Talking about Current Events

How to talk about LGBTQ+ Issues with kids| A list of websites, resources, and books to foster an open and understanding conversation abou tthose a part of the LGBTQ+ community.

• Childwelfare.gov| Resources for families with LGBTQ+ youth.
• FamilyEquality.org| With more than 300 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced in states across the country, there is so much for families to process right now. This website has tips for starting the conversation with your youth.
• LGBTQ+ Books for ages 0-8
• LGBTQ+ Books for ages 9-12
• LGBTQ+ Family Lives Books

How to talk about the News with Kids| a list of websites and resources to help start the discussion of what's going on in the news.

• APA.org| A simple guide and additional resources for how to be the first one to bring up a difficult topic.
• Common Sense Media: Explaining the News to our Kids| Disturbing news events can leave parents speechless. These age-based tips on how to talk to your kids abou the news - and listen too - can help.
• KidsHealth.org| Another how-to guide for talking to your child about the news.

How to talk about Race with Kids| a list of resources and books available to start the discussion on race with kids.

• Board Books
• Common Sense Media: How White Parents can use Media to raise Anti-Racist Kids| Detailed practical and easy-to-use advice on fostering empathy and anti-racism in your child.
• Embrace Race| A conversation with Dr. Allison Briscoe-Smith on how to support kids of color amid racialized violence.
• How to Talk to Kids about Race: Books and Resources That Can Help| Simple tips, web resources, and book lists to help people of all ages understand race, racial identity, and racism.
• Junior and Tween Books
• Picture Books
• Talking to Young Children about Race and Racism - PBS| Here are tips, books, and resources to help you have meaningful conversations with young children about race, racism, and anti-racist behavior.
• The Windows and Mirrors of Your Child's Bookshelf| A TEDx Talk of children's author Grace Lin who describes her own childhood experiences with mostly-white book characters, illustarting how crucial it is for young readers to see both themselves and others in th pages of books.

Homeschooling Resources

How to begin homeschooling| Information on how to begin homeschooling, background information and legal information.

• A to Z Home's Cool Homeschooling Website| If you are new to homeschooling and wondering just what method, style, or process is right for you, this website will help you get started.
• Home Educators Resource Directory| Comprehensive resources for the home educator.
• Homeschool Diner| At the Homeschool Diner you'll find a full menu of articles, curriculum ideas, and links to online resources.
• Illinois H.O.U.S.E. (Home Oriented Unique Schooling Experience)| Statewide non-denominational site that has very accurate state legal information and one of the best homeschool supplier lists in the state.
• ISBE| The Illinois State Board of Education's webpage on homeschooling, where you will find information on registration, requirements, resources, and more.
• Popcorn and Peanuts: ALL the Illinois Home Education Laws in One Place| This independent site has a wealth of information on everything from starting your homeschooling journey in Illinois to graduation requirements.
• Scholasic Presents 8 steps to Homeschool Success| Find out where to start with a homeschool education. Includes a step-by-step timeline for taking charge.

Other Learning Resources| Library databases that are excellent for the beginning of your future education.

• Access Video on Demand: Just for Kids| Features books and stories brought to life, resources for early learners, exploring our world, homework help, TV shows, and all about nature, all from well-known and respected producers like Sesame Street, Reading Rainbow, and PBS.
• LearningExpress Library| An easy-to-use e-learning platform featuring online tutorials, practice tests, and e-books to help you achieve your educational and professional goals. In addition to helping you improve your skills in reading, writing, math and basic science.
• Niche Academy| An easy-to-use database that allows patrons to access a variety of tutorials covering library resources and materials in addition to tutorials on how to become more familiar with different software and technology tools. Some of the more popular tutorials are Excel, Word, Ancestry, and Windows 10.
• Scholastic Go!| Contains three encyclopedia databases: The New Book of Knowledge, The New Book of Popular Science, and Amazing Animals.From Home: Click on this remote link. Enter your library card number for the username; no password is needed.

Internet Safety

Be Internet Awesome| Be Internet Awesome teaches kids the fundamentals of digital citizenship and safety so they can explore the online world with confidence. Kids and teens can play their way through Interland, an online adventure that puts the key lessons of digital safey inot hands-on practice with four challenging games.

Common Sense Media: Parenting, Media, and Everything in Between| This site offers detailed advice for working with kids age 2 to 17 on cyberbullying, internet safety, and everything in between.

Early Literacy Web Sites

ABCYA | This website offers literacy games for children from preschool to 6th grade. Your child can learn letters, numbers, strategies, and skills through fun common-core based games.

Bilingual Kidspot | Bilingual Kidspot provides resources to teach your child Spanish, Mandarin, French, and English, along with offering expert advice and bilingual parenting tips!

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library | Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by gifting books free of charge to children from birth to age five. You can register online here or via mail with this form.

Education.com | Education.com provides parents guided lessons, lesson plans, online games, printable workshops and more.

Little Giraffes | Little Giraffes Teaching Ideas is a treasure trove of ideas for educating preschoolers. 

OxfordOWL | OxfordOwl includes a variety of printables, activities, and games that cover various topics and are split up by age level.

PBS Kids | PBS Kids has a vast variety of literacy games for your child that focuses on reading, vocabulary, problem solving, engineering, measurement, and spanish games. 

PBS for Parents| PBS for Parents provides a variety of activities and games to help kids develop their reading and literacy skills.

Raising Readers | The Raising Readers website covers early literacy tips and information, recommended book lists, book activity kits, and other additional resources.

Reading Rockets | Reading Rockets provides resources to help readers build vocabulary, phonics, and comprehension skills. This website includes information on authors, books, and an array of reading topics.

ReadWriteThink | ReadWriteThink is a platform that provides parents and educators with access to high quality free educational material that covers different literacy areas including reading, writing, listening, and speaking. 

Scholastic| Scholastic provides you access to a diversified collection of reading materials to use with your kids. This includes book reviews and recommendations, guides, activities, printables, and more.

Sesame Street | The Sesame Street website allows children to play educational games, watch videos, and create art with Elmo and all of their favorite Sesame Street characters. 

Starfall | Starfall website offers resources to help kids develop reading and writing skills through interactive games, activities and phonics.

Storyline Online| Storyline Online streams videos featuring famous actors reading children’s books alongside illustrations. Readers include Viola Davis, Chris Pine, Lily Tomlin, Kevin Costner, Annette Bening, James Earl Jones, Betty White, and more.

Storyplace | StoryPlace allows you the virtual experience of going to the Library and participating in similar activities that the Library offers at its physical locations. This includes family storytimes, Spanish storytimes, baby storytimes, reading lists, online games, and craft ideas. 

Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds | Teaching 2 and 3 Year Old’s provides playful learning activities for toddlers and preschoolers. These activities include hand on home activities, lesson plans, and printables.

Twisty Noodles | Twisty Noodle has thousands of coloring pages and practice writing worksheets. worksheets.

Wide Open School | Wide Open School is a free collection of online learning experiences for kids that supports families when learning from home. They offer resources that can be completed online or offline, as well as bilingual and English-language learner resources. 

WordWorld | This website offers an animated series aimed at preschoolers with corresponding interactive games and episode related printable activities. There are also tips included for parents and teachers.

Zero to Three | Zero to Three offers information on early literacy for parents and professionals in order to support the early development of babies and toddlers.

External links may be used as starting points in your research and are not intended to be exhaustive lists of all available external sites related to these topics. The library does not endorse or profit from these websites and external links are provided for use at your own discretion. For suggestions, comments, or to report broken links, you may contact the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..