With the COVID-19 pandemic in full swing, we recognized a need in our community for socially distanced storytelling available to children experiencing illness and injury, so we set off to create such a resource! Research indicates that regular exposure to reading during childhood fosters healthy cognitive development and is particularly important for children experiencing illness and injury because it promotes the healing process by serving as non-pharmacological pain management. Together we organized student volunteers at the University of Portland to create a remote reading platform accessible to Ronald McDonald clients. This resource offers children and their families an opportunity to watch pre-screened recordings by college students who read aloud a wide range of beloved children's stories suitable for various age groups. Our hope is that this resource will not only bring joy and entertainment to children, but will also further their cognitive development, promote healing, and decrease isolation during these wacky times. We hope you will tune in with us!
- Jennifer Kepler and Michelle Barton, Junior Nursing Honors Program Students
A huge thank you to Harper Collins Publishers, The Child's World, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and Macmillan Publishing Company for granting us copyright permissions.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the University of Portland nursing program and honors program student volunteer readers who supported and participated in this project with us!
University of Portland
5000 N. Willamette Blvd.,
Portland, Oregon 97203-5798
503.943.8000
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