We are, as this is being written, amid a global crisis unlike any other we have experienced in our lifetimes. The global crisis, or the SARS-CoV-19 pandemic, as it is more commonly known, has changed the way that we live our lives and rendered most of us homebound for the foreseeable future. Our governments have imposed strict restrictions on our movements, which have been reinforced by the police. For many, simply leaving the home for a walk is a fineable offense, or worse, arrestable. The debate as to whether or not this is just or humane is raging, but not only are we, adults, the victims of this, so too are children.
Children are scarcely kept indoors. They are wild, rambunctious, playful, and mischievous. It is an offense against their very nature to keep them indoors like prisoners. But, alas, it is unavoidable, and it is something we have to come to terms with, at least for now. Because of the unavoidable nature of this isolation, we must keep our children physically active and establish exercise routines that will dull their energy and keep them happy and optimistic about the future. As it is a challenge to keep them engaged in play and ensure their learning as well, selection of good toys such as scribbles and nerfgun for toddlers seem to be smart choices. Climbing frames are also a good choice to make your kids physically active.
Here is how to keep your children physically active.
Hoverboards
If you have a large driveway or a garden that is patioed, then a hoverboard could be a good option for keeping them occupied. Hoverboards are at the moment all the rage, and kids throughout the world are going crazy over them. While buying a hoverboard for a kid may seem like something more akin to Back to the Future, we must remember that we live in the 21st century, and nothing is impossible. Hoverboards are a great toy that can keep your child active and enjoying themselves for long periods, without needing to be in the street or at the park.
Swing-ball
Swing-ball is a game that everybody of all ages loves. It is a game that can keep your children very active and can help them to spend their energy and exhaust themselves. Swing-ball is, for those who are not lucky enough to have ever played it, a game wherein a stationary pole is weighed down in a tub of water and attached to the pole is a string with a tennis ball tied on. With rackets, you hit the ball back and forwards [or just around in circles]. It can be a lot of fun and can allow you to use all of their energy up.
Buy a Puppy
Seriously, buying a puppy is a guaranteed way to wear out your children. Puppies rival young children in energy, and a child and a puppy can spend endless hours in the garden playing and running around. Buying a puppy for your child is a fantastic way to have your child both content and using up their energy. It can also give them something to do in their down-periods when they are not energetic, but rather just want to lie down and relax. Give it serious consideration, however, as a puppy is not just a gift, but is something you will have for life.
Football
If you have a large enough garden, create a football pitch for your children to play football on. This one, however, may require you, too, and you may have to join them on the football pitch. Playing football with your children can be a lot of fun, and it is a memory that they will likely never forget. Football is a game that anyone of all ages can play – and is a game your child, regardless of gender, can enjoy. Be sure to get a lighter, inflatable football, as opposed to a harder, ready inflated football, as a harder ball may crash straight through your neighbors’ fence and leave a hole in the window.
Catch
Many idle afternoons have been enjoyed by a child with their parents and a ball. Playing catch is, while awfully cliché, very fun, and very enjoyable. Catch is a game that many of us will have idled away our youth on. It can be played with a parent or alone, providing there is a wall for your child to throw the ball against. It is not a game, however, that your child must spend all of their time playing, as it can grow boring quite fast. Still, providing the game is played in moderation, it is one that can use up your child’s energy and see them having a lot of fun.
Now, with the help of this page, you know how you can keep your child happy and use up their energy. All of the games listed here are a great way to entertain your child during these unfamiliar and scary times. Have fun!