Although we’re all social distancing physically, as humans we need to stay connected emotionally. Try one or two of these out every day. Scroll through and also find educational resources to keep your students at home engaged in learning.

For All Ages

Connecting with Others

• Call or Facetime a friend or relative you haven’t spoken to in a while to check in.
• Write a letter.
• Support a local restaurant - Many restaurants are still open for take out or delivery orders. Support your favorite joints and order food for pick up or try out Doordash or Ubereats and have it brought to you. 
  • Here is a partial list of local restaurants that are open from the Register Pajaronian 
  • Another list from Visit Santa Cruz that includes restaurants and retailers across the county that are open. Please email Visit Santa Cruz to add your business to the list.
• Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep. Make time to unwind.
• Connect with others. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling.
• Talking to Kids about COVID-19 - Resource from the National Association of School Psychologists.

Volunteering and Donations

• Volunteer -  There are many opportunities to volunteer to help those in our community.  The Second Harvest Food Bank is in need of extra help during this period of high demand. Sign-up for a shift on the food bank’s website.
• Donation - Community Foundation Santa Cruz County has established a fund to raise money for public health and to support vulnerable residents. Donations are encouraged at https://www.cfscc.org/donate/COVID.

Working and Teaching your Kids from Home

• Tips for Working from Home - Advice from PC Magazine for those who are able to work from home.
• Learning Activity Ideas for Parents - PVUSD’s guide for accessing Google Classroom and learning activity ideas for all grades.
• A Better Way to Homeschool - A quick start resource to help families pull together a plan for surviving the next 1-2 months at home with their kids, but it can also be a time of slowing down and enjoying kids as they learn. Preschool through 8th grade.
• Project Cornerstone Virtual Book Club - Includes a lesson plan, activities, and teaching materials for grades K through 6th grade.
• Project Cornerstone Youth Educational Resources - Plenty of resources for Preschool through 12th grade with a wide range of school subjects.

STEM and other Educational Resources

• Scholastic Learn at Home
• PVUSD’s Library Resources
• Santa Cruz County of Education Community Resources
• MARCH 27 UPDATE from Santa Cruz County of Education
• First 5 California - Learning, activity, and health resources for babies to preschool aged children.
• Bed Time Math - Math as a fun part of your daily family routine 
• ECB - Games to get "into the book" 
• Conjuguemos - Vocabulary, grammar, listening activities and games in Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Korean, and Latin. 
• Instructables - 3D printing projects and Coding projects, involving math and other K-12 subjects 
• Science Spot - Science projects that can be completed with or without Internet access 
• The Happy Scientist - Just explore, have fun, and learn some science along the way. 
• Climate Kids - This NASA initiative covers a wide range of topics including weather, climate, atmosphere, water, energy, plants, and animals. 
• PBS Learning- PreK-12 digital media service with more than 30,000 learning materials 
• Quizlet - For students to practice and master whatever they are learning.
• Brainscape - Offers over a million flashcard decks for every subject, entrance exam, and certification imaginable. 
• Banzai - Exposes students to real-world financial dilemmas to teach them the importance of smart money management. 
• 30 Educational Netflix Shows - List of educational shows on Netflix for all ages.

For the Kids (or kids at heart)

Connecting with Others

• Hold a virtual play date through Facetime.
• Teach a young person how to write and send a letter.
• Overcoming Obstacles - Life skills curriculum for students in grades K-12. Their resources include strategies for teaching social and emotional skills.

Nature and Virtual Travel

• Google Earth - Take a Virtual Vacation or explore the world! Use Street View to see places like you’re actually there.
• Monterey Bay Aquarium - Head to the Aquarium through their live stream.
• Virtual Museum Tours -  Visit museums around the world through their virtual tours. 
• Virtual Field Trips - Take a trip to a number of museums, zoos, aquariums and landmarks around the world.
• San Diego Zoo - Check out their live animal cams and videos.
• The Environmental Nature Center - Educational videos geared towards school-aged children.
• Aquarium of the Pacific - A collection of webinars, live-cam footage and classes for all ages.
• Nat Geo Kids - Learn about geography and animals from National Geographic.
• Gardening - Guide to gardening for kids 
• Smithsonian Zoos and Museums - No need to travel to one of the Smithsonian’s zoos or museums — this website brings your child everything from live video of the National Zoo to the Smithsonian Learning Lab right to your screen. 
• Virtual Disney Rides - Virtually ’ride’ Disney Attractions!