Dolly Parton has come up with a way to help comfort children during the coronavirus pandemic. On Monday, the country music star shared her plans for “Goodnight with Dolly,” a weekly video series featuring her reading different children’s stories on behalf of her Imagination Library, a literacy advocacy group. The first installment will air Thursday on the Imagination Library’s YouTube page.
Parton, calling herself “The Book Lady” announced the series with a short video on her Facebook page as well as a blog post on the Imagination Library’s website. “Goodnight with Dolly” will run for 10 weeks with the aim of offering children “a welcomed distraction during a time of unrest.”
“This is something I have been wanting to do for quite a while, but the timing never felt quite right,” Parton said in the blog post. “I think it is pretty clear that now is the time to share a story and to share some love. It is an honor for me to share the incredible talent of these authors and illustrators. They make us smile, they make us laugh and they make us think.”
The list of resources available to Chicago families during the shelter-in-place directive is growing by the day. It’s nothing short of amazing to see how local museums and businesses, big and small, have stepped up to the challenge during a time that is very challenging. With many of these virtual resources being offered for free or super cheap by businesses who rely on ticket sales and class sign-ups to stay afloat, we wanted to not only share what they’re offering, but how to help them in a show of appreciation.
Brookfield Zoo
Brookfield Zoo
Brookfield Zoo is closed to the public until Apr. 30, but they're bringing their Zoo to You every weekday at 11 a.m. via Facebook Live chats. They're going to bring you some of the coolest and most interesting animals around while also providing informative sessions that engage and educate.
How to support them post-Covid-19: Ticket sales are critical to the successful on-going operation of the zoo. While you're unable to visit, donate to their Annual Fund (they even accept gift cards!). Or, purchase a membership. A Basic Family Membership is $130/year.
Local YMCAs are closed to normal activity, but they have created Y on the Go, which gives access to the best local YMCA instructors and education facilitators guiding you through DIY projects, family activities and workouts.
You may not be aware, but local YMCAs are partnering with the City of Chicago to serve as emergency shelters to house hundreds of displaced and homeless individuals currently in shelters where they are unable to practice social distancing. Thank you to the YMCA for helping to care for some of our most vulnerable citizens.
How to support them post-Covid-19: Make a donation to or join your local YMCA or share your talents and become a Y volunteer.
A family visit to the Art Institute of Chicago may have to be put on hold, but prep for a future trip at home with JourneyMaker, an innovative digital interactive kids can use to create their own one-of-a-kind adventure with works of art from the Art Institute’s collection. Kids can fly through galleries like their favorite superhero, travel back or forward in time or discover strange and wondrous beasts.
You can also visit the Art Institute virtually and explore their collection, get the story behind the objects you'd see on a visit, watch videos that give the history of ARTIC, profiles of artists and insights into art, download audio tours and more.
How to support them post-Covid-19: Purchase a membership. The Basic Membership is $150 and includes admission for two adults (admission is always free for ages 13 & under).
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum knows it's tough for kids to be away from school, friends and their normal daily activities. So, they created a new email series dedicated to a day's worth of nature and science facts, activities, guiding questions to throw at your kids and more. Subscribe to the newsletter and check out the links on their website for each day's theme and activities.
How to support them post-Covid-19: Consider making a donation to show your thanks for their work to create content or purchase a membership. For $94/year, two adults and all the children in your household have access to the Museum's programming. You can also plan a single visit to see their temporary Dragons Alive exhibit, on display through Aug. 23.
DuPage Children's Museum will periodically offer Facebook Live storytimes. Follow them on Facebook for more information, or to watch previously recorded storytimes.
How to support them post-Covid-19: Consider purchasing a membership. A Child Membership is $125 and covers 1 named child and any adult. A Family Membership is $150 and includes admission for 2 adults and 4 children. Or, simply visit them for a day of play with admission of $13/person.
For every kid, rituals and routines can be of great comfort. For kids with autism, they are a necessity. Autism Speaks knows that your world is being turned upside down and new structures are needing to be put in place. Their Autism Response Team (ART) is available to provide personalized information and resources to people with autism by calling 1-888-AUTISM2 or for Spanish-speaking callers 1-888-772-9050.
How to support them post-Covid-19: Much uncertainty surrounds largely attended events in Chicago at this time; but, keep your eye on whether their annual Autism Speaks Walk in Chicago will still be scheduled for 2020. If not, consider making a donation on their website. You can even donate stocks!
The Laboratory Collective
The Laboratory Collective
We know The Laboratory Collective for their wildly popular STEM date night drop-offs, classes and day-off and summer camps with fun themes like Spa Night, Harry Potter Wizarding, Robots, Dragons and LEGOs, but while schools are canceled and kids are home, they are offering free live classes where they talk about books, show science experiments kids can do at home and show a crazy demo. Follow them on Facebook to stay up-to-date on offerings and watch pre-recorded lessons on their YouTube channel.
How to support them post-Covid-19: You can donate a scholarship to a student from a high-poverty/low-income school and this donation also helps keep The Laboratory Collective afloat. For $100/year, you can also purchase a Family Membership that gets you discounts off camps, parties, date night drop-offs and early camp registrations.
On its website, Kohl Children’s Museum is providing the “Home Zone,” remote learning video series with stories, activities and experiments that can easily be replicated at home. From exploring the science (and fun) of making bubbles, to discovering unique patterning and help kids express themselves with fly swatter painting, the learning videos are available free on the Kohl website.
Kohl also has teamed up with the Association of Children's Museums (ACM) to offer free STEAM digital learning experiences and is offering story time videos featuring museum educators reading children’s books.
How to support them post-Covid-19: Purchase a PlayKCM membership for $165/year and receive free daily admission for 4 and 50% off admission for 6 to more than 200 children's museums nationwide (including Chicago Children's Museum).
Mr. Dave Music
Mr. Dave Music
Mr. Dave Music in West Town is closed, but he is offering virtual classes for an indefinite period of time for $10/class. Mr. Dave is also creating an interactive show that will be featured on his youtube channel. Subscribe at youtube.com/c/mrdavemusic and you'll be alerted when new content becomes available.
How to support them post-Covid-19: You can also support Mr. Dave Music by purchasing a gift card to use at a later date or donate at Save Mr. Dave.
Shedd Aquarium
Shedd Aquarium
Keep up-to-date on the daily lives of the aquarium’s animals on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter; create learning experiences for early learners through their Sea Curious YouTube series; check out live views from the Underwater Beauty special exhibit, and dive deep with 360-video views to Keep Sharks Swimming, visit Shedd's penguin exhibit daily using the Virtual Reality Penguin Expedition tool and more.
How to support them post-Covid-19: Once this is over, you can visit the penguins in person with Shedd's Penguin Encounter experience, adopt an aquatic animal, make a donation, or become a Shedd member.
Museum of Science & Industry
Museum of Science & Industry
Every day, even without a pandemic, Museum of Science & Industry has a Science at Home tab on their website with games, hands-on science experiments, videos of baby animals being born and more.
Also during its closure, MSI is offering live 45-minute virtual tours of their massive U-505 Submarine.
Chicago Children's Museum knows we can't socially distance from our children. That's why they put together a list of activities that allow you to turn a corner of your home into a mini Chicago Children's Museum experience on their Recipes for Play at Home page. Keep checking back because they'll be adding to this page frequently to make sure your together time is a blast!
How to support them post-Covid-19: Help them prepare to reopen their doors by making a monetary donation, purchase a Family Membership for $190/year or, once they reopen, visit them to see the ultra-cool Cloud Buster and the temporary Castle exhibit.
Adler Planetarium
Adler Planetarium
Even though Adler's doors are closed for a short while, you can stay connected with science, astronomy, our universe—and other Earthlings—from exactly where you sit. Visit Adler's Online Resources page to listen to their YOUniverse Podcast, view their exhibits virtually, contribute to real-life science from your couch via Zooniverse and get ideas for experiments to conduct at home.
How to support them post-Covid-19: Help people of all ages connect under the stars by making a donation, become a Family Member for $165/year, volunteer or visit them once they reopen and help them celebrate their 90th anniversary.
Bubbles Academy
Bubbles Academy
Kid-favorite Bubbles Academy is streaming multiple virtual classes, Mon.-Sat., while they're closed. Each class is 30 minutes in length and delivered via Zoom. Registration is pay-what-you-can, including free ticket options as they understand many families are impacted by the current state of the world.
How to support them post-Covid-19: Attend one of their virtual classes and pay for the content or attend their classes in person (sign up for a full session or take a drop-in class) once they reopen.
Barbie and KIDZ BOP are throwing a rocking holiday bash with a line-up of new videos to keep you singing and dancing all season long.
For the first time ever, a star will join the KIDZ BOP singers as Barbie lends her voice and animated dance moves to a new video series of holiday songs.
The video series kicked off with the KIDZ BOP original song, “KIDZ BOP Shuffle,” featuring Barbie. It will be followed by four other videos including another original song and three remixed holiday classics. The videos will alternate premiering on KIDZ BOP and Barbie’s YouTube channels between now and Dec. 5. Here is the full line up:
The newly-promoted TODAY Show co-host Jenna Bush Hager has just unveiled a video series Open Book, in which she interviews celebrities about their favorite books. One of her first guests had some inspiring choices.
In a recent interview for Open Book with Jenna Bush Hager, former FLOTUS Michelle Obama opened up about a rambunctious, strong-willed young character that many parents grew up with: Pippi Longstocking. Reminiscing about her favorite childhood books, Mrs. Obama revealed that her first book love was Astrid Lindgren’s Pippi Longstocking.
photo: Nathan Congleton/NBC
“I was really fascinated with this strong little girl that was the center of everything. And she was almost magical in a way. I mean, she was stronger and tougher than anyone. She had superhuman strength,” Mrs. Obama told TODAY. As far as the books the former First Lady read to daughters Malia and Sasha, Mrs. Obama says her favorite was Goodnight Moon, while President Obama loved Where the Wild Things Are.
Jenna Bush Hager has a children’s book of her own, Sisters First, which she co-wrote with her own sister, Barbara Pierce Bush, coming out later this fall.
Screen time and kids can seem like a constant balancing act—how much, how often, and how to find high-quality programming? When it comes to sifting through millions of YouTube videos for kids, you now have our curated list of kid-friendly YouTube videos at the ready. They inspire empathy and equality, compassion and conservation, and remind us all about the power of one person to change the world.
1. Meditation 101: A Beginner’s Guide The world is moving fast, and kids have more information than ever to process and navigate. Meditation can help us all, and getting a head start on a practice in childhood can kick-start benefits for our brain and body for decades to come. This Happily video narrated by Dan Harris, author of 10% Happier, is a great place to start.
2. PEOPLE ARE AWESOME 2017 (Kids Edition) Amazing Talented Kids Compilation The next time your little athlete is looking for a pick-me-up, this is the compilation to watch. Draper’s inspiring “Ready for Us” plays as amazing and talented kids skateboard, flip, balance, and double-dribble basketballs (or dance with them). It showcases the power, determination, and strength in kids for feel-good motivation at its best. (Over 15 million views and counting since February!)
3. Sophie Cruz at the Women’s March on Washington Sophie Cruz has been busy. She gave Pope Francis a letter in 2015 and met with President Obama in 2016 over the undocumented status of her parents and her wish that they not be deported. Last year, at all of six years old, she spoke in English and Spanish at the Women’s March in Washington, D.C. as an immigrants’ rights activist. No wonder Sophie also won the Define American Award for Activist of the Year in 2017.
4. Follow the Digital Trail Common Sense Media’s Education channel is a must-subscribe for raising kids in the digital age. Their animated explanation of how we leave digital footprints—and their consequences—encourages kids to “pause and think.” These Digital Citizenship Lessons for Elementary Students (nine total) are a vital primer for ensuring safety first when it comes to being online. And did you know Common Sense Media just released their brand new YouTube channel? They are regularly producing new reviews and parent advice and culling lists like this one of STEM YouTube Channels.
5. The Feminist: Smart Girls w/ Amy Poehler Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls is a much-needed source of validation and encouragement for tomorrow’s women. But this organization isn’t just for girls; their brothers, parents, and teachers benefit immensely from being better aware of both the questions smart girls have as well as the amazing things they are up to these days. Poehler’s now classic “Ask Amy” video series and interviews answer many of these questions, while the Smart Girls website hosts new profiles of these “extraordinary individuals who are changing the world by being themselves.”
6. Bullying: You Are Not Alone Bullying is something that affects everyone growing up—whether they are targeted, doing the bullying themselves because of struggles at home, or wondering who to talk to about something they are watching play out at school. This video, filmed at P.S. 48 in the Bronx, has kids defining what “bullying” is or isn’t, eye-opening stats, re-enactments of common scenarios facing boys and girls, and empowering messages about how to stop it and help others. Plus, there’s a fun, inclusive dance party at the end.
7. Kids Take Action Against Ocean Plastic These days, many kids in the U.S. are being raised to recycle, but we are still a leading producer of pollutants like plastic bottles—and now there are over five trillion pieces of plastic floating in our oceans! It’s a big problem, but that didn’t stop these 17 students in Hawai’i, who “set out to answer one question: How is plastic pollutions shaping the future of our ocean?” Both kids and experts walk us through the answer.
8. Brené Brown on Empathy RSA Shorts produced this phenomenal excerpt from one of the best-selling author and research professor’s best-known TED Talks. The cartoon graphics along with Brown’s enlightened explanation communicate what empathy really is … and isn’t. If tomorrow’s leaders and thinkers start mastering empathy as kids, the world will absolutely be a better place. It’s a must-watch for parents, too.
9. How to Change the World (a work in progress) From Soul Pancake, which recently got a shout out from Common Sense Media as a positive role model on YouTube, the ever-popular Kid President goes to show that solutions to big problems can absolutely be kid sized. With humor, fun graphics, and dance moves, he outlines eight options that make changing the world accessible and doable for “little people living out big love.” These are great New Year’s Resolutions for all!
10. If Kids Were God … Also from SoulPancake, “Little Kids. Big Questions.” is series of interviews with an expert panel of kids who help host Ingrid Michaelson understand the big questions of the day. This episode tackles religion, while other topics include understanding why we feel big emotions and what our purpose is.
What are your go-to YouTube videos for kids? Share in the comments!
Finding a style that takes you from day to night with ease is part of being a parent. Jacqui Boland, Founder & CEO of Red Tricycle, is no stranger to the challenge. She dresses for work, family and social commitments every day and shares her shopping tips in the latest in our video series about good, smart family living.
To find the perfect outfit, Jacqui uses Microsoft Surface 2, a device as versatile as a little black dress. With its ability to run two apps at one time, you can take videos and pictures of clothes you like and share them with friends for instant feedback. In fact, you can use the photo timer to get your selfie just right.
Can’t hit the store? Use the quick new Surface 2 to shop online — which is the ultimate in saving time.
Enter for your chance to win a Surface 2! The new, thinner and faster tablet is a superhero device that helps moms stay on top of their busy lives. Click here to enter.
Whether you work as head of household or have a 9-to-5, it’s all about the balance between work and play. Get insights on the wild, wonderful juggling act from Jacqui Boland, CEO & Founder of Red Tricycle. She shares tips in latest in our video series on good, smart family living.
As a mom who runs a start-up parenting site, Jacqui has learned to multi-task like master. And there’s device that makes it easier and more fun: the Surface 2 tablet from Microsoft.
Catch up on your favorite TV show on Surface 2 while checking email with a split screen that lets you run two apps at once. Click into the full suite of Microsoft Office and take work reports or PTA notes on the go. With ten hours of battery life, Surface 2 is your helpful sidekick for the entire day.
Enter for your chance to win a Surface 2! The new, thinner and faster tablet is a superhero device that helps moms stay on top of their busy lives. Click here to enter.
No matter if it’s pizza night or you’re throwing your heart into a four-course feast, mealtime is family time. Connecting with your kids, both in the kitchen and at the dinner table, is really something to savor.
Get mealtime inspiration and tips from Jacqui Boland, CEO & Founder of Red Tricycle, in the first of our video series about good, smart family living, presented by Microsoft Surface 2. Like you, Jacqui is a busy parent that loves making meaningful ties with her son. The Surface 2 tablet from Microsoft makes it possible.
Enter for your chance to win a Surface 2! The new, thinner and faster tablet is a superhero device that helps moms stay on top of their busy lives. Click here to enter.
