It’s been a difficult time for everyone, including kids who have been stuck at home since schools have been closed. Unable to see friends and some of their grandparents, kids have been feeling antsy and bored indoors so some including celebs are stepping up to keep them entertained. It’s a great initiative, one that many parents who are working from home appreciate.
Parents who are juggling their workload, household chores and childcare at home are given a quick respite even just for a few minutes by these celebrities who are volunteering to keep kids around the world company. They’re keeping kids (and some parents) occupied through stories. These are the famous stars who have been reading storybooks to kids online.
10 Daniel Radcliffe
Imagine listening to Harry Potter himself read a few chapters of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Actor Daniel Radcliffe stepped up to the plate and joined the Harry Potter At Home video series meant to keep kids and kids at heart entertained throughout the coronavirus lockdown. The first video in the series features Harry introducing the Dursleys, a cat reading a map and the Potters. More celebrity contributors are set to take part in the initiative in the next couple of weeks.
9 Tom Hardy
Famous for playing larger than life characters including Bane and Bronson on the big screen, Tom has always been a softie when it comes to animals and kids. The 42-year old actor has been reading storybooks to children all over the world for BBC’s CBeebies. The first Tom Hardy storytime featured the actor reading the book Hug Me by Simona Ciraolo. The following week Tom read more books like Under the Same Sky by Robert Vescio and Nicky Johnston. All of them can be downloaded from CBeebies iPlayer.
8 Nicholas Hoult
British actor Nicholas Hoult who played Hank McCoy a.k.a. Beast in the X-Men franchise has been staying home and reading storybooks to kids as part of Save The Children UK. Save The Children is an organization that raises funds to help those that are hardest-hit by the pandemic. In the video, you’ll see the full-beaded actor at home reading Mini Rabbit: Not Lost by John Bond.
7 Josh Gad
Josh who voiced adorable Olaf in Frozen has been reading storybooks to kids online and uploading the videos on his Twitter page. The talented voice actor can be seen in the videos using all sorts of different voices to give life to characters. He’s recording videos from his home using just his phone, and while some can be a little grainy, his animated voice more than makes up for the at-times blurry videos. And people can’t get enough of Olaf reading storybooks so Josh has been posting storytime videos regularly.
6 Jimmy Fallon
The Tonight Show host has been uploading interactive storytime videos on the Tonight Show’s YouTube channel in the past couple of years.
This time the father of two joined other celebs to support #savewithstories. In the Instagram video, you’ll see Jimmy reading a storybook together with his two adorable girls Winnie, and Franny. They read the book Eveything is Mama written by the host and illustrated by Miguel Ordoñez. It’s an endearing video that shows Jimmy not as a TV personality but as a regular Dad.
5 Emilia Clarke
The mother of dragons is now mother to an adorable pooch named Ted and the duo has uploaded a video on Instagram. In the video, you can see the GOT star reading a storybook with her dachshund.
The video shows Emilia getting puppy kisses from Ted while trying to read Bear’s Loose Tooth by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman from her laptop. After a few minutes and after sniffing the keyboard Ted didn’t seem interested and left, but you’ll see Emilia practice her acting chops while finishing the book.
4 Pierce Brosnan
Here’s a treat for parents who are fans of the Bond actor. Pierce Brosnan has joined the movement to become part of the roster of celebs reading storybooks to children stuck at home. And the ever dapper James Bond actor posted a video of him in a crisp white shirt having tea in a sprawling garden. In the video, he reads a story The Pig on the Hill written and illustrated by John Kelly. Little kids might be wondering who this preppy grandpa is but the videos will make parents and grandparents want to sit down and watch too.
3 Meghan Markle
New mom and Duchess of Sussex Meghan is among the celebs reading stories to kids on lockdown. Despite her busy schedule caring for her new baby Archie, Meghan joined other celebs to help raise funds for Save The Children. In the video posted on Archie’s birthday, you’ll see the adorable tot sitting on his mama’s lap and flipping the pages as Meghan reads the story. Prince Harry stayed behind the camera to shoot the video.
2 Jennifer Gardner
Jennifer launched the initiative #savewithstories with fellow actress Amy Adams. One of the cutest videos in the series is that of Jennifer reading a storybook to some of her friends from Pleasant Hill Elementary in West Virginia. In the video, Jennifer can be seen reading Chicks Run Wild by Sudipta Quallen and illustrated by Ward Jenkins. Unlike the others, this one is a Zoom storytime session so you can also see the kids from Pleasant Hill listening to the story.
1 Drew Barrymore
