Social Distancing...

Social/physical distancing, this is something children do not understand and is difficult to explain to a young child. After all, they should be able to hug their friends and hold their hands when on walks, things they have always done.
Sensory bins have always been my go-to with toddlers. I can typically come up with something for the kids to explore and enjoy. With the current COVID 19 crisis I am trying to minimize the use of play dough, beans or any other item that cannot be washed and sanitized. I typically make my own play dough, however, finding flour and salt lately is nearly next to impossible so making play dough for individual children is not an option.
Today, I tried something new for me and my group. We used butcher paper to cover our table. I gave the kids a variety of markers and crayons to decorate our table. The only direction the kids were given was to put the lids back on the markers! They loved this activity and we ended up with some pretty unique artwork. We took turns to keep our distance and to give everyone some space.
These are unprecedented times. Remember, we are all navigating through this new territory together!