Improving children’s mental and physical health through holistic lifestyle changes during lockdown

Abstract

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and the lockdown has brought about a sense of fear and anxiety around the globe. The anxiety and fear extends to much more than being infected by the virus. Children between the ages of 8 - 12, being very young, may find it difficult to comprehend the sudden change in their life. From having online classes, to being isolated and away from friends and classmates, it has changed the dynamics of their lifestyle completely. In the literature review and primary research conducted on the user groups, the paper discusses the various impacts and negative lifestyle changes faced by children due to the lockdown and how this has led to increased screen time, strained mental and physical health and a disruption in the children's overall lifestyle. Probable solutions to overcome the adversities faced by children are discussed in this paper whilst taking into account the data analysed from the surveys and interviews. To do so, some of the key tools that have been used are mind mapping - to understand the topic, empathy mapping and saturated walls to synthesise the analysed data and prototyping to build the solution. After this, a long term solution was designed through the making of UNLOCK - an active interaction board game that encourages children to incorporate good lifestyle habits and set balanced routine tasks that include mental and physical stimulation and exercise.