Come Summer and the kids are forced to stay indoors due to hot sun and weather. Staying indoors and they don’t know what to do other than screens?
Here are a few tips:
Make a routine
The most important thing even during summer vacations is to have a routine. That will keep them informed whats next. Often children end up watching screen since its an easier alternative than having to think what to do next. A first few days with erratic wake-sleep schedule is manageable but not the entire length of a month and a half of vacations. Let the children make the schedules along with you so that they feel in control.
Household chores
Summers are the best time to learn household chores for any age group. Be it a toddler or a teenager , one can certainly involve them in helping you. Let them make their own beds, help in table layout, cook a snack, learning to make chapatis, cutting vegetables, or even simply cleaning their own plate after a meal. This is also the only time when children can work on their activities of daily living like buttoning, dressing, bathing, tying shoe laces etc. This becomes a challenge during the school days due to time constraints.
Learn a new skill
During early mornings or late evenings enroll them to learn a new skill or a sport like swimming, cycling, football, basketball, skating, dancing, music etc. This will help to keep their mind engaged and keep them fresh. During school days, children tend to get exhausted from the daily routine leaving them tired to learn any new skill with vigour.
Activities at home
Consider joining a toy library in your neighborhood, so that your child can have access to various toys every week and saves you from buying and storing them at home. It also helps to maintain the ‘novelty’ and ‘curiosity’ factor for the child. For toddlers, you can give them different kind of sensory mediums from the kitchen and let their imagination run wild!! This will also help them to calm down and keep them busy at least for a couple of hours.
For older kids, playing with different indoor games like puzzles, construction blocks, reasoning and logic games, board games would help to improve their executive function and motor skills.
Playdates
Even if they are indoors, they shouldn’t be kept away from socializing. Help them set up playdates and have a blast with their friends. A few parents can get together and take turns in hosting the children at home.
Practise what you Preach
It is as important for you as parents to have stipulated screen time during the day to set an example for your child. Spend time with them, involve with them in board games, help them learn a new skill and appreciate their efforts in the household chores.
Shared by: Dr. Isha Soni,
Senior Occupational Therapist and Centre Head, Lexicon Rainbow Therapy and Child Development Centre, Pune)
