Resources for Home-Based Fun & Learning
While keeping ourselves and others healthy by social distancing and staying home is a necessity, it's not always easy, especially with restless kids at home for the foreseeable future! Here are some web-based activities we found that may provide some fun and learning over the next few weeks. Click for links and more information.
Master Lists of Activities - Many Free!
A constantly updated spreadsheet of education companies offering free subscriptions due to school closings from Amazing Educational Resources
Companies and websites offering free subscriptions and resources during COVID. Pins from PediaStaff.
Virtual Field Trips
A list of more than 40 different places you can explore online with your kids!
A long list of fun and wonderful websites that will show you different parts of the world, famous landmarks, beautiful works of art, historic marvels, science adventures and so much more! (Thanks to our friend Ella for telling us about this great page!)
Learning & Movement Activities
Practice math and reading skills while playing games.
Lessons on how to draw people, animals, and popular characters - perfect for any age, all you need is a few supplies!
Yoga, mindfulness and relaxation designed specially for kids aged 3+, used in schools and homes all over the world.
Author and illustrator Mo Willems will offer Daily Lunch Doodles from 1 PM – 1:20 PM through March 27. Learners worldwide can draw, doodle and explore new ways of writing by visiting Mo’s studio virtually once a day for the next few weeks. Grab some paper and pencils, pens, or crayons and join Mo to explore ways of writing and making together.
Fluency & Fitness is typically used in classrooms for review purposes, but the company is giving families 21 days of free, unlimited access during school closures due to coronavirus. Your access to content will simply expire after that time period. The site includes easy online access to 60+ reading and math topics, video library with over 900 videos to review 365+ skills, access to all K-2 content, and ways to incorporate learning and movement while keeping your child engaged and having fun.
Fun and free ways to learn at home, categorized by school subject.
Offers a number of free online games for kids. Games touch upon a variety of topics, including vocabulary, grammar, reading, math and some that are just for fun! Check out Plural Girls, Grammar Gorillas or click on the reading tab for some great language activities.
Fun songs and videos that are great for motor imitation and kids love!
The program uses effective, interactive online episodes to teach K-5 students the reading fundamentals and comprehension skills they need to become successful readers. Also supports children with ASD.
Read, play games, conduct science experiments.
A a nonprofit with the mission to provide a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere.
Jack Hartmann performs songs and educational videos will help your children learn counting, numbers, reading and language skills, nursery rhymes, science, physical fitness, dance and movement. Children actively participate in all the learning with lots of movement and fun. These songs for kids have a tremendous diversity of musical styles from pop, Hip-Hop, Latin, country and rock.
Learning A-Z is an education technology company dedicated to expanding literacy through thoughtfully designed resources.
Online guided reading program with interactive ebooks, downloadable books, and reading quizzes..
Many of your kids' favorite authors will be reading their stories online!
Phonics and read-along stories.
Children's digital learning library with lots of activities you can explore by theme.
Watch, listen, and play games to learn about amazing animals.
Speech & Language
This is a great site where children plan a variety of games to practice r’s, s’s, l’s, sh’s and ch’s.
Several printable pages of speech and language activities to try at home with your kids.
Sensory & Play Ideas
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup salt
- 4tsp cream of tartar
- 2 cups water
- 2 tbs. vegetable oil
- Add food coloring and any scented extract you prefer
Mix all in a sauce pan with a wooden spoon until combined. Turn on heat to medium low. Continue stirring occasionally as consistency becomes thicker and be sure to scrap bottom sides. When dough starts to form, and create a ball remove from stove and dump onto counter and “knead” well. Should be soft, easy to use play dough. Store for weeks in airtight bag or container.
Use cookie sheets lined with paper. Put small vehicles in small bowls of paint and “drive them” onto the paper making roads with the wheels. Put marbles or small balls of different sizes into the paint and roll them around on the cookie sheet to make patterns.
At least 13 different scavenger hunts you and your kids can do around the house and yard.
Use shoe boxes or other containers and add rice, small objects, letters, numbers, etc. for kids to find. Consider themed sensory bins (vehicles, animals, etc.).
Easy, fine motor, occupational therapy activities at home that parents can do with their children. Activities are simple to carry out, use materials from around the house, and are motivating to the kids.
Self-Care & Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
Specifically for Kids with ASD
Local resources
Camp Discovery is an app specifically for children with autism. It uses behavior analytics strategies within the app (errorless learning, within stimulus prompts, error corrections, etc) and offers a variety of skills to work on (sight words, color id, letter id, body parts, emotions, matching, categories. Free and only requires an email to set up.
Facebook page that shares behavior tips via live videos.
COVID-19 for Kids
Who is Covid? What is it doing in town? And how can we keep it away? This visual story was created for kids to better understand the 2019 novel coronavirus and the COVID-19 illness it causes.
"Time to Come in, Bear" is a very cute story explaining the importance of social distancing to young kids.
Resources for Parents
Share Your Links!
If you've come across other resources, please let us know!
Therapist Tips
Info from our staff on speech, OT, ABA, and general topics
Helpful Handouts
Click for full, printable copies.
Fun Activities for Home
Keep It Simple & Real
Tips During Times of Crisis
Tips to Keep Healthy