First make a schedule for your little one including choice time, quiet time, and screen time for when you need to work or rest. Then use these resources.
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With schools and libraries closed, children's programming cancelled, and even playgrounds and playdates discouraged for now, parents and caregivers have a lot of hours to fill while spending time with small children. These suggestions and resources for engaging children ages two to seven will help. How are you and your family coping? Let us know in the comments.
Children thrive on routine and predictability. Whether they are in daycare, preschool, or a school age classroom, it's likely that they have a schedule that teachers use constantly throughout the day to redirect, reassure, and excite them. Create a schedule as a family for "school" days and weekends. Start by making a list of things they like to do at school. Then add some things they want to do every day or as a special activity. Pepper in some things you want or need them to do like independent play or choice-time, helping with chores or cooking, and naps or quiet-time. Come up with an order that makes sense for your family, for example scheduling self-directed activities and screen-time for periods when you'll need to work or rest.
Here is some advice from a homeschooling parent on schedules.
Some more schedule ideas from the twitterverse and beyond.
Things are changing every day, but even when they stay the same, young children need reminders about routines and rules, and a time to share what's on their mind. Some traditional morning meeting topics include looking at a calendar, and talking about the weather. This is also a great time to discuss your daily schedule, and check in about how everyone is feeling. It can be hard to know how to talk to young children in times of crisis–but trying to check in before the day begins can help mitigate and lessen any anxiety that might be brewing.
How to talk to kids about COVID-19, from Daniel Tiger
More strategies from the Child Mind Institute
Read:5 Podcasts on Kids & Tech Use Your Patrons Could Use Right Now
You may know the AAP screen time recommendations, and you may have even filled out one of our Family Screen Time Planners. If you don't have screen time rules, now is a good time to create some. If you, it's a good opportunity to temporarily reevaluate them. Some important things to keep in mind:
Choose (mostly) high quality content that is age appropriate. Common Sense Media has great lists of high quality and educational media for preschoolers and school-age kids. It's okay to watch some things that are just for fun (and maybe not as educational) as long as they are age-appropriate. Think of screen time as a healthy balanced diet: It's okay to have cookies and ice cream sometimes!
PBS Kids
Khan Academy Kids
Sesame Street
Some libraries, though closed, are keeping Wi-Fi on for those who wish to use digital devices outside our locations (especially nice on a sunny day!)
Don't worry if you don't have that many books at home at the moment. There are other ways to engage with books and reading.
Search your library catalog for ebooks and audiobooks.
Come to Virtual Storytime at Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) every day at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. EST! Read, talk, sing and play with our librarians!
Follow one of our DIY Storytimes designed by BPL librarians-with e-books, videos, songs and rhymes you can do at home.
Do-it-Yourself Storytime by Ms. Kathy
Do-it-Yourself Storytime by. Ms. Stefanie
Listen to folktales adapted for young children on the Circle Round podcast.
Listen to these read-alouds from KidLit TV.
Check out even more children’s authors reading their books aloud to kids online.
Drag Queen Story Hour now has a livestream series.
Storyline Online features famous actors reading well known books.
Schedule some read-aloud playdates with friends, or encourage a family member to read your child a book or sing a song via FaceTime or Zoom.
Read: Free Tools for Online Teaching and Learning During School Closures
Check out BPL's Ready Set Kindergarten videos in multiple languages.
The Scholastic Learn at Home site has some great daily activities for preschoolers.
Do some things you normally do, but virtually
It won’t be the same, but it might be cool! You can plan playdates, visit museums, go on field trips, and even take art and music classes virtually. Here are a few cool options:
Visit the Zoo!
Take virtual field trips with Discovery Education.
Start keeping those egg cartons, paper towel rolls, and pick up some vinegar and baking soda if you can. Using what you have at home to make art and explore STEM concepts is fun, easy, sustainable and most of all–very engaging for young children!
Here are 50+ science-y activities you can do with household items.
You can even make your own soap dough!
For younger children, check out Play Recipes like these designed to encourage language through exploration of everyday materials.
Here are some fantastic sensory activities you can do with young children.
Read: A News- and Media Literacy–Themed Mixtape for Tough Times
Outside activities are limited, but be sure to get some movement in every day!
Stories, Songs and Stretches has great content for young children from Katie Sherrer.
Go Noodle is what a lot of K-and-up kids do at school to get their wiggles out–it works!
Have a dance party every day at the same time--invite friends via Zoom or FaceTime!
Sing together! Learn storytime songs and rhymes from Jbrary, and songs in 12+ languages from Storyblocks.
Go on a nature walk. Instead of collecting items, use your phone to take pictures of the things you find and talk about them together!
Everyone might benefit from some art therapy. Take a little time to create a family art project.
Here are 50 Process-Based Art ideas from Meri Cherry.
Jessica Ralli is coordinator of early literacy programs at the Brooklyn Public Library and co-author of SLJ’s “First Steps” column on early learning.
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KidLit Tv is fabulous! (More info below)...here are a couple other FREE resources for younger children...
1. The Nonfiction Minute: Great idea for communities whose schools are closed. Keeps youngsters engaged and learning fascinating new things with the FREE online NonfictionMinute stories -- dozens and dozens available on lots of fun topics. Kids can read the short 400-word essay, listen to it read by the authors who wrote the stories, and check out the visuals (illustrations, maps, videos). Like a mini-lesson, only FUN! Great also for ESL students. Scroll down (website below) to see at least five at once. On the INDEX along the right hand side of each NonFictionMinute story's page are so many other stories kids can check out for free. Teachers guides and activities too. Click here to explore the site: https://www.nonfictionminute.org/
2. Roxie Munro website for FREE materials: https://www.roxiemunro.com/kids-parents-teachers.html
Free coloring sheets (fish, mazes, dinosaurs, birds, rodents, more); Activity Guides for 4 nonfiction Holiday House books; How Tos (step-by-step KidLit TV video instructions on How to make a Maze; How to Draw an Owl); online web instructions (for Making a Random Repeating Roxie Maze; How to Draw a Geometric maze); Roxie reading her books out loud (KidLit TV videos); interviews and videos of interviews with Roxie; and more.
3. FREE KidLit TV:
Add to any free resources that teachers, moms and dads, and librarians may need in these trying times:
KidLit.TV! ( https://kidlit.tv/) All sorts of fabulous FREE educational content for children.
StoryMakers with Rocco Staino – Interviews with authors and illustrators
https://kidlit.tv/StoryMakers
StoryMakers in the Kitchen — Recipes inspired by children’s books
https://kidlit.tv/StoryMakersInTheKitchen
Read Out Loud – Books read aloud by authors and illustrators
https://kidlit.tv/ReadOutLoud
Ready Set Draw — Illustrators teach kids how to draw characters from their books, and basic art techniques.
https://kidlit.tv/ReadySetDraw
KidLit MTV — Music inspired by children’s books
https://kidlit.tv/KidLitMTV
KidLit RADIO — Read aloud podcasts and more
https://kidlit.tv/KidLitRADIO
NonFiction Minute — Nonfiction podcasts about STEM / STEAM books.
https://kidlit.tv/NonFictionMinute
Young At Art with James Ransome — Drawing tutorials for beginners +
https://kidlit.tv/YoungAtArt James Ransome
Past Present with Lesa Cline-Ransome — Writing and research guidance for young writers
https://kidlit.tv/PASTPRESENTLesaCline-Ransome
The BIG Picture LIVE with Andrea Pinkney — Live drawing with award-winning Caldecott illustrator Sophie Blackall and Caldecott honoree Grace Lin.
https://kidlit.tv/TheBIGPictureLIVE!
What Becomes a Classic? with Leonard Marcus — Chatting about books so good they never get old
https://kidlit.tv/WhatBecomesAClassic
This Writer’s Life – writing guidance for young authors
https://kidlit.tv/2020/02/this-writers-life-storymap
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