How to prevent COVID-19 from crashing your summer!

Yaay, it’s summer! Or is it booo, it’s summer! I think you may prefer the second expression. Yes, unlike the previous years’ summer breaks, this year’s is totally different, with COVID-19 here. And most of your summer is definitely going to be spent at home, unfortunately. But hey, before you sulk, things aren’t that bad. At least it’s a break from the stress of virtual learning.

Although flights, large gatherings, and summer school have all been canceled, you could still keep kids entertained and happy. Here’s how…

Take a virtual tour

Though flights have been canceled, it does not prevent you from doing a little sightseeing from the comfort of your home. How? Take a tour of the wonderful places you’d love to visit online. Online? Yep! With apps like  Google Earth and Google Arts and Culture, you can punch in any destination in the world and explore its unique features. Have them choose and research about any place in the world they’d love to see, including Outerspace. Then, plan the day for the visit and have them take you through. They can even serve as tour guides!

The great thing about virtual tours is that it’s absolutely free. Additionally, your kids will learn about history, science, and even serving as tour guides could boost their presentation skills. Now that’s what we call exploration! Enjoy your funventure (fun adventure)!

Cook a new local/continental dish together

Have you wondered how that special take out dish is prepared? Explore its world by finding out how it’s prepared and get cooking! I bet your kids are going to enjoy the experience. Or, why not get grandma to give you her secret recipe to those wonderful local meals she always brings along when visiting. We bet the kids would love to get messy and learning at the same time! Who knows, you may awaken the chef in them, haha!

Try a home project

Remember that old basement stacked with old toys and boxes? Or that room with broken equipment? Yes, that one. Why not draw up a schedule and plan some snacks to go along with the cleaning. I bet you are all going to have a ton of fun and quality time together! And who knows, you may make some money out of some the junk, right? Or, you could grow a garden together in your backyard (if there is space) and monitor the fruits and flowers that grow from it. Just look around the house for something that has not been attended to in a while and make time for it.

Play indoor and outdoor games

Instead of always playing video games, switch to some interesting indoor and outdoor games.  Try indoor games like Ludo, scrabbles, and dominoes as well as pick and act. Some outdoor games you can try to include are football, splashing water spray guns, treasure hunts, and many more. You could have your kids choose the outdoor games so they feel that their views matter.

Outdoor picnics

Staying indoors all summer can be drilling. That’s why an outdoor picnic is a good idea. First, set up your backyard and give it a beautiful natural setting. Then, plan a special family outdoor picnic together with all sorts of good food. What if you don’t have a backyard? Find out if your local neighborhood park is open to the public, and then set out for your picnic. But most importantly, be sure to wear your nose masks, carry along your hand sanitizers, and stick to social distancing guidelines.

Visit a recreational center if possible

Though most recreational venues remain closed, some have resumed services but under very strict safety measures. So, go online and find out if your favourite center is open. If it is, then that’s good news. But please be careful to keep yourselves safe before you visit the place. You wouldn’t want to have fun at the cost of your health.

Learn a new skill

During summer school, kids always learn a new skill. It could be sewing, bead-making, painting, learning to play an instrument, or even better their bilingual capabilities. If you are not around to teach a particular skill, you could let them watch online videos on how to. Thanks to YouTube, you can learn all these with the click of a button. But be sure to set parental controls to ensure your child’s safety online. Just make sure the skills are age-appropriate.

Visit grandparents

We all know how much your children have missed grandpa and grandma. With restrictions eased, you can now visit them and spend more time together. But since the older generation is more at risk than the younger, carefully observe the safety protocols.

According to UChicago Medicine, ‘if both grandparents and the grandchildren have been isolated for the past few weeks, the risk of transmission is very low. Longer visits, including overnights, could be considered.’

We hope these suggestions helped. How are you spending your summer? Share with us in the comments section below!