We have been open since June 1, 2020. We removed any soft toys that could not be sanitized. If we can throw it in the washing machine and dry it, we kept otherwise we bagged them up for a later time.
We are not asking the children to social distance. Each child has their own play dough and art supplies box. Sensory activities are carefully monitored to insure children wash their hands before and after engaging in the sensory play activity. Staff do wear masks.
During nap all of the cots are separated to prevent cough, sneeze or talking droplets from falling on the staff or other children.
During the time we were closed, the teaching teams prepared home activities for each classroom and shared them with the parents. They also hosted Zoom meetings to talk to the children and parents. One of our teachers did a YouTube channel that featured her reading to the children. All of this was shared with the parents on a daily basis.
What we have observed is play is very similar to before and the children will bring up questions during group times and comment on COVID or anything they have observed or done and have questions about.
We have only 50% of our children attending right now so play is different because there are not as many children to compete with over the equipment. We are currently experiencing a surge in the number of COVID cases in our area, so some families that were planning to return in July have decided to continue to have their children stay home, if they are able to work remotely. We of course have some families that cannot work remotely, but grandmothers from around the globe have been brought in to help out at home
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Christine Webster
Director
Brazosport College Children's Center
Lake Jackson TX
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Original Message:
Sent: 06-30-2020 05:27 PM
From: Heather Ha
Subject: Play in the age of COVID
Hello educators,
As many centers are either reopening, planning on reopening or are reflecting on how they've been operating during Covid I'd like to ask how play has changed in your classrooms.
Some centers made mention of limiting shared toys and having individual spaces for children. What have you noticed from this experience?
If your center is operating fairly "normal", what have you noticed occurring in the play experience? Are children talking about COVID? Do they interact the same way as before?
How have parents been responding to play within the classroom and at home?
How have you used play to honor this "slow down" and experience joy during this uneasy time?
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Heather Ha
PPPIF Facilitator
Program Manager
CHI St. Joseph Children's Health
Lancaster, PA
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