CORONAVIRUS
To Help Our Keiki Understand Why Life Changed
Presented by: Vibrant Hawai'i
A L I T T L E B O O K A B O U T
He missed his friends. He missed his teacher.
He even missed school lunch.
Sam had been looking forward to Spring Break and
being able to stay up late, sleep in, and play all
day. But Sam didn't know Spring Break was going to
be so long.
It was fun for a week but now Sam wanted to go
back to school.
Stay home, stay home, stay home!
All I do is stay at home!
Sam was angry, bored, and a little
bit sad. He never thought he would
miss school, but he did.
Why can’t I go to school?” Sam
asked. “And why can’t I go to
Grandma’s house? Or Aunty Mary’s
house?”
Mama picked him up and put him
on her lap.
Mama shook her head. “No, Sam. That’s not it.
Coronavirus is a very tiny bug that you can only
see with a microscope. ‘Virus’ is a special name
for certain bugs that are so tiny you cannot see
them.
Coronavirus can live anywhere
for a few days – and when you
touch it, it sticks to your hands
and waits for you to rub your
eyes or put your fingers in your
mouth because it wants to get
into your body where it’s warm.
In fact, it’s favorite place to live
is in your lungs. And if that
happens, you get sick.”
Sam,” she said, “do you know about the
Coronavirus?”
Sam’s eyes got big. “Oh yes. That’s
what the evil Dr. X created in his lab
and launched into the sky with a giant
rocket and it made the clouds green
and when it rained everyone got sick
and turned into zombies.”
“No Sam. Most people who get the Coronavirus
bug in their lungs will have a fever and feel sick
and cough and eventually get better. But some
people, especially older people, get so sick from
the Coronavirus they need a special machine
called a ventilator to help their lungs breathe.”
“You mean old people like Grandma?” Sam
asked.
“Yes. Old people like Grandma. That’s why we
can’t visit her. The Coronavirus might be stuck to
our hands, or our slippers, or even our clothes –
and we don’t want to take it to her house.”
“Yeah, Grandma hates bugs. We better not take
any to her house. Even tiny, microscopic ones.”
“Oh. Like when the boy
got bit by a radioactive
spider and he got really
sick but then he could
shoot webs out of his
arms and fight the bad
guys?”
“Yes, I know. But the shot you had in school was
called the flu vaccine. A vaccine is something that
helps your body fight bugs, and the flu is also a
kind of bug that can make you sick. The flu
vaccine keeps you from getting sick from the flu
bug. It doesn’t work for Coronavirus. And we
don’t know when they will make a vaccine for the
new Coronavirus bug.”
“Mama, I don’t want to get sick. I don’t want you
to get sick. Or my friends, or my teacher, or Aunty
Mary, too.”
“But Mama,” Sam
wondered, “You told me
if I was brave and took
my shot at school that I
wouldn’t get sick.”
“Well, you don’t have to worry too much and you
can help keep everyone healthy by following
three simple rules:”
2. Wash your hands with soap for at least 20
seconds.
3. Keep your hands away from your eyes and
mouth.
1. Quarantine - that is a big word
that means stay at home.
Sometimes people use the word
isolate, too.
Sam knew he had to follow the rules so that no
one would get sick, but he was still bored and he
still missed his friends.
“I hate Coronavirus. Everything is different now
and I hate it.”
Sam’s mom grabbed a paper and a pen. She
drew a line down the middle of the paper. On one
side of the line she wrote, “Things that are
different.” On the other side she wrote, “Things
that are the same.”
"Things that are different,” Sam said.
“I don’t play with my friends. I don’t drink milk
from a little carton at lunchtime. People walk
around wearing masks. I have to wash my hands
all the time.”
Then Sam smiled and said, “I also get to eat
saimin for lunch sometimes and stay up a little
late even if it’s not the weekend.”
Sam liked being able to stay up a little late.
“Okay. Now, what are the things that are the
same?”
Sam thought. “I still have to brush my teeth after
breakfast. I still change out of my jammies and
make my bed. I still have to do my reading log. I
still get to play outside before lunch and I still
take a nap after lunch. And I still need three hugs
and two nuzzles and one butterfly kiss before
bed.”
Things That Are
Different
Things That Are
The Same
Brush my teeth after
breakfast.
Change out of my jammies
and make my bed.
Do my reading log.
Play outside before lunch.
Take a nap after lunch.
3 hugs, 2 nuzzles, and 1
butterfly kiss before bed.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
I don't play with my
friends.
I don't drink milk from
a little carton at
lunchtime.
People walk around
wearing masks.
I have to wash my
hands all the time.
I eat saimin for lunch.
I can stay up late
sometimes.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Sam liked being able to see what was different and
what was the same. He liked knowing that he could
talk to Mama when he felt angry or bored or a little
bit sad. He liked knowing why there was no school
and how he could help everyone stay healthy.
“Mama, can you help me write one more list?” Sam
said.
“Sure,” Mama replied.
WHAT TO DO WHEN I AM BORED
1. Look at old pictures on the phone and tell stories
about when I was a baby.
2. Cook and clean up together.
3. Make a blanket fort and fill it with pillows and
my favorite books when I need a quiet space alone.
4. Call Grandma on the video chat.
5. Write a letter to Aunty Mary.
6. Have a paper airplane contest.
7. Make a vision board filled with pictures of things
we would like to do after quarantine.
8. Play hop scotch using blue painters tape on the
floor.
9. Make a house of cards.
10. Ask Siri what kids do for fun.
Sam and Mama both laughed.
ACTIVITY IDEAS
Draw Sam's face. How does he feel?
Draw your face. How do you feel?
What does Sam miss about school?
What do you miss about school?
Do you know what the Coronavirus bug looks
like? Draw it here.
The Coronavirus lives on things we touch. What
are the things you touch every day?
Make your own list of things that are different,
and things that are the same.
What ideas can you add to Sam's list of things to
do when you are bored?
A NOTE FOR MAMA
Dear Mama,
I bet there are days when you feel angry, bored, and a little bit sad
too. Quarantine is hard for littles, and just as hard for you. Do what
you can and reach out for help when you need to. I know you are
doing your very best – and still, some days are just rough. Here are
some tips to help get you through.
1. Create a family contract. Have a discussion about the biggest
challenges and how each family member can help out or make it
better.
2. Be truthful. Have conversations for facts and feelings.
3. Set up structure. Create a daily schedule and hang it on the
fridge.
4. Keep moving. Kids can feel frustrated and bored without physical
activity. Even small exercises like jumping jacks, burpees, or walking
like a duck around the house can help.
5. Give each other space. Create little zones like a game zone and a
chill-out corner.
6. Stay in touch. Use technology to remain connected to others.
7. If you ever need someone to talk to, no shame! The TALK Line
(415-441-KIDS) is a crisis and counseling line for parents that is
answered by a live person 24 hours a day, every day. You can also
access local resources at 1-800-753-6879 or text ALOHA to 741741.
