The new COVID-19 pandemic has forced daycares and schools closed across Central New York and the United States, leaving parents and communities to scramble to make plans and keep children educated, entertained and cared for throughout the day.
For parents looking to keep their children stimulated and busy while they wait for coronavirus to run its course, public education company Scholastic has released a full curriculum of courses and fun activities for kids from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade.
Right now, there are five days worth of classes, divided up into the Pre K-K, grades 1 & 2, grades 3-5 and grade 6+ levels, on the “Learn at Home" website. The site promises “15 more days of thrilling learning journeys are ahead” so check back regularly for the latest activities.
Each course includes articles, stories, videos, learning challenges and even virtual field trips with up to three hours of content per day.
New users will need to create a free BookFlix account to access the content. A special username and password has been made public for anyone to use for free, which can be found on the Learn at Home grade level landing pages.
Many parents are suddenly finding themselves juggling full time at-home childcare and remote work expectations during the COVID-19 outbreak as more schools and daycares close their doors. In some places, like the City of Oswego, local governments have stepped in to provide childcare, but space is limited and priority may be given to emergency and medical workers.
Other daycare companies, such as BASCOL, have expanded their regular after school offerings to provide full day childcare to existing customers.
On Sunday, NY Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo called on districts and counties to figure out how to help those who need it while still practicing the social distancing that will slow the spread of COVID-19.
“We can’t have nurses staying home because they have to stay home and watch their child," Cuomo said. “So, it sounds simple, it’s not simple. You close the school, how do you feed the children? For many children the breakfast and the lunch are the two main meals they get and they get that at the school.”
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