21 Best Educational Resources And Activities For Kids At Home
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I scoured the internet to put together a great lineup for the newfound “normal” we are currently experiencing. All of this extra time at home together is definitely a blessing, however, at times it can seem like the walls are closing in on us. So the question today is… what are the best resources and activities for kids at home?
Let’s dig in.
As a mom of 4, who kiddos range from teenager to toddler, things can definitely get tricky when trying to make sure everyone has something to do. I have such a wide spectrum of interests and education levels… high school, middle school, elementary school, and preschool.
During this time at home, I have a big mix of what will be happening each day.
On weekdays, I have two upper school kids who will be doing online, learning from a distance school with their actual teachers. I also have one middle schooler who has his agenda and will be working independently at home (aka working with mom). Then I have one preschooler who will definitely need things to do as I tend to the others work.
Be sure to check out the great tips in 11 Ways You and Your Kids Will Win Working From Home!
On weekends, it’s a free-for-all. I’ll be putting together another post with how I am organizing their free time during the weekdays and weekends.
A lot of the recommended resources and activities for kids listed below are from personal use and experience, however, some of them are new because, friend, I too, am looking for more options to keep my 4 kiddos from getting BORED.
The best part?
Outside of the board games, all of these resources and activities for kids are FREE!
Be sure to grab your FREE SCHEDULER DOWNLOAD and the complete guide here!!
Let’s do this!
EDUCATIONAL APPS + SITES
How incredible is this??
“EDUCATION IN A BOX”
If you need K4-6th grade curriculum then check this out!
Plus, it’s totally FREE!
Christian Life School has created curriculum for any students in grades K4-6 looking to continue their education.
Deeming it “Education in a Box,” new content for core learning subjects will be uploaded each week and is a free, organized resource to assist parents in their homeschooling efforts.
Content can be found at https://kclsed.org/elearning.
Starting the week of March 23, there will be lesson plans for Tuesday and Thursday, and starting March 30, lessons will be available for all five school days each week.
The program is grade-specific and includes resources for all the major subjects along with some of extension programs — music, art, physical education. It will include a suggested daily schedule as well as links to resources, PDFs and worksheets.
“One of the key values at Christian Life School is service, and this is a great chance for us to serve the community around us and provide something that is greatly needed” said Jeff Bogaczyk, head of school.
Parents can sign up for weekly email reminders for new content by visiting the CLS eLearning website: https://kclsed.org/elearning. (Or simply click “education in a box” title above)
PBSKIDS.ORG
PBS Kids is one of the best apps out there for having a host of educational shows at your fingertips. Check out their show app and their game app where you and the kids can go on adventures with Clifford, Curious George, Wild Kratts, Sesame Street and more!
What’s not to love about our favorite PBS characters to help teach and have fun… all at the same time?
TEACH YOUR MONSTER TO READ
This is a favorite among youngsters who create their own “monster” to go on a reading adventure through space. What’s great is there are three different levels to choose from depending on a child’s reading level; basic sound and letter recognition, reading words, and onto reading sentences. It’s free through the Usborne Foundation and can be played on the computer or downloaded to a device.
We have not used this one yet, but I am looking forward to using this with my 3-year-old daughter.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS
A longtime favorite for teachers, families, and kids, National Geographic Kids has all kinds of different activities and online adventures for children of all ages to learn about the natural world around them.
This has definitely been an absolute favorite for my kids! My 10 year old still loves getting his magazine in the mail.
ABCMOUSE.COM
ABCmouse helps kids learn to read through phonics, and teaches lessons in math, social studies, art, music, and much more! Geared to kids ages 2 to 8. Right now they’re running a special so head to https://www.abcmouse.com/redeem and use code: SCHOOL2568 for a free trial.
We love ABCMOUSE! That is all, I don’t have much more to say than that. We have been using it for years.
ACTIVITIES
30 DAY LEGO CHALLENGE
Do your kids love Legos? Then you’ll want to head here to grab this really cool 30-day free printable lego challenge! Prompt your builder by a different story each day that they have to build. The whole family can get behind this challenge!
I am a mom of 3 boys… we have a TON of Legos. Printing this challenge out as we speak! This is definitely one of our favorite activities for kids.
THE BEST FAMILY GAMES
BOARD GAMES
What better way to put down all of our devices and challenge our brains?
Our family favorites are:
FOR THE LITTLES: Memory, Match It!, Candy Land, and Chutes & Ladders.
FOR THE BIGS: Monopoly, Clue, Life, Uno, Yahtzee, and a good old fashioned game of Chess!
RAISING DRAGONS
Find yourself with a few boys at home and wondering how to keep their busy bodies active and learning? Raising dragons is created by a mom of three boys and she has a huge assortment of different activities to help kids expend energy and learn all while playing.
ARTS + CRAFTS
MAKE DIY GIFTS AND CRAFTS TOGETHER
Stay busy and teach your little ones that the best gifts always come from the heart. These 10 fun, creative, and simple crafts will not only keep everyone busy, but they will also work on their fine motor skills as they gain the satisfaction of creating something by hand for someone they love.
MCHARPER MANOR
An art studio in Ohio that goes live daily with free art classes the whole family can partake in. From painting peg dolls to painting templates, there is a little something for every artist in the family.
SCIENCE
CLUB SCIKIDZ
On its blog, Club SciKidz posts a daily free cooking or science activity to do at home. Cost: Free.
BACKPACK SCIENCES
This free video series presents hands-on science lessons for elementary school students.
COOKING
DELISH: FREE DIGITAL COOKING CLASSES
Heads up, parents! Delish’s editorial director Joanna Saltz and her kids will be going live on Instagram every weekday at 1 pm EST to share cook-along videos for you and your little ones. Or just you—we do not judge. Come back here each week so you can sneak a peek at what we’ll be cooking (and make your shopping list). And don’t stress if you can’t join us in real-time; the videos will be saved on our Instagram for 24 hours. See you in the kitchen…
So this looks super cute! They post the recipes online and do an Instagram LIVE each weekday on how to make it. We will definitely be checking this out.
FOOD NETWORK: COOKING WITH KIDS
Get the little ones involved in the kitchen with simple, kid-friendly recipes and ideas.
Lots of free videos, and recipes and tips to help your kids in the kitchen.
FOREIGN LANGUAGES
DUOLINGO
Choose from a variety of languages and learn in bite-sized lessons in a game-based format. Cost: Base content is always free.
My son uses this site daily to study and practice his French
MUSIC
BUSY KIDS DO PIANO AT HOME
Piano learners can access one free month of lessons with coupon code PIANOATHOME.
FLAT
This cloud-based collaborative music education platform connects students work in real-time on the same sheet music, whether in a classroom setting or working remotely. Cost: Access is free through the end of the 2019–2020 school year.
My son has been teaching himself how to play the piano, I am excited to introduce these to him.
PHYSICAL FITNESS
GO NOODLE
GoNoodle’s video-based movement and mindfulness content is created by child development experts and is free everywhere kids are.
My daughter is doing this right now as I type this. She is jumping, laughing and giggling. So fun!
LITTLE TWISTERS YOGA AND EMOTIONAL WELLNESS
To put a little love into the world during school and activities closure, Little Twisters is making all of its yoga products free.
COSMIC KIDS YOGA
Yoga, mindfulness, and relaxation designed especially for kids aged 3+, used in schools and homes all over the world.
I’ve heard rave reviews of this yoga channel. Great way to release the pent up energy and refocus.
AUDIOBOOKS
AUDIBLE STORIES
During the COVID-19 outbreak, Audible is providing free stories to kids and teens. They just made hundreds of titles completely free to help during coronavirus crisis. The audiobook platform has said that, for as long as schools are closed, anyone can listen to a vast selection of its titles. This means books read by Westworld’s Thandie Newton and Downton Abbey’s Dan Stevens are available to stream at no cost at all.
Between all of these categories and options, your kids should be all set and ready to go for the duration of time at home.
Grab your FREE PRINTABLE GUIDE!
I have mine printed out and hung up in the kitchen for quick and easy ideas and solutions!
So tell me friend, any suggestions that I missed that you love? I’d love to hear!
Please comment below.
Take care and stay healthy!
xoxo, Mo
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