Beats By Dr. Seuss

My aunt has been facing the challenging task of teaching 4 and 5 year olds over Zoom. She’s found that storytime works pretty well digitally, but sometimes she also likes to send YouTube videos to her class (and their parents) for their enjoyment.

One example, which I also found delightful as an adult, is the YouTube channel of Wes Tank, who raps Dr. Seuss books over beats by Dr. Dre. In addition to presenting beloved stories in a different, fun way, this can also be a time (for older children, teenagers, and adults) to think about meter, rhythm, and rhyme in poetry and prose.

Check out his rendition of The Lorax below:

Robot and Cat Friends Bridge the Distance

Because Yufang and I were unable to attend the wedding of friends in Taiwan, we made this short, silly video eight years ago for them. Looking back, the video reminds us of happier times before we had to stay at home to protect ourselves and others, and it resonates with the desire most of us have to remain connected with those we care about despite the distances involved. Today, I imagine folks are making their own silly videos to relieve anxiety and connect with their loved ones.

In the video, our faithful robot, Robie Sr., and our loyal cat, Miao Miao, help us deliver a message of good luck to our dear friends.

Since parts of the video are in Mandarin Chinese, this is a rough translation:

Robot: “Miao Miao, you must give this secret message to Jason and Yufang. You are our only hope.”

Miao Miao: Nods in agreement, takes the message, and carries it to Jason and Yufang.

Jason and Yufang: “We wish our friends Iris and Raymond the very best of luck and a thousand years of happiness!”

Live Streams of Cute Animals

Today’s Comforting Content comes at the recommendation of Sharanya Dutta, who teaches composition at Baruch College.

She’s been finding comfort in watching live feeds of animals in zoos and aquariums that are currently closed to the public. Watch the animals, swim, eat, sleep, play, and more.

Georgia Aquarium (includes ongoing streams for sea lions, otters, a beluga whale, jellyfish, alligators, and various species of fish)

Home Safaris with the Cincinnati Zoo 

The Cincinnati Zoo does a livestream from their Facebook page featuring a different animal every day at 3pm Eastern. You can also view the videos from past events on their YouTube channel, and the Home Safari page includes information and educational activities– if you live in a home with children, consider doing some of them together!