Virtual Story Time

Register to reserve a unique experience for your students to engage in virtual storytelling and the Museum's content online. Each Flights of Fancy Story Time experience lasts approximately 30 minutes and will be hosted on Zoom or Teams. If your school uses a different platform, please note your platform preference within your registration. 

Reserved programs are intended for school groups, homeschool groups, and community-based organizations serving youth that meet the minimum program requirements. If you have questions about if your organization meets the Museum’s program requirements, please contact NASMTours@si.edu.

Available Virtual Story Time Programming

Virtual Flights of Fancy Story Time

Experiences available for groups of 10 or more

The reserved Story Time program will include a read-aloud with the museum educator, a video chat about an image or other museum resources related to the topic, and a demonstrated craft activity by the museum educator. 

Each program has associated resources in SI Learning Lab and an online Story Time (Flights of Fancy or Pilot Pals) that will enhance and expand the theme so that teachers can use them in before and after the program for a more complete learning experience.

Virtual programs are available at 10:00am Eastern on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and 2:00pm Eastern on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you would like to inquire about an alternative program start time please contact the Tours and Reservations Office at NASMTours@si.edu. 

Available Stories:

 

Cover of the book "Space Walk" by Salina Yoon

The Great Solar System Tour

Learn more about the planets with this exploration of our Solar System. Join as a Museum educator reads Space Walk by Salina Yoon, chats about spacecraft that have travelled to the edge of the Solar System and then leads the students in creating a solar system book.

Reserve this Virtual Story Time

Cover of the book "Hare and Tortoise Race to the Moon," by Oliver J. Corwin

Rocket Race

If you wanted to go to outer space, how would you get there? In a rocket of course. Join as a Museum educator reads Hare and Tortoise Race to the Moon by Oliver J Corwin, examines rockets in our collection to notice what shapes they are made from, and then leads students in the creation of three dimensional models of rockets.

Reserve this Virtual Story Time

Cover of the book "Air Show," by Treat Williams. Illustration by Robert Neubecker.

Air Show

What is it like to experience the thrill of an air show? Join as a Museum educator reads Air Show by Treat Williams, demonstrates loops, rolls and other aerobatic maneuvers, and leads the students in the creation of their own tricky flyers.

Reserve this Virtual Story Time

 

Images of four children's books focusing on the stories of aerospace history makers, including the Wright Brothers, Mae Jemison, Amelia Earhart, and Bessie Coleman.

Inspirational Biography Series

Join as a Museum Educator reads an inspiring biography of a pioneer of aviation or space exploration. Each story will explore objects in our museum that relate to that person’s story and a craft that will allow students to continue to play and learn. Choose from:  

  • Amelia Earhart: You Can’t Do That Amelia! by Kimberly Wagner Klier 
  • Bessie Coleman: Nobody Owns the Sky by Reeve Lindbergh
  • Mae Jemison: Mae Among the Stars by Rhoda Ahmed
  • Wright Brothers: The Story of the Wright Brothers by Michelle Prater Burke

Reserve this Virtual Story Time

Virtual Shared Story Time

Experiences available for groups of 10 or less

We also offer monthly Shared Virtual Flights of Fancy Story Time experiences for groups of 10 or less. These shows are offered twice a month at 10:00 am via Zoom Webinar and have a capacity of 100. There is no minimum participant number in order to register for these shows. Please note that these shows are "shared" which means there are other registered participants in the program.

This reserved program includes a read-aloud with the museum educator and a video chat about an image or other museum resources related to the topic.  After the reserved program, the museum educator will follow up with suggested post-visit experiences and an evaluation.

Due to the larger number of participants it does not include the craft activity led by the museum educator, but information about the craft is included in the resources provided as part of your reservation.
There is no minimum participant number in order to register for these shows.

ASL Interpretation is provided for Saturday Shared Story Times.  
 

Upcoming Shared Story Times:

Virtual Story Times are made possible by the generous support of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.

Looking to reserve an on-site story time experience?

Learn How

Looking for on-demand story time experiences?

Learn How