The Best Virtual Storytime and Read-Alongs for Kids

Virtual Storytime Children
Source: Pexels

Storytime is a big part of every childhood and reading aloud regularly to babies and young children is one of the most effective ways to foster early literacy. It is a crucial factor responsible for building language and social skills as well as pronunciation and vocabulary. Introduce your children to classic children’s’ books and read along with storytellers like Michelle Obama and Julie Andrews.

Looking for podcasts for mommies? Check out The 5 Best Podcasts for Moms to Keep You Going

Virtual Storytime and Read-Alongs for Children

New York Public Library Virtual Storytime

No matter the circumstances, New York Public Library brings the joy of reading to the readers. Children’s librarians will read books, sing songs, and share early literacy tips with your children. Don’t miss the special storytime of Lost in the Library: A Story of Patience & Fortitude, a picture book by Josh Funk and read by him, or Buenas Noches Luna (Good Night Moon) by Margaret Wise Brown, and a muppet show for bilingual children. And check out the At Home Storytime guides that allow you to conduct your own storytime from home!

Julie’s Library: Storytime With Julie Andrews

Julie Andrews’ new podcast “Julie’s Library” will give a new unique voice to the best children’s classics. This weekly audio series created by Julie Andrews and her daughter Emma Walton Hamilton will share their library and read their favorite children’s books. Every tale will come to life with music and special guests who will surprise the listeners every week.

Monday Storytime with Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama remembers her favorite chidren’s book from the time her dauthers were little. The former First Lady will read four of the most beloved picture books, including The Gruffalo, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, There’s a Dragon in Your Book, and Miss Maple’s Seeds. You can watch the videos on the PBS Kids Facebook Page and YouTube Channel.

Harry Potter at Home

Seventeen weeks of Harry Potter read by Daniel Radcliffe, Stephen Fry, David Beckham, Dakota Fanning and others. Many inspiring contributors will help your children read through the first Harry Potter book, as they will get introduced to the Dursleys and to the magical world of Hogwarts. You can subscribe to Harry Potter at Home and get all the latest updates on further video readings too.

Read Together, Be Together

This is a federal campaign promoted by Penguin Random House and Parents magazine that celebrates the value and power of a shared reading experience between a parent and child. Every day, celebrities like Jennifer Garner and Alan Cumming read a book on their Instagram or Facebook page at 3 pm. All recordings will be available on the Read Togheter, Be Together website afterward.

HarperKids from Home

Harper Publishers know that literature, art, music and other creative activities help create conversation, get children’s imaginations running wild and bring families together. During the COVID-19 crisis, while children and parents are at home and practicing social distancing, HarperKids are inviting you to come together in a safe way, every day. Join the HarperKids team each day at 12 pm for storytimes and read-alouds, fun content, and entertainment. Follow them on FacebookInstagramTwitter, and YouTube Kids.

Dav Pilkey at Home

Hello, Supa Buddies! Find Dav Pilkey at Home on Scholastic and the Library of Congress featuring read-alouds, drawing lessons and other fun activities. Get creative and have fun with some of your favorite characters including Dog Man and Captain Underpants! Every Friday you will discover new activities, exciting videos, and stories!

Relevant Directory Listings

See More

Paché Montessori

<p><span style="font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Located in a newly renovated landmark building amidst the beautiful brownstones of Cobble Hill. Carefully crafted with the developmental needs of children in mind, classrooms offer children calm, peaceful environments to explore the rich Montessori learning materials.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Paché Montessori is a community-oriented, value-driven Montessori school with highly trained educators located on Court Street in Cobble Hill. The name, Paché, comes from the Italian word for peace (“pace”), and this guiding principle is at the heart of everything we do. The school serves children from birth (3 months) through 6 years old (Kindergarten) and offer a Spanish Immersion option for their Toddler and Primary students.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Their beautiful 25,000 square foot school contains a large rooftop playground, an indoor gross motor space with a climbing wall, and a second-floor terrace for outdoor gardening and learning.</span></p> <p> </p>

Cathedral High School

<p><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal;" data-sheets-value="{" data-sheets-userformat="{">A Catholic College Preparatory school in the heart of Manhattan, welcoming young woman of all faiths and cultures. The school is a community of students, teachers, staff, parents and alumnae committed to achieving excellence in education.</span></p>

Brooklyn Waldorf School

<p><span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans', Geneva, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: #ffffff;">The Brooklyn Waldorf School engages students in learning with their whole selves - “hands, hearts and heads” – from preschool through 8th grade. BWS is serving the future through critical thinking, emotional intelligence and practical arts with a hands-on curriculum that takes a developmentally appropriate approach to technology. Take a tour and see how Brooklyn Waldorf School cultivates a new generation of independent thinkers as vibrant and diverse as our surrounding city.</span></p>