The government has removed a few rules of the lockdown giving us more freedom to move around and lead our lives. But with freedom comes responsibility--the responsibility to follow the protocols of being safe from COVID. The unlock does not mean that the virus has gone--it is still there and still very much staring at our faces. But when it comes to young children, it is difficult to keep them walled up inside the houses for too long especially since it has started to affect their exercise, need for fresh air, and social skills. Here are a few tips to help children adapt to the new normal while keeping them still safe.

1. Take them outdoors but with precautions. Choose an outdoors time when people’s movement in your colony or society or residential area is minimum. This can be late at night, early morning, or early evenings. Ensure they wear masks all the time and do not touch surfaces.
2. Individual sports such as skating or cycling is the best since they limit human interaction or surface contact. Any group games such as cricket and basketball should not be encouraged still.
3. When ordering in stuff online--books, stationery items, games, chocolates, groceries--keep them away for atleast 72 hours before giving them to the kids. You can additionally sanitize them with a spray if you wish.
4. If ordering food, the best way is to leave the food packaging outside the door and transfer the contents into your own containers. Then the food and the container, together should be zapped in the microwave at high. This protects the food. Wash hands after keeping the container in the microwave and before closing the door of the microwave.
5. Ensure they follow your house rules of safety for their benefit too such as leaving footwear at the door once they are in the house, washing hands immediately, maintaining personal hygiene, eating proper nourishing food etc.
6. Do not underestimate the importance of hand washing--once back indoors, before eating anything etc. 
7. Though in many cities sports services have been started, it is a personal call to take. If you feel your child must join an academy, check with them the safety protocols they will be following before enrolling the child. Ask them to let you in for a class just to observe how they are conducting the classes with all precautions.
8. If you have hired help at home, especially part time help, it is best to keep children and her apart. While she is working or cleaning one area of your house, for example kitchen, keep the children out of it to maintain social distancing. But that does not mean teaching children to fear her, or treat her as a carrier of virus. It is important for your part timer’s safety also to maintain distance.
9. With a doctor’s consultation, start them on some multi-vitamin or multi-mineral to boost their immunity. Immunity is the only thing to be relied upon during this pandemic.
10. Though children are allowed to move out now, it is best to avoid it unless necessary. If you must, then masks and gloves are important (dispose the gloves after one use). If coming in from crowded places such as a doctor’s clinic or a hospital, a change of clothes is also suggested.