Free educational kids’ activities include games, programs, or classes that help the child learn and develop. Websites that focus on scholastic learning are a great place to access free educational activities for kids on academic subjects and the school curriculum.
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Free Educational Kids’ Activities Online
Many different websites offer free educational kids’ activities or learning software for children. Parents should visit any website prior to allowing a child to use it. Additionally, children should always be supervised while online.
Some online sources of free educational activities for kids provide a broad range of games, crafts, and other similar items. These often cover multiple levels, ranging from preschool thru grade twelve. Students can select a specific subject area or their present year in school for different educational content.
Parents and educators can also use education-based websites to create their own activities and/or lesson plans. Some sites feature specialized information for adults, such as a parents’ section, lesson plan ideas, or teachers’ links.
General Knowledge on the Web
There is an almost endless list of general knowledge type educational sites currently on the internet. A simple web search will reveal pages upon pages of entries. Some sites are more reputable than others. Parents should be cautioned to look for recognizable authors, institutions, or organizations that provide educational content. Examples of websites with great free educational kids’ activities include (but are not limited to):
- Discovery Education: Look for Brain Boosters, lesson plans, a puzzlemaker, science fair ideas, and a parent corner.
- PBS Kids and PBS Teachers provide children and adults with a wealth of knowledge on many different subjects. Preschoolers and younger children will enjoy the entertaining and educational games and activities on PBS Kids that feature favorite characters. Teachers and parents will discover classroom resources and lesson plans for students in preschool thru high school on a variety of academic subjects.
- U.S. Government: Kids in kindergarten thru eighth grade can log on to activities authored by a variety of government agencies thru the Official Kids’ Portal of the U.S. Government.
Specific Subject Content Area for Kids
Children looking to improve skills in a specific curricular area such as math, reading, history, or science may want to visit a more focused activity website. These are often authored by advocacy groups, education departments, special agencies, or associations.
Searching for quality (and appropriate) subject specific content should be similar to that done for a general education site. All educational activities are not equal. Look for a trusted source such as a school district, university, or other similar organization.
Websites with free educational activities and/or lessons in specific content areas include (but are not limited to):
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics: This site provides lesson plans for teachers as well as activities in math content based on school level.
- History Channel: Although this site is geared toward an older audience, high school students will find interesting facts, historically themed interactive games, and more.
- NASA: Kids interested in science and astronomy will enjoy multiple “Play and Learn” activities on this government-sponsored website. Learn about the solar system, aeronautics, and other outer space facts.
Learning experiences for kids do not have to include pricey classes or expensive computer software. From websites on general content areas to math and science, parents and children can find many different types of opportunities to improve academic skills and knowledge for free.
