As parents we are tasked with ensuring that even the unpleasant things in life will ‘go down smoothly’ for our little ones. Testing for COVID-19 is not that unpleasant for us, but for children of young age the nasal intrusion can be, well, intrusive.
Since we need to go through the process with our kids at least twice a week, having a struggle over it every time can be a nuisance for all involved. The solution - position testing as a fun, enjoyable and rewarding family activity.
To achieve such a fit you’ll need to be part marketer, part sales expert. Remember, it is all about crafting the right message and delivering it with conviction.
The marketing and sales teams of On/Go put together an action plan to make the testing experience engaging and fun for children and parents alike.
First thing, nose swabbing tickles
Perception is everything and it’s never too late to start with delivering the message that the nose swabbing is not unpleasant in any way but rather tickling.
You’ll be surprised by the effectiveness of this tactic, tried and tested by multiple parents here at On/Go.
Put on a big show of how tickling it is for you when you swab, and when you swab your child’s nose continue to laugh and enjoy every second of it. Laughter is contagious, and the little one will pick up on the vibe and will be tickled.
The wait time for results is an ideal time to practice counting backwards
This tactic is best used on children aged six or younger.
After the swabbing and the dipping and the dripping, it’s time to wait. And as we all know, there’s nothing kids love more than waiting ;)
So put on a timer, and start working the magic of numbers going backwards. Each minute presents an opportunity for catching up with the ticking seconds.
The educational value of this is not to be disregarded. We have parents here who would testify to their children catching up on counting backward around the fifth testing.
Art & craft the heck out of the kits
After testing is done you are left with a treasure trove of arts & crafts material. Well, maybe a ‘trove’ is a bit overselling it, but remember - it’s all about perception.
Swab sticks can easily and cheerfully be flower stems. Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to create leaves and petals. These can be made from colorful paper, felt or any other materials you find around the house.
Think about it, soon enough you’ll have a full garden!
Next, the cassettes. These are especially versatile vehicles for creation. With a bit of imagination, they can be made into practically anything. Think about them as lego2.0 and let your creativity take over. With a bit of glue the sky’s the limit.
You can even set it up as a competition of sorts between family members - who builds the highest tower with their own used cassettes. This tactic can be especially efficient in engaging children with testing; the more you get tested the higher your tower can be.
These are just a few ideas we came up with here. We’re sure you’ll have plenty more. The important thing is - make the testing experience a little more rewarding and enjoyable for kids. They’ll appreciate it, and so will you.
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