Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, most schools across the country have been forced to close, leaving millions of children at home. With children no longer receiving the same educational and creative stimulation as they did in the classroom, parents are now scrambling to come up with engaging activities.

The American Red Cross has prepared a list of educational and fun activities for children of all ages to learn preparedness skills and help their families respond to disasters effectively.

THE PILLOWCASE PROJECT (8 to 12 years old)

Developed for third-to-fifth-grade students, The Pillowcase Project aims to increase children’s understanding of natural hazards and empower them to prepare for emergencies.

• Download resources like My Preparedness Workbook, posters and activity sheets (available in English and Spanish) for kids to learn about home fire prevention and safety and other emergencies, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes and more.

• Work with children to create a household emergency plan and personal emergency supplies kit.

• If available, encourage children to be creative and decorate a spare pillowcase to hold their own emergency supplies.

PREPARE WITH PEDRO (4 to 8 years old)

A complement to The Pillowcase Project, Prepare with Pedro is designed for younger children. Children can follow Pedro the Penguin as he learns how to be prepared for and take action during home fires or other emergencies through a fun and educational story.

• Download storybooks in English and Spanish for emergencies, including home fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods and tsunamis.

• A disaster preparedness activity book is also available in English and Spanish.

MONSTER GUARD: PREPARE FOR EMERGENCIES APP (7 to 11 years old)

Monster Guard is the first mobile app created by the Red Cross that’s designed specifically for kids to learn how to prepare for emergencies.

• Follow Maya, Chad, Olivia and all the monsters as they teach kids how to prepare for emergencies in a fun and engaging game. Users earn points and medals as they role-play as different monsters to identify household hazards, locate safe spaces and practice protective actions for different natural hazards, such as earthquakes, floods, tornadoes and thunderstorms.

• Download the free app on iOS and Android mobile and tablet devices by searching “Monster Guard” in your app store or texting ‘MONSTER’ to 90999 to receive a link to download.

PREPARE AS A FAMILY (entire household)

While you’re all at home, spend time together preparing for emergencies.

• Create a home fire escape plan and practice it until everyone in your household can escape in less than two minutes — the amount of time that fire experts say you have to escape a burning home before it’s too late. Find more tips and free resources at redcross.org/fire.

• Make your emergency plan. With household members, discuss how to prepare and respond to the types of emergencies that are most likely to happen where you live, learn, work and play. Identify responsibilities for each member of your household and how you will work together as a team. Practice as many elements of your plan as possible.

If you would like a preparedness presentation, please fill out this form and a member of the Cascades Region team will reach out to you.