COLUMBUS, Ohio — There’s only so much a kid can do when there’s very little to do given the COVID-19 pandemic. We asked people on Nextdoor how they were keeping their kids busy during these summer months and some of the best ways they've found to keep kids connected to their friends.
A group of middle schoolers from Columbus Academy found a niche thanks to their love of LEGOs.
“It can show your creative side and it's not like you're doing something boring, you're creating something,” says Simran Bhalla, a student at Columbus Academy.
She’s part of a small group of classmates who meet weekly on ZOOM.
They decided to continue an idea that started while they were still in school.
“We wanted to find a way for kids to socially connect with peers through virtual learning,” says Sarah Warstler, a third-grade teacher at Academy.
“So we came up with 6 different interest groups, and LEGOs was one that came up.”
Warstler says the students are given a mind-stimulating challenge to complete each week. Parents say the zoom groups help complete their child from a mental perspective.
“I think the kids have been away from each other for a long time and truly miss each other,” says Jessica Chi Nimjee’s son Zahir, who is also in the LEGO zoom group.
“He has a wonderful little sister, but he has so many cohorts,” Nimjee adds. “They intellectually stimulate each other, love each other and support each other and it's so comforting even though we're doing it through screens."