We know many of you are suddenly home with your kids and you may be struggling to find ways to keep them entertained, while also educating them. The first thing to do is to not panic. Realize that this is a great time to make memories with your kids and maybe even teach them something new and exciting. And hey, maybe you’ll even learn a thing or two! It’s also a good time to teach them life lessons, such as, laundry, cooking, changing a tire, checking the oil, checking tire pressure, taxes, bills, etc. Here are some links that have free learning content. The content ranges from toddlers to AP students, to adults. Some of the content is always free, some is only free during this unique situation. Virtual Tours
- The San Diego Zoo – videos, activities, and games. https://kids.sandiegozoo.org/
- Tour Yellowstone National Park https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/photosmultimedia/virtualtours.htm
- Explore the surface of Mars on the Curiosity Rover. https://accessmars.withgoogle.com/
- This Canadian site FarmFood 360 offers 11 Virtual Tours of farms from minks, pigs, and cows, to apples and eggs. https://www.farmfood360.ca/
- Travel to Paris, France to see works of art at The Louvre with this virtual field trip. https://www.louvre.fr/en/visites-en-ligne
- Great Wall of China https://www.thechinaguide.com/destination/great-wall-of-china
- Georgia Aquarium Exhibit Cam https://www.ozolio.com/explore/HQKO00000499
- Alaskan Wildlife cams http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=viewing.webcams
- Live video of the National Zoo to the Smithsonian Learning Lab https://www.si.edu/kids
- Tour the Great Court and discover the ancient Rosetta Stone and Egyptian mummies. https://britishmuseum.withgoogle.com/
General
- Ask Dr. Universe is a science-education project from Washington State University. Kids can send Dr. Universe any question they may have about history, geography, plants, animals, technology, engineering, math, culture, and more. https://askdruniverse.wsu.edu/
- Skill Prepare develops educational games and learning experiences for consoles & VR platforms. https://skillprepare.com
- Educational games K-12 https://www.breakoutedu.com/funathome
- Online homeschool platform & curriculum for Pre-K to 12th grade. All main subjects are covered, plus extra curriculum courses. http://discoveryk12.com/dk12/
- 7,000 free videos in 13 subject areas https://hippocampus.org/
- Carmen Sandiego videos, stories, and lessons for all subject areas https://www.carmensandiego.com/resources/
- Entertaining & educational videos for all levels and subjects https://www.izzit.org/index.php
- Online education program for toddler through high school https://www.khanacademy.org/
- Tons of free classes from leading universities and companies https://www.coursera.org/
- Kid Facts gives your child access to educational videos, pictures, quizzes, downloadable worksheets, and infographics. They can use these to learn about geography, history, science, animals, and even the human body. https://www.coolkidfacts.com/
- Brainscape offers over a million flashcard decks for every subject, entrance exam, and certification imaginable. https://www.brainscape.com/
- Education for kids all topics https://www.ducksters.com
- A collection of hundreds of free K-12 STEM resources, from standalone models and simulations to short activities and week long sequences of curriculum materials. https://learn.concord.org/
- For students to practice and master whatever they are learning. https://quizlet.com/
- A quick start resource to help families pull together a plan for surviving the next 1-2 months at home with their kids, but it can also be a time of slowing down and enjoying kids as they learn. Preschool through 8th grade https://abetterwaytohomeschool.com/learning-at-home-everything-you-need-in-one-place.html?fbclid=IwAR0Lo2FZ5cWLMt-6nto19auqTtI5kztqLqwi3japOPl1rcR_rLaNuCUcaYw
- Games for all subjects K-8 https://www.funbrain.com/
- PreK – 5 games for all subjects https://www.turtlediary.com/
- Every course you could possibly want to homeschool preschool – 8 https://allinonehomeschool.com/
- Every course you could possibly want to homeschool for high school https://allinonehighschool.com/
- 450 Ivy League courses that you can take https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/ivy-league-free-online-courses-a0d7ae675869/?fbclid=IwAR0tbYeSJTzmrzgs1z1Brpoh-Lg8zoqnThQAUTFqR-bBX9O6AEh2_lnLhTs
- 2,500+ online courses from top institutions https://www.edx.org/
- Alcumus is specifically designed to provide high-performing students with a challenging curriculum appropriate to their abilities https://artofproblemsolving.com/alcumus
- Find and fix learning gaps https://www.mobymax.com/
- 100 free online educational program ideas https://savingdollarsandsense.com/free-educational-resources-for-kids/?fbclid=IwAR2UGmsPc7PImViwJ9mID1u7NKS9Vccq_CO1NAR0VqesLkj4Vog7HJbhZJ8
- Classes for older teens or adults https://www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/lp/t1/freemo?source_id=FREEMO&utm_source=Social_Media&utm_medium=Facebook&utm_campaign=1000614&fbclid=IwAR1vaJx-3_aCdyE75S0fTJg4JZ_jI6KJvsJb4CnXY03tnfTm3FdgflaNpYs
- A safe research site for elementary-level readers. They are offering — free 24/7 access – USERNAME: read (case sensitive) – PASSWORD: read (case sensitive) https://www.facts4me.com/
- Daily lessons and educational activities that kids can do on their own https://www.superchargedschool.com/
- Curricular content hub specifically designed for K-3 students. https://pebblego.com/free-pebblego-capstone-interactive-access-school-closures?fbclid=IwAR0ldr6TT3grhEDzJ_fEpYvNGG13kqYo5ogwEqYneW7QBkX8L4u7cEIS0nE
- Course sets (Levels 1–5) that combine and cover phonics, reading, writing, spelling, literature, grammar, punctuation, art, and geography https://www.goodandbeautiful.com/
- Resource section includes free flashcards, coloring pages, worksheets, and other resources for children, teachers, and parents. https://supersimple.com/
History & Social Studies
- Ask Dr. Universe is a science-education project from Washington State University. Kids can send Dr. Universe any question they may have about history, geography, plants, animals, technology, engineering, math, culture, and more. https://askdruniverse.wsu.edu/
- Online history classes for all ages preteen through adults https://school.bighistoryproject.com/bhplive
- Digital archive of history https://www.bunkhistory.org/
- Social Studies https://www.ck12.org/student/
- Allows students to type in any city, state, or country to view an archive of historical photographs and other documents. It’s a unique way to help them learn about history. http://www.whatwasthere.com//
- An interactive way to learn history https://www.mission-us.org/
Math
- Math and Reading games https://www.funbrain.com/
- Geometry https://www.canfigureit.com/
- Math and reading games https://www.abcya.com/
- Math and language games https://www.arcademics.com/
- Math practice from counting to algebra and geometry http://www.mathscore.com/
- Math as a fun part of your daily family routine http://bedtimemath.org/
- Elem Math through 6th grade https://boddlelearning.com/
- A wide range of math content from middle school through AP Calculus. https://deltamath.com/
- K-8 online math program that looks at how a student is solving problems to adjust accordingly and build a unique learning path for them. https://www.dreambox.com/at-home
- Higher level math series… online video series with detailed solutions to more than a thousand publicly-released College Board SAT Math, Subject Test Math Level 1, and Subject Test Math Level 2 problems https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbQoCpvYRYRkRRvsObOPHaA?reload=9
- Math Videos with lessons, real life uses of math, famous actors https://www.hmhco.com/math-at-work
- Elem Math games, logic puzzles and educational resources https://www.mathplayground.com/
- Math and logic problems for ages 5 and up to adult https://www.aplusclick.org/
- Ask Dr. Universe is a science-education project from Washington State University. Kids can send Dr. Universe any question they may have about history, geography, plants, animals, technology, engineering, math, culture, and more. https://askdruniverse.wsu.edu/
- Math labs and simulations https://phet.colorado.edu/
- Math practice https://xtramath.org/#/home/index
- Math games galore https://gridclub.com/
- Short videos about numbers that help kids explore complex math topics and make math more fun. https://www.numberphile.com/
- Math Games, Logic Puzzles and Brain Builders https://www.mathplayground.com/
- Adaptive curriculum in Math and ELA for Grades K-8 https://www.scootpad.com/
- Algebra games for kids https://www.dragonboxapp.com/
- Fractions practice http://www.mathchimp.com/freddysfractions.php
- Enter your math problem or search term, press the button, and they show you the step-by-step work and answer instantly. 2nd grade through college. https://www.mathcelebrity.com/online-math-tutor.php
- Educational brain breaks to help students review essential literacy and math skills, while getting in some exercise. Find over 900 videos to help your child keep learning at home and burn off some extra energy. Our site is best used for ages 4-8. https://fluencyandfitness.com/register/school-closures/
- K-5 curriculum that builds deep understanding and a love of learning math for all students https://www.zearn.org/
- Website allows students to play basic games to reinforce math skills and compete against the computer or others https://www.mangahigh.com/en-us/
Science
- Geography and animals https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/
- High school chemistry topics https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/resources/highschool/chemmatters/articles-by-topic.html
- Hands on elementary science videos https://www.backpacksciences.com/science-simplified
- Science https://www.ck12.org/student/
- Daily free science or cooking experiment to do at http://www.clubscikidzmd.com/blog/
- Chemistry https://www.playmadagames.com/
- K-5th Science lessons https://mysteryscience.com/
- Interactive video earth science based curriculum supplement. https://www.everyday-earth.com/
- This NASA initiative covers a wide range of topics including weather, climate, atmosphere, water, energy, plants, and animals. https://climatekids.nasa.gov/
- Ask Dr. Universe is a science-education project from Washington State University. Kids can send Dr. Universe any question they may have about history, geography, plants, animals, technology, engineering, math, culture, and more. https://askdruniverse.wsu.edu/
- Amphibian unit studies https://premeditatedleftovers.com/naturally-frugal-mom/amphibians-unit-study-resources/
- Science simulations, scientist profiles, and other digital resources for middle school science and high school biology https://sepuplhs.org/
- From rainbows to tornadoes and winter storms to tsunamis, meteorologist Crystal Wicker breaks down the fascinating world of weather. http://www.weatherwizkids.com/
- This educational website hosted by the Smithsonian Museum takes a deep dive into ocean life. https://ocean.si.edu/
- Innerbody explores the 11 bodily systems in depth. With interactive models and detailed explanations, this website will help them learn more about the internal mechanics of the amazing human body. https://www.innerbody.com/htm/body.html
- Science podcasts to listen to with your kids https://medium.com/kidslisten/19-great-science-podcasts-you-can-listen-to-with-kids-6fe46ac506b8#.rb23iuaw6
- Science projects that can be completed with or without Internet access https://sciencespot.net/Pages/classhome.html
- Science labs and simulations https://phet.colorado.edu/
- An online physics problem and video bank designed for conceptual, standard, honors or AP1 physics. https://www.positivephysics.org/home
- Learn all about cells https://www.cellsalive.com/
- 80+ do at home science activities https://elementalscience.com/blogs/news/80-free-science-activities
- A human visualization platform that allows students to explore the human body in really cool ways. https://human.biodigital.com/login?returnUrl=/dashboard
- Just explore, have fun, and learn some science along the way. https://thehappyscientist.com/
- Tons of science experiments that you can do at home https://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/
- Learn all about earthquakes https://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/kids/
- Learn all about the periodic table https://www.chemicool.com/
- Next Generation Science video game focused on middle school where students directly engage in science phenomena as they solve problems. https://www.tytoonline.com/
- Space science for kiddos https://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub/index.html
Reading/Writing
- Reading games https://www.funbrain.com/
- Read, play games, and hang out with Dr. Seuss https://www.seussville.com/
- Phonics skills https://www.starfall.com/h/
- Reading games https://www.abcya.com/
- Language games https://www.arcademics.com/
- Favorite kids books read by famous people https://www.storylineonline.net/
- Grammar practice for middle grades https://www.classroomcereal.com/
- Reading passages for grades 3-12, with reading comprehension and discussion questions. https://www.commonlit.org/
- Games to get “into the book” https://reading.ecb.org/
- Phonics and learning to read https://readingeggs.com/
- Spelling 1-4 grade https://www.spellingtraining.com/
- Randomly generates 356,300,262,144 story starters https://thestorystarter.com/
- Work on the 8 parts of speech https://www.grammaropolis.com/
- Free printable K-8 Reading and Math activity packs (available in English and Spanish) https://www.curriculumassociates.com/supporting-students-away-from-school
- Engaging reading game for grades 2-8 that combines strategy, engagement, and imaginative reading passages to create a fun, curriculum-aligned literacy game. https://www.squigglepark.com/dreamscape/
- Magic Spell is a carefully crafted spelling adventure. https://brainbox.games/
- Online curriculum that builds better writers. https://www.noredink.com/
- Day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing. https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html
- ReadWorks is an online resource of reading passages and lesson plans for students of all levels K-12. https://www.readworks.org/
- Novel Effect makes storytime a little more fun for kids (and grown-ups too!) As you read out loud from print books (or Ebooks) music, sound effects, and character voices play at just the right moment, adjusting and responding to your voice. https://noveleffect.com/
- Teaches students how to write a paragraph through interactive online tutorial http://www.paragraphpunch.com/
- The Shurley English program for grades K-8 provides a clear, logical, and concrete approach to language arts. https://www.shurley.com/
- Spellingcity is free right now with code VSCFree90 https://www.spellingcity.com/
- Printable board games, activities and more for phonics and reading all using evidence-based methods. Can be customized to any student’s needs including creating flashcards for other subjects. https://dogonalogbooks.com/printables/
- Educational brain breaks to help students review essential literacy and math skills, while getting in some exercise. Find over 900 videos to help your child keep learning at home and burn off some extra energy. Our site is best used for ages 4-8. https://fluencyandfitness.com/register/school-closures/
- Phonics worksheets for kids https://www.funfonix.com/
- Free stories online ages 3-12 https://www.freechildrenstories.com/
- Short videos and readings that answer various burning questions for students. There are vocabulary challenges and comprehension questions. http://wonderopolis.org/
Music & Art
- Music is for everyone https://musiclab.chromeexperiments.com/Experiments
- Poetry and music https://www.thewell.world/mindful-music/mindful-poetry-moments
- QuaverMusic is offering free access to general music activities to all impacted schools, including free student access at-home https://www.quavermusic.com/info/at-home-resources/
- Prodigies is a colorful music curriculum for kids 1-12 that will teach your kids how to play their first instrument, how to sing in tune & how to understand the language of music https://prodigiesmusic.com/
- Music practice transformed https://www.smartmusic.com/
- The Theta Music Trainer offers a series of online courses and games for ear training and music theory. https://trainer.thetamusic.com/en
- Introductory and intermediate music theory lessons, exercises, ear trainers, and calculators. https://www.musictheory.net/
- Sight reading and sight singing practice exercises. https://www.sightreadingfactory.com/
- NGAkids interactives offer an entertaining and informative introduction to art and art history. https://www.nga.gov/education/kids.html
- Helps kids learn to appreciate the arts by providing them with the opportunity to play games, conduct investigations, and explore different forms of art. https://artsology.com/
- A wonderful, endlessly detailed way to get kids engaged in the world of art. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/online-features/metkids/
- Lets kids play instruments online (guitar, piano, pan flute, drums, and bongos) https://www.virtualmusicalinstruments.com/
Languages & Other Cultures
- Resources for Spanish practice https://www.difusion.com/campus/
- Chinese learning activities https://chalkacademy.com/
- Vocabulary, grammar, listening activities and games in Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Korean, and Latin. https://conjuguemos.com/
- 35,000 pages of online content on the cultures and countries of the world. https://www.countryreports.org/
- Foreign languages https://www.duolingo.com/
- Music Based Spanish Learning https://rockalingua.com/
- 22 languages to learn https://www.memrise.com/
Miscellaneous
- 3D printing projects and Coding projects, involving math and other K-12 subjects https://www.instructables.com/member/EdgertonCenter/instructables/
- Learn to code https://www.codecademy.com/
- Scratch draws students of all types into coding and lays a foundation for future learning. https://scratch.mit.edu/
- Coding for ages 4-10 https://www.kodable.com/
- Keyboarding practice https://www.typingclub.com/ or https://www.typing.com/
- Improve your typing skills while competing in fast-paced races with up to 5 typers from around the world. https://www.nitrotype.com/
- Indoor Activities for busy toddlers https://busytoddler.com/2020/03/indoor-activities/?fbclid=IwAR3tYXAqw7tJRAzLExpPcJo4rApLsKtgL0AwghzxgnhwOajc4auX6o12_xw
- Play games and learn all about animals https://switchzoo.com/
- Play with favorite show characters and learn too https://pbskids.org/
- 300,000+ FREE printable worksheets from toddlers to teens https://www.123homeschool4me.com/home-school-free-printables/
- Crafts, activities, mazes, dot to dot, etc, https://www.allkidsnetwork.com/
- Voice based learning… learn through Alexa https://bamboolearning.com/resources
- Fun games, recipes, crafts, activities https://www.highlightskids.com/
- ClickSchooling brings you daily recommendations by email for entertaining websites that help your kids learn. https://clickschooling.com/
- Test Prep for SAT, ACT, etc. https://www.bwseducationconsulting.com/handouts.php
- Resources for AP students https://marcolearning.com/
- Resources for AP students including live reviews, live trivia, and study guides! https://app.fiveable.me/
- Digital learning content for preschool through high school https://www.curriki.org/
- 3 Free Weeks of Maker Stations to keep your children creating at home! Each challenge includes simple instructions using materials around the house, QR code video resources, and a student recording sheet. bit.ly/freemakerstations
- Movement and mindfulness videos created by child development experts. https://www.gonoodle.com/
- Free Printables for PreK-2nd Grade https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Literacy-With-The-Littles/Price-Range/Free
- Free printables library with activities for children 0-6 https://www.littlesparkcompany.com/printables-library
- Free at-home kids yoga lesson plans https://littletwistersyoga.com/online-store/
- Scads of free resources, games, learning resources, and lesson plans for teaching personal finance https://www.ngpf.org/
- Illustrated recipes designed to help kids age 2-12 cook with their grown-ups. Recipes encourage culinary skills, literacy, math, and science. https://www.nomsterchef.com/nomster-recipe-library
- Quick & easy at home projects curated for kids 2 and up https://www.kiwico.com/kids-at-home
- PreK-12 digital media service with more than 30,000 learning materials https://www.pbslearningmedia.org/
- Free videos from around the world from grade 3-12 https://www.projectexplorer.org/
- Critical Thinking resources for K-6 students https://marketplace.mythinkscape.com/store/redtkids
- Kid-friendly workouts — choose from Strength for Kids, Agility for Kids, Flexibility and Balance for Kids, Warm-Up for Kids, Cooldown for Kids, Stand Up and Move for Kids, OR create your own custom kid workout. https://app.sworkit.com/collections/kids-workouts
- At home OT, PT, and ST resources designed to build skills in children through movement and play. https://www.theottoolbox.com/
- Online digital coloring pages https://www.thecolor.com/
- National Geographic Young Explorers is a magazine designed specifically for kindergarten and first grade students. Children can listen to the magazine being read to them as they follow along with the highlighted text. https://ngexplorer.cengage.com/ngyoungexplorer/index.html
- Farmer’s almanac for kids… Date, weather, moon phase, etc. https://www.almanac.com/kids
- Guide to gardening for kids https://web.extension.illinois.edu/firstgarden/
- Games, quizzes and fact sheets take kids on a journey through time. https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/forkids/
- News and more for kids https://www.youngzine.org/
- Immerse yourself in cryptography https://www.cryptoclub.org/
- Interactive games based on the book series https://www.magictreehouse.com/
- All sorts of learning here if you dig in https://www.google.com/earth/
- Tests kids’ geography skills. Using images from Google’s Street View, it plops players down in the middle of the street and asks them to figure out where they are. https://www.geoguessr.com/
- Crafts, activities, bulletin board designs, and finger plays for early education teachers and parents to use with kids. http://www.preschoolexpress.com/
- A large selection of fun songs to help teach preschool and kindergarten students https://www.songsforteaching.com/preschoolkindergarten.htm
- Life skills curriculum for students in grades K-12. Their resources include strategies for teaching social and emotional skills. https://www.overcomingobstacles.org/
- This interactive website, hosted by the U.S. Government Publishing Office, allows your child to see the ins and outs of the U.S. government by taking a series of learning adventures with none other than Benjamin Franklin. https://bensguide.gpo.gov/
- Your child can play games, learn fun facts, and find out how to turn coin collecting into a hobby. https://www.usmint.gov/learn/kids
- Kids Think Design explores careers in fashion design, graphic design, interior design, book design, product design, film and theatre, architecture, animation, and environmental design. http://www.kidsthinkdesign.org/
- Banzai exposes students to real-world financial dilemmas to teach them the importance of smart money management. https://www.teachbanzai.com/
- Coding with Star Wars https://code.org/starwars
- Tons and tons and tons of games some learning some just fun. https://www.crazygames.com/
- Engineering challenges with things you have at home https://thehomeschoolscientist.com/paper-structures-engineering-challenge/
- Resource section includes free flashcards, coloring pages, worksheets, and other resources for children, teachers, and parents. https://supersimple.com/
- Online photograph jigsaw puzzles You can set the pieces from 6-1000+ https://www.jigsawexplorer.com/
- Toddler and preschool age ideas https://preschoolinspirations.com/
- Bible story resources early childhood – 6th grade https://www.life.church/kids/media/
- Resource Guide for STEM students with Autism https://techbootcamps.utexas.edu/blog/resource-guide-stem-students-autism/
In addition to these resources, there are many documentaries on the streaming services that could pose beneficial and entertaining to kids. Check places like Netflix, Hulu, & Amazon Prime. With the health issues surrounding the coronavirus continuing to unfold, this can be an unsettling time. But we’re here to reassure you, it’s going to be okay. In the meantime, if there is anything we can do for you, please do not hesitate to reach out. You can contact Brian M. Douglas & Associates at (770) 933-9009.
Brian….this is great stuff. I’m going to use it on facebook, linkedin, etc…and with my coaching training agents for them to use.
I’m sure they will want to “brand” it for them selves as well. Do you mind?
Thanks
Tim Lennon
Thanks, Tim! Share it with whoever you want, but I would prefer that they don’t remove our information or branding and replace it with their own since we created it. We want these resources to help anyone who needs them.