Several guides designed to support child and family well-being during periods of school and childcare program closures, compiled by University of Washington College of Education faculty and staff, are now available.
All of the guides below are freely available to all families, educators, caregivers and members of the public to use and share. The guides will continue to be revised and updated.
- Early Childhood Resources Guide — Includes tips for families about talking to young children about the coronavirus and numerous websites and apps for young children and families related to language and literacy, math and science, music and arts, physical development and more. Created by UW early learning faculty.
- Activities for Families and Caregivers — This guide highlights activities that encourage learning and positive interactions between adults and children. Many resources are focused on young children, but most can be extended to children of all ages. Created by Cultivate Learning at the UW.
- Families with Elementary-Age Children Resources Guide — Includes resources for families spanning literacy, mathematics, science, social studies and physical activity and projects.
- Family Resources for Play — Created by Research Associate Julie McCleery and the King County Play Equity Coalition, this guide provides resources to keep kids of all ages physically active.
- Science Learning Resources — These resources provide guidance on how to approach science learning during the COVID-19 crisis for science teachers, educational leaders, parents. and students. Created by members of the Council of Science Science Supervisors and the UW Institute for Science + Math Education.
- Parenting through COVID-19 — A new livestream video series co-hosted by Professor James Mazza focuses on sharing coping strategies and emotion regulation skills to aid parents in dealing with the current crisis and upheaval of parents and children’s lives.
“Many families are adjusting to new routines without school or childcare for an extended period of time,” said Kathleen Meeker, associate professor and director of research for the UW’s Haring Center for Inclusive Education. “We wanted to create a resource that would help families who are juggling new responsibilities right now and want to support their child’s continued learning and development.”
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