, I realized that I was doing something right. At first, I didn’t know how to respond because I was just having fun with the kids at home. Waking up late and having no school were boons! Then, I made a list of all our fun activities. My husband and my father-in-law helped quite a bit with the house chores, so I could keep the kids engaged indoors and complete my work, too. Of course, we have to maintain a balance because none of us are super-moms or super-dads.
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I admit that I made up for all the sleep I lost while my kids were breastfeeding babies, as we had no timetable. We would sleep around 4 am and wake up around 1 pm. There were no restrictions on wake-up times. Besides that, here are some of the easy activities we kept busy with.
Firstly, we sat the kids down and explained to them what was happening around the world. We also taught them the word ‘pandemic’ and why we were forbidden to get out of our homes. When we got to know that our son thought that we would turn into zombies if we went outside, we did not correct him until we had to get out for essentials a couple of weeks later. Speaking to our kids is important if we want them to understand the world around us.
Like I mentioned before, we need to maintain a balance. So, instead of putting the kids in front of the screen while I did all the chores around the house, I would ask them to help out, too. They have happily helped me with gardening, hanging clothes to dry, clearing up their toys, putting their things away, cleaning the tables, etc. My daughter also learnt to wash the dishes and helps with that sometimes.
Perhaps many of you do not believe in the power of prayer, but we used this time to teach our kids to spend time thanking God for all that he has given us each day. We could have been in worse situations, but we were blessed to have access to food, water and shelter, and that was enough to be thankful for.
Our dining table was filled with art supplies as we spent a lot of time creating different artworks. I introduced my daughter to Mandalas, Zentangles, mixed media art and more. My son would colour the pictures in his colouring book.
While sitting and doing activities keeps the kids engaged, they need to get up and move their bodies, too. We would regularly play ‘Simple Simon’ or challenge them by doing simple exercises like jumping jacks, planks, push-ups, sit-ups, skipping, etc. On some days, we would also do yoga and try 100 circles with hula hoops.
This is very important to reduce sibling rivalry till they are older. No, it’s not that they won’t fight, but they will learn to make peace after that and understand each other. I have noticed that when my kids are together, they create obstacle courses that may or may not work. They do a lot of role playing, have picnics and tea parties in their tent, play hide and seek, or even zombie shooting within our humble abode. I need to keep my ears open, though, just in case. 😉
My daughter has learnt a bit of the keyboard and harmonium, so she would practise it once a week. She also practises her Hindustani Classical vocals. If you are good at playing an instrument, this is the best time to teach your kids the basics, at the very least. YouTube is a great teacher nowadays, too.
Talking about YouTube, I sat with the kids and implemented quite a few DIY activities from there. We made photo frames, tic tac toe boards, lampshades, masks and more. We melted all the leftover crayons at home and created new ones. We also stitched outfits for our dolls while I made my son practice the letters of the Alphabet and numbers in sand. He found that more exciting than writing on paper. Boys!! With magnetic letters and numbers on the fridge, my son’s project was to form a word or arrange the numbers when jumbled up. We also organized treasure hunts to keep them excited and busy.
We got an opportunity to learn Japanese from a very enthusiastic teacher who spent around 5 years in Tokyo. My daughter enjoyed it because she was determined to order her next sushi dish in Japanese. You can call or WhatsApp +91 6360 866 252 in case you are interested in learning a new language. Duolingo is another great app to help with learning new languages.
I found this lockdown to be the best time to introduce my kids to my dust-laden board games. I have two Scrabble board games; one from when I was 7 years old and one that I bought when I was around 27. Another new travel game we recently bought was Dobble. This game is for 6+ years, but my 3-year-old son also wanted to be a part of it, so he learnt it eventually. We have also played Chess, Cluedo, Pictionary, Snakes & Ladders, Monopoly, Boggle, etc., many times.
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Cooking is a life skill that you will need anywhere you go. Don’t say that your kids can depend on online portals for food because that is the unhealthiest thought you may ever have for them. Buying ready-made food is okay for the weekends, but not every day. So, learning simple cooking like baking, making sandwiches, and putting together salads can go a long way in your kids’ food and health journey.
It is beneficial to teach our kids about self-care. Keeping themselves and their surroundings clean, drinking water regularly, sleeping well, etc., can be some of them. While we were forbidden from visiting the salons, I did a couple of pedicure sessions with the kids. We would sit with our feet in warm water for half an hour before I scrubbed mine and then lightly scrubbed theirs. Nail art and manicure sessions were more regular as my daughter loves painting nails (including my son’s).
In Bangalore, we are already beach-deprived, and with the lockdown preventing us from driving to any beach close by, we had to think of alternatives. Therefore, I would create a beach atmosphere in the bathtub. My kids would put on their swimsuits, use slime as ‘sand’ and play with their water toys in hot/warm water. They would have a blast for at least 2 hours.
While playing and having fun was good, doing their homework was also mandatory. We didn’t want to forget what we learnt in school or what we are supposed to have learnt by now at this age, right? So, I made sure they did some studying too. Both my kids had homework to finish during the holidays. My daughter had to practice her English Cursive Writing, Spell Success and Olympiad, while my son had to complete the activities in his Montessori books. Story House Mumbai has interesting worksheets that helped my 3-year-old learn new things.
We had fun on Smule until we got a Karaoke system at home. Singing can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike. Karaoke and Smule have kept us busy for 5 hours a day, at times. I find it to be a stress buster, too.
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When I got to know the benefits of coding for kids, I was determined to introduce my daughter to it. Learning to code helps the kids to facilitate creativity, learn problem-solving and computational skills, understand the technology around them and build their confidence. My daughter took quite an interest in it. There are several places to enroll your kids for such classes, but beware of scammers, too.
The current generation has so much exposure and many opportunities to learn and improve their skills that it amazes me. Instead of watching random videos, there are many learning apps for kids aged 4 to 10. Of course, we have to limit their screen time, but it also teaches them to follow instructions. This one was quite good for tiny tots – Pschool.in.
Get Happinetz to manage screen time for kids.
I try not to keep movie time every day. We watch movies along with the kids during mealtime or after they finish their work. Here are some nice movies on Netflix and Amazon Prime, like Grown Ups, etc., to watch with kids.
We also love switching on some music and dancing to peppy tunes. Try this! You may see some unique moves (by your kids) and enjoy this time together more. An hour or more is good for dancing!
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This was a great advantage to check on our loved ones. With the various video calling options these days, staying in touch has never been easier. If you have the time, the technology and the will to keep in touch, nothing can stop you from communicating with your loved ones and close friends who are miles away from you. We also celebrated my daughter’s birthday with her friends and our family virtually.
Initially, we made a lot of plans to learn bike riding, swimming and skating during the summer holidays. But with the entry of Mr Corona, all our plans went flat. Still, we tried to make the most of our time together indoors and succeeded. Today, we got to know that positive cases in Bangalore have risen like crazy and a relock is scheduled for Karnataka yet again. Well, we are ready! Bring it on!
I’m sure that while many of you have found it difficult to keep the kids engaged indoors, some of you have tried to find ways to keep your kids busy. We would love to know how. Otherwise, we hope that the above helps you keep the kids engaged indoors with as little screen time as possible. All the best!
In case the above does not work for you and your child is disturbed, please visit a behavioural analyst to identify your child’s issue, if any. Here is one, that I know of in Mumbai, India, who does online consultations too.
Pooja Kapoor Kathuria
Behavior therapist/ Special educator
[email protected] +91 9833066614
52 Comments
Cindy, you have listed all the activities a parent can look for. Your list if followed by parents then no child will be bored of the lockdown.
Yes at least kids below 10. But I guess parents are busy too so cannot give time to them.
That is an awesome list. Thanks for sharing. Quality time with kids is important for us and for them. Loved your post
Thanks Arushi
These are good points to keep them.engaged. I’m trying my best and it’s working fine till now
Actually my son has been the happiest member of the household during the lockdown, since he’s a true-blue home bird! We do many of the things you’ve mentioned here but most of all, I encourage him to play his own imaginary games. It’s extraordinary how children can entertain themselves when left to their own devices!
Yes that’s true. But my son isn’t the playing alone types but my daughter knows how to keep busy by herself.
That’s a great list of ideas and I am sure super engaging for kids. But it certainly takes a bit of your efforts too, anyways my son is only 27 months and he seems to want my attention all the time…
These are amazing list and We have followed some of them in lockdown. It really important to engage kids with some or other useful activities.
It was a cute read Cindy. I am planning to work from home and I absolutely loved your presentation of this post. The points are something we would like to cherish always. Loved the post.
Wow, these are some really constructively fun ways to keep the children busy indoors during the lockdown, or even other times. Have tried a few of these and would love to work on the other ideas pointed out here 😊👍
Thank you so much Cindy for sharing these very important and amazing ideas to keep our kids engaged during these holidays due to Covid-19 . I had some 2-3 ideas but after landing here i have got so many more which i will surely try .
Wow Cindy these are some really fun ways to keep the kids entertained at home. My favourite one was learning a new language, I think I will pick that up for myself too.
Wow, Cindy, that’s quite a handy list, especially during these times. I have saved it and going to use a few of these for sure to keep my little one engaged 🙂
I loved reading every bit. It really is a one-stop-shop guide on everything. With good external links. A very convenient and handy read. Thanks for this. PS: I loved your blog and profile. More power to you x
Thanks dear so much… and do share if you find it relevant to other parents… 🙂
You have listed wonderful ideas Cindy. I have been doing so many of these. My son has also started enjoying gardening in this lockdown. It is the best time we are having actually.
This is awesome, you have shared some cool ideas, I would keep them in mind. the little one loves to colour and race, so our major time is spent in that
My son too loves his yoga sessions and his dance hour. The best thing about teaching him dance is the fun time both of us share with each other.. makes our relationship even stronger.
True. I love the dancing bit too!
These are some of the best ideas you have shared. I am engaging my son into my cooking and we are also doing DIY crafts ..
If you ask me I have done all of these and a lot more with my kids and these are absolutely super entertaining and easy activities to keep the kids involved. I will definitely be sharing your blog with my friends who might need the same
It’s not easy to kids keep engage at home. Moms always run out of ideas. I really like that you engage kids in house work along with activities as well as importance of culture. Overall nurturing of kids.
I must say that you’ve utilised this time doing some great activities with your kids. Coding sounds good to me and I’ll look out for it.
Yeah! This is a great list to engage the kids in this period of lockdown. You included all the possible and entertaining option which they can do easily at home.
Thats an exhaustive list. We are doing most of that too. Beach activities i have kept for weekends only as bothe kids have online classes everyday. My son has started putting his sister to bed every night, saving my lit of time.
Awww that is so cute of him.
Oh wow Cindy, this list is just mind blowing. I am pinning this right away. You have really given me so many ideas, my fav one is going to be to learn a new language
My daughter loves cooking and yes also she likes clicking pics like I do she is easy to go with kid never trouble me for anything she loves colouring at times play in her tent house she is engaged all the time.
Wow.. So many ideas. I do quite a few activities with my kids but thanks for sharing these wonderful ideas. Learn a new language is quite appleaing.
that really helps Cindy, mostly seen kids playing games on mobile or watching videos on youtube all day.list of things you said will surely make kids way better we all should make sure it happens
That’s great! Do share it with parents you know…
You have really suggested some great options, I am trying this with my toddler soon.
My nephew enjoyed doing household chores and learning more with activities and new apps. Baking is what is he trying now.
We have also done nearly everything mentioned in the list above. Frm baking to inhouse parties to paiting and free play with siblings n learning new language, we did it all. Now that the online school has started I’m trying to keep them close to studies so they dont loose interest in studies but we still continue with our fun activities too
That’s awesome!!
I have tried almost all the activities from your list to keep my son busy and engaged..
That’s a big list! Hats off to you for trying out so many things. Not only did you manage to keep the kids occupied, you have taught them so many things too. Great job!
This was much needed as kids get bored of one activity quite easily so. My son currently loves Lego, board games and yoga.
This is a wonderful list. I am also doing some of these things – including learning a new language. I and my son both are learning Kannada and French!
I understand it is so difficult for kids currently to stay indoors. But yes as you mentioned it is so important to engage them with these activities and keep them busy. However I do hope that the pandemic is over soon so the kids can go outdoors and play.
Wow such an awesome list of activities and in my family we are doing most of these. My girls are learning cooking nowadays and having loads of fun while making easy recipes on their own. Ya we are missing outdoor fun this summer but unfortunately we can’t do much except waiting for time to get everything normal.
What a lovely n extensive list ! Indeed tough time for Parents to keep our little ones engaged, indoors n happy 🙂 great work n ideas
My list is no different than yours. Keeping kids busy is an exercise in itself; and this lockdown has definitely made us more creative about it.
So many ideas for keeping kids busy. I liked learning a new language best. I haven’t tried this yet.
I have tried many of these to keep my toddler engaged. Right now she is happy in her tent. Let’s see how long this works.
It is really important to set kids routine during lockdown. That will help both parents and the kids in the long run. Interesting ideas.
The insight is about learning… entertainment… involving everyone, isnt it?within the family as well! You have captured a great list for everyone to make sure they have a manual to refer to.
Fun learning opportunities are the best to keep them engaged. You shared some great activities above. Thanks for sharing with us
Hi
I am a child / adult Behavior therapist and analyst .
I really acknowledge the steps Cindy has enciphered and given a deep analysis of how to beautifully and so simply enculcate them in ones routine activities. She has been my Belly Dance trainer for a brief go and I can state that she is extremely patient and cooperative during sessions . I look forward to reading more of her informative blogs and use them on my own child . Thank you for your insights and inputs Cindy !
Sometimes we have to look for simple things to keep kids engaged. Kids do not need a something fancy all the time. It can be as simple as reading a book together or joining them in their funny games.
I have tried kareoke in last couple of months and it is a stress buster. You can check out starmaker as well.
Oh yes I had it for a while but I just paid for Smule so remained on it hehe