How to have fun at home

Wow! James and the Giant Peach, the fantastical children's classic by Roald Dahl, will be read cover to cover by a stellar lineup including Meryl Streep, Benedict Cumberbatch, Nick Kroll, Ryan Reynolds, Cate Blanchett, Mindy Kaling, Lupita Nyong'o, Sarah Paulson, Cara Delevingne and others, and directed by the Academy Award-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi—who is currently working on Roald Dahl projects for Netflix. The book will be read in 10 installments, and posted on the Roald Dahl YouTube channel. Even cooler, this isn't a straight-up reading: The actors goof around and, well, act up, which is exactly what you should do when reading James and the Giant Peach! The segments are free, but those interested in making a donation can contribute to a fundraiser for the nonprofit Partners in Health. All ages.

This year, the KidsFilmFest from the Brklyn Film Festival is going online: From May 29 to June 7, the full slate of amazing films will be available to stream for free. The programming is divided into two categories, with films for little viewers ages 3-7 and cineastes ages 8-15. These creative films are a delight, so set aside enough time to binge-watch all the movies! Even better: It's free! Registration required. All ages.

Our West Coast neighbors are exploring all-things creepy crawly in a new exhibit that's sure to delight curious kids: "Spiky, Hairy, Shiny: Insects of L.A." will premiere digitally on May 15 until it is able to open at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County later this year. Take an up-close look at these tiny critters thanks to macrophotographs of insects from NHMLAC’s  Biodiversity Science: City and Nature (BioSCAN) research project. You won't believe your eyes! All ages. 

One of the most beloved storytelling traditions in NYC is now online! In previous years, you could bring your little ones to the Hans Christian Andersen statue in Central Park for an hour of storytelling every Saturday at 11 am. The statue is an iconic setting for a repertoire of international fairytales and folk stories since 1956. Bonus: The stories are often accompanied by live music! This year, the readings will be held online on the Hans Christen Andersen Storytelling Center's Facebook page and YouTube Channel until public gatherings are permitted in Central Park. Ages 5 and up.

Learn how to draw your favorite Peanuts characters at the Snoopy School of Fine Art, an online academy with YouTube tutorials, step-by-step how-tos and complete lesson plans. Follow along, and you too will master Snoopy's elegantly swooping lines, that distinctive nose, those eyes and all the other details that make him the world's most famous beagle. Ages 3 and up.

Turn your living room into your own personal performing arts studio with New Victory Arts Break, a free online series from the New Victory Theater. Every Monday, the New Victory posts a week's worth of programming that explores a specific performing art. These demonstrations by New Victory Teaching Artists are so much fun to watch that you'll want to get in on the action. Just as important, Arts Break is a part of an effort to keep the city's artists employed. All activities are archived below so that you can watch them whenever you like! Ages 4-10. 1. Percussion Week 2. Just Move Week 3. Puppetry Week 4. Magic Week 5. Juggling Week 6. Songwriting Week 7. Clowning Week  8. Playmaking Week 9. Sounds and Props Week 10. Tap Dance Week 11. Circus Tricks Week

The Dynamite Shop in Brooklyn is like a kiddie Cordon Bleu crossed with band camp: This is where your little chef-in-training can geek out cooking while having tons of fun with like-minded pals as they make things like roasted vegetable grain bowls, or meatballs and marinara with cheesy polenta. The Dynamite Shop is taking its instruction online with the Dynamite Dinner Club. Here's how it works: The $25 per week tuition gets your kid 90 minutes of live Zoom instruction plus a lesson plan, recipes and ingredient list (given out in advance). Bonus: Every session culminates with your child cooking you dinner! Meals are archived on the Dynamite shop's YouTube channel. 

The Brooklyn Public Libray is taking Drag Queen Story Hour online! This wildly entertaining and rightfully celebrated series can now be streamed for free. Check the BPL website for the latest lineup. All ages.

Parks@home Jr. brings the magic of NYC's Parks to your home. This new web hub includes virtual zoo cams, DIY crafts, virtual park tours, virtual exploration of wildlife habitats and more! There are new activities each week, including Live with the Urban Park Rangers every Tuesday, Live Walk in a Park every Wednesday and DIY Arts & Craft Classes every Thursday. All ages.