Authors, celebrities, and illustrators offer fun for the kids and a break for mom and dad.
Have you reached your limit after reading “Dragons Love Tacos” a few dozen times and it’s only 10 am? Here are six of our favorite virtual storytimes and art activities:
1. #Savewithstories. A collaboration between actors Jennifer Garner and Amy Adams, Save with Stories is a dedicated Instagram account where your children can watch celebrities read favorite children’s books. The duo are trying to raise money for the organizations Save the Children and No Kid Hungry. As of press time, there were about 25 recorded stories on the account so you can spend some time catching up.
2. HarperKids from Home. The team at HarperKids holds a storytime with read-alouds and activities noon EST. You can tune in on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or YouTube. The Harper Kids YouTube channel also has dozens of fun videos with authors reading their books and illustrators demonstrating their skills.
3. Mo Willems’s “LUNCH DOODLES.” The first-ever Education artist-in-residence at the Kennedy Center, Mo Willems is holding this fun art lesson daily at 1 pm EST. Learners can draw, doodle and explore new ways of writing by visiting Mo’s studio virtually once a day for the next few weeks. Grab some paper and pencils, pens, or crayons and join Mo to explore ways of writing and making together. Kids can post their art to social media and use the hashtag it with #MoLunchDoodles. Lessons are archived on YouTube. Log onto www.kennedy-center.org for the daily lesson.
4. Storyline Online. This incredible resource from the SAG-AFTRA Foundation is an archive of hundreds of children’s books read by some of the greatest actors of our time, including Viola Davis, Chris Pine, Lily Tomlin, Rami Malek, Annette Bening, and James Earl Jones. Don’t miss Betty White reading Harry the Dirty Dog. Log onto www.storylineonline.net.
5. Operation Storytime. Use the hashtag #operationstorytime to find stories on Facebook and Youtube. You’ll find dozens of celebrated children’s authors reading their books.
6. World Book Day. Watch a wide range of famous authors and stars reading children’s books and short stories for kids of all ages at www.worldbookday.com.