More online resources and APPs to keep you busy and entertained
A great resource for learning at home, especially for younger kids age 2-7. Parents can choose from an array of topics and either make their own daily schedules or take advantage of the pre-made timetables to suite their personal styles.
Another plus of using Khan Academy Kids is their mobile App. This comes in handy if you are on a road trip, waiting for your doctor’s appointment, or getting errands done with kids in tow.
2) Story Time at Awnie’s House:
If your kids are too young to sit still and read by themselves (like my 5-year-old brother), then maybe a video of someone reading a popular children's book could help get their attention for a little while. Just make sure to either setup parent control first, or sign up for a YouTube Kids account, so that only age-appropriate contents are listed. And even on the kids account, please do come back to check on the auto-play because not all the videos are filtered property.
Awnie’s YouTube channel popped up by chance when mom was searching for videos to help with my sister’s comprehensive distance learning assignments. As we have found out, Awnie has a great selection of videos of her reading popular children’s books, including “Creepy Pair of Underwear!”, and “Chicka, Chicka Boom Boom”, which are among my sibling’s favorites.
3) The Bite-Sized Science webinars by Florida Sea Grant:
UF/IFAS(University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension Outreach) is offering a series of webinars daily (as of 2021 it has become bi-weekly or monthly), starting April20, 2020.Each webinar is around 30 minutes long, so younger children won’t feel too overwhelmed. Personally, I think some contents are better suited for upper elementary or middle schoolers, or even professionals, but, if you are interested in any of the webinars offered on their link, make sure to register first and IFAS will forward the links to you for recordings afterwards. This is a great way to introduce kids to some of the Sea Grant research areas and stay connected to the ocean while we continue to practice social distancing.
4) Google Blog: https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/education/offline-access-covid19/
5) Apple Books:
If you are like my mom who likes to read on her iPad, then maybe this is a good place for you to get many FREE books for children. I like seeming mom read on her Kindle Paperwhite, but having the iPad is great because children’s books are better read in color with all those beautiful illustrations. There are also many read aloud books so it will be great way to engage younger ones. My sister loves reading to my brother and it's been a real relief for me.
A comprehensive resource page provided by YouTube based on children’s age. This is great for watch and learn activities. There must be something for everyone!
8) Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Resources for homeschooling
The PNW is a great place to visit in late spring and summer, however COVID-19 quarantine has made it extremely difficult to take the kids outside, even for those of us who live here. Most of our state parks and beaches are temporarily closed to ensure social-distancing, which means parents will have to be more creative in order to keep the kids engaged in learning about our wonderful nature. Luckily, there are many great educational resources provided by state and local government. For this week, we are learning about bees from Vanessa’s elementary school, so in tune to that, mom is printing out the “Pollinators” section from the Washington Dept. of Fish & Wildlife.
This is probably the go-to place for most avid readers, especially during the pandemic when borrowing physical books may not be an option in some area. I like the fact that Kindle devices offer the ultimate reading experience with minimal interruption from game apps. Another great thing about having a Kindle is that it really is much easier on the eyes (I hear mom complains a lot in front of the computer screens), and you get free e-books and Audibles if you are a Prime member. Plus, the Kindle app is available on all devices so you can sync and read/listen wherever you go.