New online gallery shares children's stories and art about COVID-19 pandemic

The Canadian Children's Literacy Foundation has launched a new online gallery to share children's stories from the COVID-19 pandemic.

A new online gallery is sharing children's stories of frustration and fun during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Launched Tuesday by The Canadian Children's Literacy Foundation, the Lost & Found digital exhibit currently features more than 1,000 stories collected from kids across the country.

"There were nights of endless sickness, vaccines, quarantine, isolation," 10-year-old Charlotte wrote in Newfoundland. "Everyone was bored out of their minds."

"I made sandcastles with daddy," three-year-old Sora dictated in British Columbia.

The online gallery showcases a selection of writing, art and videos about life during the COVID-19 pandemic from 5,000 children up to age 12 who participated in free Lost & Found workshops, which are being run in collaboration with mental health and child-serving organizations.

"Sanitizer really hurt my hands," 10-year-old Sage wrote in New Brunswick.

"My Uncle Phil lived upstairs and made us pizza every week," six-year-old Eleanor recounted in Ontario.

Educators and parents can still participate and submit kids' creations to the public online gallery.

"Storytelling is necessary for developing literacy skills and is a way to build connections between people, teach the value of listening, and to remind ourselves that everyone’s story matters," retired astronaut, children's author and Canadian Children's Literacy Foundation board member Chris Hadfield said in a news release.

The project was designed to help address the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's development. The Canadian Children's Literacy Foundation notes the pandemic affected kids' education, community ties and mental and physical health. An increasing number of children, they add, are now struggling to reach grade-level reading skills.

"Literacy skills — built through reading, storytelling, singing, and even talking — are fundamental to a child’s social-emotional and academic development," the foundation's CEO, Ariel Siller said. "Yet, too many children in Canada currently lack the literacy skills they need to thrive. Together through this Lost & Found initiative, we’re enabling children to strengthen their literacy skills, process the emotional challenges they experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, and build community through sharing their stories.”

The Canadian Children's Literacy Foundation was created in 2017 and is co-chaired by Indigo CEO Heather Reisman. The charity's Lost & Found project was launched with federal funding from the Department of Canadian Heritage. A select number of community-based not-for-profits "that serve culturally diverse children" were provided $100 per participating child to deliver the workshops, which began in the fall and run until April 31.

"Lost & Found demonstrates our commitment to children’s literacy and offers avenues for creative self-expression that help strengthen perseverance," Minister of Canadian Heritage Pablo Rodriguez said in the news release. "The exhibition shows Canadian children’s perspectives on a major event in the history of our country and the world, and offers an opportunity to reflect on how working together can develop essential life skills and enrich our communities."