Hi everyone,I hope everyone is keeping safe and well. I’m sure everyone is practicing social distancing and is continuing with hand and respiratory hygiene. There are some resources and activities below that may be of use over the next while.Advice in talking to children about COVID-19Below is advice for parents and schools from the Department of Education and Skills on talking to children and young people about the COVID-19 (Coronavirus). There are some very useful links to websites and videos that you may find useful.NEPS Advice Covid 19 (Click here for PDF version)[pdf-embedder url="http://www.slanens.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/NEPS-advice-Covid-19.pdf" title="NEPS Advice Covid 19"]Sample COVID-19 Daily SchedulesBelow are some sample daily schedules that may help create routine for pupils during school closures.

Resources and ActivitiesIn addition to the additional work sent home by teachers on Thursday last, there are many more resources available that you may find useful for the coming days.

• Twinkl is a site which has an abundance of worksheets, powerpoints, games etc. They have provided a month’s free membership to all parents in light of school closures. There are plenty of fantastic resources/activities to complete if you wish. Visit www.twinkl.ie/offer and use the code IRLTWINKLHELPS to gain access.
• dabbledoomusic.com has lots of fun musical activities to explore!
• gonoodle.com has some fantastic activities such as movement breaks and mindfulness activities.
• seomraranga.com has lots of games and activities and it also has a ‘Stay at Home’ quiz that pupils can enter during school closures, details on how to enter are on the Seomra Ranga website.
• https://www.jollylearning.co.uk/resource-bank/ has some resources in relation to the sounds that children are learning, you can hear the sound and the action for the sound is described. There are videos on Youtube to revise the songs for each sound also – type ‘jolly songs’ into Youtube and you can access whatever sound you would like to revise.
• www.topmarks.co.uk also has fun games and activities across many subject areas.
• Duolingo is an app that has some fun activities that can be used to practice Gaeilge.
• Scholastic has plenty of home-schooling activities.

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[pdf-embedder url="http://www.slanens.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Homeschooling-links.pdf" title="Homeschooling Links"]It is advisable to keep routine for the children as much as possible. A little bit of school work each day will help maintain this routine, as well as other activities such as outdoor activities, all the while remembering the guidelines for social distancing, hand hygiene and coughing/sneezing etiquette. We will keep you informed of any updates.Take care and mind yourselves,Le meas,Lorna Gerrard