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The coronavirus and Covid-19 pandemic has been difficult for all of us. Government guidelines put in place to minimise and slow the spread of the virus have impacted all of our lives and routines. Many of us are now working from home. The majority of us can’t mix households. Holidays have been cancelled. Gyms are closed. Sports clubs and other facilities are closed. Museums, bars, restaurants, theatres and all sorts of other non essential premises have shut their doors. With so many changes to adapt to ourselves, it can be easy to forget how much this pandemic is impacting our little ones too. Chances are, they’re pretty bored. Now, it can feel difficult to occupy and entertain our kids during this time. Pressure is on. Many of us are struggling financially. There’s little to do outside of your own four walls. But it’s still important to keep them happy and fulfilled. So, here are a few things you can do to bring a smile to their faces!

 

Help Them to Learn an Instrument

 

If you have any instruments lying around your house, or if you can find any for sale at low cost online, you may want to help your little one to learn how to play it. Sure, they may not be able to have face to face lessons with tutors right now. But there are plenty of free online resources and pieces of learning software available that you can try out to get them started out. Just prepare for some noise. If there are any sorts of silencers for the instruments they’re practicing on, you may want to consider investing in some for the sake of your neighbours. You may also want to consider earplugs for musicians to protect your own and your little ones’ ears!

 

Help Them to Learn a Language

 

Now could be a great time for your children to learn a new language too. This can entail hours of practice and will result in an extremely useful and beneficial life skill too. Again, while face to face lessons may not be available right now, there are plenty of online resources that could prove just as good. Language learning software like Rosetta Stone, Duo Lingo and Babbel are all great. You can also show them kids TV shows and films in their chosen language.

 

Arts and Crafts

 

The majority of kids love arts and crafts. So, why not get out the paper, card, pens, PVA glue and – if you’re feeling brave – glitter? There are endless projects they can engage with, from making paper mosaics, printing, drawing, colouring in, painting and more. Just make sure to always supervise your kids with these materials.

 

Baking

 

Of course, kids shouldn’t be left unsupervised in the kitchen. But if you have some time free, you may want to consider baking something with them. Get the aprons on, let them mix the ingredients, take care of the baking on their behalf and then supervise them while they decorate. You’ll all get a sweet treat at the end too!

 

These are just a few suggestions. What will best suit your kid and their interests will depend entirely on your kid. But hopefully, some of the above options will work well for them!