“I couldn’t see my friends; the internet was bad, and I hardly went out” – insights into children’s and adolescents’ experiences of COVID-19 in Germany

PURPOSE: We explored children’s experiences of COVID-19 in terms of proximity and distance to significant others. METHODS: Our qualitative study with children in Germany (6–15 years of age) explored their views and experiences of COVID-19 times via drawings and face-to-face semi-structured interviews (n = 13). We analysed data thematically and used the socio-ecological model as the theoretical underpinning. Case studies contextualized how children dealt with the COVID-19 precautions. RESULTS: Salient motives in children’s drawings were school scenarios showing distance-keeping and mask-wearing as an expression of interpersonal distance; in the home-schooling context, loneliness was highlighted. Drawings also illustrated the impact of COVID-19 in terms of separation, illness and death. A dynamic perception of proximity and distance emerged from drawings and interviews. COVID-19 barred children from spending “real” time together with close friends. Bridging physical distance virtually was easier for adolescents than for children. CONCLUSION: To bolster children’s mental and social resilience in future epidemics, participants’ plea for maintaining social and physical interactions with significant others and for keeping schools open should be heeded by policy-makers. Our study also highlights the benefits of conducting direct research with children and using non-verbal methods of data collection.