Thanks to the spread of COVID-19, everything is getting canceled. Our children are coping with having their lives upended by the coronavirus, and what they do for connection. Not surprisingly, they’re stressed out. Acknowledge loss of important milestones. Kids are missing out on many occasions they were excited about, from graduation ceremonies to dance recitals to birthday parties. These are the things that define a kid’s life!
- Reassure them that this will end at some point, and promise you’ll celebrate when it does.
- Put a date on the calendar for something to look forward to in the future.
- Tell kids how you feel, and ask how they’re doing. Tell your kids when something on the news makes you mad or sad, and connect your emotion to the specific trigger. You can even narrate your reactions. This gives your kid permission to identify and express emotions, plus the vocabulary to do it. Listen actively. It’s natural to want to make your kid feel better, but it’s important to just hear them. Say, “You feel sad. I understand.”
- Look for positives. There may not be a silver lining to every cloud, but try to be optimistic. Say, “A lot of people are acting like heroes to fight the coronavirus.” Or, “Let’s find ways that we can help.” Or, “At times like this, I like to think of what I’m grateful for.”
- Mark the occasion. Give kids something to look forward to. Plan an (online) family/friend celebration, like a virtual class party or a Zoom dance. Arrange a family movie night click here to find the best links to websites, shows, movies, & books and let them choose what to watch.
Children – and quite frankly you – are in dire need of some entertainment!
Luckily, many famous museums and other creative institutions have got you covered with art ideas to enjoy during self-isolation. These online art activities for kids are now available to awaken their inner creative caterpillar! And yes, these activities are pretty fun for adults too. (Psst: should your kids be more into music, this video of a drumming lesson by the Musical Instrument Museum should hit the right note.)
- Draw Every Day with JJK New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Jarrett J. Krosoczka has also created a free virtual learning environment. Through his YouTube channel. He gives daily drawing classes focused not just on the creative but also on the technical aspects of drawing. He aims to inspire kids and adults to draw more, so he incorporates interactive games often in his lessons.
- All Kids Network. The All Kids Network is more of a gateway to creativity instead of one person inviting you into their studio here, you can find over 1,000 craft ideas, worksheets, and interactive creative games. They also provide resources to make teaching at home easier, which might come in handy when you’re homeschooling your kids.
- Google Arts & Culture. Should your kid want to continue his or her creative streak, the collections of over 2,500 museums across the globe are accessible online through Google Arts & Culture. This tool allows you to learn about dinosaurs, play art guessing games or have a casual online stroll next to the Tower of Pisa. And the list of online activities they offer just keeps growing.
- Scholastic Learn at Home: 20 days of education activities, broken up into four grade levels here.
- Huge spreadsheet of tools/programs/services that usually cost money but are being offered here for free, with info on subject and grade level interactive video lessons based on offline activities and experiments.
- Sesame Street’s Caring for Each Other, a collection of games, videos, and wellness tips from the popular characters here.
- NASA at Home – For Kids and Families.
- Virtual rides on Disney attractions here.
- Stay at Home Story Time, a ~20 min. picture book read-aloud with Oliver Jeffers.
- Virtual tour of the Boston Children’s Museum.
- Magic Tree House Home Adventures, weekly activity packets inspired by the Magic Tree House book series.
Honestly, all your kids really need from you right now is to be their parent. You don’t have to be superhuman. Emotional support goes a really long way toward helping kids feel safe, secure, and loved. School, friends, good news—it’ll all come back in time!
joanna xxx
