Resources from PBS Kids to Honor Black History Month

Black History Month gives us an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of African Americans and recognizing their contributions to U.S. history. PBS offers the following resources for parents and educators to make your celebrations meaningful, including includes a new animated short of Inaugural poet Amanda Gorman’s poem, “Talking Gets Us There,” an original she wrote for the PBS KIDS Talk About: Race and Racism special.

Resources can be found on PBS LearningMedia and PBS KIDS for Parents. They include:

Black Voices and History Resources:

• A collection that helps parents celebrate and honor Black history with conversation prompts, crafts and reading recommendations for little ones and adults alike
• A video where Oprah Winfrey interviews Stacey Abrams and shares her thoughts on voting for her values
• A lesson on astronaut Mae Jemison, the first Black woman to go into space.
• A video of writer Alice Walker sharing her stories from her childhood

Anti-Racism Resources:

• A panel of experts discussing how to use media to provide important context for kids and support anti-racist teaching
• Tips for creating a just and caring classroom
• A list of tools for anti-racist teaching
• The PBS KIDS Talk About: Race and Racism special

PBS also offers streaming and broadcast options for families to tune-in and celebrate Black History Month.

Streaming & TV*

*Check your local listings

·       PBS KIDS Talk About: Race and Racism

o   Special is available to stream on the PBS KIDS Video app and YouTube

o   PBS KIDS 24/7 Channel: Feb. 16, 2021

o   PBS KIDS Family Night event: Feb. 19 – 21, 2021

·       The Power of We: A Sesame Street Special

o   Special is available to stream on PBS KIDS Video app

o   PBS KIDS: Feb. 9 and Feb. 11, 2021

o   PBS KIDS 24/7 Channel: Feb. 10 and Feb. 16, 2021

o   PBS KIDS Family Night event: Feb. 19 – 21, 2021

·       Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum

o   Episodes that celebrate Black leaders available to stream on the PBS KIDS Video app and YouTube

o   “Celebrating Black Leaders” episodes will air throughout the month, including a PBS KIDS Family Night event the weekend of Feb. 5 – 7, 2021

o   Featured episodes include: I am Harriet Tubman, I am Jesse Owens, I am Ella Fitzgerald, I am Rosa Parks, I am Thurgood Marshall, I am Maya Angelou, I am Frederick Douglass, I am Zora Neale Hurston and I am Wilma Rudolph

Mrs. Wordsmith The Social Journey

Mrs. Wordsmith–a UK-based education company–has launched The Social Journey in the United States. This monthly subscription program for children ages 3 thru 6 is said to focus on “developing social and emotional intelligence…Young children develop deeper social, emotional and academic skills with the right vocabulary.”

So many kids I know love getting packages in the mail. Isn’t it great to know that this package will help them learn important skills to better prepare them for school, foster creativity and a love of reading, and teach them how to manage their feelings.

My package arrived in a colorful blue box with an animated character on the front that would encourage a youngster to tear it right open and get started. Inside, I discovered a storybook, an activity book, word cards, a sturdy stand and instructions.

As you can see, the storybook, activity book and word card include matching artwork that allows your child to recognize all the month’s words and concepts through repetition. The artwork and storylines are so funny, parents and kids can enjoy a chuckle or two to make learning easier for everyone. These pictures can’t do the artwork justice. Vibrant colors and zany character antics and facial expressions ensure your child will be picking up the books numerous days out of the month.

The storybook gets you started, but then you have days and days worth of activities to increase word use and comprehension. Coloring, drawing, writing practice and more can be found within these sheets that are easy to tear out. It is suggested you place the activity book on the included stand so your child can try out the activities whenever they feel like it.

The word cards help when you are on the go or if you’re looking to spend some extra time playing word games. The first card gives you some ideas, but you can probably think up some of your own too.

The Social Journey is available online for $22.49 a month (cancel anytime) or you can save $30 by making one payment of $239.40. Shipping within the United States is free.

I wish The Social Journey was available when my girls were this age. A program that makes learning fun, fosters creativity and a love of reading, and helps children manage their feelings is destined to have a great impact on generations of children.

I received a free Mrs. Wordsmith The Social Journey package thanks to Allison+Partners. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.