So here we go. A nation, if not a world of parents, most of whom chose a career outside of childcare and teaching, suddenly thrust into being their offsprings full-time educational providers and providers of entertainment. All-day. Every day. For the foreseeable. Here are 20 websites of Homeschool and Boredom Busting Ideas for Isolation.
I have no doubt that it is going to be hard but I wanted to curate a list of websites and ideas to help us all through it. If you’re working from home, it’s going to be even harder.
I’d suggest that if you need to take part in a conference call or have to really concentrate, without distractions, don’t set your children up with a messy activity or start them off on schoolwork – they are either going to make a mess that needs your attention or they are going to ask you for help. Without guilt, let this be their tv time, their games console time or set them up on an educational website that they know well already.
I’m pretty sure that your school will be similar to ours – every school day, work will be uploaded to the school website for our children to complete. You shouldn’t be left to educate your child with no guidance.
One tip from me: Find a notebook and ask your child to write or dictate to you, a few thoughts, every day. We are entering an unknown time in history. This may be daunting to your children and writing is an important therapeutic tool to utilise. Also, in 30 yrs time, you and your children will look back at this time with fascination and can share personal thoughts with future generations.
#1. Twinkl.
Twinkl is the big Daddy of websites for UK schools. You may even find that the learning packs that your children bring home from school are actually from this website. Your children will most likely be familiar with some of the worksheets and so its a great way to provide suitable tasks and continuity. Simply go to the website and click on the ‘Coronavirus Home Learning Support Page’.
Click on Redeem your offer code and enter the code:
UKTWINKLHELPS
#2. Tynker
Coding for kids. For those that like to play video games, now they can learn how to create their own video games. From Barbie, to Hot Wheels, to Minecraft and more in between.
Click on the purple bar on the homepage, to create your free profile to gain access.
On-Line ‘computer games’ to get your children using their brains whilst they play games and don’t even realise that they are learning. A great one to keep them busy whilst you do something important (or hide in a cupboard and eat chocolate).
Just click on the links (blue words) to start each game.
#4. Fun Brain
Educational online games. An American website but the grades apply to our classes generally. K = reception, Grade 1 = Year or class 1 and so on. If the games are too easy or too hard, just try a different grade. It’s meant to be ‘fun’ so don’t stress if your kids can’t manage a certain grade.
#5. Story Online
100’s of books to watch via a video streamer such as youtube. Just click on the book and choose your video player (I chose youtube) and then listen to the book being read and look at the book pictures. Great for some quiet time.
#6. Highlight Kids
A brilliant website to keep your children busy for hours. Recipe and craft ideas, jokes to learn, online games to play, videos to watch to learn things (Why is air invisible? How is maple syrup made? Do vampire bats really drink blood? and 30 odd more!) and also podcasts.
#7. Cool Math 4 Kids
Play maths games. Choose via topic (addition, subtraction etc) and keep their brains sharp. Answer questions to make your car race. The quicker you answer, the faster your car goes etc.
Play games, create Biomes and learn which animals suit which habitat. Listen to music created by animals and so much more.
A great resource for our children to use to learn about Cornavirus in an age-appropriate, factual, non-scaremongering way. They can play games, discover our world and the animals in it and there are also resources for primary school children in History, Science, Geography, English, Maths, Art and Design and PSHE.
#10. The Body Coach
Joe Wicks, aka The Body Coach will be streaming a FREE PE lesson on his youtube channel, every weekday at 9am. Don’t worry if you can’t log on at 9am, I’m sure that his workouts will be available permanently and if not, he already has 18 workouts for children on his channel.
#11. The Scout Association – The Great Indoors
The Scout Association have come up with 15 activities to help entertain your children in the home. Some activities need natural objects such as leaves and twigs but all can be found in gardens our public green spaces that we are ‘currently’ allowed to venture to if everyone in our household is well. There are 100’s of activities on the website that you can access anyway, but these extra 15 have just been uploaded to help during social distancing.
#12. Trisha Zemp – Free Stop Motion Course for Children.
You need Instagram to access this offer. Go to Instagram and go to Trisha Zemp’s profile, @Trishazemp. Scroll to the following post and share it to your stories. Make sure that you tag @trishazemp and she will private message you the code in order to access the kids camp for free.
Once you have the code, either follow the link from her profile or click here to access the course.
#13. Mum In The Madhouse. Recipes, Craft Tutorials and FREE Printables
My lovely friend Jen is the award-winning Mum in the Madhouse. Her website has a plethora of recipes, craft tutorials, activity ideas and parenting advice. She has lots of colouring and creative printables to help calm your own nerves and to amuse your children.
#14. Rebecca Strickson free Art Class.
The final details are still being worked out but she hopes to have instructions for us all at some point over this coming weekend (March 21st/22nd 2020)
#15 Toby and Roo Home Ed Ideas, Spring Craft Ideas, Printables, Recipes and More.
Another blogging friend of mine, Harriet shares the realities of life with 3 children on her hugely popular Instagram profile (over 116k followers) and has lots of ideas to keep the kids amused.
#16. Little Old Goose – Faux Calligraphy Workshop
Click on the link above to watch the workshop. This is for you the adult, if you’d just like some creative time to relax and destress in this time of unknowns and stress and also for children who have an interest.
#17. Free Home School Deals 30 Lego Challenge
Free Home School Deals has 100’s of instant download worksheets on almost every topic imaginable. The 30 day (and 31 day challenge) Lego Challenge is a fabulous printable resource for Lego fans to keep them creative and occupied during isolation. Print them out, stick them on your fridge and when your children say that they are bored, get them to start on day 1 and continue until they’ve crossed every prompt off.
#18 Unicef – 12 Interesting Challenges for Kids
Unicef has curated 12 Interesting Challenges for Kids that are easy to follow and require things that most of us will have in our homes (tape, coins, cards etc). These are challenges that you can set your children for however long you choose, to keep them on their toes and interested and engaged such as taping their thumbs to their palm and ask them to go about their day as normal. You can ask them to write their thoughts in a journal.
#19. Audible Stories
Audible have launched ‘Audible Stories’ for children and teens. “For as long as schools are closed, we’re open. Starting today, kids everywhere can instantly stream an incredible collection of stories…..”
I’ve personally just tested it with my Amazon Alexa device. I just asked “Alexa, open Audible Stories” She then asks you to request a genre and gives you lots to choose from. You can ask for a random story but beware that Horror is an available genre which you may not want for younger children.
#20. Hannah Spannah. My Website!
If you go to the menu, hover over ‘Start here:’ and choose crafts and you’ll find over 20 craft tutorials, some with accompanying youtube videos. Lots of Easter crafts for your children to make to decorate your home.
Heres an example. This tutorial has over 117,000 views.
That’s it for now. I hope these websites and idea’s are helpful to you. Good luck. We can do this. Stay safe, stay at home and see you on the other side.
Love, Hannah.
