Four Online Tools to Teach Kids About Black History

1. Common Sense's Wide Open School: When the pandemic hit last year, the nonprofit Common Sense (which helps parents and teachers choose appropriate kids' media and technology) created a free, online hub with learning resources to help families and educators transition to remote learning.  For Black History Month, Common Sense points parents to its Wide Open School's Black History and Culture section, where your kid can access a variety of engaging articles, videos, and more.
2. The National Museum of African American History and Culture: The only national museum dedicated exclusively to the documentation of "African-American life, history, and culture," points parents of young children to its Joyful Fridays series, held virtually every Friday throughout February from 11 to 11:45 am ET.  As part of this program, children ages 4 to 8 are invited to create art that "celebrates Black joy, history and culture," according to the museum's website.
3. New York Public Library: this library encourages parents and their children to check out its Black Month History Storytimes, as part of its wider Black History Month offerings. In them, child librarians "read beloved books, sing songs, and share early literacy tips."You can access story videos here.
4. PBS: PBS has a slew of online resources, categorized by age, to teach kids about Black History and anti-racism. For example, parents of kids aged two to five can use PBS' drawing activity to help their children understand the power of advocacy and reflect on the times they stood up for someone. Children six through eight can watch animated videos about Black people whose accomplishments secured them a place in the history books.

Whichever digital resource you use to teach your kids or students to learn and celebrate Black history and culture, in February and throughout the year, it can help lay the foundation for a more knowledgeable and antiracist future.