Status Update

[forestofglory]

I thought I should write an update about how I'm doing.

So yesterday six Bay Area counties including the one I live in where ordered to shelter in place for the next three weeks. We had been self isolating to some degree already before this, so we are reasonably stocked up. So for the next three weeks at least I'm going to be home with my four year old, R and my mother-in-law. At least we are allowed to go outside for walks. Plus the farmers market is supposed to still be open so I might go to that on Thursday -- we could use some more produce. The weather has been cold and wet so outdoor play is not exciting. But hopefully that wouldn't be true for the next three weeks.

Everything just feels surreal right now. Things are changing very fast. I was at a con a week and half ago. Last week where trying to figure out how much social distancing was good idea. It's a lot. I'm just trying to process the state of the world right now, or even the state of the Bay Area and its not happening. I'm good for keeping myself busy but if any of you have suggestions for activities for four year olds that would be nice.

I hope you all are safe and well.

Comments

[shadaras]

gods, good luck <3

I grew up in the Bay Area and my parents and a bunch of friends still live there; I hope that these measures do what they're supposed to do!

I feel like good activities for 4yos really depends on what resources you have access to, but art and games of any sort are always good, I'd think.

[clevermanka]

Thank you for checking in. This is all so surreal. Good luck with the four year olds. People going through this with kids are heroes.

[lunabee34]

Surreal is a good word for it. I'm glad you're prepared.

[alchimie]

It has changed very quickly, hasn't it? I am also in good form for sheltering in place, but -- a lot of change.

For your 4-yr-old (depending upon their temprament/abilities):

-- homemade playdough
-- melting crayons and using the resultant multicoloured blob to colour with
-- simple baking projects
-- print out simple word search / dot-to-dot / mazes
-- if you can spend money, Lakeshore is still selling things online and they have *tons* of great craft kits and other activities -- if you want I can recommend specific things.

Online:

https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html -- it has short videos and learning activities around a theme for each day, including for PreK.

https://www.gonoodle.com/ -- dance/movement videos, many of which are extremely silly. Here they use it in schools during indoor recess.


I am sure I will come across more, I'll let you know.

[forestofglory]

Thank you! This is super helpful!

It has changed so fast, I'm still kind of reeling from it.

[starshipfox]

There's been a lot of talk on Twitter about entertaining kids -- such as authors doing live streams of books, home-ed parents giving activities, artists doing an art club. I don't have kids so I haven't looked in-depth, but it there might be something worth having a look at.

[forestofglory]

Thanks, I've seen a couple of things go by on my feed but I need to look more in depth.

[jesse_the_k]

Sending you strength and patience!

[forestofglory]

Thank you!

[umadoshi]

*hugs and encouragement*

[forestofglory]

Thank you!

[kaberett]

Thank you for the update. <3

[suncani]

Glad you're doing okay and you were relatively prepared. It is surreal how quickly things can change, it doesn't really give you time to think and respond. Hopefully we can all maintain a new normal for a little while.

*makes you a steady stream of cups of tea and soup