This holiday season is going to be very different for all of us — whether you’re staying home instead of traveling, not seeing family or friends you usually visit or having a more low-key celebration, COVID has changed the way we normally celebrate the winter holidays.
As parents, we all wish we could shelter our children from bad news outside, which makes it difficult to explain why things are different this year.
Preparing Kids for the Holidays During COVID
The holidays are a time of cheer and family togetherness. But what if your child can’t spend time with certain family members because of social distancing measures or illness? What if finances mean Santa won’t be coming this year? Explaining these circumstances to your child can be heartbreaking — and having to put a damper on their excitement for the holidays can be even more heartbreaking. The best way to make it easier on your children is to prepare them ahead of time and answer any questions they have openly and with empathy. This will help ease them into the idea of a different kind of holiday celebration and give them ideas for how it can be just as fun — only in a different way.
If you usually go to visit grandparents or cousins over the holidays but will be unable to do so this year, try to set up a video meeting through Zoom, Skype, or another service, so that your kids will still be able to see their beloved family members. If Santa isn’t coming, focus on doing things together, like baking cookies, going on walks, or watching Christmas specials, instead of presents.
How Should I Prepare My Kids Who Are Going Back to School During COVID?
It can be hard for children to understand why school and daycare are going to be different with preventative measures in place. To make the transition easier, sit down and talk with them about the changes being made – i.e., tables and desks being farther apart, teachers and students wearing masks, a mixture of in-school and at-home learning. Make sure to answer their questions and address any worries they have.
What Are Some Activities for Kids During COVID-19 Quarantine?
With Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas ahead, it looks like there’s going to be a boom in coronavirus cases coming up, and with the boom, there’s a high potential of another lockdown. Lockdown is hard on all of us, but it can be especially hard on our children, who are confused, scared, and unsure why they can’t see family or friends or go do the things they’re used to doing. We at Kid’s Corner wanted to give you a list of ideas for activities for you and your kids to do during quarantine that are fun, educational, and will keep your kids entertained and still learning.
- Read Together: Or Make Up Your Own Stories: Reading together is a great way to spend quality time with your kids, but if you don’t have access to books while the libraries and bookstores are closed, making up your own stories is just as rewarding. Write a story based on your child’s favorite book, or make up your own fairy tale and draw pictures to go with it.
- Have an Indoor Campout: Set up a tent or pillow fort inside, build an imaginary fire, and microwave some s’mores to have all the outdoor fun on the inside!
- Have a Scavenger Hunt: Most of us have too much stuff lying around, not doing much. Put some of those items to use by hiding them around the house and leaving clues for your little ones to find them.
- Puzzles and Board Games: There are tons of age-appropriate jigsaw puzzles and board games for preschool-aged children. Not only are these puzzles and games great for your child’s growing brain, they’re tons of fun and great for the whole family to do together.
Can Children Get Severely Ill from COVID-19?
While children are less likely to become infected with COVID-19 than adults are, it is still possible for them to become ill and experience severe symptoms, especially if the child is overweight or has a condition such as diabetes or asthma. In addition, the CDC is investigating Multisystem Inflammatory System in Children (MIS-C), which is associated with children who have been infected with COVID-19. It is very rare but still exists.
Read more about COVID-19 in children here, and more about MIS-C here.
Stay Safe — We Want to See You After the Holidays!
During the holidays, remember to stay safe, and keep your children safe, by following social distancing measures and wearing your mask. We hope that you and your children have an amazing holiday season and come back to us safe and sound. Happy holidays from the team at Kid’s Corner!
