Your kid’s favourite colourful weirdo is here to help during this difficult time.
On Friday, Sesame Workshops launched Caring For Each Other, an initiative to help both kids and parents deal with fear and anxiety around the coronavirus pandemic, the realities of social distancing, and “the for now normal.”
For parents and caretakers, there are sections on how to talk to children about the pandemic, how to comfort them, how to create routines, and tips on self-care. There are a lot of suggestions for how to structure your days now that everyone’s routines have been upended, and ideas for games and activities.
“This is a great chance to show [kids] that, even in times of unease, your family is in this together no matter what,” the guide says, adding, “We hope these tips remind you that you are strong and that you can help your children and your family through these complicated times.”
The resources for kids include books, interactive online games, and activity pages that can be downloaded and printed. And yes, of course, there are videos, too: past episodes of the show, clips about how to stay healthy and effectively wash hands, and — naturally — Elmo giving you a virtual hug.
“Around the world, young children’s lives are being turned upside down, and parents and caregivers are looking for ways to give their children — and themselves — a sense of stability in this new normal,” Dr. Rosemarie Truglio, Sesame Workshop’s senior vice president for curriculum and content, said in a press release. “But there are things parents and caregivers can do to face each day with optimism.”
It’s not just Muppets and monsters trying to help out. The massively popular kiddie band The Wiggles are also re-upping their efforts to get kids to remember to wash their hands.
The group originally wrote a song about the importance of hand-washing in 2010, and recorded a new version late last year as part of Global Hand-Washing Day. (That’s Oct. 15, if you were wondering.)
That song’s now being widely viewed on Youtube, for obvious reasons.
The group plans on recording new versions of the song in a variety of languages, including Italian, Arabic, and Mandarin.
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