Canadian mom creates COVID-19 Time Capsule workbook

The coronavirus pandemic is often described as unprecedented, and one Canadian mom is making sure that feeling is never forgotten.

Before the pandemic becomes part of a history textbook, Natalie Long, a freelance graphic designer from Medicine Hat, Alta., has created a keepsake: a COVID-19 time capsule.

The 10-page workbook was originally made for her two children, but after sharing the document online, thousands of people across Canada became interested.

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“I woke up the next day with thousands of messages because I posted it to Dropbox, and it crashed from the amount of people who tried downloading it overnight,” Long said.

“All my friends messaged me saying it had been shared and it was everywhere.”

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Long calls the workbook the COVID-19 Time Capsule, filled with writing prompts that people can use to fill in their memories and keep for years to come.

While the project was originally made as a fun activity while their family is socially distancing at home, she also realized it serves as a tool to start conversations about mental health.

The workbook includes pages like “A letter to your future self” and “How I celebrated holidays differently.” Long originally created the booklet for children, but after many requests, she created an adult version as well.

She also created separate booklets with different themes, including one for teachers and one for first-time parents.

Long’s COVID-19 Time Capsule booklet can be downloaded for free on the website LetsEmbark.ca.