As schools have closed to keep our children safe, we now have to keep them busy and entertained at home week after week. There are many ways to help them smoothly transition into at-home life and ensure they keep learning. The secret is to make a routine. Grab a pen, paper and actually map out how the days will look at home. The goal is to keep kids busy and learning while allowing you to get other things done too.
Set dedicated time for play in between their homework time, to keep them interested and active throughout their daily routine. Ensure that it is child-led play without much adult interference to help your child become more independent as well as to make time for your home based work time.
Reading is a great way to engage the older children (greater than 8 years old), let kids choose several books either as audiobooks or e-books. With audiobooks, kids can learn to appreciate the art of storytelling before they can read. And kids who can read can expand their horizons. You could also look into podcasts for children.
There are several online educational games out there to help stimulate your children's minds. If you have a computer or tablet available to your kids during work hours, educational computer games impart a little learning and some fun at the same time. These games keep kids thinking and that keeps boredom at bay. Consider setting a time limit in advance on electronic games, even educational ones, because kids can find it hard to disengage from their screens.
Also make use of all those toys that have been piled up in your house. Board games, cards, construction toys, trains, playsets, and puzzles are just a few of the good toys that can keep kids engaged for hours. But sometimes they have to be reminded of these toys.
Of course, kids would prefer a daily menu of things to do that are all super exciting (and most likely require parental help). It takes a little encouragement and some training. When children settle down with these less exciting but still enjoyable activities, they expand their attention spans and begin learning how to keep themselves busy.