Good to Know

The Discovery Museum in Acton is offering free admission for all visitors through August 23. In addition to the museum’s indoor exhibits, expanded outdoor experiences include the Discovery Treehouse and Discovery Woods nature playscape, Adventure Hill, a trike track, a new da Vinci moveable bridge, lawn games, orienteering and trail route information for the Great Hill Conservation Land, and several new outdoor experiences for all ages. Tickets must be reserved online in advance, and masks are required for visitors 5+. For more, go to discoveryacton.org.

Boston’s WGBH and the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care are offering a free summer learning initiative for Massachusetts families. Featuring games, videos and hands-on activities with beloved PBS Kids characters, Family Fun at Home, is an online bilingual (Spanish/English) resource center to help keep kids ages birth to 8 years-old engaged this summer. Families that complete any four activities per week, including the games and videos are invited to enter a weekly raffle to win gift cards and other prizes through Aug. 31. More than 1,000 gift cards will be distributed to Massachusetts families over the summer. Family Fun at Home is also available as a print guide for those with limited internet access. You can find it all at https://www.wgbh. org/distance-learning-center/fam ily-activities.

The state is planning to work with schools and municipalities to get more people - particularly school-age children - to get a flu shot this fall. Cold and flu season is poised to overlap with ongoing efforts to fight COVID-19. Word of the developing strategy was tucked into a memo that Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Jeff Riley sent to school superintendents detailing safety protocols for reopening schools. “Not only do flu symptoms closely mirror COVID-19 symptoms, but managing both a bad flu season and ongoing presence of COVID-19 could be highly disruptive for our educational institutions and health care system,” Riley wrote.

Face coverings kids will actually want to wear

Face masks are a part of life now for most of us now. As states start reopening and families start venturing out, the Centers for Disease Control recommends anyone over the age of 2 years old wear masks in public settings where it’s difficult to practice social distancing. Face coverings are not recommended for children under the age of 2, due to suffocation risks.

While masks are becoming a fact of life for us, not all kids—especially little ones—are on board with face coverings. Some of them find them scary, some hate how they feel, and some are simply anxious at the thought of having something covering both their mouth and nose. Here are some face masks to help you convince even the most reluctant child to give wearing one a shot. These picks are from our partners at Reviewed.com, who looked for fit, durability, comfort, and—of course—cuteness.

Blue Dog fitted mask Good for ages: 3 and up Protection level: Non-medical grade Type of mask: Elastic ear loops This adorable doggie mask by Billie Blooms x Karolina Kurkova is sure to make any hesitant child a mask-wearing convert. Bonus for buying: For every mask purchased, one mask and the proceeds will be donated to Feeding America. maisonette.com, $20

SpongeBob character masks Good for ages: 5 and up Protection level: Non-medical grade Type of mask: 2-ply polyester with elastic ear loops Landlubbers and sea critters alike will love these breathable yet durable masks featuring all of their favorite friends from Bikini Bottom. Bonus for buying: Nickelodeon will donate 100% of its proceeds from the sale of SpongeBob SquarePants branded face masks to support Save the Children's COVID-19 Global Response. spongebobshop.com, $18.95

Meakeize 2-pack bandana face mask Good for ages: 4 to 12 Protection level: Non-medical grade Type of mask: Neck gaiter Designed to be a perfect pair for siblings, this two pack comes with different, but complementary designs from unicorns and rainbows to dinosaurs to sharks. The gaiter design is great for kids who are uncomfortable with straps or who might have a higher bridge to their nose and have a hard time finding a good fit. These masks should fit kids from ages 4 to 12. amazon.com, $20.99

UncommonGoods Children’s Rainbow Face Coverings Good for ages: 4 to 10 Protection level: Non-medical grade Type of mask: Pleated with elastic ear loops Designed by kids, for kids, and for the greater good. Kids around the world have been painting rainbows and hanging them in their windows to spread cheer through the COVID-19 pandemic. UncommonGoods has taken some of those uplifting drawings to make masks that spread some joy while also doing some good. These pleated masks are made from two layers of tightly woven cotton and each has a little label with a big, positive message, like “lift others up” and “keep smiling.” Bonus for buying: 100% of profits from sales of these designed-by-kids masks go to NYC's public hospitals. uncommongoods.com, $25

Helping young children get used to wearing a face mask

We know that it is difficult to encourage adults to wear masks... let alone children. But, children are surprisingly good at learning new things. Here are tips from Amanda M. Simanek, Ph.D., MPH, associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Zilber School of Public Health on some things you can do to help encourage children to wear a mask:

Let them pick. Have your children pick out masks made from fabric that feature a book, TV, or movie characters they like. Explain why. Have them watch videos on why and how to wear a mask that are aimed toward kids (see an example on the Dear Pandemic Facebook page.) Be consistent. Set consistent rules for when and where masks need to be worn and stick to them.

Be a role model. Model good mask-wearing behavior for your child.

Give kudos. Offer praise and rewards for good mask compliance.

For wherever life takes you. Ups and downs, twists and turns, good times and challenging times. We'll be by your side through it all. Learn more at GetReliant.com.

o

�E�t1��I

Part of OptumCare ®