Free online resources to keep your kid learning when they're stuck at home
Whether or not we end up with mandatory school closures (and eventually, that may be likely), plenty of parents are making the tough decision to keep their children home from schools and daycares while the world tries to ride out the worst of the coronavirus pandemic.
And while we’re all envisaging a future of endless screentime for our kids (thank god for new Bluey eps, right?) while we try to work from home, there are actually plenty of amazing – and free – online resources to keep busy minds active and engaged. Schools will no doubt do what they can to provide online learning platforms, but if you are wondering what more you can do, here are some places offering free or relatively cheap programs for your kids if they can’t attend school.
Learning doesn't have to stop just because you're not at school. Image: iStock
General learning
YouTube learning: Here you will find Learning Playlists, with content organised under a range of subjects- everything from physics to film making.
Kids News: a ready-to-go literacy resource for teachers, parents and kids
CK-12: Online classes in everything from science to maths to the humanities and specialist skills like photography and design.
BrainPop: Learning games, activities and animated movies.
Khan Academy: The Khan Academy is a non-profit offering free, world-class online education. They’re currently offering daily school schedules for kids aged 4-18.
Futurelearn: Specifically for teens, the site has free access to hundreds of courses.
The Kids Should See This: Offers “smart videos for curious minds of all ages”.
Crash Course and Crash Course Kids: Have YouTube videos for kids on many subjects like astronomy, history, maths and literacy.
Littlescribe: An Australian online educational writing platform, which transforms school children’s writing by linking them with published authors, is making literacy services free to teachers and parents working to keep home learning on track. The free membership, valid for the next three months, gives parents and teachers access to 350 digital and printable creative writing resources to help with the transition to home learning.
Stuckers: Stuckers is a YouTube channel started by teachers, Kim and Sal. Kids can follow and take part in their daily challenges… and have a chuckle, because these ladies are quite funny!
World of Peppa Pig: A safe and ad-free environment, filled with lots of learning and fun! Featuring plenty of games, videos and activities for your little ones to enjoy and grow with.
Montessori Preschool: Perfect for children 3 to 7, this free app has 1,000+ activities covering phonics, reading, writing, numbers, colours, shapes, nursery rhymes, colouring and even coding.
Endless Learning Academy: A free app based on classroom-proven learning techniques developed by Originator and now used by tens of millions of children, your child will be engaged and delighted while getting a head start in school.
National Museum of Victoria: In addition to virtual excursions for teachers and kids, NGV provides activity sheets for drawing, colouring and creating art, exhibition-inspired eBooks with information on artists, artworks and interactive games to play and the Tromoramix iPad App, where kids can create their own stop motion video.
