Since we'll all be spending a lot of time at home for the forseeable future, we've put together a page of kid-friendly home activities by some of our favorite authors, artists, and community members! Scroll down for the list. We will be adding to this list as new resources come to our attention.
STORYTIMES/READ ALOUDS
James and the Giant Peach w/Taika Waititi and Friends - Watch award winning filmmaker Taika Waititi read Roaldl Dahl's James and the Giant Peach with famous friends such as Meryl Streep, Ryan Reynolds, Cate Blanchett, Lupita Nyong'o and more! Each episode raises money for Partners in Health. Click Here
The Princess In Black and the Case of the Coronavirus - The Princess in Black returns for a new adventure in the free e-book The Princess in Black and the Case of the Coronavirus! Click Here.
Mondays with Michelle Obama - Read along with former first lady on PBS Kids every Monday! Click Here.
Storytime in Space - Reading to kids is wonderful and everything, but reading to kids from space is SUPER awesome. The Global Space Education Foundation has just the thing for you: Story Time in Space. It’s exactly what it sounds like — astronauts on various missions in space read popular children’s books while floating about and shared with kids way down on Earth. Sign. Us. Up! Click here.
The Circus Ship read by author/illustrator Chris Van Dusen - this is one of our favorite children's books Liza's go-to children's recommendations! Click here.
KidLit TV - KidLit TV's virtual library includes tutorials, read-alouds, podcasts and other activities, including reading resources. Click Here.
Harper Collins at Home - HarperCollins Children’s Books is using social media to share daily story times, learning materials, and activities with readers. Authors, illustrators, and Harper staff will participate, with social media channels available for different age groups. Click here.
Read, Wonder, Learn with Kate Messner - A growing collection of resources that include everything from first-chapter and picture book read-alouds (all shared with permission!) to drawing and writing mini-lessons. Be sure to check back often, as new resources will be added every day. Click here.
Peter Reynolds Daily Livestream - Peter Reynolds, author of The Dot and many other works for young readers, is taking to Facebook daily to do a daily read-aloud that students and teachers can view. Click here.
Brightly - Storytimes. Click here.
Oliver Jeffers - Daily read alouds @ 11am PST on author Oliver Jeffers' Instagram Click here.
Rainbow Action Network - Parents read aloud LGBTQ inclusive books! Click here.
Goodnight With Dolly - Just when you think Dolly Parton can't get any more amazing, she does! Goodnight with Dolly is a 10-week special series of weekly videos featuring Dolly Parton reading select Imagination Library books. It launches on April 2 with the hope that this gift will further inspire a love of books and shared storytime during this important period. Click here.
The Bunny Poets with local author Barbara Toboni - We had to cancel our Easter reading of The Bunny Poets, but you can still listen to local author Barbara Toboni reading the book on YouTube! Click here.
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
NVUSD Continuity of Learning - These resources have been created for students and families to use during our school closures. If you do not have access to WiFi, Comcast has made Xfinity WiFi available to anyone who needs it for free – including non-Xfinity Internet subscribers. Look for the “xfinitywifi” network from your device, connect to it and launch your browser. Click here.
KQED At-Home Learning Resources - KQED is offering an at-home learning response to school closures for all children and youth in California. This response includes a new educational schedule for broadcast on KQED Plus in the Bay Area as well as free corresponding digital learning media and activities for at-home learning. KQED is also providing support for teachers and parents in navigating this new learning landscape throughout the state. Click here.
Khan Academy - The Khan Academy is a nonprofit with the mission to provide free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere. Their COVID-19 resources include Daily Schedules for Students 2-18 and remote learning resources. Click here.
Suddenly Home Schooling by Holly Dawson - Holly Dawson has put together a great list of resources for all those parents out there who have suddenly found themselves home schooling. Click here.
Napa Library Database - The Napa Library offers all sorts of digital resources for cardholders. All NVUSD students have library cards. The number is NVUSD + their student ID (ex. NVUSD000000). Don't have a library card? You can be issued one over the phone or by email. Click here.
Scholastic Learn at Home - Scholastic Learn at Home allows open access to "daily learning journeys divided into four grade spans—Pre-K–K, Grades 1–2, Grades 3–5, and Grades 6–9+, covering ELA, STEM, Science, Social Studies, and Social-Emotional Learning". Click here.
Harper Collins at Home - HarperCollins Children’s Books is using social media to share daily story times, learning materials, and activities with readers. Authors, illustrators, and Harper staff will participate, with social media channels available for different age groups. Click here.
Penguin Classroom - Resources for Educators and at home educators. Click here.
Brightly - Educational materials by age. Click here.
Middle Grade Matters - Looking for books and resources to help kids 8+ navigate tough situations? Middle Grade Matters is here to help! Find books that address challenges kids face regularly, from dealing with bullying, to coping with grief, and more. Click here.
Harper Stacks - Digital teaching, reading group, and discussion guides courtesy of Harper Stacks. The grid lists hundreds of digital guides they've created over the years and is filterable by age range and grade level, from the earliest readers to young adult. Click Here.
ART/ACTIVITIES
Dav Pilkey At Home - Get creative and have fun with some of your favorite characters from Dog Man and Captain Underpants! Check back every Friday to discover new activities, exciting videos, and so much more! Click here.
Magic Tree House - Adventures with Jack and Annie from the Magic Tree House books! Each week, Magic Tree House Home Adventures will feature videos from Mary Pope Osborne, activities, craft ideas, themed recipes, cross-curricular lessons, Family Trivia Night game ideas, fun surprises, and much more! Click here.
Mo Willems' Lunch Doodles - Join Kennedy Center Artist-In-Residence Mo Willems every day for lunch doodles! Learners worldwide 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. Click here.
Puzzles - We have a BUNCH of fun puzzles in stock. While we are not currently open to public browsing, you can still give us a call at 707-733-3199 and we'll talk you through our options. We also do FREE local delivery to Napa zipcodes 94558 and 94559 so we can bring them to you!
Activity Books - We also have activity books available in stock. Give us a call at 707-733-3199 to learn more + order over the phone.
Local Artist Dara Weyna Coloring Sheets - Local artist Dara Weyna has created coloring sheets for kids and adults alike! DM her on Facebook and she'll send you the pages free of charge. Click here.
Read, Wonder, Learn with Kate Messner - A growing collection of resources that include everything from first-chapter and picture book read-alouds (all shared with permission!) to drawing and writing mini-lessons. Be sure to check back often, as new resources will be added every day. Click here.
Ideal Exhibitions at Home - Picture book creator Hervé Tullet’s colorful and interactive Ideal Exhibitions have been shown worldwide in museums and galleries, but with those spaces closing around the world, Tullet is inviting teachers and children to participate in creating a version of his exhibitions from home and encouraging them to share. Click here.
Creston Books Activity Pack - You may have heard Naomi rave about these on our daily IG Live storytimes - Creston Books' activity pack includes video read alongs and drawing activities! Click Here.
Stay the F*ck Home and Color - This one's for the parents: "Stress-Relieving Designs to Color When the World Goes to Sh*t." Need we say more? Click Here.
YOGA
Cosmic Kids Yoga - Online kids yoga! 14 day free trial! This was recommended by a fellow Napa mom. Click here.
OTHER
Monterey Bay Aquarium Live Streams - Ok, maybe this one isn't *kid specific* and can 100% be enjoyed by everyone, but the Monterey Bay Aquarium has TEN live streams from within the aquarium that you can watch at any time including the jelly cam, shark cam, coral reef cam + more! Click here.
Talking to Kids about COVID-19 - Child psychologist Dr. Jillian Roberts created The World Around Us series to guide parents and caregivers through conversations about difficult issues in a reassuring and hopeful manner and help children understand their expanding awareness of the world around them. In this article she gives advice on how to talk to children about COVID-19. Click here.
Duoligo - Learn a language online - for free! Click Here.