This is an ongoing list of useful resources for families when social distancing measures are in place, organized in three categories: general, educational / tech, and mindfulness / health & wellness.
Mindfulness / health & wellness
- Free meditation and mindfulness exercises (adults & kids) (from Calm app)
- Nike Training Club app with free at-home exercises (Android & Apple)
- How to calm down in times of stress (from Mindful)
- Free mental health portal in Ontario (from Big White Wall)
- YouTube workouts for kids and adults (from YMCA)
- Ideas for connecting virtually (from Search Institute)
- Medical and mental health resources (from Well.ca)
- Information and suggestions for coping during crisis (from CAMH)
- Five days of daily challenges—physical, creativity, kindness, brain (from Jays Care)
- Five ergonomic tips for working from home (from Chris Mee Group)
- Yale’s most popular course is free online—The Science of Well-Being (from Business Insider)
- Mental health first-aid (from MHCC)
- Stronger Minds: a free digital program that provides mental health support for all Canadians (from MindBeacon)
- 5 tips for communicating with your partner while stuck at home (from The Conversation)
- Wellness Together Canada provides tools and resources to help get Canadians back on track, including modules for addressing low mood, worry, substance use, social isolation and relationship issues (from Gov’t of Canada)
- COVID-19 resources for families and kids (from Kids Help Phone)
Educational / tech
- Curated educational videos for kids (from The Kid Should See This)
- Daily home schedule example (from BIAS)
- Tech reviews and suggestions for parents and educators (from Common Sense Media)
- At-home resources for Kids (and their grown-ups) (from KiwiCo)
- A list of live animal cams (from Adventure Journal)
- 5 online art clubs (from My Modern Met)
- Top 10 online resources for kids at home (from Maggy Wheeler blog)
- Things to do at home (compiled by Durham Club)
- Unique lessons and experiences by artists and organizations (from CBC)
- Add ingredients and find recipes from popular cooking websites (from SuperCook)
- Parents guide to Google Classroom (from Google)
- Junior Wildlife Workbook (from Alberta Hunter Education)
- Sensory play recipes (from MotherCould)
- Site to use while schools are closed
- Free online classes for adults (from Brit+C0)
- Educational resources for kindergarten to high school (from ON gov)
- Collection of live webcams, virtual tours/trips, and fun educational sites (from Virtual School Activities)
- High-quality, interactive video lessons for all ages (from TED-Ed)
- 20-minute YouTube “doodle” sessions for kids with Mo Willems (from the Kennedy Center)
- Free e-book about COVID-19 for parents to read to kids ages 3 – 8 (Dr. Yen, professor at California State University)
- List of free educational/tech resources online (from EdSurge)
- Resources, e-learning, and videos for young children (from Sesame Street)
- Dolly Parton reads children’s books on YouTube (from Consequences of Sound)
- Wide Open School: a free collection of the best online learning experiences for kids (from Common Sense)
- Motivate kids to learn during a staycation (from .ME)
- Activities and games to improve literacy and social-emotional learning skills for Pre-K to grade 5 (from Peekapak)
- Comprehensive collection of online and at-home activities (from Kids Up Front)
- Virtual programs for all ages designed to keep you engaged and connected (from RBC Future Launch at Home)
- Free educational programs for kids ages 10 – 16 on tech and STEM learning (from Geek Squad Academy)
- Parent-child activities for younger children (from Mothers Matter Centre)
- Goodnight Zoom: A colouring book to educate children about coronavirus (from Marissa Kassam, RBC)
- A guide to kids’ learning resources & educational websites (from sitejabber)
General
- Coronavirus tracker (from CBC)
- How to protect ourselves at home during coronavirus (from The Conversation)
- A drawn-comic explanation of coronavirus for kids (from NPR)
- Advice to parents on coronavirus (from New York Times)
- How to talk to children and address their coronavirus concerns (from CBC)
- How to work from home with kids when you’re socially distancing (from Lifehacker)
- Talking to your anxious child about COVID-19: Tips for parents and caregivers
- Avoiding COVID-19 scams (from CBC)
- Indigenous-focused community care kit (from 4Rs Youth)
- Social media and screen time during a pandemic (from MediaSmarts)
- A very comprehensive list of resources (US-based)
- Videos with simple language and visuals to address kids’ questions about COVID-19 (from Dr. Michelle Dickinson, New Zealand)
- FAQs about COVID-19 (from The Conversation)
- Free pre-recorded webinar: Digital parenting in a pandemic (from Family Online Safety Institute)
- Virtual map of local community foundation responses to COVID-19 (from Community Foundations of Canada)
- Kids and masks: FAQ (from The Conversation)
