Yes, it’s Okay to Use the Internet Today
Do you ever have one of those days when you really want to take a nap or clean the house, but the kids are restless (and a little crazy) because they’ve been stuck indoors due to freezing weather for the last 12 days? And just as you’re about to throw your hands up and give in to their favorite movie, you see your girlfriends on Facebook making handcrafted jewelry and baking homemade bread with their kindergartner? So then you feel a little bit guilty and half-heartedly discuss the merits of proper handwashing and common core math?
I’m here to tell you that they probably didn’t do that all day, and you don’t have to live up to their standards anyway. Just because the weather prevents you from exiling your energetic children to the backyard doesn’t mean you can’t provide them with fun and educational activities from the comfort of your pajamas.
Enter the internet…
Our parents and grandparents did not have the luxury of a world full of information at their fingertips. But you do. And even if Susie McPerfect doesn’t rely on Pinterest (she totally does), there is no shame in turning to the World Wide Web for inspiration and activities for your kids. Here are just a few ideas:
- Exercise. YouTube has absolutely changed the way the world does pretty much everything. That includes how we exercise. There are thousands upon thousands of free online exercise videos, many of which cater to the elementary-aged. ThrivingHomeBlog.com notes that kids love online exercise videos, which provide the opportunity to burn off excess energy while you burn off a few extra calories.
- Science. Okay, maybe your kid isn’t gearing up to be the next Dancing with the Stars contestant, and is more interested in science and nature. Your pal the internet has you covered there, too. EarthScienceJr.com is a great resource for science-based lesson plans, such as this glass of lava experiment, for your mini Newton or Curie.
- Practical life skills. If you have a dog, your children are in the perfect position to learn hands-on life skills while also learning to care for the family pet. Rover offers an expansive list of dog-themed lesson plans that can help your children learn to understand the relationship between people and pets, how to identify wild versus domestic animals, and ways to incorporate creativity and memory into their day using animals as a vehicle for learning.
- Art. Online connectivity also opens up a whole new world of artistic expression for children (and parents) regardless of talent (or lack thereof). Set your kids up with a laptop, a sketchbook, and an assortment of colored pencils and let them browse the classes on SkillShare.com. New users are given access to thousands of art classes for free for one month, which is hopefully all the time you need to get past the winter wonderland that has you stuck behind closed doors.
- Geography. Even if you can’t leave your home to go out and explore the great big world, you can still do everything from walking down your neighborhood street to visiting ancient ruins without putting on your coat. Services such as Google Earth provide your children with unlimited opportunities to discover new places and faces they might like to visit in the real world one day. I can tell you from experience it’s easy to get caught up for hours looking at all the beautiful sites in every corner of the globe.
Don’t fret, Mom. The weather will break, and soon your kids can hopscotch and skateboard their energy away. But until then, you don’t have to spend every waking moment filling your children’s time. Give them the freedom to explore art, science, and other interests online. You never know: they may stumble upon their future career with the next click of the mouse.
