The COVID-19 pandemic changed life for everyone, especially young kids. Kids who spent their early years during the pandemic are now starting school. But, many still need to be ready. Schools and parents see these kids struggle with learning and social skills. They also have behaviour issues. Research shows that the pandemic disrupted their development.
Academic Impact on Children
The pandemic caused school closures. Many children needed to catch up on their learning. McKinsey & Company found that students lost vital learning time. This was especially true in reading and math. It was worse for children with fewer academic opportunities. For example, students of colour and low-income families fell behind by 3-5 months in reading and math. White students, by comparison, were 1-3 months behind.
As a result, many children now struggle with basic skills. They cannot recognise letters or numbers, and some cannot read simple words. This puts them behind their peers, making it hard to keep up in class. Math is also a problem. Many children struggle with counting and
