During this time of lock down, parents have had to swap roles with teachers, put on their thinking caps and try to think of new and inventive ways to keep children occupied.
In this period, supermarket shelves have been stripped bare, while parents scoop up flour, eggs, butter and sugar and all essential ingredients needed for home baking. With the view of getting their children in the kitchen busy making cakes, cookies and biscuits, and to see their smiling faces when they can lick the bowls clean and look up with powdery noses.
They have been re-thinking games they played as children, like catch, hide and seek, noughts and crosses and hang man. All of the classic board games have made a reappearance!
Then, it’s outside for fresh air and exercise. Parents are realising this also helps them keep fit as they jump around with their children and most importantly, they are connecting with their child and nature simultaneously. Being blessed with clear blue skies and mostly warm days, parents are hearing a new squeal of delight in their children's voices as they marvel at caterpillars walking up flower stems, and butterflies dancing around their heads. All this entertainment comes at no cost, it’s completely free. This is the chance for us to teach our children the lessons we were once taught by our parents: simple skills, making a bow and arrow, how to climb trees and make a secret den. We will not look back at the education they have missed, but the education of life they have gained.
by Megan Bantleman
