10 Educational Websites to Grow Your Kids’ Minds – Baltimore Sun

Play is essential for your child’s social, emotional and physical growth. It’s how your child discovers the world. And digital games have been an outlet for creative play since the days of Atari. But digital games can also be educational and help your child learn fundamental skills such as literacy and numeracy.

There are many educational websites for kids that seek to make learning fun and interactive to keep your child engaged and entertained. These 10 educational websites for kids feature fun educational games, printables, videos, and more.

PBS Kids — You probably watched PBS as a kid, as it is well known for its educational content. And now your little ones can jump online with some of the same friends you remember. Spend time with classic characters like Elmo and Curious George and visit new friends like Peg + Cat. The site is easy to use, and you can select games by character, difficulty level, or latest releases. The site also has an amazing library of printable worksheets for your child’s educational enrichment.

Tynker — There’s a huge movement to teach kids to code, as tech careers are more popular than ever. Tynker is a creative computer site where kids can learn to program and build games, apps, and more. Kids start experimenting with visual blocks, then progress to JavaScript and Python as they design games, build apps, and complete amazing projects. They can even create things like custom Minecraft skins and mods. And parents have the ability to track their child’s progress and plans.

National Geographic Kids— Let’s face it, most kids are fascinated by animals and love learning about them. So, if your child has ever asked you a question like, “What are baby dolphins called?” National Geographic Kids has the answer! On this site, kids can watch educational videos, play games, and best of all, learn about animals and the world around them. Discover your child’s favorite furry, feathered and scaly friends.

Dream box — DreamBox is an engaging, game-like environment that motivates students to persevere and progress in math. DreamBox has a challenging curriculum that is aligned with Common Core Standards. DreamBox is a fun way to reinforce addition, subtraction, multiplication and division skills.

ABCmouse.com — ABCmouse.com has long been a favorite with parents. It’s probably the most comprehensive learning site on the web for kids ages 2-7. Children have their own “classroom” to maintain in a role-playing environment. They can read, listen to books and music, play games and color while accelerating through customizable learning levels designed by teachers and experts. The site even tracks children’s progress as they learn.

BrainPOP — BrainPOP animation brings learning concepts to life for kids. Kids can learn about topics not taught on other educational sites – topics like historical events, science, and even the stock market, and broken down into easy-to-understand lessons, all with the help of a fearless robot and his friends.

Spatula — Spatulatta believes learning also happens in the kitchen. After all, cooking also involves reading, math, and problem-solving skills. On this site, kids can learn the basics of cooking and try new recipes built around their favorite type of meal and ingredients. It’s a great way to get picky eaters more involved in preparing their own food or for budding chefs to develop their skills.

MakeMeGenius.com — This is a fantastic site that’s great at taking difficult ideas and concepts and breaking them down into short, easy to understand video lessons. The site is filled with videos that cover topics such as physics, photosynthesis, the nervous system, the solar system, and electricity. All the videos are kid-friendly and will keep even your youngest children interested from start to finish.

How it works – This is the site I wish I had known about when my kids were toddlers. So if your toddler is currently in the “Why?” phase, then this site is made for you. When your child wants to know why dogs bark or how crayons are made, head over to HowStuffWorks. Games, quizzes and videos also add to your child’s learning experience.

School — Scholastic Book Fairs are probably one of the most recognized school events, and Scholastic has been providing books and educational materials to students and teachers for over 30 years. This site contains activities broken down by grade level and extends to high school seniors.

Using educational games is a win-win situation for you and your child. They can play and have fun while learning the skills they need to succeed in the future.

Danielle Moser is a resident of Reisterstown and can be reached by email at threepeasservices@gmail.com.