Recommended COVID-19 resources for children and families

Our EmbraceRace list draws only on trustworthy sources and uses categories of information most relevant to families with preschool and school-aged children like ours and many of yours. We’re hoping it’ll save you some effort. If you find this list helpful, we’ll update it regularly. If not, we won’t. So please let us know either way. Seriously. If there’s a key category of resources you’re looking for that isn’t included here, or a resource you’ve found invaluable and think others would too, let us know.

COVID-19: Basic facts

• Your Questions Answered, World Health Organization. This WHO Q&A will be updated as more is known about COVID-19, how it spreads, and how it is affecting people worldwide.
• COVID-19 Advice for the Public: Myth Busters, World Health Organization. We see a lot of dangerously bad information circulating out there about COVID-19 prevention, detection, and treatment. This page “busts” some common myths - and includes nice graphics too.
• Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University. This map provides regular updates on the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases by country and region.

Protecting Yourself and the Children You Love

• State & Territorial Health Department Websites, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Links to health departments in all US states, territories, and the District of Columbia. Find out what guidance and resources your state health officials have to offer.
• The Risk Covid-19 Poses for Children, Explained, Vox. Over time, we’ll learn more about children’s susceptibility and the consequences of infection for children. For now, the short story is that “the Covid-19 disease appears to be less severe in children than in some older adults, and scientists aren’t sure why.”
• Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource, National Association of School Psychologists. Offers a nice set of guidelines to help parents teach children preventive measures, talk with them about their worries, and give them a sense of some control over their risk of infection, which often helps reduce their anxiety.
• Tips for Families: Coronavirus, Zero to Three. Resources with guidance for families including age-appropriate responses to common questions, a guide to self-care, and activities for young children experiencing social distancing.
• Resources for Supporting Children’s Emotional Well-being during the COVID-19 Pandemic, Child Trends and the Child Trauma Training Center at the University of Massachusetts. Children are generally more vulnerable than adults to the emotional impact of traumatic events that disrupt their routines. This resource offers information on supporting and protecting children’s emotional well-being as this crisis unfolds and includes a nice list of additional resources for parents, educators, and child care providers.
• What to Do if You Are Sick, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Steps to take if you are sick with COVID-19, or think you might have it, to help protect others in your home and community.
• During the COVID-19 Pandemic: What to Do if Your Child Is Sick, KidsHealth. Advice on what to do if you think your child might have COVID-19 and information about testing and treatment.

Activities for Children & Families

• Free Online Activities and Events for Kids During Coronavirus Shutdowns, Commonsense Media. Authors, artists, musicians, and creators of educational tools are stepping up to offer free lessons, tours, and concerts that you can check out from the safety of your home.
• Free Virtual Education Tools for Children and Their Caregivers, Children’s Defense Fund. Excellent choices for caregivers (non-educators) who are looking for engaging and enriching content to share with their children.
• Scholastic Learn at Home, Scholastic. Day-by-day projects to keep your kids reading, thinking and growing.
• Avoid Cabin Fever with These 125 Ideas to Keep Kids Entertained During the Coronavirus Crisis, Parade. There are plenty of ways to keep the whole family from going stir-crazy.
• Boredom Busters: 110 Fun At-Home Activities for Families & Kids, Family eGuide. This handy list can easily be printed and placed on the refrigerator – a great way to have instant “ideas” when boredom strikes!
• Actividades que hacer con los niños en casa... [Activities to Do with Children at Home], Video. Watch this with your kids at the very least. It will likely inspire you all to move!