The best online resources for primary-school children
By Sean Mortell
With education in 2020 meandering towards online programs and courses, it can be difficult for parents to locate appropriate websites for their young children to use.
With school holidays now in full swing (and online learning being extended for many Victorian students), there are a raft of online resources for primary-aged students that will keep them entertained and their brains engaged. Some websites specialise in education, while other programs are perfect for preventing your child from getting bored while they adjust to new conditions.
Ages 4–12
There are numerous sections that make up ABC Kids, but we’ll take you through some of the best ones:
Make varies from little craft activities such as easy-to-make soft toys, to delightful recipes for primary-school students. There are also colouring sheets of ABC characters, while each individual program has craft activities related to the show.
Games is full of fun little competitions related to ABC shows, such as Peppa Pig. Considering there are other tabs surrounding early education and learning, the plethora of games available keep children hooked on the site so that they can continue their education.
Apps is a wonderful store of programs and ABC Kids, alongside suggested programs related to ABC shows that are all approved as primary-school-aged educational tools.
Ages 4+
Understanding the difficulty children have accessing colouring books and craft materials from home, Crayola has uploaded many free colouring sheets onto their website. Kids and parents alike can easily download and print out templates that’ll quench some of the boredom associated with school holidays or prolonged time indoors.
But Crayola hasn’t just stopped there. Their website also boasts many creative ideas for craft workshops. Primary-school aged children love getting their hands dirty and creating – Crayola provide numerous fun ideas such as pencil cup holders, paper fans and paintings that’ll stimulate young students and keep their minds active during the holiday period.
Ages 4+
Positive Penguins is an award-winning app that lightly touches on negative thought patterns and students’ own thinking, before gently teaching them ways to handle situations and challenge their own assumptions. For a subject so in-depth, the app deals with curly questions extraordinarily well — it’s especially effective with children aged 9–11. You can get the app for iOS devices here.
Ages4+
It can be a struggle to get young kids to continue reading over school holidays. Without constant guidance, some can lapse behind. But Storyline Online seeks to change this by assembling a wealth of entertaining and educational online texts.
This multi award-winning literacy program also features celebrities reading in an attempt to encourage more children to read off the website. A wonderful new addition to the site is a section dedicated to black stories and voices.
Storyline Online is for a wide variety of ages, ranging from those just learning to read to fullydeveloped readers looking for some new books.You can also access it through the app, available for both iOSandAndroid.
Ages 7+
Kids can explore their world with the online version of iconic brand. The Australian arm of National Geographic Kids has an abundance of activities, games, competitions, and even an online magazine they can devour.Short, digestible content includes information about aboriginal Australian culture, bushfires and even an explanation of coronavirus.
The Primary resources is excellent for those doing remote learning, with activities in English, maths and science as well as the wider curriculum with resources for geography, history, art and culture.
Ages 5–17
The crew at Tynker have released a small coding program that will stimulate young students. The site allows students and parents to register for free to get basic access, and then teaches kids how to complete light and fun programming on their own devices. There are many games and lessons involved, and ranges from ages 5 to 17 to cater for any student who is interested in IT or online programming.
Ages 8+
The popular and naughty card game Cards against Humanity has been considered off-limits for kids since its inception. Now, the game has changed.
A new public website provides a beta of a family version of the game that can be downloaded for free and printed out. The updated game is designed for children and parents to play together, toning down any rudeness to make it a ‘G’ rated bundle of laughs for primary-school kids and their families.
