After months of living through a pandemic, many parents need more activities for their kids that are safe, productive, and enjoyable. As the winter weather turns cold again and people spend more time indoors, here are a few ideas for ways to keep busy.
1. Online Coding Classes
If your child decides to enroll in online coding courses for kids, it could be the most fun way to prepare themselves for the future workforce. Leading programs put video games at the centre of their program by teaching kids how to code their own game and using gamification throughout the lessons.
Your child will have too much fun to realize they’re learning, yet they’ll absorb real coding languages professionals use every day, like Python, Java, JavaScript, C#, or C++.
Look for a program featuring small classes led by young teachers who study computer engineer or computer science. Not only are they subject matter experts, but they have tons of relevant experience in school and the workforce.
2. Jigsaw Puzzles
Kids today have grown up with so much dazzling technology that it’s crucial for them to sometimes take a step back and get exposed to the low-tech activities that have entertained kids for decades. Puzzles force kids to exercise visual-spatial parts of their minds.
To make it more fun, get a themed puzzle that delights your kids, either from a movie they like or something else. Choose a puzzle with an appropriate number of pieces so they’re busy and entertained but not overwhelmed.
3. Cooking
The phase of the pandemic where people baked sourdough from home may be over, but there’s an unlimited amount of dishes you can make and cuisines to explore. Teach your child about the fundamentals of cooking, from making stocks to how to chop an onion properly.
Depending on their age and maturity level, they may be more inclined to make chicken fingers from scratch than a braised short rib or roasted duck, and that’s OK! Draw them into cooking by starting with the flavours they gravitate to and taking it from there.
Teach them to make hearty, seasonal food that’s perfect for fall, like stews or raclette, or warm Christmas-appropriate drinks for kids, like cocoa.
4. Classic Movies
If you’ve streamed all the latest and greatest contemporary movies, try to dig a bit deeper into the classic films from earlier eras or other countries. Kids should see movies made before special effects changed filmmaking.
You don’t need to start with the black and white silent-film era. Even movies from the 1990s predate green screen technology or reach back further and pick a Kubrick 70s classic they’ll love.
Keeping safe during a pandemic is most important, though children need to have fun too. They also need to be prevented from slipping through the cracks in terms of their education and socialization. Hopefully, one of the above activities is well-suited to you and your family and helps you all have fun indoors this holiday season.
