Talking About COVID-19

Resource Materials for Talking to our Children and Teens about the Coronavirus Health Crisis

Early Childhood

Social Stories. A Social Story is a story about a difficult experience. They are written to appeal to very young children and can be the start of helpful conversations between parents, guardians, grandparents and children.

What Nathan and His Friends Can Do. A Social Story about Staying Healthy. Read the story in Spanish or Portuguese.Use this picture book as a starting point for talking to young children about coronavirus. Developed by Amy Bamforth, MS(Ed), LICSW in partnership with SFLC and SPYC. 

Gabi Says, “I’m Confused!” No School, No Friends! A Story about Social Distancing. Read the story in Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese - Traditional, Chinese - Simplified. From the SFLC.

Ronan is Confused. A Social Story about School Closing because of COVID-19. Read the story in Spanish or Portuguese. From the SFLC.

Coronavirus Social Story. By Little Puddins.

Elementary and Middle Grades

Just for Kids: A Comic Exploring the New Coronavirus. National Public Radio.

Talking to Kids about the Coronavirus. An article from the Child Mind Institute.

Talking with Children about Coronavirus. From the Fred Rogers Center.

Learning the Facts about Coronavirus . Video and other resources from BrainPOP. Good resource for grades 3 and higher, and lower grades with parent discretion.

7 Ways to Help Children Cope. Tips for supporting your children during the crisis. (Resource available in English and Spanish)

Talking to Your Kids. PJ Libary article with information about talking to your children after a crisis.

How to talk to your child about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Tips from UNICEF to help comfort and protect children.

How to Talk to Kids About Coronavirus. New York Times Parenting Blog.

Talking to Your Tween. Article about coronavirus from the New York Times.

Psychological Tips. Tips for supporting your children during the crisis.

How to Explain Coronavirus to a Child with Anxiety. Article in ADDitude - Inside the ADHD Mind   

Teens

Talking to Teens and Tweens about Coronavirus. New York Times article.

5 Ways to Help Teens Manage Anxiety About the Coronavirus. New York Times article. 

Coronavirus Anxiety: How to Cope. Teen Vogue.

All Grades

How to Talk to Kids and Teens about the Coronavirus. Psychology Today.