Amid rising fears of the spread of COVID-19, it can be easy to overlook the negative social and psychological impact that the closure of entertainment avenues had on children of various age groups, according to experts.

With schools closed, entertainment avenues were "the only getaway” for children to socialise with peers and relieve stress, they said.

Sima Najjar, a child development and parenting Specialist, told The Jordan Times on Tuesday that families who have one child only were severely impacted by this decision.

"The majority of families with one child are faced with the dilemma that their child has no one to play with and nowhere to go to for socialising with peers. Outdoor parks are usually not the ideal option for parents due to the cold weather and the only alternative is closed,” Najjar said.

She added that this issue has a severe impact not only on the child’s mental wellbeing but also on their social life as the child is no longer gaining new social skills that can only be attained through socialising with children their age.

Ruba Abu Zant, a mother of two children — aged 4 and 9— agreed with Najjar that young children are missing out on crucial social skills.

School-aged children, according to Najjar, are starting to spend more screen time as it became the only viable solution for several children and their parents.

"My son is spending a lot of time on screens after school hours. As a working mother, time constraints and dealing with COVID anxiety restrict my ability to take my son to outdoor parks, so additional screen time became the only viable option,” Abu Zant said.

Shatha Hanafieh, a mother of four— aged 1, 7, 8, and 11— said that children are no longer motivated to complete their school work.

"I used to motivate my children through giving them a reward trip to entertainment avenues on weekends. This is no longer viable and I cannot seem to find another incentive that will motivate them to complete their work,” Hanafieh added.