Online Stories and Music Just for Children

Online Children Stories & Music

Evelyn Smith
Masters of Science, University of North Texas (2012)

Revised November 3, 2014

Although nothing can fully substitute for live music or Mom, Dad, or a favorite teacher reading aloud, children will enjoy the following links.

Text Only

Bedtime.com. (2013).  Retrieved from http://www.bedtime.com/

Bedtime.com furnishes the text for stories, poems, and prayers for young children.

Children’s short stories. (2013). Bedtime.com.  Retrieved from http://www.bedtime.com/html/short_stories.html

Web site lists the text of stories for children by category.

Bedtime Story Videos

Between the lions. (2013).  PBS Kids.org.  Retrieved from http://pbskids.org/lions/stories/

Web site includes stories, games, and video clips. 

Reading Planet. (2013).  Reading is Fundamental. Retrieved from http://www.rif.org/kids/readingplanet/bookzone/read_aloud_stories.htm

Web site provides a collection of short stories in which audio accompanies the text.

Storyline Online. (2013).  SAG Foundation. Retrieved http://www.storylineonline.net/

Web site features the reading of children’s books Online.

Story Before Bed. (2013).  Retrieved from http://www.astorybeforebed.com/

Web site allows parents and grandparents to either select stories from the Story before Bed library or else to read the stories to their children themselves even when they are miles away from their little ones.

Storynory. (2013).  Retrieved http://www.storynory.com/

Web site presents original stories, classics, and fairy tales in English as well as other languages.

Music Resources Online for Children

Children might enjoy listening to the following Web sites:

• Children’s Music Radio: http://tunein.com/radio/Childrens-Music-c530749/

• Classics for Kids: http://www.classicsforkids.com/

• Free Songs for Kids: http://freesongsforkids.com/

• Freegal: http://www.freegalmusic.com/ --Go the genre and click on "Children's Music"

• Jitterbug TV: http://jitterbug.tv/

• Kididdles: http://www.kididdles.com/

• K.P.R.  Music Resources for Children Online: http://childrensmusic.org/

• PBS Kids: http://pbskids.org/

• Penelope’s Radio: http://www.childrensmusic.org/penelope.html

• Top Children’s/Family Stations: http://www.live365.com/genres/children%27s/family

• Wiggle Nation: http://chrispiascik.com/2010/07/wiggle-nation

Help for Mommy & Daddy: Ensuring Reading Readiness by Kindergarten

Kennedy, Elizabeth (2013).  How to read aloud to your child.  Children’s Books, About.com.  Retrieved from http://childrensbooks.about.com/cs/readalouds/ht/readaloud.htm

Kennedy suggests reading aloud to children for at least twenty minutes daily, depending on the individual child's age.  Links take the user to age appropriate groups:  0 to age 3, ages 4 to 8, and ages 9 to 12 and teens. 

Lord, Meredith. (2004). Why reading books in important. Totsites.  Retrieved from http://www.totsites.com/help/fun/reading-books.phpadvice

Lord lists reasons why reading is important and why parents should opt for the interaction involved in reading to a children rather than using recorded stories or the TV or the Internet as a babysitter. 

 

McEwan-Adkins, Elaine.  (2013). How long should I read aloud to my child each day.  Expert Baby Center.  Retrieved from http://www.babycenter.com/404_how-long-should-i-read-aloud-to-my-child-each-day_69655.bc

How long a parent reads to a child depends upon age and attention span (McEwan-Adkins, n. d, para. 1).  However, since this should never become a chore for either, don’t force him or her to sit and listen.  Accordingly, five or six minutes may be all mom or dad may manage with toddlers (McEwan-Adkins, n. d., para. 2).  By kindergarten, plan to spend about 20 minutes daily reading aloud (or helping the child read aloud), and by first grade extend the read aloud sessions to 30 minutes (McEwan-Adkins, n.d., para. 4). 

What do you know about reading to your child?  Expert advice.  Baby Center.  Retrieved from

http://www.babycenter.com/what-do-you-know-about-reading-to-your-child

Parents should take this quiz to see if their assumptions match up with an early childhood education expert’s advice.  

Why should kids read?  (2013). Children Learning Reading.com.  Retrieved from http://www.childrenlearningreading.com/teach-children-reading/why-should-kids-read.html#.UnvHjuLCr9k

The recommendation that parents should read 20 minutes a day to their children most probably stems from a study that noted that fifth-grade children who read for at least 21 minutes daily read at the 90^th percentile level (Why should kids read, 2013, para. 6). 

Teaching Music to Preschoolers

Feltner, Gary. (2013). Teaching music to young children.  DLP Music Education.  Retrieved from http://www.dlpmusiceducation.com/2013/09/02/teaching-music-to-young-children/

Preschool children learn music in snippets; for example, a parent or preschool teacher might take five minutes to sing a song with a child and then perhaps spend five minutes at the piano at a time.

Jack, Bonnie. (2010, October 13).  How to teach music to young children. The Teaching  Studio. Retrieved from http://theteachingstudio.blogspot.com/2010/10/how-to-teach-music-to-young-children.html

Music education for preschool children whether taught informally by parents or in a classroom setting should include lots of movements, move quickly from activity to activity, involve repetition, layer concepts, establish a routine, involving modeling of skills, teach the ears before the eyes, incorporate social skills, and understand that young children learn best through play.  Rhythm instruments, keyboard training, singing, developing large and small motor skills, and listening to music all have their place in early music education. 

Include all the family in reading aloud 20 minutes daily!

Children's Book Suggestions 

Children's Notable Lists. (2014). Association for Library Service to Children. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/notalists

The ALSC lists the best books published for children in 2014.

2013 book suggestion lists. (2013, November 8).  Let’s Read.  Retrieved from http://www.letsread.com.au/Parents/Reading-tips-and-tools/Book-suggestion-sheets

Booklist recommends picture books for from 4 months, 12, months, 18 months, and 3 and a half years. 

Free-e Picture Books

Lots of elementary school kids are now using tablets and i-phones,
but Mommy or Daddy still need to monitor what they view Online.

A large selection of free e-picture books is available Online, although Mom or Dad will need to preview the selection before sharing it with a little one.

Free kids books. (n. d.). freekidsbooks.org Retrieved from http://freekidsbooks.org/

Free Kindle picture books. (2014). Amazon.com. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Picture-Prices-BEFORE-ordering/lm/RHZPNDGN6VE2M

Children's books, picture books. (2014). Free Books to Read Online. Slickdeals. Retrieved from
http://slickdeals.net/f/5119490-free-kindle-childrens-books-picture-books