This uncertain time with COVID-19/Coronavirus brings up a lot of memories for me. In August 2005, I began my senior year of high school, but after a few days into the school year, it came to an abrupt halt due to Hurricane Katrina. I was a kid when this happened and didn’t truly understand the magnitude of what we experienced until now. I have a whole new respect for our parents and their survival skills during this time.
As parents in 2020, we are faced with our norm being very much flipped upside down. It is scary and overwhelming and brings a lot of mayhem to our lives. Unlike the mayhem that I lived in 2005, I have come to realize that this mayhem still allows us to be in our home and live our lives, even though it is a very different kind of life right now.
I am choosing to put the fear aside and focus on the positive of this uncertain time. We get time to slow down and connect with our families. We get time to accomplish jobs around the house. We get time to appreciate our kids’ teachers even more than we already do. We get time to see our kids without the daily grind of life. We get time.
I plan to use these days with my kids to play games, do some schoolwork, watch movies, do arts and crafts, ride bikes, dance, snuggle, and everything in between. But I also know that we need some help with activities (sticker books can only get us so far and challenge our brains so much).
Educational Resources to Use While at Home with Kids
- PBS
- Endless resources for all ages at your fingertips. You can search by subject, age, real-time news, and so much more. They provide videos, interactive lessons, lesson plans, media galleries, audio lessons, and much more.
- BrainPOP
- Available in many languages and across all ages, BrainPOP takes education online, and have opened their programs during this time of school closures to everyone. The focus on creation, play, and discovery work alongside academic standards.
- TEDeD
- This educational offshoot of TED Talks is a really good tool for continuing research. These seems geared more towards older kids, but is a great place for them to turn when they want to dive deeper into a subject.
- EVERFI
- Their goal is to equip kids with real-life skills and have educational support available for grades K-12. Their subjects range from learning your letters to responsible financial planning. They work with partners all over the world to give kids real-life experience and tips.
- Lumosity
- Challenge, work, and exercise your brain every day with these brain skills.
- Khan Academy
- A non-profit online education, Khan Academy wants all children to be able to learn and grow in their own ways. Their goal is to equip “coaches” with the tools that best fit their individual kid’s needs.
- Teachers Pay Teachers
- If you need resources to support you at home, look no further. This is a website of teachers collaborating and sharing their creativity. You can find anything you need from scissor skills, to calendar numbers, and more. Prices vary from free to education bundles in the $30 range.
- Easy Peasy
- Created to support Christian homeschool education. Their goal is to provide free home school education to all families who may want it. Their website is very organized with videos to walk you through how they suggest you use the program.
- YouTube
- We know you can find anything on YouTube, but now it is time to search the educational world of youtube. You can find dancing and rhyming, circle time, science experiments, movement videos, and so much more.
- Starfall
- Online and with Apps, Starfall supports reading for Pk-3rd grade. Their games and activities are so much fun and work on the skills kids need to become readers and stay strong readers.
- National Geographic Kids
- Science and Social Studies are often put on the back burner for Literacy and Math. Nat Geo Kids keeps these wonderful subjects relevant. You can learn about the presidents, do science experiments, and explore animals all in one place.
- And Next Comes L
- If you have a kiddo who may need a little more, I highly recommend this site. I cannot tell you the number of times I have gotten ideas for my sensory kiddo from this website. Dyan is a mama of two boys and she somehow manages to provide support for parents everywhere. She provides sensory bin ideas, theme activities, free printable, social and emotional support for kids, and so much more!
- ABC Mouse
- Is well known for their supporting of early learning. Usually the monthly cost is a bit higher, but right now they are offering 74% off for two months of use.
- Breakout EDU
- Online educational games broken down by grade range. Breakout EDU serves K-12 with so many fun educational games across all many topics.
- Mystery Science
- K-5 science experiments at your fingertips! They have mini and full lessons ranging in time from 15-45 minutes. Some are 100% digital and others have hands-on learning components.
- Scholastic
- Daily projects for Pk-9th grade. Each week includes 5 days of a certain subject (such as spring). Every day brings a different topic within that subject content (such as flowers, rabbits, animal babies). There are books, videos, and activities to support each days subject matter.
- Go Noodle
- Get moving! Go Noodle is a fan favorite in our house and my kids’ schools. Move and sing to the silliest songs around. You can go to their website or download the app on your device or TV.
- Vooks
- Bringing all your favorite children’s books to life! Vooks animates stories while they read them to you. There is a small monthly membership fee. You can access it on their website or download the app on your device or tv.
- Storyline Online
- Sit back and listen to your favorite celebrities read children books! While reading, the video alternates between the celebrity holding the book and illustrations coming to life on the pages.
- Highlights For Kids
- The magazine we all know and love brought to you online. Hidden pictures, quizzes, stories, and so much more available digitally.
Hunker down friends and make the best of each day with your sweet family! We will get through this!
