It’s a common problem for parents and child care providers alike: Your child wants some iPad time, but do you want them to spend that time riding virtual motorcycles or sharping their virtual makeover skills?
If you bookmark some fantastic educational websites for kids, you’d feel better about your child’s online time. Your child will enjoy wholesome content that will challenge and entertain, and you will have peace of mind knowing that their time on the screen isn’t just passive and thoughtless.
Children “use rich and varied sources of knowledge,” so “they can [process] new ideas, questions, and material,” says Dr. Barbara Swicord, president of the Summer Institute for the Gifted explains. That can be offered through educational sites. To learn more about some of these sites, continue reading below.
The Best Kid Friendly Websites
There’s plenty of online games that can even carry benefits in terms of education for a child. “Some games require children to repeat sounds, numbers, and directions,” says the psychologist Linda Kreger Silverman, founder of the Talented Development Center and author of “Upside-Down Genius.” As such, games aren’t always mindless and can actually be used as an effective and engaging learning tool.
Scholastic
Scholastic is one of the more unique children’s education websites. This site, from the educational magazine publishers you’ll find in schools, includes activities organized by grade level. Children from pre-K through to high school can find learning opportunities that are geared toward them on this website.
CoolMath
CoolMath.com calls itself “math and more amusement park.” Children can play math games online that help with addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, decimals, money, and more.
CoolMath is designed for ages 13 and up, but CoolMath4Kids.com’s sister site is suitable for ages 3 to 12. CoolMath Games provides games for all ages as well.
National Geographic Kids
Watch webcams of animals, learn fascinating animal facts, see and share nature images, learn about different countries, try science experiments, and much more on Kids’ NationalGeographic.com. There’s even a “Little Kids” area for the younger explorers.
How Stuff Works
If your child wants to learn why the sky is blue, how a tornado is shaped or who invented the Chia Pet, head over to How Stuff Works. The articles answer questions about automobiles, culture, entertainment, science, money, technology, etc. Games, quizzes, and videos round off the learning experience as well.
The KIDZ Page
TheKidzPage.com has more than 5,000 pages of games and activities to learn from. Online coloring sheets, jigsaw puzzles, and word games on this vast platform are only a few types. Each holiday has its own section of activities and games for your kids to enjoy.
Nick Jr.
At NickJr.com, you will find printables, games, and other things that your young children will enjoy. The games allow your kids to explore their imagination, play dress-up, learn new music, put puzzles together, and focus on numbers and recognition of shapes.
Exploratorium
The list of science websites is difficult to limit since there are so many valuable tools out there. But San Francisco’s website Exploratory at the Palace of Fine Arts teaches children new ideas about science and art. The activities let children tinker with tools, go under the sea, leap into the sky, and think about the science of agriculture, animals, and cells.
Disney Jr.
Mickey fans and friends will love to come and visit Disney Jr. A few of the highlights are games, coloring pages, and videos. The games concentrate on memory, hand-eye coordination, color matching, and other primary mind development skills.
Adventure Academy
Owned by the same company that developed ABCmouse and Age of Learning, this app immerses children in a virtual academy where they can study, explore, and play. This is targeted towards children between the ages of 8 and 13, so they will study topics such as social studies, language arts, math, and science.
Like ABCmouse, children earn coins for incentives to shop and have the ability to play with friends or make new ones. Kids can also wholly customize their avatars and “homes.” You can also try Adventure Academy for 30 days at no cost. After that, it’s $9.99 a month.
Curious World
Curious Universe, presented to you by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, is designed to train children for kindergarten. Not only do small tots learn maths and readiness skills, but they also learn social skills.
A super cool feature of this preschool website is the flashcards you can customize by the age of your child and the subject field you want them to know about. Simply choose from pull-down menu requirements and enjoy things that can be done anywhere, anywhere.
Conclusion
Interactive websites can not only complement a child’s learning, but the right content can also help children develop strong communication skills. Try out these educational websites today!
