7 of the best online learning resources for kids - from YouTube Learn@Home to Google Teach from Home
With millions of schoolchildren stuck at home, parents are looking for ways to keep them informed and educated.
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Hide AdAs ever, technology plays a big role in the ways children can learn at home, and these online resources are some of the best examples.
Google’s Teach from Home
The Silicon Valley giant has created a new hub of educational resources in partnership with UNESCO. Although designed for teachers to learn how to educate children remotely, it is still packed full of things that can help parents teach their kids.
Teach from Home can also give parents tips on how to use Google software like Google Forms. While the software can be used to make all kinds of interactive documents from a range of templates, the most useful for children could be the “quiz”.
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Hide AdUsing it, parents can quickly and easily create quizzes and tests to make sure their children are doing their homework despite being off school.
Google Scholar
Google Scholar offers a huge - and free - database of academic writing.
Older students who are taking more advanced classes, like GCSEs, A Levels, and International Baccalaureate, can find quotes and references for their essays, as well as published research on a wide variety of subjects.
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Hide AdYouTube’s Learn@Home
Like its parent company, YouTube has worked quickly to create a directory of educational content on its website.
With Learn@Home, parents can find lists of YouTube channels that create educational content for children.
The channels are split into three separate groups:
- Content for toddlers- Content for children aged five or older- Content for children aged 13 and older
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Hide AdSome of the most popular educational channels on YouTube are highlighted in the lists, like the animated series Amoeba Sisters, which covers science, Brian McLogan, who teaches maths to struggling students, and Computerphile, which gets kids excited about IT.
There is guaranteed to be something for every student and every subject.
Busuu
Busuu, a leading language teaching platform, is providing kids around the world with access to free live language lessons, taught by qualified language teachers.
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Hide AdAccessing these lessons won’t cost you anything as Busuu is covering all fees for the teachers involved.
To start your child learning, simply:
- Choose the language your child would like to learn.
- Select your child’s age group (5-7, 8-10 and 11-14 years).
- Click on any lessons that are currently taking place, and stream them live on YouTube.
If your child misses a lesson, they can catch up on Busuu’s “Keep Kids Learning” YouTube channel.
Duolingo
Duolingo is a smartphone and tablet app that can help kids learn a new language.
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Hide AdWhile it is designed for all ages, the app is extremely user friendly and offers courses on 35 different languages, from French, Spanish and German to Klingon from Star Trek, and “High Valerian” from Game of Thrones.
Duolingo is free to use, but comes with an ad free premium version.
Horrible Histories
Created by the same brains behind the massively successful children’s book series, the Horrible Histories website is a great place to let kids play educational games.
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Hide AdStudents can play history-based games like Mummy Madness, The Knight Invaders, and The Rat Runs that all come with a dose of the books’ grizzly humour.
Funbrain
Funbrain.com has been a world-leader in kid’s education since the 1990s, providing fun and free classes to children up to the age of 14.
Students can work on literacy and numeracy, building up their confidence and playing games to make the learning enjoyable.
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Hide AdStarfall
Starfall focuses on early years learning, offering free interactive classes on art, language, and music.
The colourful site is a great place for parents to find useful ideas for teaching their children - like “How to build a robot”, which can be replicated using Lego or Duplo building blocks.