Keeping Kids Engaged And Learning At Home

With news about COVID-19 hitting closer to home with every passing day, social distancing has become the need of the hour. The classes are suspended and children are staying in. And all the parents are facing the same challenge: how to engage the children who are bubbling with energy, but cannot go out and play?

So, here are a few ideas that we compiled from all the resources we use to homeschool our children.

Educate your kids about the pandemic 

Weave stories of how it spreads from 1 to 5 to 500, and what happens when you contract the virus. Tell them that by staying away, covering their mouth, and not touching their face, they can become a superhero who saves themselves and others.

Plan your day well

Break it into zones of 1.5 hours each (6 zones). Keep a few zones for physical activity. Other things that can fit are board game zones, digital app-based games zones, DIY experiments and craft zones, hide and seek game zones, book reading zones etc. There are tons of resources online, choose according to your kid’s interests and inclinations.

DIY activities and experiments

Have a child with a green thumb? Encourage them to build a herb garden. Or just tinker/up-cycle household junk. Whatever your child’s interest may be, there’s a blog or a channel for everything. Besides boosting motor skills, DIY activities build STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) skills and teach kids to think laterally.

Educational toys

Some educational apps and toys can be a great way to supplement your kids’ curriculum and school work. Choose a few that blend education and fun, and help them learn as they play.

Board games

Go old school and play board games with your children. Snakes and ladders, chess, ludo - the options are endless. Board games train little minds to think strategically, in a bid to outwit the opponent. Besides, they demand focus and quick-thinking, thus helping the kids develop a nimble mind.

Music instruments

If playing with pawns and knights aren’t your children’s cup of tea, plucking strings might do the trick. Look to toys that teach instruments like the piano or the guitar or find a tutor online. Along with music skills, they’re also developing cognitive intelligence and memory.

Vivek Goyal

Guest Author The author is the Co-founder of PlayShifu. A Stanford GSB graduate, his background includes eBay, P&G and his own startup in silicon valley.

Dinesh Advani

Guest Author The author is COO and Co-founder of PlayShifu