Raise your hands if you too are having a hard time finding different ways of keeping your kiddos engaged in some creative and productive activities during the monotonous days of the lockdown? Admittedly, no one was really prepared for anything like this but can’t help being dumbstruck, and now, can only focus on the brighter side of life. Left with no other option you see?

I remember talking to my hubby a few weeks ago when we both were expressing our concerns with each other about a rapidly increasing screening time and gradually changing timetable for online studies for Vyom. Online classes have really been an alien concept for most of the kiddos, kudos! To all of them and their parents who are trying their best to accommodate this new way of schooling and learning. 

This phase of life has got its own struggles and annoyances, with restricted mobility, and social distancing almost every parent is facing the challenge to find out new ways to keep kids busy inside the home and help them indulge in activities that are entertaining and ingenious at the same time. 

I’ve also not been an exception in this whole scenario but with me, the case is a little different. The challenge with me is not to engage some adolescents but tiny toddlers who are free-spirited and have different likes and dislikes. Toddlers usually don’t like to stay bounded indoors, they need to indulge in outdoor activities as they have an abundance of energy. Does that make any sense now? It surely does and many mums would nod in agreement while they are reading this blog, hehe! 

I have only one mind but that must think in multidimensional ways since I have to create a balance with family, kids and my work too, everything is important, right? Not lying but one fine day during quarantine I sat down to jot down the things I can do with kiddos to make them cheering and to kill their boredom, After a lot of churning on thoughts and ideas I finally made a list of few important things that I planned to execute in the coming days of the lockdown. 

I had also talked to a few of my friends about their suggestions and to see how they are making the quarantine time constructive for their kids. After talking to some I realized that this idea has posed such a great confusion for all of the mums. Someone told me they make their kids busy in drawing and sketching, another friend suggested for downloading kids’ apps so that they can watch learning videos. I thanked them for their suggestions but at the end of the day I thought – yeh nuskhe mere bacchon ke saath nahi chalne wale Lol! I have to bring forth something substantial and here is the list of things that I decided upon to follow with my kids. It’s been a while now I and kids have been enjoying doing these activities and they are literally very happy! 

• Drawing: This is something both Vyom & Avrom genuinely like to do in their spare time and I tell you it’s one of my favorite things too to do. So when kiddos are playing and trying their hands with colors I too join them in and we all create something interesting of our choices.
• Paint With Veggies And Fruits: Do you remember when we were kids we used to paint with ladyfingers, potatoes, apple, and apricot? It was very fascinating for me to paint using shapes of veggies and fruits and now I am teaching the same to my kids. They love to make different shapes using veggies like making shapes of flowers, happy or sad faces, trees, and plants or so. 

• Indoor Picnic: This is my kiddos’ one of the favorite activities in quarantine. Bubbas get excited whenever we plan for an indoor picnic. We pretend exactly how we do on an outdoor picnic. I make yummy snacks and pack them along with delicious fruit drinks in a basket, we create a playing area on the terrace and do indoor activities. The indoor picnic looks like the best solution to kill the boredom of quarantine. 
• Schooling At Home: Although kids are having their own online classes, I along with kids imitate mini school activities at home in the spare time where we revise the things the kids are learning in their classes. And believe me, both of my lads enjoy doing that. I play the role of their most favorite teacher and they chuckle seeing me talking and teaching them like her.

• Dance Time: Dancing is one of the fantastic physical activities and I have always encouraged my kids for it! It keeps the kids active not only physically but emotionally as well. Dancing on kids’ songs and rhymes is what my kids enjoy a lot! I prefer not to play movie songs as I don’t find the lyrics of trending songs suitable for kids, though the songs have catchy and have good beats still I choose to play nice groovy songs from kids’ playlists.
• Puppet Making: Puppet making is indeed a very interesting activity for kiddos and parents as well. Just love making paper puppets like the monster box, puppies buddies, and origami as well. We three don’t really realize where does the time go when we sit to do the puppet-making activity. 
• Story Playtime: Have you ever tried playing skits or dramas with kids? If not, I must ask you to try it out it’s fun, real fun! I, Vyom, and Avrom take a story and play its characters and there the fun begins. I usually pick short stories with morals, stories of tortoise and rabbit and monkey and crocodile are few of their favorite to play.

• Hide-n-Seek: Hide-n-seek is also an exciting fun game we often play inside our home these days. Keeping the safety of kids in mind I prefer to play usually in our hall. I tell them my childhood stories how I used to play this game with my friends in my childhood and all they do is to laugh on me.
• Visiting Home Restaurant: My foodie kids miss eating out in restaurants! Though they fully relish home-made food – but who doesn’t want a change? So to satiate their urge to eat in restaurants like ambiance I turn the dining hall into a restaurant with a fine dining table for them, I become the chef and then serve the lads their most favorite cuisines they want to eat. Y’all must try out this technique which your kids gonna love a lot! 

So, folks, this is how we are utilizing and making our quarantine interesting for us, I would like to know how y’all are making this time of the lockdown creative for your kids? Do come up with your ideas and views.

Till then happy reading!