Schools have been dismissed early because of the covid-19, foregoing awarding and graduation ceremonies. No more field trips and parties either. People have been strongly advised to stay at home. Now, parents are at wits’ end because their children are at home 24/7. Here are some activities for kids during home quarantine for covid-19 to keep them occupied and productive.
Why We Need Home Quarantine for Covid-19
The basic explanation why we need home quarantine for covid-19 may be summed up in statements:
- to protect ourselves from getting infected
- to prevent the spread of the virus
Eventually, when it doesn’t have a new host to infect, the covid-19 will be gone. The infections will be stopped and the pandemic will be contained.
Schools have been closed in order to prevent the spread of the virus in mass gatherings as well as to protect the young ones. Even religious organizations have been advised to stop mass or fellowship in the light of the covid-19 outbreak. This is not a scare but a reality not just in the Philippines but all over the world.
Boredom in the Modern World
In the countryside, the home quarantine would probably mean running around in the fields and climbing trees to pick fruits.
- Related: The Use of Tablets Among Children
Meanwhile, our modern children are so used to things digital and getting things served fast. Most of the time, their means of entertaining themselves is through the use of gadgets. While we all know that the excessive use of gadgets is not good for young children and even teens, we usually allow them in order to get them out of our hair.
And the use of gadgets has been getting out of hand. Or they go to the mall.
But what are some of the things that we can do at home to keep the kids occupied?
Easy Activities for Kids During Home Quarantine
Here are some of my suggestions to while away the time without the use of hand-held gadgets. These will help preserve your sanity and get the kids moving, too.
Household Chores
If you haven’t yet, this is a good time to teach the kids basic household chores. Get them to help but not in the context of discipline or punishment. They can pack away their stuff, help wipe surfaces, sweet the floor, use the vacuum cleaner, or wash the dishes. Teach them to fold their clothes, too.
Read together
Since our kids are surrounded with books, it’s easy for them to pick up one that interests them and read. Even if I don’t tell them, they do. For households who are not used to reading with books, you can read together.
Cosplay and Face Painting
A fun thing to do at home is to pretend play. Makes costumes using available materials. Paint your faces and pretend you are someone else.
- Related: Benefits of Cosplay in the Home
Cook and bake
If you haven’t started yet, this is a good time to get your children’s hands dirty in the kitchen. Read: Teaching Kids to Cook
Depending on their age, teach them simple tasks like slicing, peeling, and washing vegetables and fruits. You may also teach them about different kinds of culinary herbs used in cooking. Let them smell the items on your spice rack. Then maybe you can play a guessing game afterwards based on the smells.
Picnic outside the house
Thankfully, weather is fine here in the Philippines. If you have a yard, go outside and have a picnic. Get the children to help you set up. Then you can play games afterwards.
If you want something fancier, you can have a pretend tea party.
Arts and Crafts
Nothing beats arts and crafts activities to while away time. Bring out your sketch pads, canvas, scissors, crayons, paints, and other available materials. You can check out Youtube on some crafts projects that you can do. Or follow Art for Kids Hub for instructional videos on how to draw simple things and characters.
Exercise
Children have so much stored energy. If you don’t have a big space to play around, like if you are living in a condo, set aside a time for exercise. You don’t need a wii. Turn on exercise or dance videos on Youtube and dance to your hearts’ content. You can even practice sports like golf if you purchase a golf simulator, like a skytrak golf simulator, to use inside.
If you have a trampoline, assemble it and get them to bounce! Don’t forget to hydrate!
Videoke
Shane has been on the videoke for several days now–morning, afternoon, and evening. Thankfully, we don’t have neighbors. But really, singing is a good way to have fun and also forget your covid-19 worries.
Science Experiments
Enhance your children’s learning experiences at home with some simple Science experiments using materials found at home. Ingredients like baking soda, salt, vinegar, and sugar can already be used in a variety of home experiments.
Blow Bubbles
For young kids, blowing bubbles and running after them is such a fun thing to do. You can blow the bubbles while they catch or you just let them play by themselves.
Water the Plants and Hose Them, Too
One of the things that you can do together is to water the plants. Our little Shane loves getting a hose down while I am watering. But of course, I can’t take photos because she is reduced to her undies. She feels like it is taking a bath in the rain!
There are so many productive things we can do at home. So please, as the government is asking us, let us listen to directives. There are so many people who want to stay home, but can’t. So please cooperate. Than you!
Homeschooling Lessons Continue
Meanwhile, as the world scrambles for the mandatory home quarantine for covid-19, it’s life and business as usual for work at home people like me.
At the same time, it’s classes as usual for our homeschooling kids. Well, we did take a break, as the news can become depressing. So we baked oatmeal cookies to liven up our home. Read: Fight Off Depression by Baking Oatmeal Cookies
Times like these, we really appreciate our lifestyle—working at home and homeschooling. Homeschooling families are used to having children around 24/7. So there is no need for us to adjust.
For those whose lifestyles have been drastically altered by the home quarantine for covid-19, we hope that some of these activities can help you. God bless us all!
Improve Your Health
What can we really do now? Our best defense against covid-19 is basic hygiene like hand washing and also to improve our immunity against disease. In this blog, here are some articles that could help you:
- Improve the Air Quality in Your Home
- Promoting Healthy Digestion in Children with Probiotics
- Himalayan Salt Lamp in Our Bedroom | Health Benefits
- Are Essential Oils Good for Your Family?
- How to Educate Yourself About Health Matters
- Products That Can Improve Your General Health
- MALUNGGAY CAPSULES for KIDS’ BETTER IMMUNITY
- How To Help Your Child Get And Remain Healthy
- How to Keep Kids Strong and Healthy
Other health stories:
- Healthy Options Bacolod | Mom’s Top Health Picks for the Family
- Teach Kids to Grow Their Own Food | Negros Farmers Weekend Market
Great tips, Ms. Sig! As we are homebodies, we are not really affected socially by the quarantine. It’s the logistics that’s making home quarantine hard for us since we live far from ATMs and business centers. I’m seeing another upward trend after the Coronavirus has passed on homeschooling and online shopping and deliveries. People might get used to this new way of life.
You’re right po Mommy Sig. There are so may productive things to do at home. Bonding with a kids, playing chess (binilhan ko po Kasi eldest ko namg maliit na chess board., Para hndi laging Tutok sa gadget) coloring materials nman po sa Second born ko. Since she really loves to paint and to color. Sa sobrang hilig Nia po pati dingding naming kinukulayan😅 it’s almost 1year na po na never nakakalabas mga anak ko. Stay at home po tlaga sila. Better to be safe than sorry
Great tips Mommy Sig! Dahil sa pandemya naging limitado ang activities ng kids and in this situation we must think another alternative activities na maeenjoy ng kids while learning.