Jakarta. School holidays in Indonesia usually last for weeks. Although they are mostly long-awaited, oftentimes children get bored after just a few days into the holidays. But there are actually ways you can help your kids get rid of the school holiday boredom. Not only that, the school holidays become a chance for you to boost your children's social skills. Having great social skills can help your kids better interact with others and make new friends.

Recently, Indonesian technology company Tokopedia and family psychologist Anna Surti Ariani shared five tips on how to improve your kids’ social skills and beat their boredom during the school holiday. Here are the tips:

Use Age-Appropriate Technology

Children are now growing up with smartphones and tablets. According to Ariani, a suitable usage of technology can help boost a child’s social skills.

“For example, with the help of their parents, children can share and send snacks or conduct virtual craft workshops with their friends,” Ariana said, as quoted from a recent press release.

The Indonesian Pediatric Society (IDAI) recommended that gadgets should be used accordingly based on a child’s age. The gadget usage for children aged 2-6 should be no more than an hour a day and parents must also accompany them. It is also best to adopt the 20:20:20 rule to prevent eye strain. For every 20 minutes on the screen, a child should try to look at something that is 20 feet away from them for 20 seconds.

Roleplay

Ariani suggested that parents should try to come up with scenarios of conflicts with their children such as fighting over a toy.

“Children will then be encouraged to discuss and work together to find solutions when they encounter different situations. Roleplaying gives children a realistic idea on how to solve problems with other people," Ariani said.

Pay Attention to Interactions Between Family Members 

Organize special activities that give children an opportunity to interact with other people. For example, invite them to talk about their day. 

“Try to create a calm atmosphere between family members, because children will imitate what they see,” Ariani said.

Arrange Playdates

Kids feel bored at home? Why not arrange playdates with their friends? According to Ariani, face-to-face communication at an early age, especially before the age of seven, is crucial to encourage children to be brave and socialize with others. But since we are still in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, don’t forget to remind your kids to follow the health protocols when interacting with others, namely by keeping their masks up, frequently washing their hands, and social distancing.

Relax the Rules During the Holidays 

It is the holidays so it is time to relax. 

“Let them eat ice cream or play with gadgets longer. On the other hand, they should also understand why the rules have been relaxed, for instance, because it’s the holidays,” Ariani said.

You can also try engaging your kids in new tasks. Why not try to set up a tent in the yard or their room so they can go on a “mini-camping” at home? Having your kids redecorate their room can also be something fun to do during the school holidays.

Online Shopping Trends for Family Products

For many parents, online shopping becomes the go-to option to buy children and household products because of its convenience. Tokopedia recently unveiled the online shopping trends of family products among its users.

“In the second quarter of 2022, the Mom and Kids and Household categories became some of the top-selling categories among our shoppers,” Ramadhan Niendraputra, the Head of Category Development at Tokopedia, said.

Under the Mom and Kids category, milk bottles, pacifiers, educational and musical toys for babies, baby eating utensils, baby toothbrushes, and baby outdoor toys became some of the best-selling items. Plant seeds, food jars, water faucets, fertilizers, linens, and bedcovers were the highly popular items under the Household category. 

Tokopedia attributed some of its initiatives —that were aimed at meeting the people’s needs and supporting local businesses that sell household essentials— to these trends. 

Examples of such initiatives include Tokopedia Parents, a unique ecosystem that enables families to access a variety of relevant information related to children and families and obtain everyday products seamlessly. Tokopedia also launched Home Sweet Home, a campaign that provides many household items along with a selection of exciting promos.