Best 11 Telehealth Activities for Children

Is your busy, hectic schedule restricting you from helping your child get quality mental care? If yes, then telehealth is an ideal option for you. Telehealth offers a range of benefits, which include convenience and flexibility. If your child most often remains anxious or struggles with any common mental illnesses, such as anxiety or depression, then you can benefit from telehealth activities for children. These activities develop a secure therapeutic environment that helps the child overcome their fear and the most common mental health issues.

Read this article if you want to know more about the ‘’ Best Telehealth Activities for Children. After reading this, you will get completely familiar with the significance of telehealth activities for mental health and the overall well-being of children.

Top 11 Telehealth Activities for Kids 

Telehealth activities for children are highly significant as they support, encourage, or motivate the children to learn multiple coping mechanisms or strategies within the comfort of their own space. Children usually do not show interest in therapies, but telehealth activities develop their interest and also make them more familiar with the therapy. Telehealth activities can also help in enhancing their child’s therapy experience. Moreover, in a serene, friendly, non-judgmental therapeutic environment, children not only learn to manage and overcome their stress and fear but also speak their hearts out without any fear. 

Other major benefits of Telehealth Activities for Children include:

• Direct involvement of parents or caregivers in therapies
• Increased convenience and flexibility 
• Overcoming the geographical barriers
• Safety and comfort  
• Increased motivation 
• Effectiveness same as in-person settings
• Learning useful skills
• Better exploration of the inner self
• Access to the finest mental care 

The following are the main useful telehealth activities for children:

1.Simon Says                         

Simon says it is one of the best telehealth activities for children that offers numerous therapeutic benefits. In this game, children learn multiple social skills in a very fun and engaging way. In addition, this fun telehealth activity teaches the children how they can improve their focus and listening skills. 

2. How to play

In this telehealth activity, children are asked to follow the instructions of one person who takes the role of Simon. For example, Simon can say‘’ Do two jumping jacks or three sit-ups. 

First, Simon explains the rules of the game to the children. If Simon gives commands that ‘’Simon says, then all the members of the game have to follow them. 

If Simon gives a command without ‘’ Simon says’ then they do not have to follow it. However, if any of the players does not follow the instructions, then they get eliminated from the game. 

This game has multiple rounds, and it continues until one player leaves. 

Benefits:

 

Major benefits of this telehealth activity include:

• Body awareness
• Better impulse control
• Enhanced listening and learning skills 
• Problem-solving skills 
• Improve memory

2. Drawing games

Drawing games are also the best telehealth activities that involve drawing. Children are asked to draw different things on paper and also participate in guessing, as well as creative or engaging challenges. Multiple games are played online, and children participate in them, such as:

Skribbl.io: It is a popular online game that involves guessing and drawing. Children are asked to make their drawings and then guess the others’ drawings on their turn. 

Pictionary: In this game, one player draws any word, and the other children have to guess that specific word. 

Drawsauras: It is also a guessing and drawing online activity for children. 

How to play

Parents or therapeutic experts tell the children to draw anything, such as their:

• Source of happiness
• Safe space 
• Dream place or dream home

 Benefits:

• Improved creativity
• Increased learning
• Enhanced motor skills
• Better development of cognitive skills

3. Scavenger hunt

Scavenger hunt is also a creative, fun, and engaging activity that helps children in problem-solving skills and improve their memory.

How it works 

• Plan an outdoor or indoor trip for your children.
• Set a specific theme for the trip.
• For example, if the theme is nature, then go for an outdoor adventure with children. You can go to any park and then instruct the children to observe nature and collect a few things, such as some leaves, flowers, or bugs. 
• In this way, they learn to explore nature and also their inner creative abilities. 

Benefits 

Development of :

• Observation skills
• Social skills

4.Freeze Dance

Dance is considered one of the best therapies to deal with stress and other common mental issues. In this fun activity, children are asked to dance freely to music and then stop dancing and freeze in that pose as the music stops. This game is played online and encourages the children to socially interact with each other without any fear or judgment, or criticism. 

Benefits

• Improved memory 
• Increased self-confidence
• Increased self-esteem
• Cognitive developement
• Enhanced focus or attention
• Improved motor skills 
• Development of social skills
• Sense of coordination

5.Virtual pets

Virtual pets are another telehealth activity that teaches children how their actions can have both positive and negative effects on others as well as on their mental health. Without going anywhere, children get an opportunity to care for their digital pets. In addition, they also feed them and play with their virtual pets via online modes. Most common examples of virtual pets include:

• Bubbu
• My Talking Tom 

Benefits 

The virtual pets game is highly beneficial as it helps children develop their:

• Sense of responsibility 
• Sense of companionship 
• Sense of empathy and compassion
• Motivation
• Increased confidence and self-esteem
• Social skills 
• Goal-setting skills

6.Sand Tray

Sand tray is a digital creative game for children. In this activity, children are asked to develop some creative scenes by using the virtual figures and objects. 

How to play 

• Different online sand tray apps are used to play this game. 
• Children use some physical materials, such as sand, and create sand tray scenes.
• After that, they share their formed scenes or creations by screen-sharing via a telehealth service. 
• Experts then observe their creations online and determine their thought patterns or emotions associated with their created art.

Benefits

• Self-exploration
• Development of the ability to deal with stress or anxiety

7.Guess who

Guess who is also a popular online game for children. This creative game is an adaptation of a classic board game in which children guess the name of another player’s character or physical appearance.

How to play

• Each player of the game selects a character from different options without telling others.  
• Then they ask questions about the opponent’s character on their turn. For example, ‘’Does your character have blue eyes and blonde hair?
• Each player has to answer on their turn.
• Those who do not correctly answer the question are eliminated from the game, and the one who gives the correct answers to all questions is declared the winner.

Benefits

• Learning social skills
• Decision-making power
• Reduction in anxiousness 
• Reduction in frustration
• Anger management 
• Better impulse control 

8. Movement therapy 

Movement therapy helps children release their excessive energy and manage their stress or increased anxiety. Your child needs physical activity on a regular basis to remain physically and mentally active. Multiple studies have also reported that those children who regularly engage in any physical activity are less likely to develop anxiety and depression as compared to other children. 

How it works 

• As a parent, it’s your responsibility to limit the screen time of your child to prevent its negative impact on their mental health. 
• Moreover, guide them to follow a routine in which they show movement at regular intervals and avoid a sedentary lifestyle. 
• They can perform meditation, yoga, jumping jacks, stretches, or any other physical activity to maintain their mental stability. 

9.Virtual instruments 

Playing virtual instruments also acts as a source of relaxation and mental calmness.  Through telehealth, therapists teach children to learn to play virtual instruments and deal smartly with their anxious thoughts.

Benefits 

• Learning new skills 
• Increase in confidence
• Mental calmness
• Emotional stability and resilience 
• Better self-exploration and expression
• Enhanced cognitive development

10.Would you rather?

Would you rather is a game that encourages children to think out of the box and share their thoughts, feelings, and emotions. They are given two different scenarios in which they have to choose one based on their preferences. 

How to play

• Therapists or parents ask different questions to identify their inner selves and thoughts, such as:
• Would you prefer to have the ability to get invisible or read the minds or facial expressions of others?
• Would you rather live in the city or the country?
• Would you rather have superpowers or have a pet that can talk with you?

11.Grounding exercises 

Grounding exercises assist the children in getting rid of their stress, anxiety, or depression. By practicing the grounding exercises, they can stay and enjoy the present moment without indulging their mind in the sea of worries. 

How to play

• Teach the children to start deep breathing whenever they feel stressed or panicked.
• 5-4-3-2-1 technique: It is a common grounding technique in which children are instructed to name:
• 5 things that they can feel
• 5 things that they can hear
• 5 things that they can see
• 5 things that they can touch 
• 5 things they can taste

This helps their mind get distracted from the negative thoughts and transform them into positive ones. 

Final thoughts 

Telehealth activities for children are the best ways to engage the children in online productive activities and help them in eradicating their common mental health issues, such as anxiety or depression. Most common and useful telehealth activities for children include drawing games, Simon says, scavenger hunt, virtual instruments, guess who, would you rather, movement therapy, and grounding exercises, etc. Virtual environments are protective and engaging, so each child explores their thoughts and emotions and effortlessly accesses the finest mental care that they deserve to thrive in each phase of life. 

Get Professional Telehealth therapy for your child at Children Psych

Children Psych offers the best telehealth services for children and adolescents who are struggling with any mental illness. We have a team of telehealth experts who are trained and experienced to provide the best quality care as in in-person settings. Without going anywhere, you can join the telehealth sessions and get the best mental health treatment for your child.