Does your child show symptoms of restlessness, irritability and extreme boredom after being cooped up indoors for several days? They might be experiencing cabin fever. Cabin fever is a common reaction to being confined or isolated over a long period and it can occur to both children and adults alike. It can be a result of various triggers. The implementation of self-quarantine in the wake of this pandemic is one good example.
If you observe that your little one is experiencing cabin fever as a result of the lockdown and social distancing, know that you are not alone. And there’s no need to worry. There are several ways to help them cope. Read on and learn some helpful ideas for how to beat cabin fever!
Maintain a healthy diet
For many of us, staying at home for extended periods is an excuse to overindulge in comfort food. That often means binging on more unhealthy and junk food. However, this doesn’t really help and may just do more harm than good in the long run especially for kids.
To help increase their energy levels, make it a point to serve a balanced meal every time. Stay on top of your child’s eating habits. Make sure that they still get the nutrients they need. Control their intake of sugar and encourage drinking plenty of water.
Get them busy in the kitchen
Kitchen activities are always fun and exciting for kids. These are also excellent for beating cabin fever. And now that your kids are home, this is the best time to carve out time for prepping and cooking meals!
There are plenty of fun, kid-friendly recipes you can use for your child to replicate. If they’re into baked sweet treats, perhaps you can encourage their involvement in making mini cupcakes or cookies. Then let them decorate according to their liking. Pizza is also a good idea! Or you can ask them for suggestions if there’s anything they want to cook as part of your meal for dinner.
Exercise
Getting stuck at home for days and weeks may entail less physical activity for the family but it doesn’t mean that you have to live a sedentary lifestyle. Even if you can’t leave the house, you can still find ways to stay physically active. Shave off the extra energy you have from being cooped up inside and do a workout together. Check tutorials on YouTube for simple workout routines that even kids can follow. They don’t have to be high-intensity workouts. Even the ones that allow you to stretch some muscles will do!
Play fun indoor games
Find working out and exercise a bit boring? Indoor games are a perfect alternative to keep moving while having fun!
There are plenty of indoor games your kids can play inside the house to keep them entertained. Some examples would be indoor obstacle course, scavenger hunt, indoor bowling, hide and seek, and a lot more!
Create arts and crafts
School closures are an excellent time for your little one to channel their inner artist through arts and crafts! Art activities are also a good way to beat boredom while they’re home. So, bring out the art materials and let them start working on a masterpiece! Have them work on recycled materials such as old newspapers and plastic bottles. Hand them over the watercolor, paint, crayons and other tools they may need. Allow their imagination to run wild and have them create a masterpiece from scratch. But if they’re running out of ideas, you can always tap into the internet for more helpful resources.
Teach them household chores
The sound of household chores may not seem like a lot of fun for kids. But with a little creativity, learning household chores can be a productive way to beat cabin fever and have fun at the same time! For example, you can create a chart for your child to fill in with stickers each time they finish a task. Then, the accumulated stickers can be used to claim a prize – anything that can turn the activity into a fun game will do!
It might get you worried to see your little one suffering from anxiety or irritability due to isolation. But with the help of these ideas, you can help your little one beat cabin fever with activities they’ll enjoy!
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