In recent years, virtual programming has been a little bit of a taboo subject in Extension. Extension thrives on person to person interaction and building relationships. However, three months into 2020, Extension Services, like so many other businesses and organizations, had to figure out how to continue to deliver quality educational programming in the face of the COVID-19 Pandemic. 

The Grayson County Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent partnered with the local Early Childhood Education Coalition to provide family learning kits. These kits were made available to families for pick up outside the Extension Office and targeted families with children ages 0-8 years. Each kit included a children’s book, learning activities and manipulatives to accompany the book, along with educational information from the Extension Office. Data consistently shows that reading to your child is the single most important thing a parent can do to prepare them for school. We were happy to provide new reading materials to families during such a time where they may not have been able to access new books. Some parent education topics included with kits encompassed screen time and childhood obesity, parent screen time and the effect on children, the importance of family chores, and talking to your children about empathy and race. 

A total of 5 kits were distributed in May and June. Approximately 140 families were reached with Extension programming and information through these early learning kits. Data is pending on this project, but many of the families reached were new contacts. In addition to new and different ways of programming, the Grayson County Extension Service has had to market programming a little differently. We have utilized more social media avenues to reach new audiences through local groups and organizations in addition to our traditional outreach.