Coronavirus Teaching Tools for Parents: ​St. Jude Child & Family Experts Release Tools to Help Kids Better Understand COVID-19 by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Using their years of expertise helping families and children discuss difficult illnesses and diagnoses, psychologists and child life specialists at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have developed a suite of tools available in multiple languages (currently in English, Spanish, French and Arabic) for parents and caregivers to help children better understand the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“During challenging times, it’s natural to want to protect our children from anything unpleasant, but kids are incredibly observant,” says Dr. Valerie Crabtree, Chief of Psychosocial Services at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “Even if it looks like they are not paying attention, they watch their parents and other family members and adults to figure out what is going on. The COVID-19 tools we have developed are resources for every family, regardless if they are St. Jude families or not. We saw a need in our community and wanted to do our part to help parents and families have the tools they need at this difficult time to have honest, developmentally-appropriate conversations with each other about what our country and world are experiencing."

The suite of coronavirus-related tools include the Learn About the Coronavirus Coloring Book developed for children ages 5 to 9 (currently being translated into nine additional languages), as well as the Learn About the Coronavirus Activity Book geared more toward tweens ages 10 to 13 more or less. Additionally, the St. Jude Together website has an entire set of resources for parents including information developed by the St. Jude experts on “how to talk to your children about coronavirus and COVID-19” to tips and frequently asked questions children may ask about the virus.

The St. Jude psychosocial team has long developed illustrated brochures, activity books and comic book-like resources for patients and families to better understand and talk about difficult diagnoses, such as pediatric cancer.

Here are all of the St. Jude coronavirus resources, which are free and easily downloadable for the general public to utilize during this global health pandemic.

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