Connect with family, and with friends, connect with your school, connect with the community - even virtually and through physical distancing staying in touch with people provides comfort, security and support. Reaching out to others helps prevent anxiety and depression. Relationships help keep us happy and give us purpose and meaning to the current reality of school.
Routines & Rituals: - maintain or co-create and practice daily routines and rituals:
- help to create structure, purpose and meaning to the day/week
- build community and connections
- encourage independence, and provide opportunity to practice life skills
- provide a time to share and to process emotions and feelings, and to practice mindfulness, gratitude and appreciation
Voice and Choice - depending on the age of your child:
Allow them to have some choice around activities and expectations throughout the day/week to build ownership and engagement
Allow for flexibility in the structure and timing of activities
Co-create goals for your child to create a purpose and something meaningful to work toward
Move! - While practicing physical distancing,
Add movement, sports, or games and other physical activities to the day/week
Think about physical activities as “brain breaks” from other activities that require children to sit for long periods of time
Get Outside! Being active supports the overall health and wellness for children
Be Creative!
Build in activities that allow for creative expression and critical thinking
Read daily, watch a range of movies (e.g. documentaries), talk, write, create, build, or cook
Please see the links to suggested SEL activities in the next sections
