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Category: Early Learning

There are several organizations and publishers that regularly share stories on free video read aloud channels. Readers range from celebrities to astronauts to the authors themselves. These channels are a great way to enjoy online storytime if you are unable to join us at the Library. These are tories for families on the go! Listen along to old classics like Where the Wild Things Are or newer favorites like Jabari Jumps. If you have a few minutes you have time for a story! Browse IndyPl’s collection of online storytime.

Barbershop Books

To ensure young children have academically enriching, culturally responsive, and fun reading experiences, Barbershop Books leads weekly online storytime on Facebook and YoutTube.

Brightly Storytime

Listen along as Ms. Linda reads some of your favorite illustrated children’s stories, including The Snowy Day, The Princess and the Pea, and Uni the Unicorn on Brightly Storytime. Bite-sized listening anytime you and your little one have a few minutes to spare for a great story. In addition to the Youtube channel you can watch Brightly stories on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and Anchor

Storytime from Space

Two libraries of free, family-friendly science videos are Storytime from Space and Science Time from Space. Watch astronauts on the Space Station read books and perform science demonstrations!

KidLit TV


Great Books Read Aloud on Kid Lit TV! Enjoy story time with authors at KLTV HQ! KidLit TV is a winner of the Parents’ Choice Gold Award, the Norton Juster Award for Devotion to Literacy, and one of the American Library Association’s Great Websites For Kids. Also available on Youtube.

Storytime Online

The SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s award-winning children’s literacy website, Storyline Online, streams videos featuring actors reading children’s books. Readers include Viola Davis, Chris Pine, Lily Tomlin, Kevin Costner, Annette Bening, James Earl Jones, Betty White and dozens more. Each story comes with a printable activity guide.

American Sign Language (ASL) Storytelling

American Sign Language (ASL) Storytelling 20+ signed video read alouds from the Educational Resource Center on Deafness. Stories include the classic favorites: The Snowy Day, Heckedy Peg, Is Your Mama a Llama, The Little Red Hen and more.

Brightly Storytime Flip-Alongs

Watch the pages turn as the story is read aloud on Brightly Storytime Flip-Alongs. Stories include I’m a Truck, My First Counting Book, The Color Kittens, Colors Are Nice, and Madeline. A new story is released every week!

Unite for Literacy

Unite for Literacy is a collection of e-books that celebrate the languages and cultures and cultivate a life-long love of reading. These picture books include audio narration options in more than languages. The books are available on any device – computer, tablet or smartphone.

More free video read aloud channels:

According to the American Society of Deaf Children (ASDC), “Research shows that reading and signing stories together helps promote essential literacy skills for ALL children: deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing.” This page highlights some favorites! Just click on a book cover to enjoy the video read alouds in American Sign Language. To keep up-to-date on new releases and see a more complete listing, The ASDC maintains a running list of signed stories in their ASL Stories Directory. Use it to quickly find stories by a child’s age or by the book’s title. Also, join us for in-person storytimes with ASL interpretation!

In-Person Programs for Kids with ASL Interpretation

Bilingual Storytime at Lawrenc…
Intro to Embroidery…
  • Event: Intro to Embroidery
  • Date & Time: Friday, January 30, 2:00pm
  • Location: East 38th Street Branch
  • Description: Learn the basics of embroidery in a class setting, and take home your first project with pride! Class size limited – register to claim your spot.
  • Register Here
Art Adventures…
  • Event: Art Adventures
  • Date & Time: Wednesday, February 11, 11:00am
  • Location: Beech Grove Branch
  • Description: Join Jeremy South of Ripple Mobile Arts to explore art inspired by picture books. Children ages 3-6 will create their own masterpiece using a variety of materials. Dress to mess! “*This program will have an ASL interpreter.
  • Register Here

Online Stories that are both Read Aloud and Signed (ASL):

title - Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Daytitle - A Birthday Basket for Tíatitle - Black Is A Rainbow Colortitle - Chester's Waytitle - Click, Clack, Splish, Splashtitle - David Goes to Schooltitle - Un día de nievetitle - The Family Booktitle - Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bedtitle - Good Night, Gorillatitle - Heckedy Pegtitle - Imogene's Antlerstitle - It's Okay to Make Mistakestitle - The Little Red Hentitle - Lola at the Librarytitle - The Snowy Daytitle - La sombrilla grandetitle - Tektitle - Tu mamá es una llama?

Online Stories Signed (ASL) Only:

title - The Book With No Picturestitle - Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?title - Clifford the Firehouse Dogtitle - D.W. Flipstitle - Dinosaur Roar!title - The Duckling Gets A Cookie!?title - Duncan the Story Dragontitle - I Stink!title - I Went Walkingtitle - If You Plant A Seedtitle - Nita's First Signstitle - Planting A Rainbowtitle - Purplicioustitle - There's An Alligator Under My Bedtitle - Where the Wild Things Are

Where to Find More Video Read Alouds in American Sign Language:

Online and @Home Activities:

Learn American Sign Language on ASLdeafined

Learn American Sign Language with video lessons from ASLdeafined. The content is for anyone who wishes to learn ASL, regardless of age. Login with your Library card number and create an account. A mobile app is available for Apple and Android. The login you use for the main site will be the same login for the mobile app.

Sign with Me! Learn Basic Sign Language Together

Learning a second language is not only good for your brain, it also lets you communicate with a new group of people. American Sign Language (ASL) is spoken by around 1,000,000 people in the United States. Introduce your children to the world of signing with the books in this collection.

Title - Can Bears Ski?Title - Hands & HeartsTitle - Baby SigningTitle - The Sound of All ThingsTitle - The Mitten StringTitle - The William Hoy StoryTitle - Friendship GoalsTitle - Moses Sees A Play

Kids love dogs. Our librarians do too! When asked which book dogs are their favorite for storytime, Harry the Dirty Dog and Bark, George won by a landslide! Harry is the story of a pooch who doesn’t want to take a bath. George is about a puppy whose mother can’t seem to teach him how to bark. “Meow,” says George! Watch the video of Betty White reading Harry the Dirty Dog right now! It’s Dog storytime online!

Talk!

After listening to the story, talk about some of the things that happened in it.

  • What does Harry look like?
  • What does Harry do to avoid taking a bath?
  • Why does Harry decide to leave home?
  • What did Harry do to show his family who he was?

Read!

Use your indyPL Library Card to check out books about dogs at any of our locations, or check out Dog e-books and audiobooks from Overdrive Kids right to your device. If you have never used OverDrive before, you can learn how to use it for e-books and alearn how to use it for audiobooks.

Click on the book covers below to listen to more video read aloud stories starring dogs right now! It’s dog storytime online! Did you like these? You can find even more stories at Free Video Read Alouds and IndyPL’s DIY Storytimes at Home.

title - Charlie the Ranch Dogtitle - Blank Entrytitle - Dog's Colorful Daytitle - A Greyhound, A Groundhogtitle - Hot Dogtitle - The Night I Followed the Dogtitle - The Poky Little Puppytitle - R Is for Rockettitle - Some Dogs Do

Picture Books for Kids in Puppy Love to Check Out with your IndyPL Library Card

List Cover Images - Kids love dogs. Our librarians do too! When asked which book dogs are their favorite for story time, Harry the Dirty Dog and Bark, George won by a landslide! Here are some suggestions from them for little readers who can’t get enough puppy love. E-books and downloadable audiobooks are available.

Sing!

Are you ready for a PAW Patrol sing along? PAW patrol is on a roll with this compilation of PAW Patrol nursery rhymes!

Write!

Find some crayons or makers to color a picture, practice writing the letters, or see if you can follow your way through a maze without getting stuck.

Play!

Take a walk and read a story as you go! We invite you to visit StoryWalk® in Ruckle Street Park at 3025 Ruckle Street. Stroll through the park and read a book displayed in mounted frames. Or Skip. Or gallop!

Set up an outdoor hunt, but instead of Easter eggs, hunt for dog bones! Or, instead of “Simon Says” play “The Dog Trainer Says” so kids can sit, bark, stay, and fetch – just like their favorite dog storybook characters!

Join Us for In-Person Storytime!

  • Event: Storytime at Eagle – Pajama Time!
  • Date & Time: Tuesday, December 30, 7:00pm
  • Location: Community Location
  • Description: Families with children ages 3 – 8 are invited for a fun-filled storytime featuring stories, music and activities! Children are welcome to wear their pajamas and bring their favorite stuffie for bedtime! No registration is required!
  • No Registration Required.

Need Help?

Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text, or email Ask-a-Librarian. The Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.

Naming the letters of the alphabet and knowing the sounds each letter makes is a critical pre-reading skill. Did you know that singing the alphabet song and books that say things like “a is for apple” are only the beginning? There are several picture books that make practicing the alphabet fun! One of them is R is for Rocket, by Tad Hills. Listen along with Tad as Rocket the dog, Bella the squirrel, Owl, and other friends read about alphabet letters and the sounds they make. From acorns to angry alligators, it’s alphabet storytime online, you can listen along right now!

Talk!

After listening to the story, talk about some of the things that happened in it.

  • What are the names of some of Rocket’s friends?
  • What is your favorite letter of the alphabet? Think of a word that starts with that letter and draw a picture of it.
  • R is for Rocket. Make a list of all the words you can think of that begin with the letter “R.”

Read!

Use your indyPL Library Card to check out books about the alphabet at any of our locations, or check out alphabet e-books and audiobooks from OverDrive Kids right to your device! If you have never used OverDrive before, you can learn how to use e-books and learn how to use audiobooks.

Click on the book covers below to listen to more alphabet video read aloud stories right now! It’s alphabet storytime online! Did you like these? You can find more stories at Free Video Read Alouds and enjoy even more themed reading and activity fun at IndyPL’s DIY Online Storytimes at Home.

title - K Is for Kindnesstitle - ABC Pridetitle - Animalphabettitle - Chicka Chicka Boom Boomtitle - Blank Entrytitle - R Is for Rocket

Extraordinary Alphabet Stories to Check Out with your IndyPL Library Card

List Cover Images - These are not your average alphabet books. Behold the best picture books to spin entire stories out of the ABCs. Check out the charming and clever narratives! Marvel at the magnificent manifestations of metafiction! There’s fun for kids of all ages in these pages.

Sing

Sing!

Sing the ABC’s with Little i and all of his friends!

Write!

Find some crayons or markers to color a picture, practice writing the letters, or see if you can follow your way through a maze without getting stuck.

Play!

Take a walk and read a story as you go! We invite you to visit StoryWalk® in Ruckle Street Park at 3025 Ruckle Street. Stroll through the park and read a book displayed in mounted frames. Or Skip. Or gallop!

Dance along to Usher’s ABC Song. This alphabet song will have you on your feet and moving your body!

Join Us for In-Person Storytime!

  • Event: Storytime at Eagle – Pajama Time!
  • Date & Time: Tuesday, December 30, 7:00pm
  • Location: Community Location
  • Description: Families with children ages 3 – 8 are invited for a fun-filled storytime featuring stories, music and activities! Children are welcome to wear their pajamas and bring their favorite stuffie for bedtime! No registration is required!
  • No Registration Required.

Need Help?


Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text, or email Ask-a-Librarian. The Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.

Read Right Now Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss characters and their stories have consistently been storytime favorites for kids all over the world. Snuggle up and listen to this video reading of the Seuss classic, The Lorax, read by Miss Linda from Brightly Storytime.  The Lorax is a timely fable about what happens when greed overtakes respect for nature. Several more stories you can enjoy online follow, it’s Dr. Seuss Online Storytime!

Talk!

After listening to the story, talk about some of the things that happened in it.

  • Who does the Lorax say he speak for? “I speak for …”
  • What were some of the animals that lived in the Truffula tree forest?
  • Do you remember what the Once-ler make with the Truffula tufts?
  • Picture in your mind a place you know that has trees, like your school’s playground, or a park, or your backyard. What would it look like if all the trees were cut down? What would you miss if the trees were gone?
  • What problems did the thneed factory cause?
  • What does the Once-ler give at the end of the story? Why did he give it?

Read!

Use your indyPL Library Card to check out Dr. Seuss books at any of our locations, or check out Dr. Seuss e-books and audiobooks from Overdrive Kids right to your device. If you have never used OverDrive before, you can learn how to use e-books and learn how to use audiobooks.

Click on the book covers below to listen to more Dr. Seuss video read aloud stories right now! It’s Dr. Seuss storytime online! Did you like these? You can find more stories at Free Video Read Alouds and enjoy even more themed reading and activity fun at IndyPL’s DIY Online Storytimes at Home.

title - Dr. Seuss's ABCtitle - The Cat in the Hattitle - Blank Entrytitle - Dr. Seuss's Spooky Thingstitle - Hop on Poptitle - Horton Hears A Who!title - How the Grinch Stole Christmastitle - The Loraxtitle - Oh, the Places You'll Go!title - One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fishtitle - Yertle The Turtle, And Other Stories

A Dozen Classics for a Dr. Seuss Rainy Day (or any day!) Marathon

“The sun did not shine, it was too wet to play, so we sat in the house all that cold, cold wet day.” Turn those frowns upside down with one of these sure winners from the king of zany rhyming. Available as e-books and e-audiobooks.

Title - The Cat in the HatTitle - Green Eggs and HamTitle - Happy Birthday to You!Title - Horton Hatches the Egg

Sing!

Enjoy this sing along from Seussville’s YouTube channel. Is your tongue quick? Is your tongue slick? Now here’s as easy game to play, here’s an easy thing to say! Can you do it?

Write!

Find a pencil or pen, some crayons or markers to color a school picture, practice writing the letters, or see if you can follow your way through a maze without getting stuck.

Play!

Take a walk and read a story as you go! We invite you to visit StoryWalk® in Ruckle Street Park at 3025 Ruckle Street. Stroll through the park and read a book displayed in mounted frames. You can even skip or gallop! Or plan a Dr. Seuss Field Day with outdoor sports, activities, and games straight out of Dr. Seuss’s books!

Join Us for In-Person Storytime!

  • Event: Storytime at Eagle – Pajama Time!
  • Date & Time: Tuesday, December 30, 7:00pm
  • Location: Community Location
  • Description: Families with children ages 3 – 8 are invited for a fun-filled storytime featuring stories, music and activities! Children are welcome to wear their pajamas and bring their favorite stuffie for bedtime! No registration is required!
  • No Registration Required.

Need Help?

Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text, or email Ask-a-Librarian. The Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.

Meet Pete, he’s one cool cat! Pete plays baseball, scuba dives, and loves rocking on his guitar. This groovy feline also dresses well! Who wouldn’t want to borrow Pete’s tennis shoes or magic sunglasses?

You can listen to the video read aloud Pete the Cat and the New Guy right now! Watch the story below and then take a look at the fun activities and links to more books you can check out with your IndyPL Library card!

Talk!

After listening to the story, talk about some of the things that happened in it.

  • How did the new guy feel at the beginning of the story?
  • Can you describe how Pete feels about meeting the new guy?
  • What does Pete do to help Gus feel included?
  • Name two things you could do to help a new friend feel included.
  • Do you think you can be friends with people who like different things than you do?

Read!

Use your indyPL Library Card to check out Pete the Cat books at any of our locations, or check out Pete the Cat e-books and audiobooks from OverDrive Kids right to your device! If you have never used OverDrive before, you can learn how to use e-books and learn how to use audiobooks.

Click on the book covers below to listen to more alphabet video read aloud stories right now! It’s alphabet storytime online! Did you like these? You can find more stories at Free Video Read Alouds and enjoy even more themed reading and activity fun at IndyPL’s DIY Online Storytimes at Home.

title - Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttonstitle - Pete the Cat and His Magic Sunglassestitle - Pete the Cat and the Missing Cupcakestitle - Pete the Cat and the Perfect Pizza Party

Pete the Cat Books to Check Out with your IndyPL Library Card

List Cover Images - Here is a selection of books for kids featuring personality plus cats (and one dog!) just as cool and groovy as Pete! “If you want to be cool, just be you!” ~ Pete

Sing!

Get groovy and sing along with Pete!

Write!

Find some crayons or makers to color a picture, practice writing the letters, or see if you can follow your way through a maze without getting stuck.

Play!

Take a walk and read a story as you go! We invite you to visit StoryWalk® in Ruckle Street Park at 3025 Ruckle Street. Stroll through the park and read a book displayed in mounted frames. Try skipping! Or gallop! See if you can do Pete’s Cool Cat Boogie Dance Along!

Join Us for In-Person Storytime!

  • Event: Storytime at Eagle – Pajama Time!
  • Date & Time: Tuesday, December 30, 7:00pm
  • Location: Community Location
  • Description: Families with children ages 3 – 8 are invited for a fun-filled storytime featuring stories, music and activities! Children are welcome to wear their pajamas and bring their favorite stuffie for bedtime! No registration is required!
  • No Registration Required.

Need Help?

Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text, or email Ask-a-Librarian. The Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.

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Children Ages 0 to 5 Vote!

Every child in Indiana, aged 0-5, may vote one time for the Indiana
Early Literacy Firefly Award. Children will need the help of a parent,
a librarian, a teacher, or other caregiver adult to circle one of the
titles. Ask the child to point to their favorite. Once their vote is
circled, turn this ballot in to your local Public Library or voting
location. Libraries will then email their totals to the Indiana Center
for the Book. The last day to report votes is July 31, 2024. Print the ballot.

Add to the fun with activities prepared by Indiana Center for the Book and the Indiana State Library as well as this Indiana Early Literacy Firefly Award activity sheet.

Research shows that reading aloud to young children can significantly improve their chance for success in kindergarten and beyond. You can also help kids enjoy books and stories by joining 1000 Books Before Kindergarten. Caregivers log books and receive incentives for reading outloud to kids. At 1000 books, every child receives a hardback picture book. Or check out a Bunny Book Bag, grab-and-go bag of 15-20 books for caregivers on the move. Are you in the mood from some stories right now? Enjoy online storytime at The Library!

Reading Ready is an Indianapolis Public Library early learning initiative that encourages the five practices that help children get ready to learn how to read: reading, singing, writing, talking, and playing.

In Dylan the Villain, by K.G. Campbell, Mr. and Mrs. Snivels welcome home a new baby, but Dylan isn’t just any baby, he’s the best and the cleverest baby. Dylan is also a super villain! He has a scary costume and a maniacal laugh. When Dylan goes to school for the first time he meets Addison Van Malice. Addison’s costume is even scarier and her laugh is even more maniacal than his! When the teacher announces a robot contest, the competition between these two pint sized super villains really heats up. Listen along as Miss Linda from Brightly Storytime reads this laugh-out loud story of one-ups-manship with super-sized consequences – it’s superhero online storytime!

Talk!

After reading the story, talk about some of the things that happened in it.

  • What did Dylan and the other students need to build to enter the class contest?
  • What are some of the things Dylan built into his robot? What are some of the things Addison built into her robot?
  • What happened to Addison?
  • What happened to Dylan after he won the trophy?

Read!

Use your indyPL Library Card to check out books about superheroes at any of our locations, or check out superhero e-books and audiobooks from OverDrive Kids right to your device! If you have never used OverDrive before, you can learn how to use it for both e-books and audiobooks.

Click on the book covers below to listen to more superhero video read aloud stories right now! It’s superhero storytime online! Did you like these? You can find more stories at Free Video Read Alouds and enjoy even more themed reading and activity fun at IndyPL’s DIY Online Storytimes at Home.

title - Niño Wrestles the Worldtitle - Blank Entry

Books for Kids Who Love Superheroes to Check Out with your IndyPL Library Card

List Cover Images - Have fun introducing your child to your favorite comic book characters in these early reader, picture book, and graphic novel versions of superhero stories for kids. Plus meet some new ones: Kung Fu Robot, Action Cat, and Robot Zot.

Sing!

“S” is Superman’s favorite letter! “S” starts the word Superman, but also starts words like superhero and save! Can you think of any other “S” words?

Write!

Find some crayons or makers to color a picture, practice writing the letters, or see if you can follow your way through a maze without getting stuck.

Play!

Play the classic game Hot Potato, but use a rock and call the game “Pass the Kryptonite!”

Join Us for In-Person Storytime!

  • Event: Storytime at Eagle – Pajama Time!
  • Date & Time: Tuesday, December 30, 7:00pm
  • Location: Community Location
  • Description: Families with children ages 3 – 8 are invited for a fun-filled storytime featuring stories, music and activities! Children are welcome to wear their pajamas and bring their favorite stuffie for bedtime! No registration is required!
  • No Registration Required.

Need Help?

Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text, or email Ask-a-Librarian. The Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.