The Covid-19 pandemic presented a challenge for Extension programs all over the nation and Todd County Extension answererd the call by providing Educational and fun weekly grab and go packets to families.  These packets were geared for the parent and child to work together and eat together at home which helped build this quality time and interaction where the parent was the teacher and the role model.  

Studies have shown links between quality parent time — such as reading to a child, sharing meals, talking with them or otherwise engaging with them on one-on-one activities results in positive outcomes for kids. The same is true for parents’ warmth and sensitivity toward their children. Child development and pediatrics experts agree that even short spurts of creative time greatly impact social, cognitive, and emotional development of children in their earliest formal years and create long-lasting memories. 

The Todd County Extension Office -4-H agent, FCS Agent, AG Agent and NEP assistant teamed up to offer the following grab and go kits for the first  3 months of the pandemic period while Kentuckians were staying "Healthy at Home": Summer Fun, tomato gardening, fish and farm, money smarts, side walk chalk art  and seed starting. Each packet contained an arts and craft element, family games & activities, meal ideas, healthy recipes,and more.  The 4-H agent then continued putting packets together for 4-H families from August through the fall.  

Over the past 6 months of handing out these packets, 65 different families picked up packets.  Additionally, the sidewalk chalk packets  went out through the school food distribution bus route giving 700 kids a healthy and outdooor option to do at home.  Additionally, 70 money smarts packets went through the bus route to lower income youth of Todd County in the Guthrie community.  In total, the Extension office distributed over 1200 Grab and Go educational packets to Todd County youth and families. Of these families, many were new to Extension. Facebook was used to market the packets and to share successes from families using the packets.  Many shared photos of seeds growing, kids creating art with sidewalk chalk, dancing with dance ribbons, cooking new recipes and playing cards together as a family. These grab and go packets engaged 10 new families in Extension programming and helped to build stronger parent/child relationships in Todd County families.