In the wake of the widespread COVID-19 pandemic and the school shut down in the United States, education may be disrupted but that doesn’t have to stop your child’s learning. During this time, parents will find it difficult to keep their children occupied during the day and are trying to balance working from home while still trying to keep their kid’s learning active.
While some families have switched to temporary homeschooling or avail private tutoring, most resort to virtual learning. And in the internet age, there is no dearth of online learning resources to keep your child engaged in learning.
Also Read: Coronavirus: What to do for your child as a responsible parent
While being at home, it’s always a great idea to engage your child’s mind and learn something new. A new skill can get your kid creative and keep the brain sharp, healthy, and active.
The key is to invest time in learning skills that will not only keep you motivated and interested for long but will also help your child discover a new interest and possibly carry it forward in their life
Here are the top 7 skills that you can start learning today from home:
1. Singing
Humming a tune or two is a familiar stress buster. Taking it a notch higher by training in singing methodically can help you lower your resistance and improve your self-expression. It’s known to help with anxiety and mood swings too! Singing, in fact, exercises your lungs and heart and releases endorphins leading to a great mood.
Need more motivation? Well, it’s said that singing daily for 10 minutes can help with reducing stress, clearing sinuses, improving posture and can help you live longer!
I want to start learning how to sing!
2. Playing musical instruments
Its never too late to start playing a new musical instrument. Not only its a stress buster, learning to play a new instrument actually improves cognitive functioning in children and boost concentration skills, thus keeping their brain sharp. Playing music is said to make one’s brain more agile and hence can have many beneficial impacts on your overall studies and productivity.
So go ahead and enrol in a piano class or start learning the guitar, like you always wanted to.
I want to learn a new instrument!
3. Learn a new language
Learning a foreign language expands career opportunities, opens up scope for working in different geographies and also increases cognitive abilities. There is plenty of help available, online and offline if you decide to invest time in learning a foreign language.
Also Read: French or Spanish: Which Foreign Language Should you Learn?
A bilingual brain is said to possess better logical reasoning skills and is even more resistant to dementia! Enrol in a language class as a first step if you haven’t already. This skill will shine on your resume and more so in life!
4. Dancing
Students often undergo long seated hours of studies and practice. Dancing is one skill that can help you destress and also build muscular strength, endurance, and motor fitness.
In a predominantly sitting schedule, learning dance forms can be of pivotal importance. While we agree that freestyle dancing is the easiest, there’s more discipline in routine when you enrol for structured classes to learn the nuances of your favourite dance form. P.s. Everybody can dance!
I want to start dancing!
5. Creative Arts
Creativity is not an attribute of only a few. Pick up an easel and draw away your imagination. A canvas and some pencils are all you need to spend your leisure time in a constructive way. Participate in art exhibitions to keep yourself inspired and involved in art.
An art teacher’s help with techniques can augment your drawing skills like nothing else. Hiring an art tutor is one of the most underestimated things to do on the list of skill acquisition strategies. Make sure you don’t miss out on it!
6. Yoga
This 5000-year-old physical discipline has multiple healing benefits. It combines physical forms with breathing and meditation which are known to have cognitive benefits. Learning yoga can not only enhance your physical state but is also extremely impactful on the mind’s functioning state. It’s said that the more you meditate, the less likely you’re to make a mistake. Hiring a professional or joining classes could be a beginner’s best bet. Video tutorials and freelancers are also options that you can explore.
7. Coding
Lastly, coding is not just for aspiring computer science engineers. In the world that’s driven by data, it’s important to understand logical flows that go into coding. Acquiring simple coding skills in Java or PHP can help you build your own websites, apps, and whatnot. A lot of analytical prowess, on the other hand, can come for learning basic SQL. Learning to code can prepare you better for the world today where every business function depends on technology and machine-driven tasks. Enroll with a coding tutor to have fun while you learn coding by building simple apps and games.
Interested in upskilling yourself while you juggle with studies and leisure time? Try with one of the skills listed above and enroll yourself with a tutor who’s an expert in the skill of your choice.
At Talentnook, we are constantly innovating to find creative ways to support kids during this uncertain and disruptive time. In addition to private home tutors, we’ve also started providing online lessons for those looking to stay safe during the coronavirus shutdown.
Explore thousands of suitable tutor profiles for each of these skills on Talentnook. Signup now and take your free time to the next level of productivity!
