Explaining Coronavirus to Children
This is a very complicated time for some young children. They don’t quite understand what COVID-19 is or why they have to stay indoors.
Here are a few resources, which should help them understand and answer any questions they may have.
1. Smyths Toys Superstores have posted a really lovely video from Playmobil. A little robot explains what Coronavirus is and how we can stop spreading it to other people. The video is 4 minutes long so holding their concentration for that long might be a little tricky but for a Youtube, video watching generation of children, this is great.
2. If you think your child would prefer a booklet with a little more of a science feel, this e-book my Malia Jones is perfect. It uses short sentences and simple graphics to explain everything they need to know about the virus. It keeps things simple with lots of lovely explanations a little bit of humour. I think this one is my favourite.
3. The Children’s Commissioner has released a PDF with information about what Coronavirus is, how we can protect ourselves and other people, how do deal with any feelings of worry and also includes ideas of activities they could do while at home. There’s definitely a lot more to read than in the other resources and there aren’t many pictures or graphics so it’s best for slightly older children and those who sometimes struggle with their emotions.