Parents, guardians and others are being asked to take on new roles now that schools are closed until at least the end of April to help control the spread of the coronavirus. This list of resources will help you keep your kids learning during the pandemic. We’ll continue to update it as we find more offerings. You can find other ideas at The Seattle Times’ new Kids Corner.
Are we missing something? Tell us at edlab@seattletimes.com.
Soundbites – Living through the pandemic is epic and life-changing. KUOW’s RadioActive Youth Media is offering trice weekly mini-lessons to help teens and pre-teens record and share their experiences creatively. Check them out here.
Resources Guides from the University of Washington — The university’s College of Education has compiled this guide filled with resources for children in kindergarten and younger and a separate guide for elementary school-aged kids. With everything from astronauts reading to kids to social and emotional learning lessons, they are trying to cover as many topics as they can for caregivers who are working from home and others who are unexpectedly looking after children.
Physical Education at home — The Online Physical Education Network has created resources and schedules for keeping kids active in creative ways. They also focus on social and emotional learning. Find them at this site.
Multilingual coloring book for explaining coronavirus — This short book is available for download in 11 languages. It offers a place for children to express their feelings about the coronavirus and how it affects their families. Then it explains what the virus is and how they can help stop its spread.
King County Public Library Online Resources — The public library system offers a plethora of online resources, from children’s books to documentaries to tools for learning to fix cars. Check it out here. Don’t have a library card? Get your online-only one here. The Seattle Public Library is offering digital-only ones here.
Enrichment guides and other resources from Renton School District — This page includes links to verified educational websites and printable enrichment guides in multiple languages, including Chinese, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese. There are also resources specifically for English Language Learners. Renton will also be distributing reading and writing packets for elementary school students at the meal sites.
Offline ways to entertain toddlers — Writer and parent JiaYing Grygiel offers a list of 23 things you can do with your kids using supplies that you probably already have. Having recently made slime and played doctor, I can attest to these being fun for people of many ages.
Free art for home-learners — Amplifier, a design lab based in Seattle, is offering free art and educational resources for families. The organization aims to use art to amplify the voices of grassroots movements. Their website reads, “Our goal is to reclaim and rebuild an American identity rooted in equality, dignity, diversity, truth, and beauty.” You can signup for free art and resources here.
Combating COVID-19 Innovation Challenge — The New York Academy of Sciences just launched an online competition for teens ages 13-17 “to design technology-based solutions to slow the spread of the disease.” It aims to help students develop critical thinking and research skills while also potentially helping everyone. The six-week competition starts March 25. Registration opened on March 18. Find out more here.
Save the Children resource list — This international organization compiled a list of different resources for your children while we all hunker down at home. Work on vocabulary by creating a word jar. Teach math by measuring ingredients for recipes. Connect with your roots by sharing family stories. Plenty of ideas for online and offline learning.
Common Sense recommendations for age-appropriate resources — Common Sense is a nonprofit that helps parents and teachers navigate media resources and determine what’s appropriate for their kids. They rate movies, books, apps and more. They’ve compiled resources for families and teachers during the age of social distancing, including mental health apps, educational resources, guides to understanding news about the virus and more. They also have guides in Spanish.
Community Created Lists — Community members are compiling lists of free educational resources for families. We haven’t verified all of the resources on these pages.