Fun and Free Educational Resources for Kids to use at home

Teaching kids at home can be hard – especially if you are also working at home and trying to maintain some level of cleanliness in your household. But you can do this! There are so many free educational resources to help!

Most schools have prepared work for students to complete at home. That may be enough – and if you aren’t sure, ask the teacher! Schools aren’t expecting parents to come up with full structured days of lesson plans – we aren’t teachers, and they know that. The schools will work to get students back on track when the school year resumes, or in the fall.

If you want more than what the school has sent home, there are so many free educational resources! When you need to fill some time in the day after school work is done, let them check out tons of free educational videos and apps, instead of video games and tv. If your kids LOVE doing worksheets, give them a fun educational worksheets. My 4 year old completed 125 pages in a preschool workbook…in 1 day – her choice!

Make a strict plan – or don’t! You know what works best for your family. Maybe its easier if you ask your kids what they want to focus on first. Maybe they learn better in the morning or in the evening. Don’t feel obligated to follow any of the recommended schedules that are floating all over the internet right now. Taking an hour long walk at 9 am in Ohio means it’s probably 35 degrees and likely raining. Save the walk for when the kids need a break or when it warms up. Do what works for you…and its ok if you don’t know what that is right now.

If you don’t want to follow a specific plan, make a list of what needs accomplished and have them mark it off as they go. Have them complete the list before they get free time. Suggested list includes, 1 hour of non-electronic education (worksheets, reading, flashcards, assigned school work), creative time (art, music, cooking), gym time (walk or exercise), 1 hour electronic education (apps, videos, virtual tours, etc), chores, play time (indoor or outdoor). Once they complete the tasks, it’s free time! They can do hobbies, tv, or other devices or activities you allow.

Note: some schools are using ALL electronic education – if so, just replace that with the non-electronic education. Older students may have more than 2 hours of work per day – adjust the plan to their needs. Remind them that it is important for them to complete the school work assigned by school – just like if they were in actual school.

Free Educational Worksheet Resources

Teachers Pay Teachers: Everything on this website is created by teachers for other teachers to meet the needs of PreK-12 classrooms. While some of the resources have a free to download, many others are free. You can select grade level, subject matter, and more. Looking for themed or seasonal options? There’s plenty available.

123Homeschool4me: I’ve been getting emails from this website for years! I love the free themed, grade-appropriate printable worksheets. They offer lots of tips and tricks for using the curriculum to make homeschooling work for you. There are so many options for preschool through high school subjects. You could probably find everything you need on this one website, plus tons of cute seasonal or themed options.

Free Educational Learning Apps and Websites

Zearn: This website was recommended by my son’s kindergarten. Math curriculum for K-5 is offered for free during this time with no-cost individual accounts. Kids, teachers, parents, and caregivers can access all our top-rated content 24/7, including paper-based materials that can be used without a device. is here for you on Zearn.

Kahn Academy: Free resource offering lessons, videos, and quizzes for students. Topics include math, science, history, grammar, and even standardized test prep.

Kahn Academy Kids App: Free, fun educational program for children ages two to seven.

Mystery Science: They’re offering their most popular science lessons for anyone to use for free. No account or login is needed. All of the lessons below are expertly designed to engage students, achieve learning outcomes, and be easy for teachers to use. We have short mini-lessons that are completely digital and full lessons that include an activity. All of the activities are designed to use simple supplies a parent will likely already have at home.

PBS Learning Resources: Free videos and activities for students with a wide range of topics and age ranges. They also are offering a full list of PreK-12 Resources for Emergency Closings.

Scholastic Learn at Home: Scholastic has put together day by day learning activities to keep kids reading, thinking, and learning with special cross-curricular journeys based on grade level. Every day includes four separate learning experiences, each built around a meaningful story or video.

Fiveable: This site is designed for Advanced Placement (AP) students, Fiveable with resources for everything from European History to Biology. With content divided into units, students can easily focus in where they need additional help.

Highlights for Kids: My kids still receive highlights magazine, and the website is

Free Educational Resources (videos, courses, etc)

Experience the SciDome at Home! by The Works: Ohio Center for History, Art & Technology: Check out these fun planetarium shows from The Works in Newark Ohio!

“Piano Under the Stars: Music and Visual Poetry of the Cosmos”An AstroArt fusion film for dome theaters by renowned Chilean pianist/composer Claudio Recabarren Madrid. The film features original piano compositions with ethno-symphonic musical arrangements such as voice, wind, and ancestral percussion. Original immersive imagery lends artistic, cosmic layers to the work, creating a sensory relationship with the music being performed. Available for streaming on The Works events page.
Experience the SciDome at Home! – “Solar Superstorms”
In partnership with Spitz, Inc., we invite you to enjoy one of our most popular planetarium shows reformatted for your screen!
Travel into the tangle of magnetic fields and super hot plasma that vent the sun’s rage in dramatic flares, violent solar tornadoes, and the largest eruptions in the Solar System: coronal mass ejections. The show features one of the most intensive efforts ever made to visualize the Sun’s inner workings, including a series of groundbreaking scientific visualizations computed on the giant supercomputing initiative, Blue Waters, based at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois.
Narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch
*This film is suitable for all audiences and is available for a limited time only. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal.
Experience the SciDome at Home! – Dinosaurs at Dusk
Experience the SciDome at home! In partnership with Spitz, Inc., we invite you to enjoy a new planetarium show reformatted for your screen!
“Dinosaurs at Dusk” will take you back in time where you will meet the prehistoric ancestors of modern day birds and discover the origins of flight! Learn about development and extinction, motion of stars, continental drift, and more, all leading up to the cataclysmic last days of the dinosaurs!
*This film is suitable for all audiences and is available for a limited time only. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal.

Cincinnati Zoo Facebook Live: Home Safari Facebook Live each weekday at 3pm will highlight one of the amazing animals and include an activity you can do from home. Join them starting Monday, March 16 at 3pm for the first Home Safari- featuring Fiona!

Storyline Online: Storyline Online, streams videos featuring celebrated actors reading children’s books alongside creatively produced illustrations. Readers include Viola Davis, Chris Pine, Lily Tomlin, Kevin Costner, Annette Bening, James Earl Jones, Betty White and dozens more. You can watch the videos on your favorite video app, including Vimeo Ad-Free player, or on Storyline Online’s free app.

WOSU TV Educational Programming: Beginning on Monday, March 30th, WOSU TV 34.1 will feature a full schedule of curated daily educational programming geared to serve students in grades Pre-K–12 from 7:00am to 5:30pm each weekday. Programming will range from the PBS KIDS series Peg + Cat and Cyberchase focused on math skills for early elementary kids to NOVA and American Experience programming for older students. The schedule will provide age- and grade-level appropriate, standards-based programs so Ohio students can continue to learn with limited or no internet access. Find the programming on Spectrum 1007, WOW! 205, Over the air 34.1, Direct TV 34, or YouTube TV live streaming.

Science Mom Daily Shows: Two hour livestream show on Facebook and YouTube Monday-Friday at 11 am EST, featuring science and math lessons, crafts and games. Science and math lessons are aimed at kids age 7-12, but this is a family-friendly show that is for BOTH kids and parents (and any elderly people who are feeling isolated at home and would like to watch some science and math lessons and participate in a few crafts)

Ohio History Connect Learn at Home: Ohio History Connection is such a fun and educational resource in our city, but the education doesn’t stop in the museum or at school! Kids can continue to explore with Learn at Home through Ohio History Connection. They’ve gathered resources and content to keep your kids engaged and interested in learning about Ohio History while at home.
The Learn at Home resources are organized by grade level, so you will find targeted content for your kids. There’s even content for adults, because there’s no age at which we should stop learning – especially about our great state history. Find the resources here.

COSI Connects: Head to the COSI website every day for exciting and engaging science through COSI videos and hands-on science you can try with your family at home. Click to follow them on Facebook or IG to find out what the daily science activity is going to be, and sign up for an email for a weekly digest of the week’s activities.
You can also take a 360 degree tour the American Museum of Natural History Dinosaur Gallery at COSI!

Time for Kids: The publishers of TIME magazine has tons of teaching material that kids will enjoy. Subjects include arts, health, sports, history, technology, and more – all geared towards specific grade levels. Their digital library is also available for the rest of the school year.

Discovery Virtual Field Trips: Discovery offers virtual field trips you can take from home. Join them live for these new Virtual Field Trips or you can watch them on demand later at your convenience. Each no-cost Virtual Field Trip comes with a companion guide packed with hands-on learning activities. You can search by subject, and most of the videos give your grade recommendations as well.

Ideas for Special Classes

Don’t forget about specials – art, gym, and music! They are probably your kids’ favorite classes at school. Try to fit some in EACH day, even if it’s just simple drawings and dancing to music (dancing counts as gym and music!). We have some great resources for special classes too! Recess is important as well, so get lots of outside time, or play games inside.

Art Class

You don’t need to do anything fancy or structured. Have them color a picture from a coloring book. Let them draw or paint. Look on Pinterest for art ideas. I’ve been having my kids make cards for people we know who have a birthday coming up, or people we’ve been missing lately.

WonderFriends: Wonder Friends is a live, Monday- Friday, FREE drawing/motivational show from 2-3pm EST on Facebook with author/illustrator Jason Tharp. The themes as well as his kids books revolve around being kind to yourself and others, being true to yourself, and embracing your uniqueness.

You can also download a super cute and free Covid-19 time Capsule from the website, where you’ll find the collection of drawing shows, fund downloads and coloring pages. Check out the Shop button to purchase the affordable books, as well as apparel with amazing themes such as “Kindness is Cool” “Be a Good Human” “Believe in Yourself” and other relevant affirmations. Note: this is not a paid promotion – I just love the shirts and the themes.

Art for Kids Hub: New art lessons M-F, every week! Follow along and learn how to draw plus other fun art lessons for kids.

LUNCH DOODLES with Mo Willems!: Draw along with number one New York Times best-selling author and illustrator of the “Pigeon” books, Elephant & Piggie early reader series, and so much more!

Gym Class

Our first pick for gym class is just to get outside and play! Riding bikes, playing ball, or anything the kids WANT to do. That ensures that they’ll keep going longer than the class needs to last!

Remote Recreation with Worthington Parks and Recreation Department on Facebook: Tune in everyday at 10:30 for a different activity for Family Fun & Fitness. Staff will be posting videos, crafts, games and much more to keep you active during this stressful time. Read through the discussion for more ideas and links to other recreation options.

Bally Sports Daily Videos on Facebook: Local sports program organization, Bally Sports, will be posting videos on the Facebook page each morning to give you ideas of things to do with your kids to prevent cabin fever. Check back here to see when videos are posted!

Cosmic Kids Yoga YouTube: Fun themed yoga workouts for kids, including Frozen, Trolls, Star Wars, Animals, and dealing with life situations and more!

PE with Coach Wood on YouTube: Coach Wood is live streaming gym class! Kids will love his personality and funny themes (toilet paper workout, costume yoga). It’s perfect for rainy or cold days when they can’t play outside!

GoNoodle: Do kids need a break to get the wiggles our in between at-home school work or boredom? Turn on GoNoodle! The website and app provide movement and mindfulness videos created by child development experts to help get kids moving! You’ll find creative movement, Kids Bop videos, kids Zumba, Think about It lessons, and more. We use the app on roku to stream the videos on our TV.

Music

Live Laurie Berkner Break: Join Laurie Berkner for a LIVE Laurie Berkner Break! She’ll be on at 10am most weekdays for singing, stories, moving our bodies, and more. Shows are available on the Facebook page for replays!

Facebook Live with Captain Captain of The Shazzbots!: Captain Captain will be taking requests for songs, stories, and more everyday at 10:30 am. Shows are available on the Facebook page for replays!

Give them grace

Right now, your kids school life, sports life, social life, and home life has been disrupted. Adding school and work from home (or laid off) parents is a HUGE disruption to their home life. They notice your worry, they notice your stress. It’s more important to make sure their emotional well-being is taken care of right now. Don’t stress about the school work, and don’t let fights about school work ruin your day (because you’re stuck together all day….). Give them some grace – and allow some for yourself as well!

More Virtual Events

Since all local events have been cancelled, we’ll be adding virtual events to our website to help keep you entertained at home. Check out the developing schedule here!