Tip Sheets for Early Childhood Educators
Download the Early Childhood Educator Covid-19 Tip Sheet Series, or click these links to download individual tip sheets:
- Coming Back Together: How to Talk to Children about What’s New When They Return: As children come back to pre-school and childcare, we know that many things may be different. This sheet offers ways to remind children that many things are still the same and acknowledge what is different.
- When Children Worry: How to Help Children Feel Safe, Calm and Secure: Children may feel particularly vulnerable and may not be able to express their worries when they return to school. This tip sheet offers ideas to help children feel safe, calm, and secure.
- Building Children’s Resilience: Children build resilience through safe, nurturing relationships with caring adults and in the growth that occurs through play and exploration. As an educator, here are some tips to help you play an important role in supporting children during this challenging time.
- Discussing the Virus with Young Children: Children may have concerns or questions about COVID-19. As an early childhood educator, this tip sheet outlines some ways that you can help children feel safe by providing honest and straightforward explanations about the virus.
- Helping Children with Grief and Loss: There has been a tremendous amount of grief and loss in recent months. This can cause distress and grief in children. This tip sheet outlines ways to help children cope with loss.
- Managing Your Emotions through Self-Care: During these difficult times of uncertainty, recognize that as an educator, you need space to reflect on your own emotions to be able to respond effectively to children. This tip sheet can provide you with some guidance.
Videos: Supporting Resilience
These videos, taped especially for early childhood educators by Dr. Heather Forkey of UMass Medical, provide more detailed information on supporting resilience and regulation in children during this pandemic.
Additional Resources
Resources Specific to Massachusetts:
Regional Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Services
Massachusetts Association for Infant Mental Health
Resources from MA Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Grantees/Services:
TFK Five Tips for Caregivers
TFK Helping Young Children with Emotional Regulation
General Resources:
Sesame Street in Communities: Activities, videos and articles for caregivers on social and emotional health issues
National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Resources on trauma-informed care for children and teens
Boston Basics: Evidenced-based principles for caregiving for children 0-3 years old
Zero to Three: Resources for early learning, development, parenting and advocacy for children, 0-3
Spanish Language Versions
Simplified Chinese Language Versions
Portuguese Language Versions
Haitian Creole Language Versions
Acknowledgements
We appreciate the time and expertise that individuals from the following organizations provided to help us develop the content for these materials:
- UMass Medical School
- Department of Early Education and Care
- Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Providers
- Department of Mental Health
- Massachusetts Association for Infant Mental Health