Pretend Play: An Opportunity to Talk To Your Kids During Quarantine

Children do not understand everything about what is happening these days regarding coronavirus but they see and feel the changes that have taken place in their everyday lives. They stopped attending classes, they can not go out and play with their friends. Going for ice cream with parents or to the cinema is also not an option. How to explain the changes to children in a clear way? How to talk about coronavirus and answer their questions? 

Talking about COVID-19 is an important lesson that will prepare your child for other difficult situations that will take place in their later life. Each child is different and can react to the current situation in a completely different way. Depends on the child's age and current knowledge about the world, parents should use the best way to help children make sense of what they hear in a way that is honest, accurate, and minimizes anxiety or fear. Make yourself available to listen and to talk. You should also pay attention to what children see or hear on television, radio, or online. And most of all teach your children everyday actions to reduce the spread of germs.

Replacing the daily routine is not easy to accept for the youngest. Many kids experience anxiety around both coronavirus itself as well as the quarantine. Children will certainly ask, analyze and draw conclusions that are appropriate to their age. It is the parents' responsibility to ensure a sense of security for their children and find the best way to explain the current situation. The quarantine time is also a great opportunity to spend as much time as possible with our kids and reevaluate our priorities. So how about we use that playtime to talk to our kids about coronavirus? 

For example, we can use certain toys to show children the important role of all the helpers and heroes during the COVID-19 crisis. We can play doctors, police officers, firefighters. With the First Aid Play Set, we can pretend to play emergencies, examine and treat injuries. Or how about the Science Lab Set which supports early hands-on scientific exploration through fun activities and lab gear? Dress up us a Police Officer, Nurse or get one of the Community Helper Vests and play their roles together with your kids. It will be so much fun and at the same time a good lesson for the little ones. We can show them the meaning of the doctor’s work and how hard it is to be a hero. 

Moms and dads are also a good source of information. Nowadays, when the schools are closed, parents can homeschool their children if they have that opportunity. Let’s just remember that playing is also learning. Allow your kid to be a kid. By playing they build creativity, motor skills, and decision-making abilities. So between managing online learning and planning homeschool lessons for your children, let them enjoy their childhood and play with them as much as possible. This is a good chance for all of us to slow down and reconnect. Explore our Covid-19 and Quarantine Family Role Playing Resources page for more tools to assist caregivers with the quarantine.

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