There are a LOT of kid and family-friendly resources floating around. We’ve gathered just SOME of those here. The resources listed below do not require a library card.

And don’t forget! You can also access Kanopy Kids, our Suggested Reading for Kids & Teens page, and the Overdrive Digital Library for Kids.

Skip to Digital Storytime & Video Read-Alouds | Educational Resources | Virtual Tours

 

ARTS, CRAFTS & DIY

Jarrett J. Krosoczka—author & illustrator – Draw Every Day with JJK is a program that educates, entertains, and empowers young artists, hosted and produced by National Book Award Finalist Jarrett J. Krosoczka.

Lunch Doodles With Mo Willems – Join Mo’s video stream at 1pm EST each day, and follow along while you doodle together! Mo Willems is the author of the Pigeon series, the Elephant and Piggie series, and many more. Brought to you by the Kennedy Center.

Free coloring pages at Crayola.com

Interactive coloring pages at Disney.com

Do-It-Yourself (DIY)

Instructables – Instructables is a website specializing in user-created and uploaded do-it-yourself projects.

MakeZine Projects – From electronics to crafts to robots with a side of drones, the Make: edit team picks the latest products, projects and tools to make you a better maker.

Snapguide – Discover and create how-to guides on all your favorite topics.

DIGITAL STORYTIME & VIDEO READ-ALOUDS

Authors Everywhere – This is a Youtube Channel created and run by children’s book writers and illustrators. On this channel, you’ll find workshops, readings, activities, art projects, writing games, writing advice, and more. We hope that we can offer you some fun, some distraction, and a creative outlet for any feelings that might come up during this time.

HarperKids Storytime Read Alouds – Whether for preschooler, tweens or teens, we’re home to the likes of Shel Silverstein, C.S. Lewis, Maurice Sendak, Beverly Cleary, Neil Gaiman, The Berenstain Bears, Fancy Nancy, Divergent series, The Selection series, Red Queen series and many more.

KidLit Tv – Explore and enjoy a collection of children’s authors and illustrators reading out loud.

Kids Ask Authors with Grace Lin – Kids Ask Authors (subscribe here!) is a weekly 5-10 minute podcast where children’s book author/illustrator Grace Lin and a guest author answer one question from a child reader. Most episodes will end with a book review, poem, short story or a joke by kids! 

Story Time From Space – Astronauts from the International Space Station read children’s books in outer space for children on earth to listen to. They have science videos that compliment the books.

Storyline Online – Actors reading aloud online. Storyline Online is available 24 hours a day for children, parents, caregivers and educators worldwide. Each book includes a supplemental curriculum developed by a credentialed elementary educator, aiming to strengthen comprehension and verbal and written skills for English-language learners.

Here’s a list of well-known children’s authors on Youtube, just search for them and you see a variety of videos from these authors:       

  • Dav Pilkey (Dogman & Captain Underpants series)
  • Eric Carle (The Very Hungry Caterpillar)
  • James Dean (Pete the Cat series)
  • Jane O’Connor (Fancy Nancy series)
  • Jarret Krosocozka (The New Kid, Lunch Lady graphic novels series)
  • Jason Reynolds (Ghost)
  • Jeff Kinney (Diary of a Wimpy Kid series)
  • Lauren Tarshis (I Survived series)
  • Lincoln Peirce (Big Nate series)
  • Lisa McMann (The Unwanteds series)
  • Mo Willems (Gerald & Piggie, Pigeon, Knuffle Bunny)
  • Neil Gaiman (The Graveyard Book)
  • Paul Tobin (Plants Vs. Zombies graphic novels)
  • Raina Telgemeier (Sisters, Smile, Babysitter Club graphic novels)
  • Tui Sutherland (Wings of Fire series)
  • Victoria Kann (Pinkalicious series)

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

Code.org – Learn how to code for free! Try making your own games, apps, and computer drawings.

Hilltown Families – An award-winning community-based education network, serving the four counties of Western Massachusetts. Suggested resources and learning opportunities posted weekly.

Khan Academy – A non-profit educational organization created to provide “a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere.” Khan Academy offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard. They tackle math, science, computer programming, history, art history, economics, and more.

The Kennedy Center: Interactive Media – Featured content and media for students of all ages.

The Kid Should See This – This blog aggregates interesting, kid-friendly videos focusing on science, art, technology, and more. The videos weren’t necessarily made for kids, but kids can get a lot out of them. That’s the premise of the site.

The Learning Network: Activities for Students by the New York Times – Teach and Learn with The Times. Resources for bringing the world into your classroom.

MetKids by the Metropolitan Museum of Art – Explore the Map. Hop in the Time Machine. Watch Videos. Made for, with, and by kids.

Nature Lab by the Nature Conservancy – Nature Lab gives teachers, students and families everything they need to start exploring and understanding nature around the globe alongside Conservancy scientists. Our interactive lesson plans align to standards and can be customized for each classroom.

PBS Learning Media – Inspire students with thousands of free teaching resources including videos, lesson plans, and games aligned to state and national standards. PBS Learning Media resources span disciplines for grades PreK-12, are aligned to national and state standards, and include videos, comprehensive lessons, and other activities.

Ranger Rick Magazine – With schools and daycares closing across the country, Ranger Rick wants to help your family stay entertained and engaged in the natural world. They are making all digital editions of their magazines free to the public.

ReadWriteThink – At ReadWriteThink, the mission is to provide educators, parents, and afterschool professionals with access to the highest quality practices in reading and language arts instruction by offering the very best in free materials.

Scratch – With Scratch, you can program your own interactive stories, games, and animations — and share your creations with others in the online community.

Smithsonian: Fun Stuff for Kids and Teens – Learn with Smithsonian. Includes activities and games for “Art, History, and Culture” and “Science and Nature”, as well as “Art Meets Science in the Collections”, “Art, History, and Culture in the Collections” and “Science and Nature in the Collections” categories.

STEM lesson plans with Snoopy – With downloadable lesson plans, the Space Foundation supports PreK through 20 students with standards-based curriculum that uses space principles to integrate science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) into all content areas.

Ted-Ex – TedEd aims to spark and celebrate the ideas and knowledge-sharing of teachers and students around the world. Additionally, you can sign up for their daily newsletter TedEd@Home for lesson plans, insights and tips.

WGBH Distance Learning Center – As schools and students, families and educators adapt to the current health crisis, WGBH — in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and WGBY/New England Public Media — is supporting them by gathering some of our free, trusted digital resources from PBS LearningMedia and our award-winning educational preschool programming.

What We Do All Day – A parenting resource for children’s books, easy indoor kids’ activities, play and learning ideas.

VIRTUAL TOURS

Explore.org Livecams
Virtual tour of National Parks

Virtual Museum Tours

Google Arts & Culture Collections page – Virtually tour this collection of over 1,200+ museums and galleries.
Louvre Museum, Paris, France
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC
Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Virtual Aquarium Tours & Webcams

Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, GA
Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey Bay, CA
National Aquarium Virtual Tour

Virtual Zoo Tours & Webcams

San Diego Zoo Videos
Ouwehand Park Polar Bear Cubs Cams (Rhenen, Netherlands)
Smithsonian’s National Zoo Cam
Tucson’s Reid Park Zoo Lion Cam
Zoo Atlanta Panda Cam