कोरोना भाइरस (कोभिड –१९)को महामारीका कारण दिनभरी घरमा बस्न बाध्य बालबालिकालाई विद्यालयमा सिकाइने कुरा अहिले अभिभावकले घरमै सिकाउनु पर्ने अवस्था आइपरेको छ । कक्षा एक भन्दा माथिका लागि पाठ्यक्रम तथा पाठ्यपुस्तक भएका हुनाले के सिकाउने प्रष्ट छ । तर पूर्व प्राथमिक कक्षाका बालबालिकाका लागि पाठ्यपुस्तक आवश्यक नपर्ने हुँदा यी बालबालिकाले के सिक्नुपर्छ…, के हो पूर्व प्राथमिक कक्षा, ?, २०५८ सालको शिक्षा ऐनको सातौ संशोधन अनुसार एक वर्षे पूर्व प्राथमिक शिक्षालाई नेपाल सरकारले मान्यता दिएको देखिन्छ । २०७५ सालको अनिवार्य तथा निःशुल्क शिक्षा सम्बन्धी बनेको विधेयकमा चार वर्ष (४८ महिना) पूरा गरेका बालबालिकालाई कक्षा एकमा प्रवेश गर्नुभन्दा अगाडि दिइने एक वर्ष अवधिको शिक्षालाई पूर्व प्राथमिक कक्षा अथवा प्रारम्भिक बालविकास तथा शिक्षा…, पूर्व प्राथमिक कक्षाका बालबालिकालाई के सिकाउने, ?, प्रारम्भिक बालविकास दिग्दर्शनमा बालबालिकालाई कक्षाकोठामा के र कसरी सिकाउने बारे लेखिएको हुनाले, बालबालिका घरमा नै रहेको हालको अवस्थामा, प्रारम्भिक बाल सिकाइ तथा विकास मापदण्ड (२०६८), सहयोगी हुन्छ । यस मापदण्डको एउटा प्रमुख उद्देश्य, कलिला बालबालिकाको स्याहार तथा सिकाइमा संलग्न अभिभावकहरू, प्रारम्भिक बाल विकास सम्बन्धी विज्ञहरू तथा सबै समुदायका सदस्यहरूको बीचमा यी बालबालिकाबाट के कस्ता जायज अपेक्षा गर्न सकिन्छ र ती कसरी पूरा गर्न सकिन्छ भन्ने बारे साझा छलफलका लागि एउटा साधन बनाउनु पनि हो । मापदण्ड  निर्माणका लागि…, (, १) शारीरिक विकास, यस क्षेत्रले बालबालिकाको शारीरिक स्वास्थ्य तथा दैनिक क्रियाकलापमा संलग्न हुने क्षमतालाई समेट्दछ । शारीरिक विकासमा हासिल गर्नु पर्ने मापदण्डहरूः शरीरका स्थूल अंगहरूको तन्दुरूस्ती तथा समन्वयको प्रदर्शन गर्दछन् । शुक्ष्म मांसपेशीय अंगहरूको समन्वय र संचालन गर्न सक्षम छन् । आँखा र औंलाको समन्वय गरी देखाउन सक्षम छन । विविध सामग्री / वस्तुहरूको ठीक…, (२) सामाजिक तथा सम्वेगात्मक विकास, यस क्षेत्रले बालबालिकाहरूको सौहार्दपूर्ण तथा सकारात्मक सम्बन्ध बनाउने क्षमता जसले गर्दा उनीहरू घरपरिवार, विद्यालय र समुदायमा राम्ररी घुलमिल हुन सक्ने हुन्छन् । साथै यस क्षेत्रले बालबालिकाहरूको सम्वेगात्मक सन्तुलन कायम गरी सिकाई तथा ज्ञान हासिल गर्ने कार्यमा संलग्न हुने क्षमतालाई पनि समेट्दछ ।  This image shows an illustration of a family cleaning…, (३) बौद्धिक विकास, यस क्षेत्रले भौतिक तथा सामाजिक परिवेशबारे ज्ञान हासिल गर्ने तथा सो बारे विचार गर्न सक्ने क्षमतालाई समेट्दछ । विशेषतः यस क्षेत्रले बालबालिकाहरूको वरिपरीको वातावरणमा उपलब्ध सामानहरू, संस्था र रङ आदिबारेको ज्ञानलाई समेट्दछ । This image shows an illustration of children doing different activities बौद्धिक विकासमा हासिल गर्नु पर्ने मापदण्डहरूः खोज तथा…,  , (४) भाषिक विकास, यस क्षेत्रले बालबालिकाहरूको भाषिक ज्ञान, भाषाको बुझाई तथा प्रयोग गर्ने क्षमता जस्तो कि पढाइ र लेखाइ सीपका साथै प्रभावकारी रूपमा आफ्नो भनाइ ब्यक्त गर्ने क्षमतालाई समेट्दछ । भाषिक विकासमा हासिल गर्नु पर्ने मापदण्डहरूः अरूले बोलेको कुरा सुन्न र ठीकसँग जवाफ दिन सक्छन् ।  सजिला वाक्यहरूको प्रयोग गर्दै बोल्न सक्छन् ।  बालबालिकाहरूले एक अर्का तथा…, (५) साँस्कृतिक विकास, माथि उल्लेखित विविध साँस्कृतिक राष्ट्रिय मूल्य मान्यतालाई सम्बोधन गर्न तथा राष्ट्रको साँस्कृतिक सम्पदाको जगेर्नाका लागि यो क्षेत्र समावेश गरिएको छ । साँस्कृतिक विकासमा हासिल गर्नु पर्ने मापदण्डहरूः विभिन्न व्यक्तिहरूको आ–आफ्नै आवश्यकता तथा फरक–फरक संस्कृति हुन्छन् भन्ने बुझ्ने छन् र तिनीहरूको आदर गर्ने छन् ।  बालबालिकाहरूले हामी नपाली हौं भन्ने…

The need to stay hopeful and kind – to each other and to oneself – during this crisis was key among the messages put forth by young people from Nepal and Italy as part of a recent webinar organized by UNICEF in collaboration with UNDP, WHO, UNV and the Resident Coordinator’s Office in Nepal.  As part of the webinar four volunteers from UNICEF…, Anik Rana Magar, spoke of the challenges faced by the community during the pandemic – namely, a worsening of the marginalization and stigma that they already face – and stressed on the need for better support. She explained how she has been actively working to provide urgent medical support to members of the LGBTIQ+ community throughout the COVID-19 period.  “I…, Virginia Barchiesi,  shared her story of being active through a volunteer programme for which she also received a medal of honor from the President of Italy. But she admits that as a planner, it wasn't easy for her to adjust at first.  “Since I tend to over plan my days, this pandemic was a hard experience initially, but I understood that I needed to sit back and be…, Sagar Parajuli, shed light about the importance of mental health support for young people.  "I myself went through repeated phases of feeling depressed at the start of the lockdown." Referring to the reported increase in cases of domestic violence and online harassment during the lockdown period, Sagar also talked of his own efforts, working with the local…, Rasani Shahi , spoke about her anxiety and worries when the pandemic initially hit, then described how she shifted her attention to focus on more productive ways of coping – including self-care, exercise and cooking.  “We cannot afford to be selfish. We need to be kind to each other and show empathy at this difficult time that the whole world is going through…, Roshani Adhikari, talked about the different ways in which she has been keeping herself engaged during the pandemic. Visually-impaired herself, Roshani said she doesn’t let her disability stop her from doing her part to contribute to her community or advocating for inclusion of people with disabilities in various activities and opportunities. She is also learning…, Anastasia Vasapollo,  spoke about the important of knowing that we are in this crisis together and that the pandemic shows us how connected we are as a global community. She explained how important it was to speak up about the fear and anxieties created due to the pandemic, and talked about how her work with UNICEF has enabled her to use her network to reach more…

Can you catch the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from food? How should I do laundry now? Mundane household tasks have turned into a source of uncertainty and anxiety as families grapple with getting the basics done all while keeping their loved ones safe and healthy. Widespread misinformation about the virus puts everyone at risk and adds to the…, Personal hygiene, Simple hygiene measures can help protect your family’s health and everyone else's.  ✨Don’t touch your face Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.  ✨Don’t cough or sneeze into your hands  Cover your mouth and nose with your elbow or tissue when coughing or sneezing. Dispose of used tissue immediately. ✨Keep your distance  Maintain a distance of…, Did you know?,  Cold water and warm water are equally effective at killing germs and viruses — as long as you use soap and wash your hands the right way! >>   Everything you need to know about washing your hands to protect against the COVID-19 virus  , Cleaning around the home, Cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces in your home regularly is an important precaution to lower the risk of infection.  Follow cleaning product instructions for safe and effective use, including precautions you should take when applying the product, such as wearing gloves and making sure you have good ventilation. Some national…, Cleaning clothes, It is currently unclear how long the COVID-19 virus can survive on fabric, but many items of clothing have plastic and metal elements on which it might live for a few hours to several days. Exercise caution and common sense. Good practices to consider include removing your shoes when you enter your home and changing into clean clothes when you…, Handling and preparing food,   While at present there is no evidence of people catching the COVID-19 virus from food or food packaging, it may be possible that people can become infected by touching a surface or object contaminated by the virus and then touching their face.  The greater risk comes from being in close contact with other people while outside food shopping or…, Illustrations: Bandana Tulachan

Dhanusha, Nepal:, A visibly relieved Aakash Shah walks out of the immunization clinic in Janakpur Sub-Metropolitan City in southern Nepal, holding his young daughter in his arms. Niharika, who is nearing her first birthday, has just been given the measles-rubella and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. Aakash describes how anxious the family had been when immunization…, UNICEF – with generous funding support from donors such as Alwaleed Philanthropies and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance – has been continually advocating for and supporting the Government of Nepal in strengthening the health system and providing life-saving vaccines to children in need., This image shows a health worker vaccinates a child held by the mother at an immunization clinic in Saptari District in southern Nepal This image shows a mother with her child after getting vaccinated

Kathmandu, Nepal -, “I was getting anxious using too much social media, so I deactivated my Facebook account,” said Anu Poudel, recalling the overwhelming volume of posts that had poured out on her social media after the COVID-19 pandemic began. Many of these posts comprised fake news and rumours. Instead of being affected by these worrying posts, she decided to…, online rumour-tracking platform ,, thanks to the efforts of the volunteers. In addition, a number of the volunteers have also developed short videos in multiple languages, including on urging people to practice physical distancing as a way to stop the spread of the virus in their communities. Currently, more than 300 young people from all over the country are engaged in the #…

This image shows Swikriti Tamang, daughter of UNICEF staff member Soni Tamang Photo courtesy: Soni Kumari Mipchan Tamang Fifteen-year-old Swikriti Tamang recalls how, as a child, she had always longed for her mother, Soni. Soni’s work as a driver took her away from the family for long stretches of time; in fact, for most of Swikriti’s childhood,…

Kathmandu, Nepal:, “Even though we don’t yet have a capsule to take that can cure the coronavirus, we have come up with a capsule for your ears,” listeners are told in the opening episode of the radio show Corona Capsule. “These are doses of information that will help protect you and help you protect others from the virus.” A collaboration of UNICEF, the Government…, Check out our Corona Capsule page to access the episode archives and summaries,  

Dhanusha and Banke, Nepal:, To ensure that children suffering from malnutrition are not deprived of the life-saving treatment they need at this time of crisis, UNICEF is supporting the Government of Nepal in dispatching critical nutrition supplies to health facilities in different parts of the country. This image shows nutrition supplies provided by UNICEF being loaded onto…, Compiled with input from UNICEF field offices in Janakpur and Nepalgunj

Young children love to play together, but with the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, playdates with friends and games with large groups are sadly not safe ideas. Physical distancing is a responsible way to protect ourselves and others, but for little ones learning about the world around them and connecting with their peers through…, We hope you have fun with the activities below and remember that all these activities can be enjoyed by both girls and boys!, Babies 0-9 months, This image shows an illustration of a mother on the floor with her child pointing at their pet cat, Peek-a-boo!, All you need to play this game is your hands and a sweet voice. Sit with your baby, raise your hands (or a piece of cloth) to cover your face, then remove them and say “peek-a-boo!” Your little one will delight at watching you disappear and reappear. As your baby gets older, she will start playing back with you., See and say, Point to different things around the house while naming and describing them. “See the cat? That’s an orange cat.” This will help to build his language skills while strengthening your bond., Family band, Sing songs with your baby and create musical instruments from safe objects you find around the house. For example, put buttons or beads inside of an empty bottle to make a shaker and secure it well. Music helps with sensory development, and holding the shaker is great for motor skills. The most important part is to get creative and – of course –…, The body game, Name your baby’s body parts and point to them to help teach her their names. “Where is baby’s nose? There it is!” You can point to your own as well to help her make the connection between the two: “Where is mommy’s nose? Here it is!”      , Toddlers 1-2 years, Box car, Find an empty box/carton and place your child in it safely with some soft blankets to keep her comfortable. Then, pull the box around while making car noises: “vroom vroom!” She will have fun zipping around the house in her new go mobile (and you’ll get some exercise, too!). If space is limited, you can still have the same effect by moving the box…, Kitchen drummer, Turn over safe, shatter-proof bowls, pots and pans to make a set of drums straight from your kitchen. For drumsticks, grab some wooden spoons. Your little rock star will keep himself entertained exploring all the different sounds he can make. This game is also great for helping him develop his fine-motor skills., Free draw, Give your baby some crayons and paper and let him draw away! This will allow your child to unleash his creativity and enjoy independent, creative play. When he’s done, talk to him about the different colours he used., Ball pass, Grab a soft ball and roll it back and forth with your toddler. This back-and-forth play is great for confidence building and teaches her that you will respond to her actions. To make it even more fun, try adding in another ball and talk to her about the one she chooses. This image shows a young child playing music with spoons and dishes     , Pre-school children 3-4 years, This image shows a father and a young child playing dress up with a funny shawl and paper boat hat, Dress up, Grab some different fabrics and clothing and encourage your little one to make a pretend costume out of what you have. Then, play a game together based on what he chooses. Who knows what adventures you’ll have!, “I’m going to catch you!”, Play the “I’m going to catch you!” game around the house by playfully chasing your child around your living space. If she has a lot of energy, this will help her to get it all out. You may need to join her for a nap yourself when you’re done., Name that noise, Make different animal noises and have him guess which animal you’re pretending to be. Encourage taking turns and let him make some noises too while you guess. This is a great opportunity to teach him more about the animals you each choose, too., Toddler challenge, Toddlers love to be given challenges as they are growing more physically coordinated. Ask your child “Can you lift your arm? Can you touch your hands to your toes?” Using the names of her body parts in context helps her learn, and let’s her show you what she can do!    , Young children 5-8 years, Obstacle race, Create an obstacle course using furniture, pillows, and toys – anything safe and soft. Show him how to move through it and have him try to go through as fast as he can. Time him, and try to get him to beat his record every time he goes through!, Wash away!, Grab some toys that can safely go in the water, fill up a bucket and let the fun begin. Encourage her to “wash” her toys by dunking them and playing with them in the water and then cleaning them off with a soft cloth., Make believe, Have him take the lead and encourage him to come up with a make-believe scenario. Follow along with his instructions and ask him questions about the world he has created., Build-a-snack, Have your child help you prepare a snack for the family and challenge her to use as many colours as she can. Grab some healthy options and have her lay them out on a plate in a design she likes. She’ll be proud of her delicious creation. This image shows a father and daughter making snacks together, Article by Mandy Rich, Digital Content Writer, UNICEF, Illustrations: Promina Shrestha, This image shows a mother pulling her child in a box that has been made to look like a car

Dhanusha and Baitadi, Nepal:, Top Prasad Adhikari says that the longer the coronavirus crisis goes on, the more worried he gets about his students. Top, a teacher at the Shree Adarsha Secondary School in Mithila Municipality in Dhanusha District in Nepal’s southern plains, recalls how the announcement that schools would be shut down as part of the nation-wide measures to…, UNICEF Nepal has a, dedicated web portal, in the Nepali language for parents and caregivers during COVID-19, with useful resources on what parents need to know about the disease, how to talk to children, tips on handwashing, ensuring early childhood development at home and helping teenagers protect their mental health.