Update on Safety at the Children’s Creativity Museum

The Children’s Creativity Museum is temporarily closed until the end of the month. Our team is vigilantly monitoring COVID-19 developments with an eye to keeping our visitors and staff as safe as possible. Look for emails and updates via social media where we will let you all know about further developments at CCM.

Families and children may be worried during this uncertain time. We recommend a few steps to keep your loved ones safe and healthy:

• Help your children learn healthy hand-washing habits with soap and water. Singing a favorite song for 20 seconds while washing will make it an enjoyable experience. Be a good role model by washing hands often and inviting your children to join you.
• If anyone is sick, staying home is the best way to recover and protect others in the community. Covering coughs and sneezes will help make everyone safer.
• Clean toys and surfaces (such as door knobs, tablets, and remote controls) on a regular basis. Many household cleaning products and a dilute bleach solution are believed to be effective (EPA has a list of products) but check that they are safe for electronics first.
• Reassure your children by answering their questions honestly, while recognizing their developmental needs. The New York Times published a nice set of tips. Here are some ideas for toddlers as well. 
• Stay informed by monitoring trusted sources. For example, the San Francisco Department of Public Health has several resources in different languages. 

We also wanted to provide some resources for caregivers who may need to educate and entertain children at home:

• Mystery Box Challenge–at your house! We’ve created a teacher’s guide that parents could use to re-create one of our most popular museum activities with materials you already have at home.
• Think about switching it up while you’re at home. Take a look at these screentime tips that we’ve put up for you and your family
• A few years ago, we featured a Toontastic kiosk. Although the kiosk is gone, the ToonTastic 3D app allows you to create cartoons at home. Your children can apply what they’ve learned in our museum’s Animation Studio and Music Studio to develop storyboards and characters, create animations, and mix with a soundtrack.
• Common Sense Media reviews movies and games for parents. Here is their list of best apps that promote creativity and social-emotional learning.