Updated August 2021
General COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Information
- Get the Facts about Coronavirus (Center for Disease Control)
- COVID-19 Vaccination Information for Pennsylvanians (PA Department of Health)
- COVID Alert PA Mobile App: COVID Alert PA is the official mobile app by the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) that uses the Exposure Notification System (ENS) provided by Apple and Google.
- Prevent Getting Sick (Center for Disease Control)
- Activities, Gatherings and Holidays (Center for Disease Control)
- Coronavirus FAQs (Center for Disease Control)
- Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting (CDC)
- Breastfeeding and Caring for Newborns if You Have COVID-19 (Center for Disease Control)
- COVID-19 Data for Pennsylvania (PA Department of Health)
- Emergency Preparedness Guide (READYPA)
- Pandemic Planning (Federal Emergency Management Agency)
- COVID-19 Fact Sheet for Grandfamilies and Multigenerational Families (Generations United)
Mask Wearing Resources
- Resources for Masks for Children: A list of resources for program staff and families. These resources do not, and are not intended to, prescribe specific guidance about mask wearing for children.
- Wearing Masks: These scripted stories, with their colorful and fun photographs of children and families, help explain to children the how, why, and when of wearing face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Also available in Spanish.
- Helping Children Understand Emotions When Wearing Masks: These tips and ideas help children identify emotions when faces, our most expressive feature, are covered by a mask. Families and practitioners can use these strategies to let children know that behind the mask, a kind and warm expression is still there.
Coping with Stress
- Coping with Stress (CDC)
- Taking Care of Your Emotional Health (CDC)
- Helping Children Cope With Changes Resulting From COVID-19 (National Association of School Psychologists)
- Helping Children Cope (CDC)
Talking to Children About Coronavirus and Supporting Them
- COVID-19 Pandemic: What Will Your Child Remember? (PA’s Promise for Children)
- How to help your child adjust to socially distanced preschool and early elementary school (Great! Schools.org)
- How to Talk to Kids about Coronavirus (New York Times)
- Child Mind Institute’s Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus (Child Mind Institute)
- How to Explain A Global Health Crisis to Children with Autism (Psychology Today)
- Answering Your Child’s Questions About Coronavirus (Zero to Three)
- Resources for Supporting Children’s Emotional Well-being during the COVID-19 Pandemic (Child Trends)
- A Comic Exploring the New Coronavirus (NPR’s Just For Kids)
- Social and Emotional Learning Supports for Children and Young Adults Around Covid-19 (SEL4TX)
Resources for Families Affected by Coronavirus
- Mental Health Resource Guide: The online Mental Health Resources Guide provides Pennsylvanians with a full complement of resources available to help everyone with their mental health needs.
- Resources & Assistance (PA Office of Unemployment Compensation)
- Are There Programs Available to Help Make Internet Service More Affordable? (HighSpeedInternet.com)
Translated Materials
Spanish
- Daily Live Feed: https://pacast.com/live/es
- Lo que necesita saber sobre la enfermedad del coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)
- Coronavirus
- Información sobre el COVID-19 para Negocios Esenciales
- Guía sobre el Equipo de Protección Personal (EPP) para el COVID-19
- Guía para Clínicas de WIC para el COVID-19
- Lidiar con las Preocupaciones por el COVID-19
- ¿Cómo Hablar con los Niños Acerca del COVID-19?
For more languages, visit the PA Department of Health website.
Resources for Early Childhood Education Programs & Professionals
Visit the Pennsylvania Key website for these resources.
Activities to Do While Children Are Home
- National P-3 Center At-Home Teaching and Learning in PreK-3rd Grade: This document provides specific guidance related to school districts’ and elementary schools’ supports for at-home learning across the primary grades (PreK-3rd grade). This is not a compilation of e-resources. Rather, this document provides guidance about how to best support at-home learning, focusing on two fundamentals of effective teaching and learning in the early grades: child development and equity.
- Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Early Childhood: Booklets divided by age/grade spans that provide information on what children should be able to know and do. Of interest is the supportive practices provided for each standard that adults can use to help children meet age appropriate learning standards.
- PA Promise for Children Resources for Learning: Website that provides resources for families to engage in activities at home with their children.
- Kindergarten, Here I Come Activity Guide: Activities for pre-kindergarten children to prepare them for kindergarten. The activities can be used by families to engage in activities at home with their children.
- Kindergarten, Here I Am Activity Guide: Activities for kindergarten children. The activities can be used by families to engage in activities at home with their children.
- Recipes for Readiness Activity Cards: Activities for pre-kindergarten children to prepare them for kindergarten. The activities can be used by families to engage in activities at home with their children.
- Math at Home (NAEYC): Website that provides resources to assist families to engage in math related activities at home with their children. The site provides multiple resources and activities.
- Colorin Colorado: Website that can assist families in supporting the learning and development of children who are dual language learners.
- Summary of National Response to COVID-19 and Continuity of Education for Early Years
- Learning Language Every Day: Activities for Families (Arabic)
- Learning Language Every Day: Activities for Families (English)
- Learning Language Every Day: Activities for Families (Simplified Chinese)
- Learning Language Every Day: Activities for Families (Spanish)
Click here to print this list of activities to do while children are at home.
Visit PA’s Promise for Children Pinterest page for a variety of activities