Unless you’ve been living under a rock, there is a pretty good chance you have been keeping up on the latest with the dreaded Coronavirus outbreak. It looks like we will all be spending a lot of time socially distancing ourselves and trying to stay entertained. If you have small children that do not have e-learning to do during this extended indoor staycation, we are here to help! We have rounded up a list of sites you can visit to keep your tots entertained and their minds busy. Let’s be real, there is only so much Disney+ you can take, and this way, you feel less guilty about screen time.
Starfall
We subscribed to Starfall last year and still use it regularly. They specialize in reading, phonics, and math using fun games and videos. You can download it as an app or use it online on your computer. The home membership is $35 a year and completely worth it.
ABC Mouse
This teacher recommended site is also subscription-based and focuses on phonics, math, social studies, art, music, and more. Right now, they are offering a discount of 49% off their annual subscription.
Indianapolis Public Library e-Book Read Alongs
IPL recently posted about their e-Book Read Alongs for kids, and I am already excited to take advantage of this service. It is great for reading practice, with the words appearing on the screen as the book is being read aloud. You can use your indyPL library card to check out the books right to your device.
BrainPOP
This is another great educational site for children, focusing on a lot of subjects: science, social studies, english, math, arts & music, health, and engineering. There is a BrainPOP Jr. section as well as a section geared toward older kids. You can try it for free, and they also currently have free access requests available for closed schools.
ABCya!
Created by public school teachers, ABCya! provides fun and educational games and apps for PreK through 6th grade. They offer different subscription options that will not break the bank. The amount of content and new games added each week will keep your kid(s) entertained for hours.
PBS Kids
Let me start by saying that this child-friendly website is FREE. PBS Kids has games and videos featuring all of the beloved characters from PBS, aka. Daniel Tiger, Curious George, Elmo, etc. While visiting this site, I also discovered the PBS parents page that I will 100% utilize for parenting and activity tips.
Noggin Games and Noggin Play-Along Games
With a subscription of $7.99 a month, not only will you have access to Nick Jr. shows like PAW Patrol and Peppa Pig, but you will gain access to Noggin games and Noggin interactive episodes. With both, you learn and play instead of just watching.
Art for Kids Hub
This site was created by a family that turned their love for making art together into this lesson-based hub for kids. You can watch their art lessons for free on YouTube and YouTube Kids, and all you need is something to draw with, paper, and coloring supplies.
Super Simple Draw
This website is, well, simple. They have episodes that give kids very easy step-by-step instructions on drawing things like dinosaurs, bugs, vehicles, and more. They also provide downloadable worksheets to allow smaller kids to trace. They have a newsletter you can subscribe to that will give you weekly ideas on ways to keep your kiddos entertained.
The Khan Academy
Another great free resource to use while at home, the Khan Academy is a nonprofit that offers free educational courses. They have a personalized learning dashboard that allows independent study for older children. Also, Khan Academy Kids is an app for children ages two to seven that offers unique lessons and is free to download.
Comment below on a resource you use that is not on this list. Let’s help each other out and keep all of our kids happy and entertained!
