COVID-19 is dramatically changing life as we know it.
As the country continues to navigate the bleak reality of the coronavirus, “Americans are reporting more symptoms and signs of depression, anxiety, and fear than historic norms,” Healthline writes.
Three in five Americans report fear and anxiety about contracting the virus, and nearly half — or 49% — self-report experiencing symptoms of depression.
Spending time together as a family can help combat pandemic-related anxiety and depression and promote overall well-being.
This time provides structure and security for young children and lifts the spirits of all members of the family.
1. Introduce Kids To Boating
In the U.S., over 87 million adult men and women enjoy recreational boating.
Boating does not have to be an adult-only activity.
There are plenty of ways to include all members of the family, including teenagers and little ones.
First, a word about safety: keep children safe by packing life jackets, a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, sunscreen, and bug repellent.
If you have an infant, toddler, and/or very young children, consider bringing along a portable playpen with a sunshade or line a small, enclosed section of the boat with cushy pillows.
Capture children’s interest by taking part in activities like fishing, tubing and water skiing, or snorkeling.
Easily teach fishing to your children and enjoy hours of relaxing on the lake as a family.
Snorkeling is the perfect activity in clear, blue waters with a lot of life.
Purchase necessary snorkeling equipment or rent masks and fins for a few hours, a day, or the weekend.
2. Enjoy Healthy Treats
Another way to stay cool, spend quality time together, and promote the physical and emotional well-being of your entire family is to make healthy treats together.
The ice cream industry brings in an impressive $11 billion annually.
In spite of its popularity, the fact remains that most commercial ice creams are not particularly healthy for you.
One-third of consumers want healthier ice cream options.
Homemade ice cream is one such option.
For example, it is possible to make your own ice cream using just three wholesome ingredients: vanilla, condensed milk, and heavy cream.
This three-ingredient recipe is entirely free of harsh chemicals and preservatives.
Beat the ingredients together until they form stiff peaks, then transfer to a freezer-safe container.
Add in any mix-ins, like frozen berries, frozen fruit pieces, nuts, sprinkles, or chocolate chips.
Don’t go it alone. Children will be more than happy to help you with this step!
Another option is to bring the family together to make homemade popsicles.
Like homemade ice cream, you can make homemade popsicles with just a few well-selected ingredients.
Blend yogurt with your preferred fruit puree and vanilla or almond extract.
Fold in fresh fruit, evenly divide the mixture up into ice pop molds, freeze, and enjoy.
3. Paint Your Home Together
Are rooms in your home desperately in need of a fresh coat of paint?
You’re not alone. Americans purchase an average of 1.57 billion gallons of paint each and every year.
With careful planning, repainting your house can be a family-friendly activity.
Let them participate within reason. Keep his or her age in mind.
If your child is especially young — think ages two to four — hand them a paintbrush or roller to keep him or her entertained.
If you are feeling adventurous, you can dip it in a very small amount of non-toxic paint and show them how to paint.
Choose a fresh wall with lots of surface area where you can easily paint over any mistakes or over-enthusiastic brush strokes.
Include older children by asking their favorite color or what color they would like to paint their bedroom.
4. Use Your Brains
Exercising, eating healthy, and making positive changes to your immediate environment is just the beginning.
For an all-around healthy family, do not forget about nurturing smarts and brainpower — and stimulating mental health.
Do this as a family by conducting kid-friendly science experiments and reading together.
Demonstrate science by making slime, volcanoes that erupt, and homemade rock candy.
As you take on these projects, explain the science to your children as you go.
It may seem like they’re more interested in squishing and molding their slime than listening to you, but most children will absorb and remember more than you might think!
Nurture your child’s love of reading by reading together (and, yes, you need to do the voices), choosing funny books, or offering your child small rewards for every chapter book or every few chapter books they complete.
It is relatively inexpensive to offer kids $1 per completed chapter book, or pizza for dinner with every five to seven books they read.
Finally, increase children’s focus and promote overall calm by encouraging kids to learn how to meditate with you.
Practice kid-friendly techniques. These include lying down with a teddy bear on children’s stomachs.
Encourage them to watch their breath or try to focus on the teddy bear as it goes up and down as they breathe.
Another technique is to teach kids to meditate with a balloon.
When you blow air into the balloon, they should try to breathe air into their stomach and watch it expand, just like the balloon.
Slowly let them air out to demonstrate exhaling the breath for children.
5. Shop Around For A New Home And Get Kids Involved!
Finally, one of the silver linings of these uncertain times is that the housing market is particularly forgiving right now.
During the third quarter of 2017, condos in Manhattan ran for as much as “.9 million on average.
Now, prices are much lower. Now, it is the perfect time to buy a new home.
If you need more space for you and your family, take this opportunity to search for new homes for sale and make sure children tag along!
At times, parents can dramatically underestimate how much children benefit from being directly involved.
Walk your kids around homes that peak your interest and show them the room that would likely be theirs.
This will make children feel like they play an important role in the family (and they do!) and reinforce their confidence in themselves
Talking to children about COVID-19 is only one of the necessary measures that parents should take.
Promote a sense of security and normality, inspire confidence in your children, and do whatever you can to keep them mentally and physically happy by taking part in these five summer activities!