How to Support Children’s Dinosaur School Learning

• by Carolyn Webster-Stratton, IY Program Developer

Whether children are returning to school full time with smaller class-sizes, in a hybrid model that combines in-person and remote teaching, or totally on-line, parents will be struggling with decisions regarding how to support their children’s safe learning and education. Every community is different in terms of the risk level for Covid-19 and every family is different in terms of its needs. While it is important you consult with your local health expert recommendations, at the end of the day, it’s your choice. Trust your instincts and give yourself permission to change your mind as new information becomes available. In addition to academic learning, making your child’s social and emotional learning a priority is especially important when young children have been isolated at home for months without peer interactions.

The Dinosaur Social and Emotional Curriculum may be offered by teachers or child group therapists to groups of children (ages 3-8 years) twice a week on-line for 30-60 minutes. During these sessions, children will meet their friends to talk with large life-size puppets and teachers about their feelings, rules for how to stay safe, how to make friends and communicate with others, how to problem solve, how to identify and talk about their feelings with peers, how to feel better when experiencing upset feelings, how to calm down when angry, and how to be a good friend to others.

We recommend that, when possible, parents participate in these sessions with their children. This will enhance their ability to support their child’s emotional and social development during the session and throughout the rest of the day. If parents cannot participate, leaders will be sending regular Dinosaur School notes describing how parents can enhance their child’s emotional and social learning at home.

Please see Carolyn’s Tips for Parents Supporting Young Children’s Online and Offline Dinosaur School Social and Emotional Learning

For more resources for Group Leaders delivering IY programs remotely, please visit our website!