Resources for Early Learning
Learn, Create, Discover, Explore

Click on a category to jump to that section:​
At the Library
Offline & At-Home Activities
Online Resources
Ages and Stages Questionnaire
Storytime At Home
Podcasts for Early Learners

At the Library

Storytime Mondays & Tuesdays @ 10:30am
Toddlers (ages 2 to 5) and their caregivers can enjoy an interactive storytime with songs, dances, and stories that encourage language development and social skills. If you and your child are new to storytime, please see our Storytime Guidelines.
Baby Lapsit on Thursdays @ 10:30am
Designed for babies and toddlers up to 24 months, Lapsits are a great chance for you to bond with your child while learning new rhymes and stories to share.  Each program includes stretches, music, a story, and more.

Offline & At-Home Activities

Scholastic Teachables
Scholastic Teachables offers unlimited access to thousands of downloadables and printables for classrooms and homes with students in pre-K to grade 6.
Sesame Street In Communities
Sesame Street offers activities and tips for caregivers. Their family-focused site works to engage you and your child through storybooks, videos, printables, ideas for indoor and outdoor play, family bonding, and more.
Resources for Early Learning
Make each day a learning adventure for your child with these quick and easy ideas, useful tips, and practical, how-to parenting videos.
Peep and the Big Wide World
Kids ages 3-5 can learn math, science, and fitness through adventures with Peep and friends.  In addition to their online games, this site offers videos and tips for parents, at-home and outdoor activity ideas, printables, and more.

Online Resources

​Your care and support can make a huge difference in the life of a young child. ​Please be advised that only one hour of passive screen time is recommended for preschoolers per day.
Family Screen Time Plan
When media is used thoughtfully and appropriately it can enhance daily life. But when used inappropriately or without thought, media can displace many important activities such as face-to-face interaction, outdoor-play, and sleep. Create a Media Plan with either a simple printable or an interactive form from the American Academy for Pediatrics.
hoopla Read-Alongs
Not able to get to the library? We have plenty of stories online!  Enjoy picture books together with read-along narration to increase word recognition and confidence.
ABCya
ABCya features fun and educational games selected by teachers. Levels are available for Pre-K to grade 5 students in a variety of topics and categories including math, letters, geography, and strategy.
Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood
Daniel Tiger encourages children to explore and express their emotions and includes videos and activities to familiarize kids with childhood development experiences like learning to use the potty.
Sesame Street
Elmo and his friends invite you to play on Sesame Street. You'll find games here that teach topics such as shapes, feelings, music, science, and self-confidence. Keep kids active with Grover's Playground Workout and more.
Award-Winning Apps
The Notable Children’s Digital Media list highlights dynamic and interactive media content for children ages 14 and under that encourages active engagement and social interaction while informing, educating, and entertaining. Find one that's right for your and your child!
Spanish Language Games:
  • Oh Noah! on PBS Kids, is designed to teach Spanish to children ages 6 to 8 through animated videos with embedded games that help build vocabulary. Although—like Noah—they may not understand all the Spanish dialogue, kids can comprehend the story told through rich visual storytelling.
  • Learn to count in English and Spanish with Curious George online. Kids or caregivers can change the settings for characters to tell the story in either language and turn subtitles on or off. For example, you can count to five with Bunny Ride (Conejitos de Paseo), learn numbers one through twenty with Count with Allie (Cuenta con Allie), or try something else in her "Busy Day" book of games.
  • Enjoy an immersive experience with Spanish through a story with Daniel Tiger (all stories are available in both English and Español), or a STEAM game with The Cat in the Hat (switch between languages by clicking the language button at the bottom right of the page.

Ages and Stages Questionnaires

Because your child's first 5 years of life are so important, we want to help you provide the best start for your child and ASQ (Ages and Stages Questionnaires) can help you keep track. ASQs are a quick check of your child’s development from ages 2 months to  years. This screening takes a snapshot of your child’s current skills and helps accurately identify children who may be at risk for delays.

The ASQ screeners are sets of valid, reliable, and age-appropriate questionnaires that are filled out by the true expert on your child—the parents and caregivers!
The South Shore Community Action Council and the Department of Early Education and Care have brought ASQ to the south shore. Parents and caregivers can complete the Questionnaires online (links below) or by picking up packets at the Library (coming soon). All answers given in either format are private and secure; only trained program staff will see the information you provide.
The above link is for the original ASQ (Ages and Stages Questionnaire) and includes questions about your child's communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem solving, and personal social skills to screen your child's overall development.
The above link is for the ASQ-SEL (Ages and Stages Questionnaire - Social Emotional) and includes questions about your child's communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem solving, and personal social skills to screen your child's social emotional development.

Storytime At Home

Mem Fox's Ten Read-Aloud Commandments
Make the most of your time with a child in your life and read every day.
Unsure how to start your own storytime at home? Visit some of the below resources for examples of adults reading picture books in engaging and unique ways to capture the imagination and attention of kids. Many of these links also provide multicultural resources so you can introduce stories in different languages and from other countries!
  • ​​Book Connection hosts links to 1,000+ full book and poem readings along with activity and discussion guides for after storytime.
  • Brightly Storytime has full-length picture book read-alouds with new videos uploaded every week.
  • KidLit TV features storytime read-alouds, art sessions with illustrators, and book-inspired crafts.
  • The Fable Cottage presents bilingual tales recorded by native speakers.  Each tale is available in English, French, Spanish, German, and Italian with illustrations throughout the translations.
  • Story Girl reads you new, exciting books and asks engaging questions for an immersive reading experience that you can access anywhere, anytime. It's a great way to get kids pre-K to second grade excited about reading and practicing essential skills such as critical thinking and social-emotional learning.
  • Storyline Online streams videos of celebrated actors reading books aloud. Each book is paired with an activity guide for educators and caregivers.
  • Storytime from Space features astronauts reading picture books while aboard the International Space Station.  
  • Tata Storytime is an online kids show for pre-K to age 8 kids where actors of color read beautiful picture books by authors from African, Caribbean & African American heritage.
  • Ukulele Storytimes are great for babies and young toddlers. Join Rose in Baby Rhyme Time or watch short videos of classic songs to sing together.

Podcasts

The Imagine Neighborhood podcast
Kids will learn about social-emotional skills through stories, songs, and activities, prompting conversations between children and caregivers about big feelings.

Molly of Denali podcast
Listen to the adventures of 10-year-old Molly, an Alaska Native girl who lives with her bush pilot mom, adventure-guide dad, and her dog, Suki, in a small village.
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Wow in the World podcast
A STEM-themed podcast with silly (but scientifically accurate) humor for curious young listeners.