Parents: Your Guide to Childcare During Coronavirus (COVID-19)

While there continues to be uncertainty around COVID-19, the good news is that there is a lot we do now know and a lot of resources now in place to help parents navigate the pandemic. Here's a brief guide to child care during COVID-19 from how to assess the safety to what to do if you find yourself temporarily without care.

Is daycare and preschool safe? This is the big question on everyone's mind right now. Data from Winnie and others show that while COVID-19 can spread in a daycare and preschool setting, child care can also be performed relatively safely. One big factor that impacts the risk equation is what COVID-19 precautions the child care provider is taking. You can look up a provider's COVID-19 Health & Safety measures on their Winnie page. Importantly, maintaining small consistent groups of children and staff, as well as masking, can greatly reduce the risk.

How to find care

Many providers are open and operating throughout the pandemic. In fact, even as schools close or remain virtual across the country, child care providers are open and available to take children of all ages.

• If you are looking for daycare, head over to winnie.com/daycare 
• If you're looking for preschool and early education, now is the time to start understanding your options and applying at winnie.com/preschool
• For care and distance learning support for elementary age kids, check out winnie.com/school-care
• If you need immediate, emergency care, check out winnie.com/emergency-childcare

At-home activities and online resources

Finding yourself temporarily without care? Need to work from home with the kids? Children as young as 12 months old can learn to play independently for periods of time. Open-ended toys like duplos/legos, play kitchens, and crafts where children can be creative and explore are better to encourage this sort of play than a puzzle or something your child will quickly master.

There are also some great websites, apps and technology based resources available for younger children that you may find useful to occupy part of your day or help you or a caregiver find at-home activities to do with your child indoors or around the house. A few of our favorites include:

• Promise Venture Studio website - focused on families with young children, intended as a curated space for resources, tools, and guidance.
• Tinkergarten At Home - Free weekly activities and live online class designed for early learners in English and Spanish.
• Kinedu - app with educational and fun activities you can do with your child at home for ages 0-4.
• HOMER - reading app with programs to teach children as young as two reading fundamentals
• Osmo Little Genius Starter Kit - transforms a tablet into a hands-on learning experience
• Khan Kids - free app with original content, interactive activities, and educational content
• ABCmouse.com Early Learning Academy - subscription based online curriculum with topics like reading, math, and science
• Fruit Punch Music - free kids music streaming app designed for toddlers and preschoolers 
• Kids Listen - audio stories and podcasts for kids grouped by age
• The Instagram account Busy Toddler and this blog post from Days with Grey with 50+ at-home activities

Tap into the parent and provider community on Winnie

Winnie is a great place to share how your family is coping, ask questions of other parents and child care providers, and stay up-to-date.

💡Ask questions and share useful tips and resources in our Coronavirus topic on Winnie.