Mental Health and Online Learning Resources
Mental Health
During these times we are especially aware of the stress that our parents, caregivers, students and staff are under. Please know that we are here to talk, feel free to reach out to Ms. Heidi via email: heidi.haggerty.wagner@acps.k12.va.us
Below you will find an ongoing list of mental health resources as well as links to how to discuss the pandemic with your child.
- The Power of Mindfulness: How a meditation practice can help kids become less anxious, more focused.
- Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus (EN ESPAÑOL): Kids worry more when they're kept in the dark.
- Supporting Kids During the Coronavirus Crisis (EN ESPAÑOL): Tips for nurturing and protecting children at home.
- Setting a schedule for kids at home: How to keep it simple when it comes to structuring your children's days at home.
- Anxious Stomach Aches and Headaches: Physical symptoms are often the way children experience anxiety.
- How to Help Children Manage Fears: Why learning to calm down on their own is key.
- Tips for Calming Anxious Kids: One mom's go-to techniques for coaxing anxiety-prone children out of their fears.
- How to Avoid Passing Anxiety on to Your Kids (EN ESPAÑOL): Help yourself, and them, by learning techniques to manage stress in a healthy way.
- How Anxiety Leads to Disruptive Behavior (EN ESPAÑOL): Kids who seem oppositional are often severely anxious.
- What to Do (and Not Do) When Children Are Anxious (EN ESPAÑOL): How to respect feelings without empowering fears.
- Time to Come In, Bear: A Children's Story About Social Distancing.
- Greet Someone Without Touching | Greet From 6 Feet: Jack Hartmann social distancing song.
- How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus: How to open a dialogue with your child that is both age appropriate and reassuring.
- How to Support Children (and Yourself) During the COVID-19 Outbreak: Everyone can help support a child’s healthy development (and it may even help relieve your stress!).
- How You and Your Kids Can De-Stress During Coronavirus: Tools that both you and your child can use to de-stress during this stressful time.
- Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood: Germs Germs Go Away: Learn how to wash your hands with Daniel Tiger!
- Helping Siblings Get Along When You Have to Stay Home: Pointers on how to foster friendship between siblings during this trying time.
- Elmo & Rosita: The Right Way to Sneeze!: Elmo & Rosita help children learn the right way to sneeze in this fun video.
- Celebrating Birthdays and Holidays During Social Distancing: 10 ways families across the country are creating socially-distant celebrations to help children feel more connected to their friends and families.
- Keeping up kids' mental health during coronavirus: It can be a scary time for children. It’s OK—and healthy—to acknowledge that.
- 7 Ways to Support Kids and Teens Through the Coronavirus Pandemic: Guidance for Helping Kids of All Ages.
- Calming Activities for Kids: 13 Effective Calm Down Activities for Kids
Online Learning Resources
- The Fab Lab: Books, movement, art and STEM projects.
- Koo Koo Kanga Roo: Lots of dance-along videos that our students love.
- Cosmic Kids Yoga: Fun yoga videos with lots of awesome themes.
- Read-Along with PBS Kids!: Weekly read-alongs with Michelle Obama.
- Storyline Online: 50 videos of children's book readalouds.
- Story Time From Space: Watch an astronaut in space read a book to you.
- We Are Teachers: Children's authors read their books AND their favorite children's books.
- Arts on the Horizon: Preschool/ kindergarten story time videos.
- Save With Stories: Celebrities reading children's books, some books are read in Spanish.
- Art for Kids Hub YouTube channel: For your budding little artist.
- PBS Kids: How to draw your favorite PBS Kids characters.
- San Deigo Zoo Kids : Learn more about animals in a fun, kid friendly way!
- Brookfield Zoo: They bring the zoo to you!