Masks can be scary for kids. Not the just Halloween masks but surgical masks worn by everyone because of COVID. Think about it. In American society face masks are a rare thing in public. Before the Coronavirus the only place masks were prevalent was in hospitals. So how are young children dealing with this new accessory? It really depends, many don’t mind seeing people with masks on but are annoyed by wearing them. Others are indifferent and still, there are those children frightened by seeing so many adults in masks.

To help reduce the fear of masks, Foster Love - Together We Rise developed a list of 5 ways to make masks less scary for kids.

1. Make Masks Fun

One of the first steps to making masks less scary for kids is to make wearing masks fun. Maybe pick out some material to make masks together as a family.

2. Be Transparent

Small children don’t need every detail but you can still try being transparent and sharing age-appropriate messaging. Explain the rationale behind why we are all wearing them in public.

3. Repeat- Masks are Good!

Children look to parents for guidance so find ways to remind them how masks are good.

4. Incentives

Maybe your child is food motivated. Offer a reward for good mask-wearing behavior. Let them know that things are okay and it is brave to wear masks and incentivize them with a reward for good behavior.

5. Tell Positive Stories

For young children, it is harder for them to develop an understanding of difficult concepts. One approach is telling stories that include masks and helps them understand through the narrative that they are good and keep people safe.

In Conclusion

In conclusion, it can be frightening for children seeing masked faces. Because this is new and we don’t know how long masks in public spaces will exist it is important to help ease your child’s uncertainty.

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