From New Year’s Day to Valentine’s Day and the December holiday season, the year is filled with different holidays honoring people and events. As 2020 caught everybody off-guard and forced millions to cancel time with friends and family, the new year brings new ways to join together with technology.
Video conferencing emerged in the wake of COVID-19 as a saving grace to keep families, friends and businesses connected. Zoom, FaceTime, and other apps are a great way to loop groups of people together through video. But how can you ensure the holidays will be memorable for kids even in today’s virtual landscape?
Plan Something Fun & Engaging
There’s nothing worse than a fussy kid who doesn’t want to be on Zoom with his or her grandparents. While a video conference for Mother’s Day sounded like a good idea at the time, it’s important to plan something that will keep a child entertained while grandma has a little one-on-one time. One idea is to try using Facebook Messenger masks and filters to keep the little ones laughing throughout the entire conversation. Another option? Props and activities. Encourage those speaking with children on camera to come prepared with fun things to show-and-tell. If all else fails, read a book together or sing a silly song.
Vacation Mode: Activated
Many families typically travel for the holidays, but if you decide to forgo spring break for one more year, don’t worry! There are many suitable substitutes to keep your kids digitally engaged in travel, learning of distant places, and entertained at the same time. The company Little Passports is an excellent way to engage your child to discover and learn about different locations worldwide. The subscription packages are designed based on your child’s age and are delivered to your home each month. Each delivery is filled with educational games and activities from a different country or part of the world. And it comes with a fun little passport, world map, and signature blue suitcase to boost your child’s imagination for travel and adventure. Maybe try Zooming family members to discuss each package?
Don’t Skimp on the Snacks
Another way to a child’s heart? Snacks! Munch Addict is another excellent option for experiencing new cultures and countries during the holidays. Snack boxes and drinks from different parts of the world can be delivered monthly. The variety offered is substantial and is satisfying to the adventurous travel eater. And the kids love the different packaging and brand characters from other corners of the globe. So instead of taking the kids out for an Easter dinner, it may be worth having dinner at home – with a side of International snacks.
Lean into Tech
Even with creative and engaging ideas, technology can sometimes be complicated – especially when it comes to connecting kids with grandparents or older relatives. But it doesn’t have to be!
Marvin Maldonado of Asurion Home + encourages families to lean into the technology with the following tips and tricks to help everyone stay connected throughout the 2021 holidays and beyond:
- Plan ahead: Decide which video conferencing app everyone will use, and ask everyone to install and test the app ahead of time. That way you can catch any technical or logistical glitches ahead of time.
- Check internet connectivity: If your internet isn’t the fastest, don’t worry as most video conferencing apps don’t need too fast of a connection to work; just ensure no one is trying to stream a movie in another room at the same time, or it could impact your connection.
- Prep older family members: While technology might come easily to some, older generations might need a bit of extra help. Don’t forget to prep grandparents ahead of video calls to ensure they know how to connect.
Share the Love
A picture speaks a thousand words and is the only technology that captures a single moment in time to be cherished for a lifetime. Once captured, sharing photos and videos on your social media platforms is another powerful way to make loved ones feel like they are near, even from afar. And if you want to maintain privacy, make sure you create special group pages for just your family and close friends (in addition to your standard privacy settings).
The 2021 holidays should be a time of celebration, remembrance, and connection, even during these continued, trying times. Instead of skipping holidays, or waiting another year to celebrate, be adventurous and create new traditions and memories. Technology helps and supports you and your family to stay connected with each other no matter which holiday you want to gather and celebrate.