Online Resources to Keep Your Kids Learning at Home

The unprecedented wave of school closures happening across the United States due to the COVID-19 pandemic has left many of us scrambling to figure out not only how to keep our children entertained, but how to ensure they aren’t missing out on their education. The pandemic has certainly affected all of our daily routines, and schools closing is a huge part of that.

Education Week’s map for pandemic-related school closures shows that at least 57,000 schools are closed or scheduled to close, affecting at least 25 million students. While transitioning to online learning can certainly be stressful, it also presents a wonderful opportunity to connect and engage with our children in an at-home learning environment. To help you navigate these changes, TeknaByte has compiled a guide of online resources to keep your kids learning at home!

Khan Academy

Khan Academy is an ever-growing online education resource for students of all ages. The website features short video lessons on thousands of topics with the option to personalize lessons so children can learn at their own speed. Due to the pandemic, Khan Academy is offering daily schedules for students ages 4-18 to keep them on track with their education, featuring specific directions on how to best make use of their lessons during school closures.

Code.org

Code.org is an online learning tool that offers free K-12 computer science lessons and games geared towards helping children learn how to code. The website’s three- to five-minute educational videos are supported by tech companies such as Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. Some of the site’s features include Code Break, a weekly interactive lesson teaching computer science concepts such as artificial intelligence, algorithms, and encryption.

Express courses offer a great option for entry-level coding students to self-teach the fundamentals of computer science. For older students, the Programming Modules feature offers self-paced modules to gain a well-rounded understanding of computer science. Kids can even learn how to design and build apps with App Lab!

PBS Kids

PBS Kids is one of the most interactive online learning programs for students of all ages. Their website features games, virtual lessons, TV series, and sing-along videos. The 24/7 PBS Kids channel features trusted educational series for elementary age students; the channel can be accessed for free at any time on the PBS Kids Video app for mobile devices and compatible TVs. The app also features on-demand educational videos. For more engaging content, the PBS Kids Games app offers 200 educational games that can be downloaded for offline play.

CoolMath.com

CoolMath.com offers online math games for students ages 3 and above. The games and lessons help instruct students in basic math lessons such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and decimals. CoolMath.com is the original site, offering straightforward explanations on topics such as algebra and pre-calculus.

CoolMath4Kids is geared specifically towards students ages 12 and younger, focused more on interactive games designed to make math fun and exciting. CoolMathGames is a brain-training site for students of any age featuring logic games and math puzzles to keep your kids engaged for hours of fun.

National Geographic Kids

This National Geographic spinoff program offers opportunities for animal watch cameras, science experiments, and tons of other engaging educational opportunities. The site is home to the National Geographic Education Summer Learning Series, allowing students to virtually visit distant parts of the world to learn about climate, ecology, culture, history, and more.

High-school-aged students can join live conversations with National Geographic scientists to learn about experiences that shaped their careers. The site also offers curated collections of videos, infographics, maps, quizzes, and other educational activities to keep K-12 students engaged at home.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, National Geographic Kids has implemented daily 2 P.M. broadcasts of their Explorer Classroom, connecting students with National Geographic employees across the globe.

Google Arts & Culture

Google Arts & Culture is a non-profit initiative in which Google has teamed up with over 500 galleries and museums across the globe to bring virtual tours and online exhibits to your computer screens! The program allows you to not only see the art but also to learn about the artists, visit the places the art calls home, and learn about the events that shaped the artist.

Google Arts & Culture uses the Street View technology to allow students to tour museums from Australia to New York to London. Google Basics for Teaching has also created a step-by-step guide to using the program as a virtual field trip.

IT Consulting and Managed IT Services You Can Count On

During these uncertain times, it is crucial that you don’t let the security and efficiency of your business fall by the wayside. As we navigate these confusing times, it is important that we keep a focus on the technology that drives our businesses. Looking for an IT consulting and managed IT services provider you can count on? Look no further than TeknaByte Indianapolis’s top IT services provider. Contact us today with any questions or concerns. We’ll be happy to help!