Apr 25, 2020
Looking for a smart way to spend your screen time? Kanopy Kids is here for the whole family with a high-quality selection of kids’ movies, TV series, picture books-come-to-life, educational video and more. Best of all, no more worrying about the fun coming to an end: all OPL customers have unlimited access to Kanopy Kids, with no waiting lists: simply click and stream. Watch as many videos as you’d like without impacting your monthly play credits!
If you don’t already have an account, get started and sign in. Once you’re logged in, click on “Go to Kanopy Kids” at the top of the page to bring you to the Kanopy Kids homescreen. You’ll find videos organized by genre as well as by themes like Adventure, Animals, Science and Math, Learning Languages, Storytime, and more! Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
Looking for a great TV series? There’s a reason that Sesame Street has been on the air for 50 years and counting. Educational, entertaining, and truly invested in understanding the children it seeks to communicate with, you can find two recent seasons on Kanopy Kids. Kids and parents alike can share in seeing longtime friends like Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Gordon and Maria, as well as getting a kick out of guests like Anderson Cooper and Jimmy Fallon dropping by the Street.
How about excavating some facts about dinosaurs? The animated PBS Kids series Dinosaur Train follows Buddy the T-Rex as he rides the rails all over the prehistoric world, encountering and learning about dinosaur friends from the Triassic to the Cretaceous. While the show makes sure to educate about the history and science of dinosaurs, it also shares thoughtful messages about diversity and respecting differences.
Or instead of travelling through time, take a trip across Canada to Wapos Bay! This stop-motion animation series follows Raven, Talon, T-Bear and Devon as they explore their Northern Saskatchewan Cree community. Both funny and visually arresting, you’ll have an opportunity to learn a ton about Cree life and history, and have a great time doing it!
If you’re a kid who’s missing fun science class experiments, then check out the TVOntario series Science Max. Your quirky host Phil explores and explains an experiment that you can do safely at home, and then makes a “supersized” version of it that both wows and teaches. Learning about friction? Phil takes a ride on a 2-story high slide to bring the lesson home!
When it comes to movies, Kanopy Kids is home to much-beloved characters like Cinderella and Babar. And what about dropping in on Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables: The Good Stars? Just reaching her thirteenth birthday, Anne is having a host of new and exciting – but rarely trouble-free – experiences. The Good Stars could be the latest in a long line of Anne stories you’ve enjoyed, but it could also be the jumping off point into the wide world of Avonlea!
Spending your home time with a feline friend? Maybe you can both enjoy The Amazing Adventure of Marchello the Cat, a movie that tells the story of an indoor cat on the loose from the cat’s perspective, complete with a supporting cat cast, too! A completely unique film that also tells a heartwarming tale sure to win over any animal lover.
Lastly, if you didn’t have a chance to stock up on picture books for isolation recreation – and haven’t already checked out picture eBooks from OverDrive and TumbleBook Library – Kanopy has its own supply of popular and classic titles to both watch and read, all with no waiting list. The Weston Woods collection adds animation, sound, music and narration to your favourite picture books. Some suggested titles include Mo Willems’ Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, the Caldecott Award-winning Creepy Carrots, beloved bedtime story Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site, the gentle friendship tale Bear Has a Story to Tell, and any number of titles from the Scaredy Squirrel series.
Hopefully you’ve been able to find a place to play in the world of Kanopy Kids. With unlimited access, you can take a chance on any number of videos. Share your finds and favourites in the comments below!
Blog post contributed by Daniel from our Content Services department.