Resources for Children
Something Strange Happened in My City by Dr. Shu-Chen Jenny Yen
EPCC member Dr. Jenny Yen has written a picture book to help young children understand and discuss societal changes that are taking place to curtail the spread of COVID-19. Download the e-book in a multitude of languages from the link above.
We also have two lovely audiobook readings of Jenny’s story. The first is a read-along featuring Jenny’s friend and her 5-year-old daughter. The second is from elementary school teacher Danielle Eden, reading the book to her students via video.
Read-Along Video
Ms. Eden Reads
Creating and Maintaining Safe Spaces in These Weird Times
Rebecca Williams has created a picture book for young children and an accompanying guide for parents to discuss the concept and importance of social distancing.
Read-Along Picture Book
Parental Guide
The Great Kindness Challenge
Our friends at Kids for Peace have created a robust PDF guide that features activities for kids and resources for parents. Encourage children to take the peace pledge, make paper hearts, and more! The guide also features tips for talking to your children about coronavirus and how to create routines while sheltering in place.
TIME for Kids
TIME is offering their entire catalog of TIME for Kids at no cost for the remainder of the school year. The digital magazine is offered at multiple, age-appropriate reading levels.
Children’s Shows on Amazon
Amazon is offering a robust selection of children’s programming for free. You just need a free Amazon account to access them.
Nick Helps
Nickelodeon has resources for children, including videos on hand washing tips and activities for families so we can all be #kidstogether. For parents, Nickelodeon also has a PDF resource guide and hosted a video Town Hall meeting on March 30, 2020.
Download the Guide
Watch the Town Hall Meeting
Sesame Street: Caring for Each Other
Sesame Street has a history of handling difficult topics with grace and humor. Here you’ll find videos, printables, e-books ,and activities featuring your favorite Sesame Street characters. Their educational videos cover topics from health emergencies to hand washing to giving yourself a hug.
Sesame Street also has resource guides for parents on discussing COVID-19, creating routines, and self-care for parents.
Save With Stories
Save the Children and No Kid Hungry have also been publishing read-along videos of picture books as a resource for parents and teachers. You can find these resources by searching #savewithstories on either Facebook or Instagram. If you have the means, Save the Children/No Kid Hungry is also asking for donations to ensure children in need continue to receive meals during school closures.
In Your Own Backyard
American River Conservancy and Project Learning Tree have downloadable guides and apps for nature activities that families can do in their back yards at home.
Reptile Yoga Poses for Kids
Kids Yoga Stories provides a slough of fun resources to teach yoga to children. Their latest addition ties yoga poses with the fun game of pretending to be a variety of reptiles. The page also features a printable Reptile Yoga poster that you can put up in your home.
Dr. Susan Linn and Audrey Duck Discuss Coronavirus
In this cute and educational video from Defending the Early Years, Dr. Linn and her puppet pal Audrey Duck discuss coronavirus in simple terms so small children can follow along and understand.
Part 1: Talking about the Coronavirus
Part 2: I’m Tired of the Coronavirus
Audible Stories
Audible is generously offering free audiobooks for readers of all ages, including the classic Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
TEDEd
Educational videos for students of all ages from the TED Conferences organization. You can sign up for daily lesson plans for your child as well.
Pretend City LIVE!
Join Pretend City Children’s Museum on Facebook Live for weekly activities and read-alongs.
Resources for Adults
A Toolkit for Educators: Intentional Strategies to Support Resilience
The EPCC team wrote this guide to teaching resilience for the 2020 CAAEYC Virtual Conference.
COVID-19 and Preschooler Worries
Educators Claire Bainer, M.A. Edu. & Amy Clough, RN, M.A. Edu have written a guide on talking with your preschooler about COVID-19.
From Surviving to Thriving
The team at Childcare Exchange has created a free video series with inspiration, support, and practical advice from experts to help you navigate the rough waters of this crisis.
Our Founding member Susan Hopkins recently published a book with Childcare Exchange as well. In Hearing Everyone’s Voice: Educating Young Children for Peace and Democratic Community, teachers and parents and children share stories of their struggles to build a democratic community by learning the many ways there are to hear each other given differences in age, ethnicity, gender, culture, and economic background. The perfect guidebook for integrating peace education, anti-bias perspective, and democratic practice into your curriculum.
Santa Cruz County Educator Resources
Health and Safety, education, and financial resources for child care centers, family child care homes and after school programs.
Common Sense Media
Resources for parents and families that focus on understanding and evaluating news coverage and how to discuss it with children. The guide also features links to meditation and activity apps to keep parents and children calm.
We Need Diverse Books
Resources for parents and educators on home schooling.
Virtual Community of Practice from Childhood Education International
Join Childhood Education International for a weekly forum on education challenges and successes while teaching online. Check each Tuesday for each week’s theme, to which you can leave response videos or written posts. Then join on Thursdays at 10:00am EDT for a Facebook Live video discussing the theme and responses.
Teach From Home
Google, United Nations, and UNESCO have put together a home schooling jump start kit for parents and educators.
Hope Story Circles from The Peace Alliance
In addition to their regular monthly calls, The Peace Alliance is offering weekly Hope Story Circles on Saturday mornings. Read more about their work on their website or Facebook page.
Listen to Past Story Circles
Join a Future Story Circle
Children’s Screen Time Action Network
The Children’s Screen Time Action Network offers a Resource Library of screen-free activities you and your child can do together, resources for home schooling, and research on the benefits of screen-free playtime for children.
The Network has also been sharing news stories from other outlets that are relevant to their cause of reducing screen time. Click on the articles below to get the scoop. Please note that some articles may be behind a paywall.
Are Your Children Stuck Inside? So are These Kids. – New York Times
Coronavirus Ended the Screentime Debate. Screens Won. – New York Times
Now’s a Good Time to Teach Your Kids to Play on Their Own – New York Times
Positive Discipline Community Resources
This network offers resources to support adults in creating healthy and thriving relationships with youth in homes, schools, and communities. Through the Positive Discipline approach, they teach a model of respectful communication and joint decision-making. During the coronavirus crisis, they are also offering free virtual learning and support groups on Wednesdays from 11am-12pm for Spanish-speaking adults and on Thursdays from 3pm-4pm for English-speaking adults.
See the Virtual Learning Class Schedule
Guidance for Supporting Young Children Through COVID-19
Defending the Early Years has also produced a resource guide for parents that includes information on talking to young children about the virus, setting routines, and fun activities for the home and the yard.
Coming Together During COVID-19 from Axis.org
Axis is a Christian-focused resource guide for adults to discuss complex and/or difficult topics with teens. Check out their free conversation guide as well.
Week of the Young Child from NAEYC
April 11-17 was NAEYC’s Week of the Young Child. If you participated, share your photos and videos on NAEYC’s Facebook WOYC event pages and other social media sites using #woyc20 or email them at woyc@naeyc.org or add them to the Proclamation Map.
Though the week is over, it produced a goldmine of thoughtful resources and activities. See the links below for more to read, learn, and play on #ArtsyThursday
Great Start Oakland’s Instagram
Parent Child Development Corporation on Artsy Thursday
Tulsa Educare’s Bilingual Video on Artsy Thursday
Creative Learning International School’s Instagram
NAEYC Webinars
Check upcoming and past webinars from NAEYC for a wealth of topics, including dedicated discussions about COVID-19.
The Search Institute’s Guide to Conversing with Young People
This guide offers video and printable training as well as an Overview TED Talk about engaging with young people over the 4 S’s: Sparks of joy, Strengths, Struggles, and Supports.
Living Montessori Now
The Montessori YouTube channel offers a wealth of research and ideas for home schooling.
How to Talk to Your Kids About Death and Grief
This 2018 Huffington Post article is relevant at this time of heavy loss of life.
“Sparklers” Book Lists from QREC
The book lists following have been created by a group of teachers and others who are passionate about discovering wonderful children’s literature and making it readily available. The Sparklers Working Group of FGC (Friends General Conference) is a group of Quakers, all who love quality children’s books that help promote peace, respect, simplicity, community, stewardship, and equality. The book lists, including links to YouTube videos of each story, are available on the QREC (Quakers for Religious Education Collaborative) website. Two book lists have been created to support families and children especially during this time:
Books for These Trying Times
Books for Earth Day, and Beyond
Maintain your center during this time of turmoil.
An article from neuroscientist Jim Otis at BrainTime about the science and benefits of keeping calm.
The Brain Architects Podcast: COVID-19 Special Series
From the Harvard Center on the Developing Child, this multi-part series on COVID-19 delves into issues such as high rates of COVID in communities of color, how the pandemic is affecting early childhood education, self care, and more.
The Child Mind Institute
The Child Mind institute has mental health resources in both English and Spanish.
HiMama Helps
The preschool childcare app HiMama has been hosting a series of webinars about distance education, school re-openings, and more. Sign up for the latest webinar or catch up on previous topics by clicking the link above. Click here to see their dedicated coronavirus resource page.
Strategies TA
Strategies TA, formerly Strategies 2.0 hosts webinars on a variety of topics including resilience, social engagement, and mindfulness. Register for an upcoming webinar at the link above or view their catalog of previous webinars on YouTube.
Stay Play Grow App
The California Department of Education and Early Learning and Care Division announced the release of the Early Learning Lab Stay Play Grow, a free app designed to support parents and caregivers during the coronavirus outbreak and beyond.
The side effects showing up in kids after months of coronavirus restrictions
A news story about the importance of discussing mental health with children during the pandemic.