Coronavirus, I stay at home! 2020/03/14

The decree of March 9th turned all of Italy into a red zone and extended the closing of school till the April 3rd. The order word has become “I stay at home!”. To stop infection, hygiene measures and social isolation that little children can’t practice, which makes them a bug deposit for infection.

For this it is necessary that the children stay at home, even away from their friends. This situation could have a big impact on them, who are not capable of rationalizing what is happening like us, the adults. What to do with children, waiting for the coronavirus emergency to pass?

Explain coronavirus to children.

Firstly, we need to explain the situation to the little ones. How to do it Clear information is needed, especially when it comes to hygiene rules.

Even the little ones have the right to understand that the situations is severe, but without scaring them.

What to do with children during coronavirus?

As much as they have understood about the situation, it is important to turn this confinement period and fears into a positive moment and fight against boredom. So, what to do with children during coronavirus, after homework? Here are some ideas aside from television and YouTube:

· Let fears go with art: the game can beat fear.

Then it becomes essential to encourage children to draw, write or make a doll play where they can express their fears about the virus. Whether Coronavirus becomes the villain of the story or a stain of color in a paper sheet, this exercise will help little ones to manage their feelings about a tough situation.

· Invent games: you can implement creative recycling with egg or milk cartons, or create dream catchers with recycled material. For example, you can use a piece of tape on the floor for balance games, or make masks with paper Mache. On this sense, a fairy tale or a story made up by the children can be staged with improvised costumes.

·Reading and coloring: reading and coloring are two activities that will help not only to make the days shorter, but also to manage time and escape reality a little bit. Here is a list of useful books: https://www.savethechildren.it/.../10-libri-da-leggere...

·Make them participate in the organization of the house: children can help at home, being responsible. Therefore, it isn’t bad to help with cleaning and house administration, maybe encourage them with prizes or compliments.

·Cooking: the last idea is to cook with them. Homemade cookies are certainly healthier than packaged ones and can be decorated. It is the same thing with muffins or salty snacks.

Here are some useful recipes: https://www.ricettealvolo.it/15-ricette-di-dolci-e.../

· Video chats: lets not forget that families are separated right now, same with the children separated from their friends. We can use social media to make sure they don’t loose sight of them, favoring video chats and other opportunities of remote contact.

Managing this moment is not easy for any age group. Nevertheless, it is our responsibility to make sure that it isn’t a trauma even for children, and to keep taking care of their nutrition and exercise, but also creating time for useful hobbies, capable of eliminating boredom in a constructive way. From reading to cooking, there are many ideas for children during coronavirus.