Preparing Kids for the Classroom
By Danielle Alexander
School supplies have officially taken over the back corner of Target again, but unlike most school years, checking off supply items is not the major back-to-school concern. Whether you have little ones like me or are sending your big babies back to school this fall, we have no choice but to prepare them for what will inevitably be a very different academic year.
My husband and I made the decision early-on to be open yet also reassuring concerning the pandemic with our children, doing our best not to instill fear. We work together to help our kids understand both why they need to do their part to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 and what these efforts should look like once school starts.
Social Distancing
With “social distancing” being a new term to all of us this spring, we decided to lean on good ‘ol Google for help in explaining it to our young ones. Our son (almost 3) really got a kick out of not only watching Grover from Sesame Street (“Grover and Social Distancing” on YouTube) show him the “good” of being far away and “bad” of being too close to someone but also testing it out himself. While out in public, we remind him to be “good like Grover” and maintain space to practice for preschool. My daughter (5), who does understand the concept of viruses and germs, enjoyed another YouTube video by Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center titled “What is Social Distancing?” that provides catchy visuals and examples to emphasize the idea that those who socially distance are heroes. When we discuss school, we talk to her about how she should continue being a “hero” whenever possible.
For older elementary-aged children, KinderCare.com suggests adults prepare students by using a six-foot-long piece of ribbon or string and place it on the floor so kids can learn how far six feet is. Next, the educational program company suggests removing the ribbon or string and have each family member guess how long six feet is. The closest guess is the winner (perhaps receiving a new, fun mask as a prize!), and the idea that this is the distance children should keep between others at school when possibly should be emphasized. Another suggestion of theirs is to have kids cut out people from magazines and draw a scene (maybe a classroom, school hallway or playground!) on a piece of paper. Glue or tape the people into positions in the scene that keep them as far apart as possible to signify social distancing.
Middle schoolers and up should be able to understand the concepts of flattening the curve and raising the line, and there are plenty of resources out there to help. One, in particular, I found useful for this age group was a YouTube video by Lifebridge Health in Maryland titled “Beating Coronavirus: Flattening the Curve, Raising the Line.” Once children and teenagers seem to be getting a handle on what social distancing is, as well as the importance of it, it is not a bad idea to discuss how lunch time, recess and after-school care/activities should look if the goal is to maintain as much distance from others as possible. I keep reiterating to my children that now is not the time to share food or beverages– even with their cousins or besties!
Mask Wearing
Although maintaining six feet of distance from others is the ideal scenario, it certainly won’t be the case all the time, especially on the bus or while carpooling to and from school. And that’s where wearing masks come into play.
Our pediatrician from University of Michigan (U of M) Hospital suggested we have our kids practice wearing masks as much as possible even at home, so it’s not new, uncomfortable or scary once school begins. I found these other five tips for helping kids (over the age of two) wear masks by U of M helpful, as well:
• Let them pick it out: Allow kids to choose their color, fabric or decorations for their mask.
• Teach children how to wear it properly: Children should cover the nose, chin and mouth fully, and, if using cloth masks, they should wash them after every use.
• Be a mask role model: Wear your mask and continue emphasizing how it keeps both you and others safe.
• Make play masks for stuffed animals or dolls: Help children, using materials around the house, create masks for their special toys.
• Follow a plan and offer rewards: Find what motivates your child, and set fun goals or small rewards if needed.
Hand Washing
One of the best ways to prevent the spread of germs is washing hands; however, handwashing is definitely not something that comes naturally to children (and, if I’m being honest here, even some adults), so it needs to not only be taught but also occasionally revisited. Knowing this, to practice for the school year, I printed out a handwashing visual from the World Health Organization, discussed it with our kids and hung it up in each bathroom as a reminder. Fun-colored soap and silly hand washing songs certainly help!
Cough and Sneeze Covering
As we’ve all heard, Covid-19 spreads mainly from person to person, typically through respiratory droplets from talking, as well as coughing and sneezing. To provide a visual for our kids, my husband and I used BoogieWipes.com’s Coughing and Sneezing Activity where we took the kids outside, put some flour in their hands and had them fake cough and sneeze to see how far the flour travelled. We told them that germs do the same thing, but they’re invisible. We then discussed why elbows are better than hands when it comes to blocking the germs since we don’t use our elbows to touch and pick up things.
Danielle Alexander is a mother of two, owner of tutoring/freelance writing/editing company Edify LLC and editorial coordinator for Birmingham Life and West Bloomfield Lifestyle Magazines. She’s praying for a safe school year.