April 30th – This is a good time to catch up on some reading, and you can do so on-line through eBooks. Is Harry Potter your type of book or maybe the classics like Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea? There is so much to explore at https://lapl.overdrive.com/ and you don’t need a library card to do it.
If on-line stories are your thing, then https://storytimefromspace.com/library/ is another good place for you to go.
Or create your own story…comic-book style! https://jarrettlerner.com/activities/. Among the activities are blank Comic Book pages for your kids to enjoy.
April 28th — The Call To Unite event is fast-approaching. Set to kick-off at 8 pm on Friday, May 1st, the 24-hour event will feature global leaders, artists, and entertainers (such as Jennifer Garner, Quincy Jones, and more) who are expected to offer lessons, performances, and conversations aimed to support everyone as we endure challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Oprah Winfrey, Julia Roberts, and Rob Lowe are among the stars set to participate. The event will also feature former President George W. Bus, Martin Luther King III, Tim Shriver, Marie Kondo, Minnie Driver, Jewel, and Debbie Allen. The Call To Unite will be live-streamed at http://www.unite.us and on supporting partners including Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, LinkedIn, and SiriusXM Stars Channel 109.
So what to do until then? Maybe, do some Science in a Jar — a super fun way to kids engaged in easy-to-understand science concepts using a simple mason jar. To learn more, go to https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/science-jar/
April 23rd – There is so much fun to be had on-line, as we all cope with the continuing Stay At Home Order. Try these:
For you Harry Potter fans, try the Hogwarts Digital Escape Room. Simply go to the following link, and start your adventure! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSflNxNM0jzbZJjUqOcXkwhGTfii4CM_CA3kCxImbY8c3AABEA/viewform
Science is for everyone, and you don’t necessarily need special equipment or a PhD to do it. Here are 50 Easy Science Experiments Kids Can Do At Home With Stuff You Already Have: https://www.weareteachers.com/easy-science-experiments/?fbclid=IwAR3awQ0oAxqvV1G5e_7VCKmsmHwyQhb95f4u_KOzbFWKqrVEhndF1cdbEVs
While the physical buildings of the Smithsonian Institution may be closed, they’ve made more than four million artworks, books, objects, specimens, and archival materials available to the public through their website. Even better: their Learning Lab has organized these materials into pre-packaged collections sorted by grade level as well as subjects. All of these amazing materials are free. Just go to https://kidsactivitiesblog.com/137806/the-smithsonian-learning-lab/
April 21st – Ever want to see Cats or Evita or Phantom of the Opera on Broadway? Well, Broadway is closed yet — but there is a way that you can see some of the most popular Broadway classics! Following the National Theatre’s decision to stream their plays for free on YouTube, Andrew Lloyd Webber has now made a selection of his musical theatre shows free to watch. Announcing the news in a recorded video message, the composer said: Universal has come up with the idea of a whole series called The Shows Must Go On which is about musicals going from stage to screen and they’re going to show one of mine every Friday for the next few weeks.
The shows are be streamed on The Shows Must Go On YouTube channel ( go to: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdmPjhKMaXNNeCr1FjuMvag) at 7 pm. Fans will then have 48 hours to watch and sing along to the show.
For our older Littles and other youth looking toward college, here’s another on-line activity suggestion…take a tour of colleges, while you practice Stay At Home. Most — if not all — colleges have virtual tours that you can take, and some of them are conducting virtual open house events including a couple right here in Berks County.
- Albright is holding a virtual Open House. For information, go to https://admission.albright.edu/portal/virtualopenhouse
- RACC is also holding an Online Information Session. Find out more at https://www.racc.edu/events?event_type=13
April 16th — If you are looking for some fun games to play with your friends remotely, video conferencing platforms like Zoom are a great means for long-distance fun! Try these (featured in a March 27th article by Cianna Garrison):
- Pictionary — Zoom has a whiteboard feature that is just perfect for playing Pictionary. You can play with the actual game or make up your own clues. Hint: To use Zoom’s whiteboard feature, you’ll need to click the Share Screen button in the meeting toolbar…select whiteboard, then click share.
- Charades — One of the great things about playing charades is that you barely need any materials to get a game going, and you can play with as many people as you want. Just gather your friends together over Zoom, choose your teams, and consult with each other in individual chats to get the rounds going.
- Zoom Bingo — Playing bingo over Zoom is an easy way to hold a game night. Have each of your friends print out the same style of bingo cards (make sure they aren’t identical), and have one of you as a designated caller. One way to approach this is to write out the numbers on cards, shuffle them, and pull them one at a time.
There are also online bingo options that allow for multiplayers to join, such as Facebook Instant Games’ bingo option in Messenger. - Personalized Trivia Game — A fun, interactive idea is to use an application such as TriviaMaker.com to create your own trivia games. Anyone can create their own game once they have a TriviaMaker account, and once you’ve created a game you can share it and play with your friends while video chatting on Zoom. The best way to do this is to make the file downloadable, share screens, or use the Web presenter link for friends playing together.
April 14th — On-line activities can be quite versatile. You can view and enjoy by yourself; watch a movie or TV show with your Big, Little, or family from afar; and so much more. If you are a Little or youth though, remember to check with your parent(s). Here are some more on-line ideas:
Netflix streaming with friends (watch a movie together from your own home) at https://www.netflixparty.com/
Funbrain includes popular games, videos, and books for Pre-K through 8th grade. Check it out at http://www.funbrain.com
There are also plenty of places to find other activities like JumpStart — which has activities for pre-school through 5th grade by age, by subject, and by topic. Go to http://www.jumpstart.com/parents/activities
or you can try Education Games for Kids which includes library, printable worksheets, on-line games, and more at http://www.education.com/games
Don’t forget to check our website and Facebook page for more ideas each day.
April 10th — Here’s a unique opportunity for kids. Y-102 air personalities Andi and Kenny are looking to bring kids on air to help with the weather report each Wednesday. If any Littles (or other kids) would love to be on the radio, you can register and Andi & Kenny will randomly select a local kid to read the weather. Winners will be selected and contacted on Monday, and must be available to call the radio station on Wednesday morning around 6:30 am. To register, go to:
https://y102reading.iheart.com/contests/weather-kid-784588/
Looking for some on-line games, try these:
Play the best free games, deluxe downloads, puzzle games, word & trivia games, and more at”
Free to play — a massive selection of games including some of the most played genres on-line including racing games, puzzle games, action games, and many more. Go to: