The COVID-19 pandemic has left us all in situations far beyond normal.
Our usual caregiving routines have been disrupted. Parents are keeping children at home, and child care providers are struggling to balance serious economic impacts and health concerns for both the families they serve and their own families. At LENA, we understand how stressful these changes can be. We’re parents ourselves, and just like you, we’re struggling to balance the demands of work and home life, which have collided since the coronavirus outbreak.
Amidst mounting pressures, we believe the core truths of LENA still apply: early talk is key, and caregivers are the secret sauce. Whatever situation you find yourself in, interaction with children matters. Caregivers have the power to shape a child’s experience of this time. By tuning in and responding to their feelings, we can make this scary time easier.
In the coming weeks, we’ll be aggregating resources here to support positive interactions. If there’s anything we can do to help or a resource you’d like to add to this list, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Check back here each week for fresh ideas. We’ll get through this together!
Activity of the week: Shared reading
Download: Shared reading graphic in English or Spanish
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Video: Shared Reading with Infants in English or Spanish
Article: How to Introduce Toddlers and Babies to Books | Zero to Three
Article: Reading Together to Support Early Literacy | NAEYC
Resource Archive
Activity of the week: Outdoor play
Download: Outdoor play graphic in English or Spanish
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Video: Outdoor Play with Toddlers English or Spanish
Article: Home Learning Resources — Activities to do with Infants and Toddlers | Acelero Learning + Shine Early Learning
Video: Language Development with Zoe | Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas County
Activity of the week: Bed time/Naptime
Download: Bed time graphic in English or Spanish
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Article: Nap Time is for Letting Go | NAEYC
Article: Nine Positive Parenting Techniques to do During Bedtime | NAEYC
Activity of the week: Clothing change
Download: Clothing change graphic in English or Spanish
Video: Talking during clothing change with toddlers in English or Spanish
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Podcast: The Brain Architects Podcast — COVID-19 Special Edition: A Different
World | Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University
Article: Supporting Our Children during COVID-19 | Let’s Talk Cambridge
Activity of the week: Songs and rhymes
Download: Songs and rhymes graphic in English or Spanish
Video: Using Songs and Rhymes with Infants in English or Spanish
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Article: Beyond Twinkle, Twinkle: Using Music with Infants and Toddlers | NAEYC
Activity of the week: Transitions
Download: Transitions graphic in English or Spanish
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Article: How can we help kids with transitions?”
Activity of the week: Mealtimes
Download: Mealtimes graphic in English or Spanish
Video: Mealtimes Talking Tip video in English or Spanish
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Article: Ideas for Cooking with Kids
Activity of the week: Indoor Play
Download: Indoor play graphic
Video: Indoor play Talking Tip video
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Article: Activity Tips — Managing Emotions, Routines, and Exercise Through Play
Activity of the week: Hand-washing
Download: Hand-washing graphic
Video: Hand-washing
Talking Tip video
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Article: How to Wash Your Baby’s Hands
Strategies to bolster resilience in children
Download: The
14 Talking Tips
Video: Early Learning
Toolkit: Responsive and Stimulating Caregiving
Blog post: Engaging resilience: How responsive caregiving lays the foundation for
children to thrive
Article: Stress, Resilience, and the Role of Science: Responding to the Coronavirus
Pandemic | Harvard Center on the Developing Child
Article: Learning About the Coronavirus: Resources for Children and Families
Webinar: Putting Brain-Building Research Into Action at Home
