Social Distancing Suggestions for Families Social Distancing Suggestions for Families

Especially for Families – If you are looking for suggestions just for adults, visit our Social Distancing for Adults page. 

We will continue to update this throughout social distancing with new webpage suggestions.

Looking for a social story to help explain novel coronavirus (COVID-19)? Download a social story to help explain what’s happening.

St. Jude created a coronavirus coloring book to explain what’s happening.

Understood is an organization whose purpose is to provide resources for special needs people and their supporters to help them navigate the world.  They have provided resources for special needs people and their families to explain the Coronavirus and what is happening as a result of the virus.  This information is helpful for all families, not just special needs families. Understood also provide some tips about activities to keep kids busy at home.

Tips for Speech Therapy at Home for Children with Autism
https://speechpathologymastersprograms.com/tips-for-speech-therapy-children-with-autism/

Education – Lowell Public Schools

At Home and Online Resources – Lowell Public Schools

Lowell Public Schools Read Alouds

Education – Library Resources

Miss Humblebee’s Academy is an interactive kindergarten-readiness program that introduces children ages three to six to key concepts in math, science, social studies, language and literacy, art, and music. It’s as challenging as it is fun!

Kids InfoBits introduces elementary schoolers to database searching with easy-to-use resources featuring age-appropriate, reliable, curriculum-related content covering a broad range of educational topics.

Gale In Context: Middle School combines reference content with age-appropriate videos, newspapers, magazines, primary sources, and more.

Gale In Context: High School supports student papers, projects, and presentations while empowering the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills with content aligned to national and state curriculum standards.

Homework Center courtesy of Multinomah County Library (OR)

Hogwart’s Digital Escape Room – This escape experience was created by Sydney Krawiec, Youth Services Librarian at Peters Township Public Library in McMurray, PA.

Escape from Wonderland (Alice in Wonderland theme) – This escape room was created by Erin Honeycutt, Children’s Librarian at Moultrie-Colquitt County Library System in Moultrie, Georgia.

Marvel’s Avengers: Escape from the Hydra Base! by Richmond Hill Public Library Digital Escape Room

Chatterpack’s Free, Online, Boredom-Busting Resource List

Storytimes & Entertainment

Some librarians are compiling events that we find available to families in a Google Calendar for Livestreamed Events for the upcoming weeks.

Are your kids missing storytime? Find something new with this page of online storytime resources.

Monday – Friday 10:00am EDT enjoy a live “Circle Time” with Cady Hickman, Theater.

Check out LivBits’ list of author online storytimes and other resources.

Enjoy books read by celebrities online at Storyline Online.

150+ Enrichment Activities for Children While Parents are Working Remotely

Novel Effect makes storytime a little more fun for kids (and grown-ups too!) As you read out loud from print books (or ebooks!) music, sound effects, and character voices play at just the right moment, adjusting and responding to your voice.

Authors Everywhere is a YouTube Channel created and run by children’s book writers and illustrators. Find workshops, readings, activities, art projects, writing games, writing advice, and more.

Story Preservation Initiative offers a selection of audio stories from three master storytellers on the K-3 Storytelling Learning Lab. A one-time registration is required, then click on “storytellers” and listen and enjoy at no cost.

Pete the Cat author James Dean is hosting a storytime daily noon ET

Mac Barnett, NY Times Bestselling author of stories for children will be hosting an Instagram Live read-aloud session every day at 3 P.M. Eastern Time during this time of crisis.

Author Grace Lin has videos up on your YouTube channel for your viewing enjoyment.

Disney Movie Activity Links

Spanish children’s stories – Cuentors infantiles in español

Storytime in Space – Astronauts Read to You!

Learning at Home

A List of Companies Offering Free Subscriptions Due to School Closings from Kidsactivities.com

For schools that might be incorporating distance learning, there’s a Parents’ Guide to Google Classroom. 

There are also Google Tools for Struggling Students and Special Needs

Scholastic is offering its Learn at Home materials to keep the kids busy while not in school. For ages preschool to grade 6+. You can also check out their Scholastic Free Daily Courses. 

Science Mom (and sometimes Math Dad) have a great series of videos related to STEM related projects.

If your kids are learning from home and need some extra help, GoPeer is offering free 2-hour opportunities for instruction.

Education Companies Offering Free Subscriptions due to School Closings (Updated) : Amazing Educational Resources – curated by librarians

Teacher Podcasts 

Best Math Websites

Kentucky Association for Gift Education Supporting Materials Links

Learn about the history of Lowell by checking out photos and the timeline at the Lowell Historical Society.

Online Speech Therapy Resources for Kids

Meterologist Hayley Lapoint Offers weather course

Learning Games

Play games and learn all about animals at Switchzoo.

Enjoy math and reading games at Funbrain.

Read, play games at more with Dr. Seuss

ABCYA has some excellent math and reading games

Arcade + Academics = Learning Fun at Arcademics!

Art activities

All Kids Network has coloring sheets, worksheets, craft ideas and more.

Highlights Kids has fun games, recipes, crafts, activities and more.

Parents, find crafts, activities, finger plays and more with Preschool Express.

Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems, author of the Pigeon, Knuffle Bunny, and Elephant and Piggie Series – weekdays at 1 PM EDT.

#StoryMarch is an opportunity to make art and share it via social media (parents only) offered by the Greater Boston Illustrators’ Group.

Take Free Drawing Classed with Famous Illustrators

Virtual Field Trips

The Cincinnati Zoo will be offering Facebook Live safaris daily at 3 PM while the zoo is closed.

The San Diego Zoo has an exciting website with lots of great activities.

Tour Yellowstone National Park!

Explore the surface of Mars with the Rover.

FarmFood 360 offers 11 Virtual Tours of farms from minks, pigs, and cows, to apples and eggs.

Enjoy a virtual tour of the Great Wall of China.

Take a virtual trip to the British Museum and learn about the Rosetta Stone.

See amazing art at the Louvre.

A teacher put together a listing of Virtual Field Trips that you can take from home!

Head to Alaska and take a peek at their wildlife cameras!  

A collection of great virtual field trips to try out

Go under the sea with the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s web cams.

Adventures in Familyhood – 20 Virtual Field Trips to Take with Your Kids

Dutch Hollow Dairy Farm

Will-O-Crest Farm

JoBo Holsteins Farm for High School Students

Georgia Aquarium

New England Aquarium

National Parks Tours

Staying Active

Kid-friendly workouts — choose from Strength for Kids, Agility for Kids, Flexibility and Balance for Kids, Warm-Up for Kids, Cooldown for Kids, Stand Up and Move for Kids, or create your own custom kid workout.

Beachbody Kids Workouts

Jumping Jax Gym Workout

Challenges

Lego – 30 day build challenges