It’s week 2 of staying home and social distancing.
The COVID-19 pandemic keeps changing and more information is being shared minute by minute with no understanding of when all this will end. 
So we sit here and ask ourselves “Now what?” 
What do we do with our kids? How do we entertain them?
Throughout this past week we’ve seen some incredible examples of people coming together to make this new "norm" easier for us parents. 

• Teachers and therapists sharing their strategies, lesson plans and schedules. 
• Groups being created on Facebook for parents and professionals to share links, lessons, recipes etc.
• Organizations, businesses and corporation creating daily virtual lives, camps on social media and/or links to help parents. 
• The government creating a “learn from home” program.

However, we need to remember that it’s ok if we can’t do it all.
It’s ok if we don’t follow that “schedule” we see floating around on social media. 
What our kids need the most right now is to be loved and to feel safe.

Play with them, sit outside and blow bubbles, create art with chalk, bake, cook, make doing chores fun and rewarding, paint, play board games, watch movies or find virtual field trips but most of all just be there for them as they try to make sense of all this. Sometime even doing nothing but cuddling on the sofa with a book or iPad is exactly what they need. 

This new “norm” is tough so just take it one day at a time and do what you can, the best way that you can for your family and your mental health. 

If you are looking for some ideas and to how to entertain the kiddos, here are some accounts, links to websites, resource pages, groups, organizations, etc. we found too keep them occupied, learning and having fun:

On Instagram:
@theggsisters - virual camp for kids & adults with guests
@masterminds - story time
@scholasticcda - resource link
@indigo - "at home" within their highlight 
@performingdancearts - online virtual dance learning 
@mrsspeechiep - sharing daily activities (speech, play, & fine motor)
@autismsuprmoms - kid’s activities 
@travelswithtots - kid’s activities 
@recvaughan - playschool worksheets
@stem_camp - kid’s activities

On Facebook groups/pages:
Kid Quarantine Resources
Autism Superpowers! 
Parent idea sharing while kids are off school
Scholars Education Centre

Websites and Links:
Learn from Home - Government Program
​COVID-19 Tool kit - Supporting Individuals with Autism through Uncertain Times
Scholastics 
FREE Art Activity Workbook
Have Fun Teaching - Relief Packs
Edhelper.com

Virtual Experiences:
Field Trips
Museums
Canada's Wonderland

If I can leave you with one final thought, at the end of all of this, your mental health and those of your kids will be far more important than their academic skills. So just be there for them. Hug them a little tighter and be that safe place they know they can go to. 
​We are all in this together and if there is ever anything we at Together We Are Better can do for any of you please reach out.
Stay safe and healthy my friends!

If you are running a program or know someone that is please let us know and we will update our list above plus a shout out on our social media platforms.

Be sure to check back real soon for some great printable activities to keep the kids entertained. 

3.21 is World Down Syndrome Day, a day we encourage to raise awareness about Down syndrome to the world.
Join us on March 21, 2020 as we celebrate differences by sporting your wackiest, mismatch socks all day long and by colouring your #LotsOfSocks coloring page in the coolest way!
Make sure to take us on instagram @2getherwerbetter

Printable PDF version click here