Walton Family Foundation
A suite of resources to support young children, families, and educators.
In the fall of 2020, the transition to back to school was made even more difficult because of new policies, such as wearing masks, and maintaining distance from peers and staff.
Many children and educators would embark on a year of virtual learning. So much was still unknown. Together with Walton Family Foundation, Sesame Workshop created a suite of resources to support young children, families, and educators with the social-emotional skills they’d need to stay positive and resilient in this time of transition.
New animations, articles for grown-ups, printable activities, social media assets, and webinars for providers focus on core resilience skills, such as flexible thinking, self-control, confidence, persistence, and staying positive. The animations and activities are available in English and Spanish, and are part of Sesame Workshop’s Caring for Each Other initiative, which was created in response to the uncertainty facing families during the COVID-19 pandemic and has reached families in over 90 countries and nearly 40 languages.
New Friendships
Children need the support of the adults in their lives to help ease them back into familiar routines.
A Trip to the Park
Julia and her mom try to go to the park.
People Who Care for Me
In this video Karli is making a craft project that celebrate everyone that’s helped her through tough times.
Building Self-Confidence
Self-confidence is the steppingstone to mastering new things; by believing in themselves, children will find it easier to believe in their ability to succeed.
Staying Positive
Focusing on the positive helps make negative moments seem more manageable.
New Friendships: We’ve Been Waiting
A year is a long time in a child’s life. Children need the support of the adults in their lives to help ease them back into familiar routines—and into friendships that have been restricted over the past year.
Friends: Old, New, and Kind of Oldish-Newish
A year is a long time in a child’s life. Children need the support of the adults in their lives to help ease them back into familiar routines—and into friendships that have been restricted over the past year.
A Change of Plans
A printable to help kids adjust to change of plans.
We Are Flexible
Flexible thinking helps children adapt to changes and reframe challenges as opportunities.
Whole Body Listening
In this video, Elmo and his classmates are having trouble concentrating because they have the wiggles!
Using My Senses
Do this activity together with children and remind them that this is a strategy they can use anytime they need to calm down.
We Have Self Control
An article that offers strategies to help your child regulate their actions and thoughts.
Exercising Your Gratitude Muscle
Easy strategies that help children focus on reasons to be grateful can really help them get through challenging times.
Gratitude
Abby’s mom helps her use her senses to remember the things she’s thankful for.
A Gratitude Scavenger Hunt
A fun and easy game that reminds kids (and grown-ups!) that there are lots of things to be thankful for.
A Caring Person
There are people that care about you in your life.
Caring and Being Cared For
In tough times—and in all times—there are people who can help us handle big feelings, by talking with us, by listening to us, and by caring.
Building Confidence with Elmo and Louie
Self-confidence is the steppingstone to mastering new things; by believing in themselves, children will find it easier to believe in their ability to succeed.
I Can Calendar
Self-confidence is the steppingstone to mastering new things; by believing in themselves, children will find it easier to believe in their ability to succeed.
Smiles and Frowns
Focusing on the positive helps make negative moments seem more manageable.
Sharing Smiles and Frowns
Focusing on the positive helps make negative moments seem more manageable.
