As remote learning has become the reality for thousands of children across the Bay Area, there is a stark lack of resources to keep the learning going for our youngest students. While we look forward to being back in classrooms and community workshops, we know that now, more than ever, children and families need the books, resources, strategies, and confidence to facilitate high-quality early learning at home. That’s why we are partnering with San Francisco Unified School District and agencies across the region to provide families with thousands of high-quality, diverse children’s books and early learning activities.

Families will receive books from our multilingual, multicultural StoryCycles collection with activity guides in English, Spanish, and Chinese. Each package links up with Tandem’s Virtual Storytime videos. Read on below to DIY your own kit!

Thanks to Tandem Board Member Mari Rutkin, we quickly piloted a distribution project in partnership with the San Francisco Unified School District Early Education Department. Almost 2,000 books in English, Spanish, Chinese, and wordless will be delivered directly to children and families sheltering in place. Each package links up to one of Tandem’s virtual Read Alouds and comes with accompanying kindergarten-readiness activities, vocabulary words to practice, and talking tips to keep the conversation going at home. 

At Tandem, we know that stories can bring us together and spark joy for children and adults alike. Capturing the magic of StoryCycles, these learning modules use books as the foundation for accessible, academic, early education programming that families can implement at home. Tandem continues to expand book giveaways directly to families in partnership with remote learning programs and food distribution sites across San Francisco, Alameda, and Contra Costa Counties. We’d like to share this resource with you as well. Download our Activity Guides for free and view our virtual storytime Read Alouds. Purchase a copy of the books below through these links to support access to high-quality early learning programming for children and families across the Bay Area.

Know someone with a small child at home? Send them StoryCycles-in-a-box using one of the modules below:

Fly! written by Mark Teague
Download our Activity Guide
View virtual storytime
Purchase a copy of this book

Abiyoyo adapted by Pete Seeger, illustrated by Michael Hayes
Download our Activity Guide
View virtual storytime
Purchase a copy of this book

El Monstruo de colores by Anna Llenas
Download our Activity Guide
View virtual storytime
Purchase a copy of this book

Mis Amigos/My Friends by Taro Gomi
Download our Activity Guide
View virtual storytime
Purchase a copy of this book

Help us meet our goal of distributing over 12,000 StoryCycles-in-a-box early learning modules to families with children 0-5. Your gift before May 22nd will directly support book purchase and distribution across San Francisco, Alameda, and Contra Costa Counties.

Donate today or reach out to Margaret@tandembayarea.org to learn more.