5 Ways to Keep Children Occupied During Extended School Closures

If there’s one thing that takes up a huge chunk of our child’s time every day, it’s school. School isn’t only a place designed for academic learning. It’s a place that children love because they get to have fun while learning. They get to play games, play with their classmates, and build friendships. But what happens during school closures?

As much as we hate it, certain things are out of our control. Times of crisis or a state of emergency may require school closures. And during these times, it isn’t enough to just let the kids stay glued to their video game console or spend countless hours watching TV.

We need to keep a wide variety of options in our arsenal to make sure that our kids are occupied and entertained in ways that are fruitful and productive.

If you’ve been running out of ideas, don’t worry. Here are some helpful ways to keep your children occupied during extended school closures. 

Dedicate time for play

One of the things kids love about not going to school is of course, playtime! During the school closure, be sure to carve out time for child-led play as this is a perfect opportunity for them to nurture their creativity, imagination, and problem-solving skills. Let them be in charge of their own playtime. If they want to build, invent, and create their own playtime stories, let them. This is when a tremendous amount of learning takes place.

In their daily schedule, make sure they spend an average of 30 minutes for child-led play. The kind of toys they should be provided may depend on their age and developmental stage. Be sure the toys aren’t broken. Weed out the broken ones or they won’t be able to enjoy a good play. And because play is a child’s job, you may get invited to participate but limit your involvement unless you are invited.

Visit national parks or zoos (virtually)

Thanks to the internet, you can take your little one for an exciting trip to the wild, to a zoo, or any national park without leaving home! There are live safari tours through South Africa which are accessible at the tips of your fingers. WildEarth.tv is one of those exciting websites you can try.

Also, check with your local zoos or national parks if they have live streaming services set up on their sites so you can bring your child on virtual tours. This would be an excellent use of their screen time as it not only keeps them entertained, but offers good learning opportunities as well.

Get busy with arts and crafts

Extended school closures provide excellent opportunities for kids to channel their inner artist. Let them unlock new creative skills by letting them engage in arts and crafts. Provide them with coloring books, paint, crayons, and other kid-friendly materials for their art session at home. They can also make use of recycled materials for their beautiful masterpiece. Make sure they are supervised when using scissors and other sharp tools.

Train them in the kitchen

Having little kids doesn’t mean you can’t get them to help out in the kitchen. Consider assigning them simple kitchen-related tasks such as meal planning or handing you the ingredients and tools when you’re cooking. (Just like nurses do for surgeons in the operating room.)

If your child is a bit older and able to follow more complex instructions, the school closure might be a perfect time to train them on some of the basics of cooking. Show them how things are done and let them try some steps with your supervision. Then, look for kid-friendly recipes and ideas online and have them try creating a meal for the family. Who knows, your child might be the next Masterchef!

Dedicate more time for reading

There’s no better time to let your little one develop a penchant for reading than now! Beside the fact that reading is fun, it can also benefit your child in many different ways. It helps improve concentration and focus. It’s good exercise for the brain. It fosters a child’s imagination and creativity, and more importantly, it helps them perform better in school!

Encourage your child to fall in love with reading by providing them with fun and exciting reading materials. Not only is this an excellent learning activity. It’s also a good way to curb too much screen time.

Extended school closures may be unpredictable and uncontrollable. But worry not! There are several ways to keep your little one productively entertained and distracted while they’re displaced from school.

For more helpful parenting tips and resources or if you’re looking for the best preschool for your little one, please feel free to visit Creative Learning Academy.

 

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Stuck Indoors? Here are 7 Fun Indoor Activities for Kids

With so many schools and business establishments closed due to the widespread threat of the coronavirus, families are urged to stay at home. For kids, this may mean boredom and tantrums along the way.

It could be fun for them on the first few days, but eventually they will feel trapped and a bit cooped up just staying at home. As a parent, you have to make sure that your kids are kept occupied and still learning during this time.

Here are some fun indoor activities that you and your kids can do that are also educational:

Read a Good Book 

Even if schools are closed, you can still help your kids with their reading skills. Cuddle up together on the couch or in a blanket and read a good book together.

You can start with some classic children’s books or some book series, such as The Chronicles of Narnia or Series of Unfortunate Events. Take turns reading, and have your child read out loud to keep them interested and focused.

At the end of a chapter, ask them what lessons they learned or what important idea they picked up from the book.

This simple yet fun activity is a great way to enhance their reading and communication skills.

Game Night

Most kids nowadays spend their time in front of the TV or on computer screens. If you want some valuable family time without screens, try a game night with the whole family.

Board games provide an educational way to keep your child’s brains working even when indoors. Classic favorites like Payday and Monopoly teach kids lessons on financial planning. Games like Hoot Owl Hoot or Count your Chickens encourages teamwork and collaboration over competition.

Whatever game you choose, board games are a great and exciting way to spend time indoors.

Build a Fort

There are so many items you can use to build an indoor fort. Whether you choose to build yours from pillows, furniture, couch cushions, cardboard boxes, or blankets, a fort is an all-time favorite indoor activity for kids that allows them to spark their imagination.

You can also make this activity more fun by having a friendly competition. Whoever creates the highest fort wins a prize.

Learn a Dance Together

Dancing is a great form of exercise as it lets you and your kids improve your motor skills.

Go to YouTube and choose a popular dance craze. Learn it together as a family.

You do not need to be a great dancer or a very flexible one to have a great time doing this activity. That’s not the whole reason for this activity—it is to have fun.

Let your kids teach you the moves and have fun together. If you are a better dancer, teach them.

You can do this activity at least two or three times a week. Not only will you learn dance steps, but you will also burn those calories and for your kids, this is a great way to keep them fit and active.

Play an Active Game

Another way to improve your kids’ motor skills and keep them active is by playing an active game. It could be everyone’s favorite, Simon Says or a game of Twister. 

Build an Indoor Obstacle Course

If you have really active kids who like bouncing off the walls every now and then, you can channel that heightened energy by building an obstacle course inside the house. This is a great exercise for your kids, plus it can also help them practice following directions, and develop their large and small motor skills.

Family Movie Time

Fun indoor activities do not have to only be active. Enjoy some cozy time with your kids by watching their favorite movies together. With so many streaming movie channels like Netflix and AppleTV, you will never run out of choices.

Pop some popcorn and hot cocoa and watch from the comforts of your living room. Sometimes, all the kids need is some quiet time with you while enjoying their favorite movie.

Being stuck at home with your kids does not have to be boring and complicated. All that’s needed to have fun is some creativity and a bit of patience.

Let your kids learn more about various exciting and educational activities when school opens again. Contact Creative Learning Academy and give your child the best education he/she deserves.

 

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