With schools closed down, parents are struggling to provide a balanced education at home on their own. Some mothers and fathers have the resources to let their children take some online classes; others have gone out and bought whatever educational supplies they could get their hands on.
However, there's a subgroup of people that are taking this time to foster a somewhat "non-traditional" mission in educating their children. Being at home provides a different learning environment, where some heads of households are taking advantage of teaching life skills to their children not so readily available to them in traditional schools.
Here are three things children can do while being stuck at home during the quarantine.
Let Them Design Video Games
As parents, we worry about the negative impacts of kids being obsessed with playing video games. But why not turn that concern into an investment? What a dream come true for gamers, right?
Technology has become synonymous with society and the more tech skills someone has, the better. Being savvy in a variety of platforms, visual and audio creativity, and product development are all the components that make a person marketable in their field.
Even if your child doesn't become a videogame designer genius, the skill set learned will lend themselves to applicable technical literacy later on down the road. Even game making software for android phones is a way to learn programming principles, Javascript, and can teach a child how to export to different platforms.
Who knows? Depending on how fun the games are, your child can even make a little money selling the games they create.
Get Them in the Kitchen to Cook
With convenience came the loss of mastering cuisine. Many of us opt to eat out at a restaurant instead of investing the time and care into preparing home-cooked foods. Now that many restaurants are closed, why not bust out that waffle maker and teach your son or daughter how it's done?
Teaching a child to slice, chop, and prep food is another life knack that they will thank you for later. Not only that, but it's also a great way to pass the time indoors with your family. Cooking brings everyone together in a way few other things can. Also, you might find your passion for preparing delicious foods rekindled.
If you want to give your kids a little more kitchen autonomy, look up a list of recipes children can follow on their own.
Start a Garden Project in Your Yard or on Your Windowsill
There's something beautiful about being outside with the sun on your skin and your fingers deep in the soil. April is the best time to roll up your sleeves and pants and teach your kids how to plant lettuce, peas, or even pansies.
Even a little piece of land can be utilized to grow food. Learning to grow food teaches children how to take care of something living, and the hard work nature provides for humanity free of charge. It's a return to simplicity, and at the end of a few weeks, you'll have something to eat because of it.
Have a look at the best seeds to plant in April, so you do it right.
Stay Creatively Active
Whether it's drawing in a sketchbook, writing a short story, or learning a new language with the help of YouTube videos, staying creative demonstrates a parent's ability to practice inner peace and balance within.
These types of mindful endeavours not only teach children skills but also demonstrate that there is a wealth of joy to be found within ourselves if we only look.
