Muscat: As night lockdown began on Sunday in line with the Supreme Committee’s decisions, many parents may find themselves faced with more time to spend with kids, which has been the case since the outbreak of COVID-19 earlier this year.
However, staying home with family provides a greater opportunity to share many activities and ideas that may not have been available in the past.
“This would enhance the role of the family, and restore its old role in education and upbringing of children. There is no doubt that the outcome of this will be beneficial to society as a whole,” said Aisha Ali, a psychological coach. “With the extension of school closures due to the coronavirus pandemic, parents, not only in Oman, but all over the world face the task of maintaining the mental health of their children during the quarantine period, and there is no doubt that it is a very difficult task, but parents can provide entertaining home activities for children,” she said.
Before starting to search for activities, parents must explain about COVID-19 to their children making sure not to pass on their fear to children when talking about infection and symptoms. One of the activities that can keep children busy during quarantine is reading or listening to stories, which help in developing their learning abilities and increasing their horizon of imagination.
Besides, parents can make their children participate in cooking food, create new foods with different flavors, or participate in scientific experiments using homemade materials.
These methods help to activate the visual memory of children. Scientists agree that children and young people need to do two types of physical activity every week in order to maintain their health.
This includes outdoor exercises such as running to strengthen their muscles and bones, and indoor activities within a family atmosphere. Activities like solving puzzles can help keep children busy, while arts and crafts help them stay creative.
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