a conservationist by profession rajesh puttaswamaiah is busy looking out for creative ways to keep his 12yearold son arya engaged at home these days so far i have got him a science kit with which he can build a remote car he is interested in robotics so i thought this might be a good chance to catch up on the technicalities of it he says like rajesh many city parents are struggling to channel their little ones energy productively as schools remain shut and exams called off amid the covid19 outbreak on a positive note many are using this downtime to bond with their children something that they often miss out on given their otherwise hectic work schedulesplant a sapling together set up a fish tankparenting coach and homeschooler gowthami saraf says that she has received quite a few calls from parents in the last few days asking for ideas to make their childrens stay at home more engaging speaking of options gowthami says gardening can be a fun learning activity for kids parents can involve their little ones to grow microgreens at their terrace or balcony nurturing a plant can help the child bond with nature setting up aquariums at home is another option in fact there are webinars that teach children about different species of fish that can be cultured at homean opportunity to spend quality time with grandparents since summer camps are no longer an option i have arranged for a hometutor for my sevenyearold son viaan he is learning the shlokas as well as selfdefence tactics besides that there are carrom and board game sessions at home says costume designer laxmi krishna who also makes her son spend some quality time with his grandparents my mother loves to tell him stories and he seems to be quite attentive too she adds dont instill fear in children about the virus outbreakinstead of stressing too much over ways to keep their children busy at home parents should just relax and spend time with them advises dr sulata shenoy citybased child psychologist it is also necessary to explain the pandemic to youngsters so that they understand the importance of personal hygiene and not panic with their vacation plans scuttled and a restrictions on mingling with other kids it might make them feel overwhelmed so it is pertinent to explain the coronavirus outbreak to them and how it can be prevented she explains here are a few parenting tips to follow at home do not walk around the house wearing a mask try not to constantly watch news updates on covid19 on tv or social media do not indulge in overparenting by making them wear masks and asking them to repeatedly wash their hands this might lead to fear in themways to keep boredom at bay plan the week for your child and make sure it has a mix of activities limit their screentime and instead engage them in fun indoor activities board games are a great way to