Whilst the whole world is under lockdown, and we all have a lot of free time available right now, it’s a great idea to use it wisely and learn some new skills, or take part in educational activities with your kids. Not only will it benefit them in the future, but it will also help to stop the infamous words “I’m bored” being uttered every five seconds. Here are some worthwhile activities you could all take part in, as a family.
Learning a new language – Knowing how to speak in another language is a great skill for your children’s future, as it looks good on college and job applications and the many benefits that being bilingual has on the brain. Teaching your child a new language at home is quite easy thanks to the many apps and online programs there are today. For example, if you decide to learn a foreign language with Babbel, a very well-known app available also for iOS devices, you’ll get tailored lessons and have a fun and interactive experience, perfect for kids to enjoy.
Practice reading – Keeping up with your child’s reading skills will help them stay sharp for when they eventually go back to school. Buy some new books, or grab some old ones, and take a bit of time each day to read a chapter, or two, together. They can then tell their teacher all about the books they’ve been reading whilst in lockdown.
Learn how to play, or practice, an instrument – Learning a musical instrument can take time, but we all have lots of that on our hands right now. Talk to your child and see if there is something they want to learn, such as the guitar or keyboard. If you don’t play an instrument, there are lots of tutorials online, and your child can at least learn the basics before going back to school. They may even enjoy it so much that they continue to learn after lockdown ends.
Cooking together – Teaching your kids to cook will not only help them in the future, but can also be really fun and a great excuse to get a bit messy. This is a wonderful activity to bond over, as studies show that there are many benefits to letting your child take part in cooking. If you’re not too good at cooking yourself, then there are lots of places online that offer virtual classes and recipes to follow, so you could learn a new skill together.
Cleaning – Let’s face it, not many adults actually enjoy cleaning, let alone kids. However, it’s important that kids learn a good work ethic for when they move out and have their own families to look after. You don’t have to get them to clean the whole house, but give them a few chores to do, and get them to earn their monthly allowance.
Crafts and art – This is another activity that your kids will really enjoy, and they’ll get a sense of accomplishment when they see their finished item. Paint or draw some pictures or cards for family members or friends, that your kids are missing, and then send them off in the post. You could try something even messier with paper mache, as you don’t need many materials, and your kids could paint their creations at the end.
Virtual visits to museums and aquariums – It’s not possible to have days out right now, but you can visit many museums and aquariums virtually. Not only is this educational, but your kids will enjoy looking around places they wouldn’t often get the chance to visit in person, such as the Louvre or the Natural History Museum. You could even make plans for a future trip to one of them.
Those are just some of the ways you can not only keep your kids occupied during this difficult lockdown, but also make sure that they aren’t wasting their time by just watching TV or playing their video games all day. It’s not often families get the chance to spend so much time together, without work or school getting in the way, so we should all make the most of it, and teach our kids some new skills along the way.