Children may be unable to play cashier or create giant bubbles at the Louisiana Children’s Museum’s new 56,000-square-foot building located in City Park right now, but the organization is still finding ways to engage its audience during the times of COVID 19.
When the Louisiana Children’s Museum (LCM) invited children to create Care Cards for the residents and staff of Lambeth House, they noticed the recurring theme of rainbows. It is what inspired the launching of Resilient Rainbows, an initiative to highlight children’s creativity and resilience. LCM is asking families to share their children’s rainbow creations on social media with #lcm rainbows.
“Rainbows are a symbol of resilience, the beauty after the storm when the sun begins to shine again,” said Louisiana Children’s Museum CEO Julia Bland. “It’s something that resonated with us, and we thought it might resonate with families, too. We want to remind our community of the creative and resilient power of our children, so we’re inviting everyone to make a rainbow to share. Place it in your front window, draw it on the sidewalk, suspend it from a tree – and be sure to share it with us!”
LCM is also launching another program that connects families and supports them through this period of quarantine with a new video chat series called In Dialogue.
The series seeks to demystify mental health topics for caregivers and their children. A joint effort from Louisiana Children’s Museum and Tulane Institute of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health, In Dialogue is designed for adults, as the topics are meant to support caregivers’ connection to their children.
Video chats feature mental health experts addressing the various anxieties we are all experiencing. Upcoming topics include talking to your child about COVID-19, positive parenting strategies and tips to support learning at home. They are held on Thursdays at 1:30 pm. Sessions are recorded and shared on the LCM YouTube channel.
Here’s what you need to join an In Dialogue Zoom Meeting:
- https://tulanehipaa.zoom.us/j/321545387
- Zoom Meeting ID: 321 545 387
- One tap mobile: +13126266799 / Meeting ID 321545387#
As parents face the challenges of adjusting to working from home, becoming a teacher and managing family dynamics, LCM also offers another new program, Mental Health Moment. It’s a collection of mental health strategies designed to support caregivers in finding ways to cope, understanding how to practice self-care and nurturing their connection with their children.
This project is also a joint effort between Louisiana Children’s Museum and Tulane Institute of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health.
The museum has also created a new way for parents to engage with their children using open-ended questions and creative play.
Connections At Home is a collection of virtual enrichment lessons that rely on a child’s natural curiosity as a springboard. These hands-on activities are geared toward children from birth to age 8 and explore topics ranging from starting a nature collection, to making your own art supplies, to building an instrument. Subscribe to LCM’s YouTube Channel to enjoy Connections At Home.
“We’ve weathered a lot of disasters in Southeast Louisiana in the past 15 to 20 years and have learned a lot about the impact that disasters, or trauma, can have on young children,” said Bland. “During times like these, organizations need to focus on what is necessary and relevant in their communities, and for us at the Louisiana Children’s Museum that focus is on the mental health and well-being of our parents and our young children. We know that children thrive with predictability, dependability and routine — and most importantly, the love of their primary caregivers. With so many uncertainties in our lives, anxiety and worry can take over our feelings and our ability to guarantee the stabilizing factors so desperately needed in childhood.”
To learn more about Louisiana Children’s Museum, visit lcm.org or subscribe to its YouTube channel. You can also follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Email amarquis@lcm.org with questions about any of these programs.
Finding ways to support these new services is a priority in LCM’s fundraising efforts. Consider investing in Louisiana Children’s Museum by visiting lcm.org/donate.
