Weekly COVID Message from RAR

Archives 

Resources for Families

E-Books for Children

• ALSC Blog: A list of free children’s eBooks
• Storyline Online: Video streams featuring celebrated actors reading children’s books alongside creatively produced illustrations.
• Barnes and Noble: Free children’s eBooks for the NOOK
• Amazon: Free eBooks for all ages of children
• MagicBlox: Free and appropriate for all ages of children
• Unite for Literacy: Digital books that provide audio narrations in more than 40 languages
• NC Kids Digital Library: Free access with your Charlotte Mecklenburg Library card
• CoviBook: An invitation for families to discuss the full range of emotions arising from the current situation.
• Story Time From Space: Books read by astronauts on space stations

Online Storytimes 

• RAR Aspen to Parachute will host Virtual Story Time via Facebook Live twice a week. Join the English Story Time every Tuesday at 11am and Spanish Story Time every Wednesday at 11am.
• Parent Services Project: Little Red Reading Hood story times in Spanish on Tuesdays and Thursdays
• Wayne County Public Library: Read Alouds of RAR books
• Operations Story Time: Search the hashtag #OperationStoryTime on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to find authors, illustrators and others sharing story time with children.
• Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library: Reading a series of Imagination Library books all carefully chosen for their appropriate content at this moment in time.
• StoryPlace: Digital storytime library and activity website in English and Spanish.
• We Are Teachers: Favorite authors are offering online read-alouds and activities on social media.
• Mondays with Michelle Obama: Watch the former First Lady share some of your favorite stories through May 11. This page also features stories read by authors and other creatives.
• Brightly Storytime: Most videos feature highlighted words to follow along. Stories arranged by age, genres, etc., and includes a Diverse and Inclusive Children Storytime playlist.
• Adelante Family Resource Center: Presents play and learn together. Join Facebook on Tuesday and Thursdays at 9:30 AM for English and Spanish songs, stories, activities and more.

Learning Websites & Activities

• Reading Rockets: reading guides and resources to improve children’s reading
• Scholastic Learn at Home: Projects to keep kids reading, thinking and growing
• Read Charlotte-Home Reading Helper: Resource and information to help grow your child’s reading skills
• Google Earth: Zoom in to anywhere in the world! Children will love seeing different places across the globe
• PBS Education: Lots of fun, educational games with children’s favorite characters
• Explore.org: Live streams of various animal habitats, which children love watching
• YMCA-Boulder, Co: Resources for art projects, learning, and music & dance
• Kids Activities: A list of education companies offering free subscriptions due to school closings
• NASA Kids Club: Space and engineering site for children
• Boston Children’s Museum: A curriculum and activity resources focused on STEM and hands-on learning
• The Kennedy Center Education: Curated collection provides educators and parents with ideas and strategies for addressing the needs of students who need to study and learn online.
• Lerner: Helping students with remote access and online learning
• Atlanta Speech School Cox Campus: Your child can continue to learn and grow while school is closed with a “live” preschool that is a safe destination for free learning experiences and lessons for you and your preschool-aged child
• Rosetta Stone: The offer includes a 3-month, no-cost Rosetta Stone for students subscription for new users
• STEM Next: Quality STEM programming for all youth
• Varsity Tutors: Learning platform with numerous free resources to help students and parents cope with school and summer camp closures.
• FUN.com: Fun brain games for kids

Apps

• Khan Academy Kids: Fun educational learning and discovery for children ages two to seven
• Vroom: Everyday learning activities and tips appropriate for all ages
• Common Sense Media: Apps range from skills essential to life and  in the 21st century, to traditional academic subjects
• ScratchJr: A perfect, playful way to learn to code
• Shadow Puppet Edu: A fun way for school-age children to create presentations  
• Stop Motion Studio: A great app for helping school-age children to make movies
• ChatterPix Kids: Children can create cards with voice messages to send to their families and friends
• Geoboard: Good learning math and having fun creating shapes
• Special Needs Students: Apps for Special Needs Students compiled by National Association for Family, School and Community Engagement
• Barefoot World Atlas:An educational app that gives children an interactive look at animals, indigenous people, and other topics of interest around the world.

ELL Resources 

• RAR Aspen to Parachute: host Virtual Story Time via Facebook Live twice a week. Join the Spanish Story Time every Wednesday at 11am.
• Parent Service Project: Offers information and activities including Little Red Reading Hood story times in Spanish on Tuesdays and Thursdays, literacy activities on Mondays and virtual play group on Fridays
• ¡Colorín Colorado!: Offers a wealth of bilingual, research-based information, activities, and advice for educators and families of English language learners (ELLs)
• Common Sense Media Latino: Family engagement resources with articles, videos, and ready-made presentations in Spanish​
• Jbary: A list of Bilingual Storytime Resources including videos, webinars, books and other websites/blogs on the subject
• StoryPlace: Provides children with the virtual experience of going to the Library and participating in the same types of activities the Library offers at its physical locations.
• Abriendo Puertas: Expansive list of resources in Spanish

Crisis Support

• ACTION for Healthy Kids: Resources including food access, transitioning to online learning, and resources for keeping healthy and active.
• Turnaround for Children: Podcast on how to address the fear, stress and disruption cause by the pandemic
• Sesame Street in the Community: Resources that can help your families cope during challenging times
• Conscious Discipline: COVID 19 helpful responses for families
• Triple P: A toolbox of ideas and strategies to help with parenting
• The National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Help to improve access to services for traumatized children, their families and communities throughout the US.

Partner Resources 

• America’s Promise Alliance 
• National Center for Families Learning 
• NAFSCE
• Children & Youth Partnership for Dare county 
• Ready4K
• Zero to Three Resources 

Social Media 

• Pete the Cat:Join Instagram Live each day at 12pm ET @Petethecatofficial for a reading and drawing tutorial with Pete the Cat creator, James Dean
• Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden: Connect on Facebook to follow the zookeepers each day at 3pm ET where they will highlight one amazing animal and include a home (or class) activity.  If you do not have social media these “home safari” videos will be posted on their website and YouTube.
• Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems: Follow on Facebook each day at 1pm ET. Mo invites us in to his studio, grab some paper an pencils and learn, draw, doodle and explore new ways of writing.
• RAR Aspen to Parachute will host Virtual Story Time via Facebook Live twice a week. Join the English Story Time every Tuesday at 11am and Spanish Story Time every Wednesday at 11am.
• Search the hashtag #OperationStoryTime on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to find authors, illustrators and others sharing story time with children
  
• Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta: Enjoy puppet shows, puppet presentations, and workshops all from the safety and comfort of home.
• Parent Services Project: Information and activities including Little Red Reading Hood story times in Spanish on Tuesdays and Thursdays, literacy activities on Mondays and virtual play group on Fridays.
• Fernbank Museum At Home: Take part in Atlanta’s field trip Fridays virtual event on social media starting at 10am EST each week.