When we first went back to in-person learning with our 2-5 year olds, there was a lot of concern over how our preschoolers would adjust to wearing masks in school, but as with most things, they certainly surprised us with how easily they were able to adjust to the new normal.
Now, with more methods of protection available to us; vaccines, more knowledge around how the COVID-19 virus spreads and the populations that are most at risk, hand washing, social distancing and evolving treatments for those who do get sick, we are about to adjust to another new normal: mask optional school environments.
And just like last year, we think our children will surprise us with their ability to adjust to and understand what has changed. But, in the spirit of preparation (both for children and their grown-ups), we’ve created something to help with this next transition.
If you or your little one are feeling uncertain or want some additional tools to talk about heading to school or class where you might see some faces with masks and some faces without, please take a look at our Mask Optional Social Stories with your children and answer what questions they have using the simple language we’ve provided.