What Should We Stream Today? Chicago, IL April 27th – May 3rd, 2020
With everything going on in the world, I am a full advocate for throwing those screen time guidelines right out the window.
So many local and national businesses have gone virtual and in lieu of our weekend event guide, I will keep you updated with the virtual events of the week!
Maybe you are working from home, or maybe you just want to be able to experience the story times and music classes your child is used to!
Either way, WSWDTC has got you covered!
Music
- “Bubbles Adacemy is Chicago’s premier early childhood arts enrichment center and preschool located in Lincoln Park.”
- Their music classes are extremely interactive and are sure to put a smile on your child’s face.
- Enrollment options:
- $60/family for unlimited
- $25 for a 5 class pack
- $10 for single drop in
- Pay What You Can, Mon – Sat daily for the 9 AM Family Music & Movement. You can join for as little as $1, with free tickets available for First Responder Families
- “Stages Performing Arts is a Chicago based company offering one-of-a-kind classes and birthday party entertainment for children ages 2 months to 12 years. From fun, developmentally appropriate infant/toddler classes (that are also entertaining for parents and caregivers) to a training ground for the next generation of performers, Stages has it all!”
- Nanny Nikki is an interactive children’s entertainer who loves classic children’s songs and sharing her love of music with young children and their loved ones!”
- Your little ones will adore her youtube channel filled with videos that can be watched anytime of day! Follow her on Facebook and Instagram for additional pop up concerts!
- “Miss Jamie from the Farm takes young kids and their families on an imaginative musical adventure to her “farm,” where they learn values like hard work, healthy eating, and being kind to animals and each other. With the help of farm animal puppets and songs both familiar and new, Miss Jamie’s Farm kids music show will leave everyone stomping their boots and hollering for more fruits & veggies!”
- Check out her You Tube Channel to watch interactive music videos any time!
- Marianos hosts a Miss Jamie FB Live every Saturday at 10 AM!
- Little Miss Ann (Ann Torralba) is an award winning kids musician. She is a former Chicago Public School teacher, a mom, a veteran instructor at the Old Town School of Folk Music.”
- Live Facebook concerts, Monday & Wednesday at 10 AM, Fridays at 4 PM
- “Mr. Dave has an organic way of connecting with children and adults alike. His simplistic approach to writing and performing introduces the world of music in an uninhibited way. Mr. Dave currently lives in Chicago where he has taught at The Old Town School of Folk Music for almost 10 years.”
- Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 10:15 AM and 4 PM. (No 4 PM class on Saturdays)
- “Mr. Patrick is a Chicago-based musician and teaching artist, streaming music classes into your living room! Expect a mix of jukebox jams, kid-friendly classics, and music the whole family will enjoy.”
- Mr. Patrick’s Living Room Jukebox takes place every Wed, Fri & Sat at 9:30 AM and 12:30 PM (Facebook & Instagram Live)
- M-F 4:30 PM on Zoom. Register at mothershiplaunchpad.com
- “Chicago’s original music classes for babies, toddlers, and children at the Old Town School of Folk Music.”
- “And did you know ALL our regular Wiggleworms classes are online and you can join at any time? Now you do! Browse over 100 classes at ots.fm/wiggleworms and find a class to bring home today!”
- Join them online at 10:30 AM for drop-in music classes!
- “Mothership Launchpad is A space for children to grow. A place for parents & caregivers to connect. we offer select retail, classes and workshops for littles to parents. it takes a village to raise a child. we are here to support our village of moms, dads, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and caregivers.”
The Music Playhouse of Chicago
- “Come experience our fun-filled classes of singing, dancing, movement, games, and instrument play! Our classes are designed for babies, toddlers, and young children ages 0-6!”
- Try a class for free using code “freetrialvmc4“
- “Participating in a Sarah Jayne Lane show is non-stop fun and excitement! With Sarah’s vibrant presence you can’t help but dance! Her mixture of standard kid tunes with her original kindie tracks makes for a jamming good party! Sarah loves a fun pop song too, so make sure you shout out your requests!”
- Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 11 AM on Instagram and FB Live!
- “Engaging, beautiful, and multi-sensory theatre for children under 6 in the Midwest.”
- Although not local to Chicago, this Columbus, Ohio based event company is near and dear to my heart. In my opinion they are the best character company you can find and I hope you get a chance to enjoy their virtual events, birthday specials, private princess video chats, and more!
- Monday, April 27th: Live at 5 With The Mermaid!
Exercise
- “Please join me on this journey to encourage babies, toddlers, and caregivers to sing, dance, and groove to the music!”
- We can personally vouch that this zumbini class is a delight for babies and toddlers! We miss going to see Cara in person but this is the next best thing!
- Spring Into Virtual Zumbini
- Mondays at 9:45 AM
- Wednesdays at 10:15 AM
- Thursdays at 9:30 AM
- “Their vision is to ignite in our youth a life-long love for physical fitness and play that will positively affect their health and emotional well-being into adulthood.”
- Join the Zoom classroom for a half hour kids workout every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 10 AM.
- The cost is $12/household no matter how many kids you have!
- “Buddha Belly Kids Yoga is a mobile yoga company dedicated to nurturing kids’ innate desire for movement and play. We explore yoga through poses, movement, and relaxation while encouraging creativity and fun! Our classes balance both structure and spontaneity as we honor each individual’s unique energy. We believe in play-based education, while incorporating traditional yoga poses, sequences, and relaxation techniques to deepen self-awareness. The most unique thing about Buddha Belly Kids Yoga is that we are educators; it’s kids first, then yoga. With over 15 years in Education, we bring a fierce passion for developing a safe space for children to just be.”
- Mon & Wed: Brain Breaks for Elementary Kids at 11:15 AM
- M-F: Busy Buddhas at 9:00 AM
- Tues & Thurs: Movement & Mindfulness at 10:30 AM
- Wed: Storybook Yoga at 10 AM
- Bendy Buddhas Tween Yoga Tues. at 1 PM
- Blissful Buddhas: Mon-Fri at 4:00 PM
- Miss Sarah Movers & Shakers on Friday at 10 AM
- Miss Sarah First Dance for Toddlers on Friday at 11:15 AM
- “Lincoln Park Dance and Move is a dance + movement studio located in the heart of Lincoln Park. Come dance with us!“
- “All our programs leverage yoga as a tool to fight for gender equity and social justice.”
- Toddler Yoga at 9 AM on Tuesdays and Thursdays!
- “By teaching a love for self, others, and all around us through yoga and mindfulness techniques, we are providing life long skills and tools for the children to embody the amazing vessel they were given to experience the beauty of their life.”
- Kindess Kids Yoga offers children’s classes for ages 4-12, teens, and family classes!
- Watch & Subscribe to the YouTube Channel as well!
Storytime
- “At Big City Readers our goal is not only for your child to gain confidence in reading, but to LOVE learning. We believe children thrive when they feel a sense of community and belonging, which is what they will find in these small group classes.”
- Storytime is at 10 AM every day on Instagram live!
- Join their Facebook Live every Monday at 10 AM for story time!
- Enjoy a free musical story time with Stages Performing Arts every Tuesday at 5 PM!
Bedtime Stories with Stages Performing Arts
- Every Friday at 6 PM, enjoy a themed bedtime story with Stages on their Instagram Live!
- Join Michelle Obama for story time every Monday at Noon CST on PBS Kids Facebook Page!
- Join Levar Burton (from Reading Rainbow fame) every Monday at 11 AM CST on Twitter Livestream for kids of all ages
- On Wednesday’s at 5 PM CST there is a reading session for teens
- On Fridays at 8 PM CST there is a reading session for adults!
Pete The Cat Club Virtual Storytime with James Dean
- Every day at 11 AM on Instagram Live! (@petethecatofficial)
- All streamed on Instagram Live
- Picture books weekdays at noon
- Live cartoons on Saturday at noon
- Chapter Books After Dark every day around 7 PM. Previous chapters can be found in IGTV
- Using voices, accents, and funny commentary, you can watch Josh Gad read various children’s stories live on his Twitter and Instagram accounts!
- “Storyline Online is available 24 hours a day for children, parents, caregivers and educators worldwide. Each book includes supplemental curriculum developed by a credentialed elementary educator, aiming to strengthen comprehension and verbal and written skills for English-language learners.”
- Parents and children alike will enjoy listening to stories read by your favorite celebrities!
Science
- “We blur the lines between subjects, seamlessly connecting literature, history, art and design, writing, role play and popular culture and bring it to life through math and science. Our immersive storylines empower students to use math and science to solve problems that are engaging and interesting to them.”
- Tune in weekdays at 10:30 AM to Facebook Live to interact with live experiments!
- Their You Tube channel also has a plethora of amazing videos!
- The museum may be temporarily closed but they have a great selection of learning resources available online!
- You can filter by grade level and topic!
- Peruse through their videos on Facebook for the live videos they have been posting!
The Museum of Science and Industry
- Science activities and topics you can access at anytime! Including hands on activities you can do at home!
- Watch the videos they have been posting on their Facebook page!
- The interactive activities on their Facebook page are sure to please your budding astronaut!
- Check out their online resource catalog!
Mystery Science Online Lessons
- “All of the lessons are expertly designed to engage students, achieve learning outcomes, and be easy for teachers to use. We have short mini-lessons that are completely digital and full lessons that include an activity. All of the activities are designed to use simple supplies a parent will likely already have at home.”
- Very easy to use, you can search by grade level!
- ”NASA provides a safe place for children to play as they learn about NASA and its missions. On this site, you will find games of various skill levels for children pre-K through grade 4. These games support national education standards in STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics.”
Animals
- “Looking for ways to make your kids’ time at home entertaining and educational? Or just need a fun break for yourself? Join Brookfield Zoo on Facebook every weekday at 11:00 a.m. Central for a “Bring The Zoo To You” Facebook Live featuring one of our animals as well as plenty of educational, informative insight from one of our Animal Care Specialists. If you can’t make it at 11, that’s okay. The video will be saved afterward on Facebook as well as on our YouTube channel.”
- The staff have been taking time to show us lots of live videos on Facebook! Enjoy them at your leisure by looking through the videos section of their Facebook page.
- The staff have been taking time to show us lots of live videos on Facebook! Enjoy them at your leisure by looking through the videos section of their Facebook page
- Enjoy the “Sea Curious” video series on their You Tube channel
- Tune into their Facebook every day at 2 PM CST and keep an eye out for the link to fun activities you can do at home after you watch!
- The San Diego Zoo has created an amazing resource filled with live cams and videos of your favorite animals! Take your virtual field trip today!
Art
- 7 week virtual drawing class.
- Every Tuesday at 5:30 PM
- “Every week we work on a masterpiece. Step-by-step instructions are provided but also allowing kids to use their imagination and come up with a unique art work.”
Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems!
- “Mo Willems invites YOU into his studio every day for his LUNCH DOODLE. Learners worldwide can draw, doodle and explore new ways of writing by visiting Mo’s studio virtually once a day for the next few weeks. Grab some paper and pencils, pens, or crayons and join Mo to explore ways of writing and making together. If you post your art to social media, be sure to hashtag it with #MoLunchDoodles!”
- New episodes will be posted each weekday at Noon CST and then remain online to be streamed afterwards.
- Visit them virtually to explore the collection and get ideas for interactive ideas you can do with your family!
Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art
- “I Was Raised on the Internet”
- Online only artworks from the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago’s exhibition.
- “What does art look like when it is made specifically for the web? The games, digital videos, and interactive websites here demonstrate radically different approaches and platforms that artists working online may employ. Some of the works celebrate the internet as a space for connection, self-expression, and identification; others warn about the perils of digital surveillance and manipulation. Please note: some of these works contain mature content.”
- Art at Home: Recycled BalonesArt at Home is a series of simple, fun activities created by Chicago artists that you can produce with whatever materials you’ve got on hand.
Virtual Resources For The Differently Abled
- “Easterseals Illinois Autism Partnership (IAP) launches VIRTUAL CLASSROOM, releasing new videos every Tuesday and Thursday at 10:00 AM, CST. Visit our IAP YouTube channel to enjoy the visual, hands-on nature of our videos.”
For some more amazing resources, he’s a link to “25 Amazing Virtual Field Trips!” Take a tour of cities, Ellis Island, The Louvre, and more!
Did your Disney trip need to be rescheduled? The kids might enjoy Virtual Disney World! Put them in a laundry basket and move it up and down while they watch to pretend they are on one of the rides!
