All of the experts in psychology agree that parents’ efforts are fundamental in order for children to spend these weeks of confinement due to coronavirus with the best possible quality of life. If you take control of the situation and manage it proactively, not only will you improve your children’s mood, but you’ll have a golden opportunity to strengthen your relationship.

Four ideas to entertain your children during quarantine

According to the psychologist Ana Arana, the uncertainty caused by the current situation is especially difficult for children to manage. That’s why it’s important that their day has a routine and structure, even though they don’t go to school. We’ll show you some ideas to achieve this.

1. Teach them to meditate

Meditation and mindfulness are two practices whose positive effects on managing emotions are recognised by SEPYPNA (Spanish Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy). Teaching your children to spend a few minutes each day on conscious breathing and other related exercises will benefit everyone.Find a quiet time, preferably at the beginning or the end of the day, and help them become familiar with the most basic practices. If you have questions or this is new for you too, you can find a large amount of resources on the Internet, such as applications and tutorials.

2. Organize a treasure hunt

To do this, you can hide the clues throughout the rooms of the house or come up with tests such as riddles and other challenges which help them find the final treasure. This will keep them entertained for a long time and, depending on the type of tests you choose, stimulate them mentally.

3. Cook with them

Surely one of the activities your children value most is spending quality time with you. For this reason, you can try to involve them in those household chores they can carry out safely. If you’re cooking, they’ll be pleased to cook with you and help you with the preparation.If they’re still too small to use knives or scissors, try baking. This activity is ideal to try with children because it doesn’t require strong motor skills. In addition, they’ll be delighted to eat the results!

4. Create art with them

Unleashing your creativity will not only entertain your children, it will also stimulate them intellectually and help them become effective and decisive adults. The type of art you can create with them will vary greatly depending on your skills, the size of your home, and your budget. If you can’t think of anything, you can search for ideas online and take advantage of the materials you have at home.And remember: the most important thing is your attitudeRegardless of the activity you choose, the most important thing is the attitude and energy you transmit to your children. Avoid talking too much about the news or approaching the things you do with them from the perspective of fear or anxiety.Surely you have on occasion wished you had more time to spend with your children. So, although the circumstances are not the best, we encourage you to take advantage of the quarantine and carry out these or other activities with them.