Independence Day 2021| Here's how kids can celebrate during pandemic

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India celebrates its 75th year of Independence on August 15, 2021. The day is a reminder to honour and respect the freedom fighters who fought a long battle for the country's independence from British rule.

Due to the COVID pandemic, this year too, citizens will be celebrating the occasion from their homes.

As kids, our memories of Independence day have been exciting, from visiting the school for flag hoisting, enacting plays, competition, sports day, speeches, treats, etc. However, with the COVID pandemic and schools closed for over a year now, the celebrations has now taken a huge turn. Physical meetings have become virtual meeting.

From meeting friends to going to school, they have missed it all. The major missing out happens especially during festivals. But the pandemic should not stop them to let go of the festive cheer.

Here are some ways how kids can celebrate Independence Day festivities at home: 

Drawing/crafts: In this pandemic, the creative side of every individual has come out and kids are no different. From drawing, painting, digital portraits, sketching they can do it all. To get to a more creative side, they can do DIY projects like making flags, handmade badges, jewellery in colour of the national flag.

Movie Marathon with Friends/Family: No other day is as wonderful as this to binge-watch patriotic movies. As social gatherings are not advisable during COVID times, a simple get-together with friends or family is best to watch back-to-back movies. Show your kids movies like Border, Lagaan, Raazi, Rang De Basanti, Uri, Sheershah, The Legend of Bhagat Singh, Chak de India, Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, Swades, etc. Want to add extra emotions? Paint the tricolor on your face. Do not forget to click the perfect selfies with your friends.

Food for Thought: Cooking tricolor dishes could add a lot of flavour to your day as, without food, no Indian festival is complete. Some easy delicacies like sandwiches, kulfi, dhokla, dessert can be prepared. Getting kids involved in the cooking process can be an added fun and also a learning activity for them.

Quiz/Games night: Kids and games go hand in hand. Indulge your kids in online zoom games with friends wherein a host can ask quiz and kids have to answer it. Eg. Guess the quote of the freedom fighter or ask question which involves awareness about the national flag. Did you know? we share our Independence day with some countries like Liechtenstein who got freedom on August 15, 1866; South Korea and North Korea on August 15, 1945; the Democratic Republic of the Congo on August 15, 1960; Bahrain on August 15, 1971. You can also host a virtual game of Tambola party.

Virtual celebration with potluck: Children can dress up according to people of different states. Shoot a video of their dance, dialogues or even photos and then merge all of them together. You can also cook regional cuisines in  particular to the respective state. Then meet on a zoom call and simply watch it together with a virtual potluck.

As the Nation celebrates Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, the government had also asked people to submit videos of them singing the national anthem on rashtragaan.in. All these videos shared will be compiled into a single video and will be played live on August 15.

In addition, to mark this year's Independence Day, Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar launched a website on the 75th Independence Day Celebrations 2021 (IDC 2021), indianidc2021.mod.gov.in., in New Delhi on August 3.

According to the official government release, the website will serve as a platform to connect Indians from world over to celebrate the National Festival. The website will integrate virtual reality (VR) feature to show off the Independence Day celebrations from the Red Fort in New Delhi in a 360-degree format.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hoist the national flag and address the nation from the Red Fort. All the athletes who won medals at Tokyo Olympics 2020 have also been sent special invites to attend Independence Day 2021.