Tired of kids glued to gadgets? Plan your own summer camp at home

Sharjah - Hold a brainstorming session with children, asking them to submit a list of activities they want to do.

Cyber experts have urged parents to make summer holidays engaging for children so they don't get addicted to gaming. 
The virtual discussion 'Our Summer Camp at Home', moderated by Hanadi Saleh Al Yafei, director of Sharjah Child Safety Department (CSD), was held in collaboration with the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) and the Sharjah Children. Nearly 400 parents, children and educators, child experts and cyber safety experts attended the session.
"The new reality facing us this year due to the Covid-19 outbreak is that summer camps will be held digitally, or in a limited capacity to keep children safe. This means most children will largely spend their summer break at home. This virtual meeting, therefore, sought to inform parents on ways they can creatively engage their children in learning activities through their holidays," said Al Yafei.
Abdelaziz Alzarooni, team leader of cybersecurity capacity and business development at the TRA, introduced attendees to the concept of 'gaming disorder' - a term coined by World Health Organisation (WHO) for behavioural patterns characterised by impaired control over gaming, an increase in the priority given to gaming over other activities, and the impact on a child's psyche, confidence, and interpersonal relationships in the real world. 
He urged parents to choose age-appropriate games based on European and American age rating systems. "The UAE's rating system is better aligned with the Emirati culture. The use of parental control features on smart devices to limit children's access to harmful or inappropriate content is a must," he added.
Hind Al Badwawi, ADJD psychological counsellor, stressed the importance of strengthening familial bonds."Parents need to be involved with their children, participate in their hobbies, and even play some video games with them. This interaction will help parents understand their children's views and the games they like."
She also warned parents of the imminent dangers of cyber blackmail. "Parents should acknowledge the problem and refrain from blaming or reprimanding the child. They must understand that they are a part of the problem, either due to their lack of supervision or for allowing their children too much time online," she said.
Al Badwawi advised parents to report such incidents to the relevant authorities if they are unable to resolve the issue at home. She also emphasised the need to treat a child for the trauma of guilt and fear arising from such incidents to restore the confidence of their child.
Meanwhile, Noura Ali Al Shamsi, acting director of children's care at the Sharjah Children, offered practical advice on how parents can plan and implement their own home-based summer camp. "Hold a brainstorming session with your children right from the planning phase, asking them to submit a list of activities they want to do. Children can be encouraged to research online for suggested activities or they can get ideas from storybooks. This process will help support children's cognitive skills.
"It is essential to involve children in the details. Ask them to create a list of items they will need for the activities and give them a specific budget so they can plan their spending. These activities will help expand their knowledge and hone their planning skills," she added.
She also shared a sample schedule to organise the summer programme with various examples of activities that can be implemented in any home.
reporters@khaleejtimes.com
 

• Sharjah