I am writing this from week two of the North Bay Firestorm. We are incredibly grateful that we are safe and our home is still standing. It is an extremely difficult and heartbreaking disaster that is unfortunately, far from over.
If you would like to help, please please please consider donating to the Redwood Credit Union North Bay Fire Relief Fund.
I really don't have the words yet to process what my community is suffering through, but I do know that I want to help in any way I can. All of our schools will be closed for at least another week and the air quality makes going outside off limits. Many of our citizens are displaced and we are all stressed and scared. I thought it might be helpful to offer some ideas to those who would like to occupy their children and encourage learning during this very difficult time. I have included as many ideas as I possibly can, of course the most important thing is staying safe. However, as we are all desperately craving normalcy I reached out to my friends in the homeschooling community for advice and suggestions to get us "back-to-school." Below you will find a list of resources for what I'm calling emergency homeschooling. Stay safe friends, we are in this together.
Emotional Support:
Supporting Your Child Through Disaster: 6 Tips from a Child Psychologist
Simple Art Therapy Ideas (Sub hurricane for wildfire)
Analog Ideas:
READ - Please encourage reading, including reading aloud. Even older children benefit from being read to, especially in times like these.
Tell stories - Not only is this a wonderful way to pass the time, it is also a great way for kids to process stress. Take turns telling whole stories or switch off each line to build a story together.
Encourage writing - For school aged children pencil and paper are all you need to practice writing. Have them write letters to their teacher, the first responders, or a friend they are missing.
Play cards - Cards are a fun way to pass the time and work on math and critical thinking. Here is a great list of games to play.
Practice math facts - Think back to things your child has done for math homework and do your best to recreate some of those problems. Have them explain how they found the answer or write their own equations. Little ones can count things around the house.
Play with money - Have your children count change and play store. Use loose change as a math manipulative for adding and subtracting.
Bordem Busters - Indoor ideas to keep little bodies busy
Online/Smart Phone Links:
If your school has online programs such as Moby Max or Lexia and you are able to log in, try to have them work on these for at least twenty minutes each day.
Kahn Academy is an incredible, free resource for all learners: Kinder thru High School. (They also have apps for iOS and Android)
60+ Free Online Educational Resources
Free Printables:
Preschool through Second Grade: Sight Words, Phonics, Math, and More
Age 3 - 12: 50+ Free Printables
All Grades: Teachers Pay Teachers Free Offerings (just click your child's grade level)
Field Trips:
If you can get away, many nearby locations are opening their doors to those impacted. Museums, visits to nature where the air is safe, indoor play areas: all make for fun, educational distractions.
Sending my love and well wishes to all those affected by disaster. Please give yourself so much grace, parenting through catastrophe is beyond difficult. YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB!
