Education at Home: School’s Out, Education is In
Working from home can be challenging at the best of times, doubly so when your children are at home and looking for something to stimulate their minds. School might be out, but that shouldn’t mean your children stop learning until September rolls around.
Use the resources below to keep your children not only entertained, but also developing and sharpening their minds, leaving you to focus on your work without interruption. Best of all, every resource we’ve included below is free to use, though some do offer paid options if you or your child wants to take their learning even further.
BBC Bitesize
Covering everything from primary through to post-16 education, BBC Bitesize has long been a trusted resource for educating children in everything from language and history, to computing and science. Bitesize even breaks down each education type by stages (Keystage 1 and 2, in England Primary for example), so it’s easy to find the level of education and topic type your children need to learn. Scaling up to GCSEs and beyond, children can get detailed and actionable information on a score of topics. It’s an excellent resource, and one of the first resources you should introduce to your children to kickstart their learning through the warmer months. Visit BBC BitesizeKhan Academy
According to a customer survey conducted in 2018, 90% of US teachers who’ve used Khan Academy have found the platform effective. Khan Academy providing courses across a range of topics:- Maths from early maths up to calculus and differential equations.
- Science and Engineering, covering physics, chemistry, biology, electrical engineering and more.
- Arts and Humanities, covering World History, Art History, and more.
- Computing includes computer science, animation, and programming.
- Economics and Finance, while likely not suitable for younger learners, might be an ideal introduction for young adults to the world of finance and business.
Project Gutenberg
If your children have an interest in English language and literature, be sure to point them towards Project Gutenburg; an open-source library of over 60,000 free ebooks including countless classics including Pride and Prejudice, Moby Dick, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and much more; many of which will likely be required reading for young learners. Just be aware that not everything on Project Gutenberg will be age-appropriate for your children, so you may need to decide which books are suitable for your own young learners. Visit Project GutenbergDuolingo and Memrise
Are your children keen to learn a new language or two? German or French coming up as a required subject in the years to come? Duolingo and Merise are excellent free language learning resources that students of all ages, including adults, can use to develop their talent in languages. Regarding the paid versions, Duolingo offers ad-free learning and offline learning in case the internet drops out at all, though it’s not required and doesn’t impact the resources Duolingo provides to learners. Meanwhile, Memrise’s paid model unlocks more courses, languages, and features.Code.org
If you have children who are starting to display an interest in computers and coding, Code.org is the ideal resource to channel that passion. With plenty of courses and curriculums for children of all ages, it’s the perfect place for children to get involved in programming. If they finish with Code.org, there are plenty of other resources for them to move onto: Some of the resources above might be advanced for certain students, so check that they’re appropriate for your children before getting them started. The best place to start however, is Code.org. Visit https://code.org/P.E with Joe
Joe Wicks, better known as the Body Coach, has recently started a new series on his YouTube channel titled P.E with Joe, that’s aimed at ensuring children are getting plenty of physical activity during their days at home. His lessons require no equipment and are completely free to participate in. They’re streamed live regularly, but if your children miss one, it’s easy to access the playlist using the link below. Visit P.E with JoeDance Classes with Oti Mabuse
Oti Mabuse is a South-African dance professional specialising in Latin American and ballroom dancing. She’s most well-known for her role in shows such as Strictly Come Dancing and Let’s Dance. Much like Joe, Oti has recently started daily dance classes for children on her official YouTube channel, perfect for any little movers. The classes range from thirty to forty-five minutes, giving your children an enjoyable and exhaustive period of exercise. Visit Oti Mabuse Dance ClassesFurther Learning
If you’re looking for further learning resources and recommendations, Wired put together an excellent and exhaustive list of things for your children to explore and learn while they’re at home, which you can view here: Wired’s List of the Best Education, Entertainment, and Exercise Resources
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