FREE Resources for Children to Use During School Closure
For the past three weeks the schools are closed in Calgary and my children haven’t left the house. They spend all their time in the house or in our back yard. My husband and I take turns going shopping. Otherwise, just like our children, we have been spending the rest of the time inside.
I think that most children started some form of online classes. One of my children’ school has been teaching online classes for the past two weeks, from 9 am to 3:30 pm. The other one didn’t start yet, but we have been doing math and reading using online programs.
Since children need to expand their brain beyond math and reading, we found quite a few FREE online resources that help us do that. I hope you’ll also find them useful. And if you know any other awesome links, please share them with us below.
I’ll update this post as we find more free resources that we like.
Cooking
Learn about food and do fun experiments
Music
Coding
Languages
Learn languages online – a Calgary Public Library card is needed
Art
Virtual tour of the Louvre museum
Coloring pages for kids and for adults
Doodling with Mo Willems, one of our favourite authors
Make a glow-in-the-dark Easter bunny
Exercise
Math
Reading
Children’s stories read by actors and actresses
Book read aloud divided in useful categories
Space
Animals and Nature
Live cameras at Monterey Bay Aquarium
Combinations
Coloring, drawing, science, crafts, etc.
Fun activities, free books, etc.
Explore the world through videos
Videos about space, biology, science, etc.
Videos about animals, fun facts, science, etc.
Videos on various topics – quite fun and educational
Digital resources from the Calgary Public Library
Worksheets, coloring pages, crafts
And last but not last, one of our favourites
And 20 more other awesome things we can do with our children at home. Lots of options to choose from. Choose one activity a day. Many days will pass before you repeat each activity. Don’t forget to add your own ideas to the list.
- Build a fort using pillows, blankets, cushions, sheets, etc.
- Manicure and pedicure
- Play board games – we like Dixit, Axis and Allies, Pass the Pigs
- Play dress up
- Have a dance party
- Cook and bake
- Write letters to grandparents and to seniors
- Learn a new language
- Make a LEGO movie – we use this to record
- Make paper planes and have a paper plane competition
- Play hopscotch
- Write a story together
- Color and draw together
- Play bowling with cups
- Play with balloons
- Play hide and seek
- Make your own picture book. Fold a few pieces of paper in half and staple them. Draw characters, write the story
- Have an indoor or backyard picnic or a fancy tea party (make invitations – invite your plushies, make tiny sandwiches and mini muffins, dress up)
- Make a list of things you like about yourself.
- Journal or draw what you are feeling. This is an awesomely creative booklet for kids to work on and have fun with.
The upcoming weeks and months will be challenging, but we can make them pass more joyfully by being intentional with how we spend our time.
What are your favourite free resources for children? Comment below and I’ll add them to the list. Let’s keep our children happy and healthy. 🙂
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