Preschoolers are aware that something in their routine has changed.  Adults should speak plainly and calmly to children to dispel anxiety that is caused by these changes.  Too much information can be scary, but not talking about the changes could provoke a child’s imagination to create a scenario that might be even scarier than reality.  When talking to your child, a good place to start is to ask your child what they know already so you can correct any misinformation.  Children may show they are anxious by asking the same question again and again.  Be as patient and reassuring as possible.  Watch the news after the children are in bed so they aren’t exposed to hours of information that by its sheer magnitude escalates fears.  Enjoy this extra time with your child even though the circumstances are not something you would have chosen. 

1. The new virus is a kind of germ that makes people feel sick like when you have a cold.  If someone becomes sick with this new virus, they might just feel a little sick.  Other people might cough and have a fever.  For some people, especially grandmas and grandpas, the cough might make it hard for them to breathe.  
2. Most people who have caught the virus have not died. 
3. You become sick when someone else’s germs come outside their body and go into your body.  The germs come out of a sick person when they cough or sneeze. 
4. Germs can get inside you if you touch your mouth, eyes, or inside your nose so keep your hands out of your mouth, eyes, and nose.
5. We can practice sneezing or coughing into our arm so germs don’t go on our food or toys when we touch them.
6.  Another good choice is to sneeze or cough into a tissue, throw the used tissue into the garbage, and then wash your hands with soap.   
7. We wash our hands with soap and water after going to the bathroom, before we eat, and after blowing our nose. 
8. When you wash your hands, remember the front of your hands, the back of your hands, in between your fingers, both thumbs, fingertips, fingernails and wrists.  Then you can wash the soap bubbles down the drain. That is a lot to remember.  You could ask your mom or dad to help you remember all those parts.
9. Everyone is working together so the virus doesn’t make more people sick. 
10. If you don’t have soap and water close by, use hand sanitizer instead.
11. Don’t spit or lick things that are not food to help keep you and other people healthy.
12. People wear masks so they don’t share germs. It is a kind way to help other people stay healthy.
13. You don’t need to worry.  You can still play and have fun at home with your family.
14. You can talk to your grandma and grandpa on the phone if they live near or far.
15. God loves you very much.  He is with you always.  You can talk to Him if you feel sick, sad, worried, bored, or happy.  You can talk to Him anywhere at any time.
16. God is stronger than a virus.  We don’t always know why some things happen, but God does.  God can turn whatever happens to something that is good.