GRPL Selects
Find local, national, and world-wide virtual experiences hand-selected by staff from the Grand Rapids Public Library. Check back often for updates to this page.
Play, Learning, and Activities
- Show Me Nutrition – Free nutrition education program for youth from MSU Extension
- Exploratorium – Free tools to help kids explore science, art, and human perception.
- HippoCampus.org – Free educational resources for middle school to college students.
- MSU Extension Educational Resources for School Closures – Enjoy a collection of helpful educational resources for students of any age.
- Khan Academy – Khan Academy is a nonprofit with the mission to provide a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere.
- Grand Rapids Children’s Museum Play at Home – Transform your living room, backyard, or bedroom into your very own GRCM with these ideas for engaging in open-ended play at home.
- CODE.org – Explore computer science and coding resources designed for kids.
- WGVU PBS At Home Learning – Daily free-over-the-air broadcasts feature public media science, history and other educational programming as well as learning activities by grade level. PreK – High School
- PBSkids.org – PBS’s fun activities and educational TV shows for kids. Check out the DIY activities on each show’s page.
- PBS learning media – Explore activities and videos for learning with PBS. Videos are arranged by grade and subject and are available in Spanish (Español).
- Van Andel Education Institute’s Keep Curiosity Alive Guide – Great science activities for kids in kindergarten and up from our Friends at the Van Andel Education Institute.
- Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems – Draw with creator of Pigeon and Elephant and Piggie through Kennedy Center
- Playworks.org Play at home playbook Dav Pilkey At Home – Have fun with creator of Captain Underpants and Dog Man (through Scholastic and the Library of Congress)
- Wimee the Robot and Kevin Kammeraad
- Success Starts Early – Explore literacy activities and parent tips around love, talk, count, play, and read; also includes links to family resources. Designed for kids 0-5 years old.
- Entertain Kids On A Dime – Enjoy over 100 activities for kids.
- Smithsonian Institute’s Fun Stuff for Kids and Teens
- WMTA Digital Puzzles – Explore West Michigan themed jigswa puzzles.
- 25 Ways to Get Moving at Home – Learn wellness tips from the American Heart Association
- Netflix JR – Celebrating Black Voices
- 4-H’s Heads In Hearts In: Early Childhood Activities NatGeo@Home – Enjoy quizzes, videos, science experiments and at-home classroom resources.
- Wide Open School – Available in Spanish
- Alo Yoga for Kids
- Cosmic Kids YogaTinkerLab – Creative Experiments for Kids
- Library of Congress: Engage! – Engage with authors you love and the Library’s resources from anywhere in the world.
- TypingClub.com – Learn touch typing for free with paced lessons.
Looking for parent resources to help kids learn at home?
- School Parenting Guide from TODAY.com
- 22 Remote Learning Tips for Parents Helping at Home from TeachThought
- Back to School 2020 from Brightly
- Distance Learning: 8 tips to help your child learn at home from understood.com
- Michigan Department of Education: Remote Learning Strategies
- Parent Ideas and Tips for Online Learning
- GRPS Parent University Parent Power Magazine – A great resource for all area parents
- Literacy Essentials – Free documents designed to help improve literacy skills of Michigan students. For children age 0-18.
Read-a-Louds
- SAG-AFTRA Foundation Storyline Online – Stream videos featuring celebrated actors reading children’s books. Each story also comes with an activity guide!
- KidLit TV – Enjoy storytimes with authors.
- Story Time from Space – Watch astronauts read stories and conduct experiments from space!
- Brightly Storytime – Enjoy videos of children’s books and activity pages!
- Scholastic Listen and Read
- World Book Day Storytime Online
- Barefoot Books Singalong
- Unite for Literacy – Nonfiction books available in multiple languages.
- American Sign Language (ASL) Storytelling
- Harper Kids Storytime Read Aloud
- Penguin Books Stories Aloud
- Ladybird Books Storytime with Toddler fun learning
- Brightly Flip- Along Storytime books
- Read Along with PBS Kids!– PBS and Penguin Random House are livestreaming picture book readings by Michelle Obama Mondays at noon. Activity guides available.
- Harry Potter At Home – Hear the Harry Potter books read chapter-by-chapter by actors and enjoy crafts and games for kids.
- James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
- Kids’ Food Basket Reads
- PBS Books Storytime
- Goodnight with Dolly – Enjoy books read aloud by Dolly Parton.
- Storytime With the Met – Join the Metropolitan Museum of Art for storytime designed for kids 18 months to 6 years.
Looking for kid-friendly ebooks, audiobooks, and videos?
Access thousands of (free) resources for kids using your library card.
Learn more.
Virtual Field Trips
- Google Arts and Culture – Explore Museums around the world with Google’s arts and culture.
- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
- Blandford Nature Center Moments Live
- San Diego Zoo – Find various live-cam and pre-recorded videos of animals (and fun facts!).
- Mars – Join NASA and Google for a tour of space.
- FarmsFood360 – Explore various Canadian farms.
- Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts – Enjoy at home workshops and performances.
- Grand Rapids Civic Theater Midday Play
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Live Cams
- National Park Service Webcams – Explore National Parks around the country virtually.
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The Hidden Worlds of the National Parks – Follow rangers on a journey to places most people never visit! From Google Arts and Culture and the US National Parks.
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Virtual Dives from the National Marine Sanctuaries and NOAA Virtual Reality Tour of the Tomb of Queen Meresankh III – from the Ministry of Antiquities Egypt
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The Hidden Worlds of the National Parks – Follow rangers on a journey to places most people never go. From Google Arts and Culture and the US National Parks.
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Virtual Dives from the National Marine Sanctuaries and NOAA Virtual Reality Tour of the Tomb of Queen Meresankh III – From the Ministry of Antiquities Egypt
- One Strange Rock from National Geographic
Find virtual experiences created by our local partners.
Talking about COVID-19 & Current Events with Kids
- Talking to Children About Tragedies and Other News Events from HealthyChildren.org
- Talking About Politics With Your Kids from GoodHousekeeping.com
- Putting On The Oxygen Mask – How To Take Care of Yourself So You Can Take Care of Your Child from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America
- Helping Children Cope With Changes Resulting from COVID-19 from NASPonline.org
- Magination Press Family – Free resources to help children and teens cope with stress and anxiety, and the need for mindfulness brought on by COVID-19 and other life situations. Brought to you by the American Psychological Association.
- Talking with Your Children about COVID-19 – Concern about COVID-19 can make children and families nervous and upset. Here is a one page list of suggestions for ways to help your children feel secure and happy during this uncertain time from the Georgia Dept of Early Care and Learning.
- Teaching Our World: The Coronavirus – Many children are worried about the new coronavirus. This collection of information is to help ease fears with age appropriate information. Arranged by grade level PreK-12th grade. From Scholastic Classroom Magazine.
- Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus – A comic based on an NPR interview asking experts what questions kids might have about the coronavirus. For kids about 10 and up. Available in a printed Zine format and also in Spanish .
- Kids Want To Know: What is Covid 19? – Unite for Literacy’s free ebook talks about COVID-19 in simple terms that young children can understand.
- Coronavirus PSA: How to Fight the New Bad Guy in Town – The Story Seeds Podcast by Jason Reynolds, National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, gives kids eight tips for fighting germs and staying healthy. Designed for kids 6-12 years old.
- Coronavirus: A Book For Children – Free downloadable book from Nosy Crow (A UK based publisher) talking about COVID-19 and answering many questions children might have. Geared for 5-9 year olds.
- COVID-19 Time Capsule – Download a free workbook to chronicle this historic time. Available in English, Spanish, and French. Find editions for kids and adults.
- How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus – An article for parents from PBS kids.
- Parenting During Coronavirus
- Sesame Street in Communities Health Emergency guides
- First Aid For Feelings: A Workbook to Help Kids Cope During the Coronavirus Pandemic presented by Yale Child Study Center and Scholastic
- COVIBOOK – Explore this short, free printable e-workbook to support and reassure children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Designed for kids under 7 years old. Available in 25 languages.
- The Princess in Black and the Case of the Coronavirus
- My Hero Is You Storybook For Children on COVID-19 – Available in 78 languages!