WKC offers connection and fun during Shelter-in-place
By Jaclyn Luna The Willits News
Published: April 20, 2020
Sheltering in place can be challenging for anyone. It can be especially challenging for children who might be feeling isolated, missing friends and routine, and downright bored. Willits Kids Club Site Coordinator for the kindergarten through second grade program, Laura Paeyeneers created a live stream on Facebook to provide some fun during these stressful times. She has also been posting a plethora of resources for families.
Paeyeneers was motivated to begin hosting ‘Live with Laura’ because she said she was “missing the kids and thinking it would be fun to connect live so that could give me input too, and we could talk back and forth… it was just a way to interact.”
On the live stream, Paeyeneers has read stories, baked cookies and made moon dough. She posts ahead of time, letting viewers know what activity will be happening so they can get their ingredients ready and do the activity with her via the live stream.
The Kids Club has also been providing craft bags for children. They started out by giving 45 to the Willits Food Bank which were distributed with the food. The Kids Club then distributed 35 bags one day and an additional 45 craft bags another day “doorbell ditch” style to locals who had signed up to receive one over Facebook.
The Willits Kids Club is not only reaching out to children. They recently did a post encouraging community members to nominate a couple of moms that deserved a special treat which they will bestow with a gift basket. Paeyeneers said, “I’ve got a couple really great nominations on there, one person got nominated five times so she is definitely getting a basket. We are trying to mix it up and keep things interesting and come up with new ideas. We are posting things that the kids can make at home, things they can do.”
On the Willits Kids Club Facebook page, there are links to videos that teach viewers how to juggle and another that teaches viewers how to crochet. Paeyeneers said she tries to post a couple things on the page daily. She also posts links to Audible books, which are free to access while sheltering in place, to “try to keep the families with resources”. She has also provided links to Love and Logic, which is offering free teachings on their website.
Aside from offering resources, Paeyeneers was able to temporarily rehome the Willits’s Kids Club guinea pigs. She said, “I was kind of overwhelmed with taking care of all the animals so I posted, ‘Does anyone want to have the guinea pigs for a while?’ So, a family up in Brooktrails took them.” The Kids Club also has two bearded dragons.
Paeyeneers has been posting from her home as she has been trying to stay at home and adhere to the SIP order. She said, “It’s really just a fantastic resource, going live, I wish more people did it. It’s really fun.”
Paeyeneers hosts the public event “Live with Laura” on Mondays at 1 p.m. Follow Willits Kids Club on Facebook to join the live feed and access the other resources provided.