Quarantining with Youth? We have some ideas for you!

Hey there, BRIDGE Families! JV Here!

I know times are hectic at the very least, if not downright scary. Tensions are running high, with people worried about health, loss of work, and the other very present dangers coming up during this crisis. 

We at BRIDGE want you to know that we are here for you and your family! I, specifically, wanted to do something nice for those with youngsters suddenly stuck at home. So, starting on Monday, at 1:00 pm, I will be reading some of our favorite books on Instagram Live. We will be going through some of our favorites from various writers, including Brad Meltzer, Monica Sheehan, Dawn Casey, Claire Rudolph Murphy, and yours truly!
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If you would like to tune in to that, please click here, and give us a follow. We are @MulticulturalBRIDGEReads on Instagram.

If you’re adjusting to home educational programs, I have some recommendations for things to consider. If you’re looking to help your young people engage in learning activities, check out Kiwico, a company dedicated to making science fun to learn for young people. ​

When I was younger, nothing was more exciting than getting to build things and explore how the world works. I was totally a science kid, and I’m sure some of you parents were too. I also know, and parents can back me up on this part, that one of the most fun times you can have with your kid is helping them put together a cool project. Have fun and turn your home into a mini science fair! Sounds fun, right? Kiwico has a bunch of free projects on their resources page. Click here to check those out.

Also, here's some context for this next recommendation: At our summer program, Happiness Toolbox, we focus on our character strengths. If you want to figure out what your character strengths are, click here to visit the VIA Character Institute Strength Survey. ​

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A game I’ve played with a lot of my classes is called “Tower”. The instructions couldn’t be more simple. Just gather a bunch of plastic cups (for a team/family of 2-6 people, I’d recommend 100-250 plastic cups) and work together to build the best tower you can. This game is deceptively fun for everybody from age 5 to 75, maybe even 105! This activity encourages teamwork and communication, helps develop problem-solving skills, exercises your child’s spatial awareness and planning skill, and most importantly, helps your child build up their resilience skills in a very low stakes way. This is my favorite activity to play with any group because it’s a wonderful icebreaker activity. This is really popular with ages 8.5 to 12, but if you have a teenager at home, you can make it more complicated by adding different challenges or even setting a time limit. It’s highly adaptable, and once you start, you’ll be amazed at how quickly time flies.

If you’re looking for more things for your youngsters to engage with, might I recommend Audible? Audible has a plethora of FREE audiobooks for kids, tweens, and teens! Click here to see some of what they offer. I personally love Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland for ages 7 to 12. And a special tip for high school students, who may have been asked to read some of the classic literature, having it read to you might make it easier to absorb. My all-time favorites (for teenagers) are Pride and Prejudice and Frankenstein.

That’s all for me today! Stay safe out there, and remember to wash your hands. We will be alright, and we will get through this. Try to stay positive, and don’t forget to find things that make you smile.
I will talk to you all again soon! 
Best wishes,
JV Hampton-VanSant

PS: Stay tuned! I'll be back with more activities and games soon. Stay safe out there!!~

PPS: Parents, here is an uplifting video: on Character Strengths.