We are committed to ensuring that our communities have access to the most accurate and up-to-date information and resources to keep them safe, healthy, educated, and connected through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Public and private partners across Georgia—including the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE), Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL), and Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB)—have contributed to these resources. We also link to the most up-to-date guidance from the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and trusted news outlets from across the state.
State of Georgia COVID-19 hotline: 844-442-2681
Find a COVID-19 Vaccination Site—DPH
DPH has a tool to help Georgians find providers where the COVID-19 vaccine is in stock. There’s also a separate list of providers—the Vaccine Orders List—places expecting vaccine shipments but that may be making appointments, too.
COVID-19 vaccines are open for everyone 6 months and older and boosters are open for everyone 5 years and older. Pfizer is the only COVID vaccine currently authorized for children aged 6 months through 15, and approved for 16 and 17-year-olds. For more information about COVID-19 vaccine for children, visit the CDC’s 6 Things to Know about COVID-19 Vaccination for Children.
Click on Your County for a Link to COVID-19 Vaccine Info—GPB
There are 18 regional health departments for all 159 counties in Georgia. Hover over your county on the map to find a link to your regional health department’s COVID-19 vaccination page.
Children and COVID-19—CDC
Tips to keep children healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 Resources—DPH
DPH is closely monitoring an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by coronavirus and regularly coordinates with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
COVID-19 Resources—CDC
The CDC provides a framework for actions that local and state health departments can recommend to mitigate community transmission of COVID-19.
COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions—CDC
The CDC responds to questions about how to protect yourself, symptoms and testing, health care professionals and departments, community spread, and others.
COVID-19 Information—Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities
The Georgia COVID-19 Emotional Support Line (866-399-8938) provides 24/7 free and confidential assistance to callers needing emotional support or resource information as a result of the pandemic. This page also includes webinars, guidance, and special bulletins from the department.
Cultivating Our Best Selves in Response to COVID-19
The Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing offers this free talk based on the Community Resiliency Model, which trains community members to not only help themselves but to help others within their wider social network. The primary focus of this skills-based, stabilization program is to reset the natural balance of the nervous system.
Free COVID-19 Tests from USPS
Every home in the U.S. is eligible to order two sets of four free at-home tests. If you already ordered your first set, order a second today.
Free Your Feels
Free Your Feels is a mental health awareness campaign encouraging Georgia’s young people to explore their real feelings and share them fearlessly. Call, text, or communicate through the MyGCAL app. Help is available for problems with developmental disabilities, mental health, drugs, and alcohol.
Georgia Crisis and Access Line (GCAL)
For immediate access to routine or crisis services, please call the GCAL access line at 1-800-715-4225. Help is available 24/7 for problems with developmental disabilities, mental health, drugs, or alcohol.
Georgia Safety Promise
This statewide campaign from the Governor’s Office and the Georgia Department of Health encourages businesses and the public to agree to simple, but critical, measures that will keep Georgians safe from COVID-19, minimize spread of the virus, and keep Georgia open for business. Need PPE and sanitizing products for your workplace or home? The Georgia Suppliers Interactive List & Map includes companies around the state that can help you keep the Georgia Safety Promise.
A Guide to COVID-19 and Early Childhood Development
The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University has gathered resources and recommendations to help families, caregivers, child care providers, pediatricians, and others to support child development during the pandemic. The guide includes podcasts on early brain development, infographics, research, and easy-to-share tips.
Healthy Coping Strategies for Kids
The pandemic has increased everyone’s stress levels, including kids and teens. Now, more than ever, we need to practice healthy strategies for managing feelings and coping with stress. Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta presents ways to successfully teach healthy coping skills.
Let’s Talk About Prevention: Online Learning Series
With in-person conferences being canceled or postponed due to the pandemic, the Monique Burr Foundation for Children is helping youth-serving organization staff continue professional development with this series of nine one-hour webinars related to child abuse, bullying, exploitation, and other types of victimization.
Mental Health Series for College Students
Going to school, juggling mental health situations, and staying healthy is a tough balance to maintain for college students. The team at BestColleges.com offers facts about the COVID-19 crisis, how to cope, a student’s guide to managing stress, college planning tips, and information about how coronavirus is affecting students.
National Alliance on Mental Illness—Georgia
NAMI provides tips for families and communities on social distancing, quarantine, and isolation during an infectious disease outbreak. NAMI also shares resources for teens and young adults, including managing mental health in college and how to help a friend.
Navigating COVID-19: Resources for Pregnant and Postpartum Families
This toolkit created in April 2020 by Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia provides guidance on how families can prepare for delivery, postpartum and infant health, and how to apply for public benefits.
Tips for Families Amidst Coronavirus
Zero to Three has compiled resources with tips for families, including age-appropriate responses to common questions, a guide to self-care, Sesame Street digital resources, and activities for young children experiencing social distancing.
Parent Voice
The Children’s Trust Fund Alliance adds resources each week to help families stay strong during this pandemic. Past topics include concrete support in times of need, parental resilience, knowledge of parenting and child development, and social and emotional competence of children.
Ready Georgia
This statewide campaign supported by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency/Homeland Security is aimed at motivating Georgians to take action to prepare for a disaster. Ready Georgia provides further guidance on the three most important steps you can take to protect you and those in your care.
Resources for Supporting Children’s Emotional Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Check out guidance, recommendations, and resources provided by child trauma experts at Child Trends and the Child Trauma Training Center at the University of Massachusetts—including a video that outlines 10 ways caregivers can support children’s mental health and emotional well-being during stressful times.
SEL Resources for Parents, Educators, and School Communities Related to COVID-19
Inside SEL (Social & Emotional Learning) offers tips for parents, educators, and school leaders to prioritize children’s social and emotional development at home. Categories include adult self-care tips; diversity, equity, and inclusion; parenting resources; and resources for school communities.
CDC Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K – 12 Schools
The CDC recently updated its safety guidance for K–12 schools amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
COVID-19 Guidance for Georgia Child Care Facilities
Check out the latest COVID-19 guidance for licensed child care programs from Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning and Georgia Department of Public Health, last updated on Jan. 26, 2022.
COVID-19 Resources and Updates for Afterschool Professionals
As COVID-19 has temporarily changed the landscape of afterschool across the country, programs across Georgia are rising to the challenge to continue to provide meaningful engagement and services for young people and their families. Here you will find virtual professional development opportunities, avenues for virtually engaging with youth, resources to pass along to parents and families with youth at home, policy updates, funding information, and self-care strategies.
Getting Ready Guides and Videos for Grades K – 5
GPB, in partnership with GaDOE, is offering “Getting Ready” guides and videos to help parents of young learners in grades K – 5 keep the learning going over the summer and explore skills that will prepare a student for the school year ahead. These resources are now available in English and Spanish.
A Guide to COVID-19 and Early Childhood Development
The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University has gathered resources and recommendations to help families, caregivers, child care providers, pediatricians, and others to support child development during the pandemic. The guide includes podcasts on early brain development, infographics, research, and easy-to-share tips.
Reopening Youth Organizations During COVID-19
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is providing guidance and resources focused on getting kids back to being kids, safely. This guidance is not meant to replace guidance from local and state offices on when to open, but rather to provide additional support and insight.
Roadmap to Reading
To ensure that K – 3 educators have the tools and information they need to meet, reach, and teach every child, the Rollins Center for Language and Literacy at the Atlanta Speech School has released Roadmap to Reading, a dynamic, relationship-based online program designed to help teachers construct each child’s deep reading brain during the school year.
Stimulus Funds Toolkit
Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network developed and continues to update this webpage as a toolkit to support all Georgia youth development providers in advocating for funded partnerships with their local school districts.
Student Attendance Success Plan
This plan from Attendance Works is designed to help parents track their children’s attendance and work with teachers to set appropriate goals. Educators should consider distributing this plan to families. The facilitator’s guide provides tips on how the plan can be used.
Supporting Onsite Learning for Virtual Education (SOLVE) Program
Georgia’s SOLVE Program provides financial assistance for families with students enrolled in a Georgia public school system that is offering a virtual-only learning model. Eligible families of children ages 5-12 will receive scholarships to help pay for on-site support and supervision of children engaged in virtual instruction during the school day while parents work.
Food Finder
Food Finder is a mobile app and website created by a Georgia high school graduate that helps students and families find free food assistance programs quickly.
Georgia Rental Assistance Program
The Georgia Rental Assistance Program has nearly $1 billion in funding to provide financial relief to landlords and tenants who fell behind on rental and utility payments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Program funding will be paid directly to landlords and utility providers, and eligible applicants can receive up to 18 months of payment relief. To be eligible, individuals must qualify for unemployment or have experienced a financial hardship during COVID-19; demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability; and have a household income at or below 80% of the area median income.
GaDOE School Meals Information
GaDOE has received approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for alternate meal service flexibility in the case of extended closures. This will allow schools to serve students meals through USDA-approved meal service options, at approved sites within the community.
Georgia Gateway
Use the web portal to apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), TANF, Medicaid, PeachCare, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and CAPS for child care. The site outlines links to all benefit providers websites, but applications or renewals can be initiated by scrolling down.
Go to connectebt.com for Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) or call 888-421-3281 for updates.
You can also contact the DFCS Customer Contact Center at 877-423-4746 for additional information or to request a paper application. Find your county office.
Local Food Banks—Georgia Food Bank Association
Your community is served by one of Georgia’s eight Feeding America affiliate Food Banks. Find yours here to donate or get help.
Mortgage Assistance
Homeowners with federally backed mortgages are protected from foreclosure or can reduce their mortgage payments until September 30, 2021. Most homeowners can temporarily pause or reduce their mortgage payments if they’re struggling financially. Learn more about COVID-19 mortgage relief options.
Small Business Guidelines
The Georgia Department of Economic Development provides answers to questions regarding how Gov. Kemp’s new Executive Order addressing COVID-19 affects Georgia’s small businesses.
Small Business Response and Recovery Resources
The UGA Small Business Development Center offices across the state are open and available to assist small businesses impacted by current circumstances. Virtual consulting and online resources are available.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
SNAP is a federally funded program that provides monthly benefits to low-income households to help pay for the cost of food. It can help stretch your grocery budget and also provide your kids with the nutrition they need to learn and excel at school. Not sure if you’re eligible for SNAP? Text “Food” to 74544 to see if you qualify, or visit mRelief.com to take a brief screening survey.
Supporting Onsite Learning for Virtual Education (SOLVE) Program
Georgia’s SOLVE Program provides financial assistance for families with students enrolled in a Georgia public school system that is offering a virtual-only learning model. Eligible families of children ages 5-12 will receive scholarships to help pay for on-site support and supervision of children engaged in virtual instruction during the school day while parents work.
Unemployment Assistance
The Georgia Department of Labor is providing online access to unemployment services, partial claim access for employers, and resources for other reemployment assistance. Find your local career center.
Utility Assistance
Families hit hardest by the pandemic may receive aid through Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), a federally-funded program designed to assist low-income, elderly, and disabled Georgians with energy costs through direct payments made directly to home energy suppliers. The LIHEAP CARES program is open to eligible families, who are permitted to apply for a benefit of $350 or $400 depending on the household income. Eligible elderly program participants (60 years of age and older) can expect to receive the maximum benefit of $400.
The Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) is a federally funded program created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that helps households pay for drinking water and wastewater for their homes. This program helps eligible customers experiencing a water burden pay their home water bill. All households have been eligible to receive LIHWAP assistance since Feb. 1, 2022.
USDA Food and Nutrition Service’s Response to COVID-19
USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) provides options and flexibilities to feed children during the COVID-19 outbreak, including issuing 21 nationwide waivers for child nutrition programs to allow for innovative methods of meal service and distribution during this pandemic and launching the Meals 4 Kids site finder in both English and Spanish to help families find free meals for kids. USDA’s Meals to You initiative now serves nearly five million meals per week to rural children impacted by COVID-19-related school closures—five times its original goal.
WIC
The Georgia WIC team continues to streamline processes, explore flexible options and request waivers of USDA FNS necessary to expedite and facilitate WIC services in light of the pandemic. Approval for a waiver of physical presence has been granted along with the ability to issue benefits remotely. Other waiver requests are continuously being submitted. Although Georgia WIC has received several waivers from USDA, planning of processes and policies to implement the usage of these waivers must be completed. WIC Clinics and authorized WIC vendors (grocery stores) will be notified once this has been completed and the waivers can be implemented. Find your nearest WIC clinic.
Staying Connected
Comcast—Staying Connected During Coronavirus
Due to the launch of the Affordable Connectivity Program on December 30, 2021, Comcast is sunsetting the two-free months promotion as of that date. After that date, new Internet Essentials customers can obtain free Internet service only by enrolling in the Affordable Connectivity Program.
GaDOE Georgia Insights
This website features GaDOE’s entire range of COVID-19 responses in one location. Parents, students, and educators can find information on distance learning, closures, graduation, testing, meals, and special education.
Georgia Broadband COVID-19 Update
Because of the shift to telehealth with “virtual visits,” teleworking, and remote continuity of learning, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs has launched this webpage to help Georgians find high-speed Internet. Check out the public Wi-Fi access map.
Digital Learning Resources
Brain Pop
This group of websites has 1,000+ short animated movies K-12. It includes quizzes and more, covering science, social studies, English, math, engineering and technology, health, and arts and music.
- BrainPOP Jr. (K-3): Designed to support critical thinking skills and encourage children to ask questions and make connections. Targeted kids ages 5 – 9.
- BrainPOP ELL: English language instruction for K –12 English language learners.
Bright By Text
Bright by Text is a free service that provides activities, games, and resources right to your smartphone. Messages are targeted to your child’s age and include information on child development, language and early literacy, health and safety, behavioral tips, and more. Message and data rates may apply. To get started, text GPB to 274448 or fill out this form. Subscribers can receive texts in English or Spanish.
CAMP PBS KIDS
Go on summer learning adventures with PBS KIDS. Get tips and activities to make this summer a season full of creativity, exploration, and fun for the whole family. Explore different topics such as space, world cultures, reading, fun in the outdoors, and cooking with math with your favorite PBS KIDS characters.
Camp Wonderopolis
This free online summer learning destination is full of fun, interactive STEM and literacy building topics boosted by Maker experiments. Keeping kids and their families learning together throughout the summer and out-of-school time, Camp Wonderopolis can help build vocabulary, background knowledge in science, reading comprehension, critical thinking, and other literacy skills along the way.
Capstone
This publisher’s mission is to help children develop a love of reading and learning, no matter their ability level. Capstone is offering free trials for the following tools to all preschool and elementary school students from May 3 through Aug. 30.
- PebbleGo: This K – 2 database is specifically designed to teach growing learners technology and literacy skills early in their school career. It’s also great for preschoolers.
- PebbleGo Next: This is the next step in research, providing students in grades 3 – 5 with more content and tools to meet their curriculum needs.
- Capstone Interactive eBooks: Over 5,000 titles will capture the imagination and curiosity of any reader.
Child Health and Wellness
Engage these available resources from DECAL to reinforce child health and wellness this summer. Here you’ll find nutrition education activities like “It’s Taste Test Time!” and “Food Education Scavenger Hunt” along with resources about child care nutrition, Child and Adult Care Food Program, Strong4Life Parent, breastfeeding, food allergies, and more.
Children’s Museum of Atlanta—CMA at Home
The museum offers fun and educational content for families and children of all ages through #CMAatHome. Children can enjoy storytime, music and movement, and draw-along activities. Families can also learn words in Italian, German, and Japanese during online cooking lessons. Content includes instructions, vocabulary, and helpful videos.
Cox Campus
Cox Campus offers free, online courses for early childhood educators, families, leaders, and community members. Nuestro tema: Los amigos is a new free learning experience focused on helping Latino parents during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond.
Farm to Child Nutrition Programs
Summer meals programs capitalize on the many opportunities that summer brings to serve fresh, local foods and hands-on activities that help children develop healthy habits. Learn more with these resources from DECAL including a virtual farm field trip, children’s seed planting activity, and much more.
Freckle
This free online learning platform helps students in grades K – 10 practice math and ELA at their own level.
Georgia Home Classroom
Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB), in partnership with GaDOE, is offering broadcast programming and accompanying digital resources that adhere to Georgia’s state standards to provide continued at-home learning. Students in Pre-K through 12th grade can access free, educational PBS daytime programming designated for each grade level weekdays on GPB-TV. The broadcast schedule includes trusted, educational programming. Additional GPB and PBS programs are also available to stream on gpb.org or the free PBS Video App and PBS KIDS Apps. In addition to the broadcast schedule, Georgia students and educators can also access an online library of free educational resources from GPB Education, PBS LearningMedia, and Discovery Education, including videos, activities, and associated lesson plans for teachers, that align with Georgia standards.
GPB, in partnership with GaDOE, also offers Getting Ready Guides and Videos for Grades K – 5 to help parents of young learners in grades K – 5 keep the learning going over the summer and explore skills that will prepare a student for the school year ahead. These resources are now available in English and Spanish.
K-12 remote learning plans have also been added to Georgia Home Classroom. These high quality, GSE-based plans are specifically designed for distance learning.
Girlstart STEM at Home
Here you will find engaging activities, engineering challenges, Starry Nights at Home, and other STEM experiences that you can do at home with the whole family.
Georgia Public Broadcasting
- Summer of Discovery with GPB and PBS KIDS: All-new summer content and resources will keep kids learning and encourage exploration with their favorite PBS KIDS characters. PBS KIDS will air all-new specials and episodes and offer free digital learning activities, virtual screening events, and more.
- Georgia Home Classroom: GPB, in partnership with GaDOE, offers instructional TV broadcasts aligned to Georgia’s state standards, along with a library of digital learning resources to support at-home summer learning.
- Getting Ready Guides and Videos for Grades K – 5: GPB, in partnership with GaDOE, is offering “Getting Ready” guides and videos to help parents of young learners in grades K – 5 keep the learning going over the summer and explore skills that will prepare a student for the school year ahead. These resources are now available in English and Spanish.
- Daily Activity Calendar: Inspire curiosity each day with these activities, printables, and videos.
- CAMP GPB: Fill your summer days with creativity, exploration and fun with this series for kids that blends day camp and learning into playful fun, with the help of our favorite partner organizations.
GPB Kids—for Parents
GPB Kids offers advice to parents on how to talk to their kids about coronavirus.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt—At-Home Learning Support
Educators and family members can access free lesson ideas, blogs, videos, and professional development resources while schools are closed as a result of coronavirus.
iCivics.org
Games are a great tool for summer learning that won’t feel like school work. Check out more than 20 free online games that are designed to help students put their civics and history knowledge into play. iCivics games can be played on a computer or tablet, so your student can learn on the go this summer.
Learning Power
Georgia Power’s Learning Power shares games and experiments featuring hands-on activities covering STEM topics like building a homemade light bulb and building a balloon rocket.
Mystery Science
Mystery Science provides lessons that inspire kids to love science. First-time users can get 200 lessons free until June 2021.
NASA STEM at Home
NASA is helping inspire the next generation of STEM professionals with these free hands-on projects categorized to help kids Build It! Solve It! Launch It! Play It! Color It! and Read It! at home.
National Summer Learning Association
Check out resources and guidance from the field on remote learning and news regarding food access. Programs and families can find more information to keep kids learning, safe, and healthy.
Open Middle
Organized by grade level and specific skill for grades K – 12, Open Middle features a series of equations with missing numbers that students solve using critical thinking, number sense, and math concept knowledge.
Prodigy
Prodigy offers engaging, curriculum-aligned math platform designed to motivate first- through eighth-grade students to learn and practice math. No cost, ever.
School-Age Resource Page
Children need a balance of cognitive learning time, social time, physical development time, creative playtime, and reading or literacy time throughout the day. To help providers, caregivers, and children, DECAL has compiled resources that can be used to help enhance a child’s daily schedule with creativity and fun learning.
Springboard Connect
This free web-based, texting app provides personalized tips, resources, and reminders to support parents as reading coaches to their children, charting families’ progress on the learning journey. Families can get free at-home coaching plans.
The Kids Should See This
An educational alternative to YouTube, this collection of kid-friendly (not made-for-kids) videos, is curated for teachers and parents who want to share smarter, more meaningful media in the classroom and home.
Wide Open School
This free collection of online learning experiences features resources for children in pre-K through grade 12, offering suggested daily schedules with online and offline activities. The site features content developed by National Geographic, Sesame Workshop, noggin, Boys & Girls Club, and National Head Start Association, among others.
Supporting Younger Learners at Home
Everyday learning activities for toddlers and 3-year-olds
Fun, simple activities to engage your toddler and 3-year-old in learning
Fun art, science, math and literacy activities for toddlers and threes
Great ideas to keep your toddlers busy and learning
Tons of simple and fun activities to encourage literacy and school readiness
20 learning activities for toddlers and threes that use items easily available around the house
25 Indoor Play Activities from a Preschool Teacher
20 Indoor Activities for Kids (besides screens)
Online Resources
Atlanta Speech School’s Cox Campus Pop-Up Early Learning Free Online Preschool
Cox Campus has recreated critical parts of a preschool day—morning songs, story reads, and enrichment activities. Each is designed to support children’s development in empathy, language, and literacy. Parents can receive weekly emails, video lessons, and activities tailored to toddlers (ages 18 months – 2) and preschoolers (ages 3 – 4).
Building Babies’ Brains Gwinnett
Learning begins at birth and a child’s brain is 90% developed by age 5. The Building Babies’ Brains Gwinnett online toolkit connects parents and caregivers with resources to help children from birth through age 5 become lifelong learners.
Chat About Children
This educational series for families features episodes from DECAL on monitoring development, supporting transition back to child care and school, building your young child’s brain, engaging children in play, how early language builds literacy, and more.
Georgia Pre-K At Home
DECAL’s site includes educational resources divided into four categories: Storytime, Virtual Field Trips, Let’s Go Outside, and Screen-Free Time. Activities are based on the Georgia Early Learning and Development Standards and intentionally involve simple household items easily found at home. The six-week Pre-K Summer Transition Program prepares rising pre-K and kindergarten students for success in school.
Toddler Time at Home
DECAL provides a calendar of daily activities with weekly themes that encompass five categories: On The Move, Adventures Online, Sensory Time, Story Time, and Arts and Creativity.
Vroom
Boost learning from birth – 5. Boost learning from birth – 5. Available for iOS and android phones, this app is filled with fun and simple learning activities for mealtime, bathtime, bedtime, or anytime.
Literacy Resources
Be Proud Read Aloud series
Georgia judges read children’s books focused on the 19th Amendment in this series created by Judicial Council of Georgia.
Common Lit
This free collection of fiction and nonfiction for students in grades 3-12 can be searched and filtered by Lexile level, grade, theme, genre, literary device, or standard. Readings can be read online or downloaded.
Cómo Hablar con los Niños Sobre el Coronavirus
Las noticias relacionadas con la enfermedad COVID-19 y el coronavirus están por todos lados, desde las portadas de los periódicos hasta el patio de juegos en la escuela. Muchos padres se preguntan cómo hablar con sus niños sobre la epidemia para que estén tranquilos y no se preocupen más. A continuación encontrará algunos consejos de los expertos del Child Mind Institute.
e-READ KIDS
This collection of e-books and audio books is for kids in pre-K through fourth grade. A mix of fiction and nonfiction titles can be downloaded onto computers, tablets, and smartphones.
Freckle
This free online learning platform helps students in grades K – 10 practice math and ELA at their own level.
Georgia Public Library Service
- Summer Reading Programs: Summer reading programs at public libraries offer creative, fun, and free ways to build a love for reading. Libraries offer prizes for meeting reading goals, in-person and online activities, and even opportunities to explore Georgia. This year’s theme is “Oceans of Possibilities.” Programs typically take place from late May until early August. Check your local library for their dates. Many public libraries also serve as meal or snack sites for the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program, which makes free healthy meals and snacks available to young people in communities with high rates of poverty. Libraries bring in talented performers during summer programming, so be sure to check their schedule to take advantage of free puppet or magic shows, STEM activities, gardening, and even cooking demonstrations. For families who want to take a more cautious approach, many libraries offer curbside pickup, craft kits-to-go, STEAM kits, virtual programs, and book clubs.
- e-READ KIDS: This collection of e-books and audio books for kids in pre-K through fourth grade features a mix of more than 20,000 fiction and nonfiction titles. Use your library’s digital checkout to access these e-books and audio books from any of your devices with an internet connection.
- PINES Kids Catalog: Check out the special link on this catalog with titles that support the “Oceans of Possibilities” theme this summer. Other categories include ABC’s, counting, nutrition, shapes, colors, and much more.
- Explore Georgia: Did you know your family can check out library passes for free admission or parking to places like the Georgia Aquarium, museums, Zoo Atlanta, state parks, and the Go Fish Education Center? Through partnerships with organizations across the state, Georgia’s public libraries provide families with educational and recreational opportunities to spend time together while saving money.
- Express creativity and learn something new: Enjoy summer (and year round) programming for every type of kid. Children can express their creativity at one of the many library makerspaces around the state. These activities encourage engagement and critical thinking as they help children learn about robotics, engineering, cooking, electronics and more. Many libraries offer storytimes in multiple languages and early literacy activities. Libraries are innovating programs to engage youth in everything from gardening to encouraging reluctant readers. If a child has special needs, ask about services for children with visual or hearing impairments. Summertime can be a great time for kids to explore a new skill or even learn an instrument. Libraries offer items for checkout beyond books and movies, everything from sewing machines to Snap Circuit kits to ukuleles. No matter your child’s interest, the sky’s the limit at your local library.
Georgia Storytellers Series
Some celebrated local authors, storytellers, and musicians have come together to connect with and inspire children and families through the Get Georgia Reading Campaign’s “Georgia Storytellers Series.”
Get Georgia Reading at Home
Get Georgia Reading at Home offers early learning resources for children from birth through age 5, learning resources for grades K – 3, and guidance on food access, health care, and financial assistance. Families are linked to the Georgia Home Classroom, a collaboration between GPB Education and Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) to support at-home learning for all grade levels. Downloadable PDFs feature examples of simple, fun activities to do at home, offline, and in the community that can help children begin building skills for grades K – 3.
Háblame Bebé
The Háblame Bebé app, available for both IOS and android, supports Spanish-speaking parents in delivering abundant language nutrition to their infants and young children.
Scholastic Learn at Home
Keep the learning going with these special cross-curricular journeys. Every day includes four separate learning experiences, each built around a thrilling, meaningful story or video. Kids can do them on their own, with their families, or with their teachers. Just find your grade level and let the learning begin.
Sightwords.com
The Georgia Preschool Association sponsors resources to help teach your child to read.
Storyline Online
This award-winning children’s literacy website streams videos featuring celebrated actors reading children’s books alongside creatively produced illustrations.
Teaching Our World: The Coronavirus—Scholastic
Scholastic created this collection to help you ease children’s fears and empower them with age-appropriate information. These teaching resources were carefully prepared to help your students understand what is being done to keep them safe and how to prevent germs from spreading.
Words2Reading
Words2Reading brings families, caregivers, and teachers the best resources in developing early language skills and reading readiness from birth – 8. Grow your young reader through easy-to-follow videos, links, downloadable documents, e-books, and audio clips all available online.