Online Learning Resources for Kids

Posted in Covid-19, Learning, Off Topic, Parenting, Resources, Resources

 

As a mother to two pretty great kids,  who would love to be on their screens all day if they could, I’ve been putting together a list of resources and websites they can visit from their devices to continue learning throughout this COVID-19 ordeal. I wanted easy links to resources to not only the curriculum they are accustomed to receiving at school, but also creative and fun activities that might open their world a little more. We’ve come up with a schedule, and an activity tracker so they can be more accountable for their time.

I figured since I did the work I’d share some of what I found here, so my kids can use the post as a bookmark page and so others might also benefit from the list I’ve curated from multiple resources. I’ll try to go back later and give credit to where I’ve sourced some of these links.

 

 

INTERDISCIPLINARY LEARNING

 

  • Brain Pop is here to help you and your curious learners stay informed and on-track with free access during school closures. Topics include Science, Social Studies, English, Math, Art and Music, Health and SEL, Engineering & Tech and more!
  • The link brings you to a form to receive free family access to all BrainPOP products for 30 days. If you are applying for free access during the COVID-19 pandemic, your access will be extended as long as schools are closed.
  • Freckle Education
  • Khan Academy
  • MobyMax
  • PBS KIDS for Parents offers free resources created by expert educators and child development professionals. The site has books, games, kid cooking tutorials, and more. Ages 13 and under.
  • Starfall is a great resource for young elementary students to practice reading and math skills through games and songs. Ages 9 and under.
  • The Smithsonian Learning Lab offers free interactive learning experiences for students using millions of resources from Smithsonian museums and galleries. All ages.

 

 

MATH

 

  • IXL
  • Iknowit : Offering services for free to school affected by COVID-19.
  • Prodigy
  • XtraMath: Great, free program for math fact drills.
  • CoolMath4Kids is a free “online amusement park” filled with games that are designed to make learning math fun. Ages 12 and under.
  • CoolMath.com teaches more advanced math with explanations that are easy to grasp on topics like algebra, pre-calculus and more. Ages 13+.

 

 

READING, LITERACY & WRITING

 

  • RAZKids
  • Epic 
  • The Learning Network by The New York Times offers dozens of new writing prompts each week. The writing prompts are all based on articles, photographs, illustrations, and videos from The New York Times. Students must register for a free account to get the writing prompts. Ages 13+.
  • Quill offers free writing and grammar activities for students including lessons for teachers to lead writing instruction as well as diagnostics. All ages. 
  • Read Theory
  • ReadWorks
  • Scholastic created Scholastic’s Learn at Home Program for free to students affected by Coronavirus school closures.
  • Read and play games with the Cat in the Hate, the Grinch and more on Seussville. Ages 13 and under.
  • Storyline Online is the SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s Online Library of Read Alouds by various actors and actresses.

 

 

SCIENCE / SOCIAL STUDIES

  • Science Mom has a kid friendly video feed full of fun at-home science experiments. Ages 13 and under.
  • Nat Geo for Kids helps students learn about animals, geography, science experiments and more. All ages.

 

 

HEALTH / WELLNESS

  • GoNoodle is a series of web-based videos, games, and activities focused on introducing short bursts of physical exercise in the classroom. For young children who need to burn up energy to concentrate on learning, this is a simple solution.
  • Brain Pop

 

 

EDUCATIONAL PODCASTS

 

 

READ ALOUD STORIES

  • HarperKids – HarperCollins Children’s Books created the HarperKids YouTube Channel. Watch and listen to your kid’s favorite books, author interviews, and original content. All ages.
  • Brightly Storytime, by Penguin Random House, features read-aloud and flip along videos, and more for kids. All ages.

 

 

FREE WORKSHEETS AND COLORING SHEETS TO DOWNLOAD

  • Crayola offers free coloring pages to download and DIY craft ideas. Just search by category and start getting creative. All ages.
  • Education.com offers a huge library of digital resources, tools, and printable learning materials created by educational experts. Grades PreK to 5th.
  • GreatSchools is a nonprofit empowering parents to unlock educational opportunities for their child. The website has thousands of articles, tips, free worksheets, and interactive tools to help parents support their child’s learning. All ages.

 

 

STEM AND ART Resources

  • ScratchJr, designed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Labkids, teaches kids ages 7 and under how to program their own interactive stories and games. There is a more advanced free tool called Scratch for students ages 8+. My son LOVES this program and I highly recommend it to kids interested in coding.
  • Mystery Science has at-home lessons like “Why do woodpeckers peck wood?” and “Why do we get hiccups?” All ages. NOTE: The website is offering dozens of free science lessons to students who are affected by Coronavirus school closures.
  • Elementari teaches students to create code and turn their stories into illustrations. All ages. NOTE: The company is offering free subscriptions through May 2020 or until your student’s school reopens. Learn more here.
  • HelloKids offers kids free step-by-step tutorials to draw dozens of animals, objects, characters, and more. All ages.
  • Who doesn’t love Elephant and Piggy!?  Author and illustrator Mo Willem is offering classes for kids to learn to draw, doodle and explore new ways of writing at the Kennedy Center. Just bring some paper and pencils, pens, or crayons to Lunch Doodles with Mo. New episodes will be posted each weekday at 1:00 p.m. ET during the Spring 2020 school shutdowns.

 

 

VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS

  • Discovery Education offers free virtual field trips around the world. Each location you click on comes with a companion guide and hands-on learning activities.
  • At The Nature Conservancy, students can dive down to see a coral reef in the Caribbean and explore the rainforest in Borneo all in the same day – and all from the comfort of their homes.
  • Check out our planet like you’ve never seen it before on Google Earth Virtual Reality.
  • Take a virtual tour of the Boston Children’s Museum.
  • Explore the surface of Mars as seen by NASA’s Curiosity Rover.
  • Take a virtual tour of the world-famous Louvre Museum in Paris.
  • Head to the San Diego Zoo and watch the animals LIVE in their habitats.

 

 

BRAIN GAMES & IDEAS FOR SCREEN TIME BREAKS

Posted in Covid-19, Learning, Off Topic, Parenting, Resources, Resources

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