A few of our favorite sites for distance learning (part 1)

The Kid Should See This
Want to engage and delight your kids with videos but don’t trust Youtube’s algorithm? For years, designer, mom and kid-blogger extraordinaire Rion Nakaya has collected some of the best and most thinky-fun videos for kids. The site’s videos range from STEAM topics to history to culture-focused content, carefully curated by someone who cares deeply about children.

• Free
• K-6
• Creative Learning, Core Subjects
• Web

DIY
DIY is a site that helps kid-makers spread their wings with a library of hundreds of hands-on videos, tutorials, and project ideas. There are a variety of courses for children looking to learn how to animate their drawings, build intricate sculptures with Legos, and so much more! Getting kids involved in self-directed projects will help families get through these long days at home.

• Paid
• K-6
• Creative Learning
• Web, Mobile (iOS)

Tinybop Schools
Have you heard about Tinybop Schools, our newest product which brings our apps to the web (along with resources and support for educators)? We’ve just made Tinybop Schools available for free through July to help get through the school year. Tinybop Schools allows learners to explore 10 interactive models that simulate life science, physical science, and earth science topics. Teachers will gain access to additional educational resources such as handbooks and printables.

• Currently Free
• K-5
• STEM
• Web

Vintage Books My Kids Love
While this site hasn’t been updated in some time, it’s a deep well of fantastic picture book ideas for younger children. Most of these books are available super inexpensively as used-books from online resellers (including Amazon). The site curator, Burgin Streetman, is a children’s book editor with a deep understanding of what makes a great picture book. We also love her other not-updated-but-still-super site Graphic Novels My Kid Loves.

• Free
• K-2
• Language Arts
• Web

Outschool
Outschool offers hundreds of live online classes to indulge your child’s wildest curiosities and interests! From video game design to Harry Potter-themed writing classes, your child will love learning alongside peers and experienced teachers with Outschool.

• Currently Free
• K-6
• Creative Learning, Core Subjects
• Web

Ted-Ed
On the Ted Ed website, you will find tons of short-form videos to spark the curiosity and creativity of all learners. Teachers and parents can customize interactive lesson plans and discussions or browse through existing ones to remain actively engaged in their child’s learning experience.

• Free
• K-6
• Creative Learning, Core Subjects
• Web

Seesaw
With Seesaw, kids are inspired to push their thinking and expand on what they have learned with pictures, videos, text, and more! These creative portfolios allow learners to explore their ideas and provide teachers and parents with the insight they need to assess their child’s understanding.

• Free
• K-6
• Classroom Tools
• Mobile (iOS, Android, Chromebooks, Amazon Kindle)

Listenwise
Want to get kids off screens? Listenwise gives you access to a library of standards-aligned podcasts that cover language arts, current events, social studies, and science-related topics. Kids are able to listen to the podcasts, read interactive transcripts, and test their learning comprehension.

• Currently Free
• 2-6
• Creative Learning
• Web

Khan Academy
Khan Academy is something of a miracle and most of you probably know about its short-form math videos. But did you know you and also find video lessons in history, science, and coding. There’s even a fantastic set of courses called Pixar in a Box covering digital storytelling. Kids are able to go at their own pace, while teachers and parents can track their child’s progress to make sure that every learner is able to succeed.

• Free
• K-6
• STEM, Core Subjects
• Web, Mobile (iOS, Android)

Newsela
The news today is overwhelming but important. Newsela helps organize the news for kids and grants them access to hundreds of stories and articles neatly arranged by reading level and subject matter. Teachers and parents can assign content, reading quizzes, and other activities that encourage deeper engagement and learning.

• Currently Free
• K-6
• Creative Learning
• Web

Code.org
Code.org looks to foster creativity and an interest in computer science for kids of all ages. Through a variety of online courses, kids can learn the fundamentals of computer science in a way that is interactive, creative, and fun!

• Free
• K-6
• STEM
• Web

IXL
With IXL, kids can master common core skills in math, language arts, science, social studies, and Spanish. (aligned with New York State Standards). This site works well for kids who need repetition and practice of basic skills. You’ll also find additional materials to help teachers and parents feel comfortable using the platform with their learners.

• Currently Free
• K-6
• Core Subjects
• Web

Epic!
Epic! features a library of over 35,000 children’s books, reading quizzes, and educational videos for learners of all ages and reading abilities. Parents and teachers are able to track their child’s progress and create customized collections. With Epic!, kids will gain access to hours of entertainment while also building literacy skills.

• Currently Free
• K-6
• Language Arts
• Web, Mobile (iOS, Android, Microsoft)

Want to dive deep? The Facebook group Amazing Educational Resources is updating this open-sourced google doc with scores of offerings to help parents and teachers during these unusual times.

Finally, we should also mention Tinybop Loves our site for children’s media we love. It’s full of books, videos, sites, and songs that we think are the best of the best.

We would love to hear about what’s working with your kids. Please send any suggestions or ideas, as well as feedback on Tinybop’s other offerings, to support@tinybop.com. We plan to start posting semi-regular updates. To stay up to date on all things Tinybop and other wonderful things for kids, please sign up for our occasional newsletter here. Thanks!