Stuck inside; be it due to the rainy weather or current lockdown, it can get boring for young kids and parents alike when they’re stuck indoors.
Outside of their schoolwork, homework and chores, kids tend to miss out on the plethora of activities that help them upskill themselves or even explore new and exciting hobbies. Here are 6 ways to keep kids engaged indoors.
1. Music is food for the soul:
You must’ve heard this proverb at least once before; Music is indeed food for the soul. It comes in various forms and flavours (which we personally refer to as genres) and everyone has their own preferences. Music can be the rabbit hole that sends your kids to wonderland. It can be a great activity to help them explore their talent and also serve as a powerful way to help them express their deepest emotions.
Even if your kids are stuck indoors, there’s a fantastic opportunity for kids to learn music, from the comfort of your homes. There are plenty of online music classes with great musicians and teachers who can nurture their creativity and teach them the art of songwriting, singing, playing an instrument and also music production. So get those chords strumming!
2. Expressiveness through art:
We use art as a collective term here. Thinking of art as being limited to painting or sketching or drawing, is one massive folly. Art is all about expression of one’s deepest emotions and the media by which it can be done are endless. Kids have a million thoughts running through their minds. If a picture speaks a thousand words, then letting your kids speak through a sculpture, craftwork, paintings and sketches can encourage their endless imagination and limitless creativity.
Today, kids can adopt one of the many forms of art and express themselves, entirely through online means. Art and craft classes for kids wanting to start out and explore the many possibilities of the hobby are available online, and are helmed by some of the best artists in the industry. All you will need to prepare for, is the material your kids require to pick up art and craft as their new hobby.
3. A dancer’s grace is unparalleled:
Did you know that there are over 12 genres of dance each of which have at least 3 to 7 diverse cultural backgrounds? With that kind of versatility, dance is perhaps the most wonderful way to not only get kids active, but also help them find their very own, unique expression. Besides being an artform, the benefits of dance also include getting some cardio and exercise.
Dance is an artform that doesn’t need any equipment. You don’t need an instrument, nor a voice. In many cases, you don’t even need music! If your kids can count to a beat, you’re all set! With some of the best online dance classes available today, you can get them started in no time. With experts from multiple cultures and knowledge of various dance styles your kids can get grooving sooner rather than later.
4. Dramatics aren’t just for the royalty:
Here are a few things that you as a parent are definitely going to agree with.
Your kids are certainly fascinated by movie actors
Your kids have pretended to act like their favorite superhero, or cartoon character at least once.
Your kids have made attempts to mimic the behaviorisms of a family member.
Your kids have faked being sick to stay home from school.
If even one of those statements rang true and resonated with you, you may just have a budding actor in your house.
Dramatics are for everyone. But finding the right age to nurture that talent is crucial. With dramatics being all encompassing of music, dance, acting and speaking, it can be the hobby that can define your kid’s entire childhood! So what better way to let kids explore the various themes of acting and dramatics than from the comfort of your own home?
There are several online drama classes that are conducted by masters from the industry. Moreover they’re all accessible on your devices!
5. Being multilingual is cool:
Learning a language can be fun! Provided your kids get the right guidance and engagement during their classes, learning a new language can be great as a hobby and for a kid’s development. Besides it just being an after school activity, learning a new language has proven to show better academic performance, mathematical understanding and analytical thinking skills among young children.
If your kids are stuck indoors and are done with their boring old chores, getting them started with a language like French or German or even polishing up their English speaking skills can go a long way. You can find some of the best curated language courses for students of all ages on FSM Buddy, where they have the best teachers in the business.
6. Life-skills for the ages:
Life-skills are the goldmine for a kid’s early development. Ofcourse, it’s hard for them to accept these classes as separate from their curriculum since a lot of focus on life skills is placed through the viewpoint of academia. But it doesn’t have to be this way!
Encouraging your kids to get past their difficulty in public speaking, helping them overcome their obsessive compulsive disorder, or even helping them manage their finances from a very young age can be made into an activity instead of a chore.
These essential life skills can be learnt online and you won’t need any resources beyond your kid’s dedication. There are some great options abong teachers who have an engaging and fun persona who specially cater to kids and help them overcome certain setbacks. It’s good to know that if your kids get a hold of these skills earlier in life, the better it is for their future.
Keeping kids engaged indoors can seem like a lot of hard work, moreso for them than you! But as long as the activity is fun and gives them a sense of accomplishment, there’s nothing stopping them from getting where they want to be. Allowing them to explore various interests as kids can open up so many avenues for them in the future, it’d leave you flabbergasted!