It is crazy time. Everything has changed and we need to do our part to keep people safe by staying at home. That means finding new things to keep the kids entertained and challenged. Fortunately, there are so many wonderful online resources, with more being added every day. I have compiled a list with some great ones that I know about, but please don’t hesitate to comment or message me with more online resources to add the list!

Local Ottawa Resources

• Sing Song Partytime – local singer and entertainer Derek McKinley posts videos of live performances and songs to entertain the kids.
• Monkey Rock Live – videos, live streams and kids music.
• Splash N Boots – this popular Perth duo is providing live music and more everyday at 11 am and 5 pm
• 123 Petit Pas – this popular Ottawa mom owned business teaches young children french through fun activities and songs. Madame Amy is moving her business online.

Fun Online Live Events

• Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems – at 1 pm EST learners worldwide can draw, doodle and explore new ways of writing by visiting Mo’s studio virtually once a day for the next few weeks. 
• Assiniboine Park and Zoo Live Presentations – the Winnipeg Zoo is doing a live creature presentation on its Facebook page every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1:00 pm MT.
• Georgia Aquarium Live Cams – live camera views around the aquarium allow you to check out the animals.
• Cleveland Zoo – live weekday virtual classroom. They are going live a few times a day on Facebook Live spotlighting animals.
• Cincinnati Zoo – the zoo is spotlighting a different animal at 3 pm daily.
• Pete the Cat Club – an Instagram story time and drawing instruction with author James Dean at noon.
• Story time with Josh Gad (Olaf) – the actor behind the voice of Olaf has been reading stories online through his twitter account. He’s a lot of fun!
• Storytime! from Penguin Kids – everyday at 11 am there is a live reading of delightful children’s books held on the Penguin Kids instagram account.
• Oliver Jeffers readings – everyday at 2 pm on instagram this popular author will read one of his books.
• Brooklyn Public Library – this library has taken its story times online and live streaming everyday at 2 pm.
• Code Break – a free live weekly webcast teaching coding and offering a weekly activity or challenge.
• PE Classes with the Body Coach – Joe Wicks aka the Body Coach is launching livestream PE classes from his YouTube channel at 9 am weekdays with 30 mins of movement.
• Play Hooray – Claire, a play coach for parents is going Live on Instagram every weekday with inspired activities for kids and their grownups.
• The Dad Lab – Experiments of the day, live-streamed science lessons and other activity tutorials round out this engaging social account.
• Music Lessons with the Arkells – Join Canadian rockers Arkells for the Flatten the Curve Music School. Lessons are live at 1:00 P.M. EDT.
• Kids Cooking Fun – Facebook live daily at 3 pm offering kids cooking workshops and classes.

Reading, Writing and Arithmetic

• Scholastic – has created a Learn at Home website and is currently providing 20 days of free stories, articles, and fun learning challenges.
• 123 Homeschool for Me – providing free printable worksheets and educational activities for a range of grades and subjects.
• Tumblebooks – a world leader in online children’s book databases will be providing free access until at least the end of August.
• Storyline Online – free book readings…by your favourite celebrities too!
• CBeebies Global – BBC kids website offering shows, games, story time and more online.
• Khan Academy – recommended home study schedules for kids of all ages.
• Science World Science Experiments – some awesome ideas and step by step instructions for some cool science experiments you can do from home.
• All Kids Network – offers free educational resources, worksheets, colouring, snack ideas and more.
• Bamboo Learning – offers free voice based applications (Alexa skills) that covers a wide range of academic subjects.
• Beanstalk – this website is offering interactive, educational pre-school children’s content for free during the duration of the Covid-19 outbreak.
• Bedtime Math – nonprofit that ignites kids’ curiosity in learning by unleashing the fun in math.
• Cool Math 4 Kids – for 12 and under users, free math and games for kids.
• Starfall – a free public service site to teach children to read. Includes language and  arts and mathematics for preschool, kindergarten, first grade, second grade, and third grade.
• National Geographic Kids – learn about animals and science.
• Discover the World Education – offers a range of free videos and activities to teach world geography.
• Discovery Channel Mindblown – website offering educational video content about different science subjects.
• NASA Kids Club – providing a bunch of games, videos, images, and activities to introduce kids to space and help them learn.
• Minecraft: Education Edition – a game based learning platform that promotes creativity, collaboration and problem solving.
• Homeschool Pop – Animated educational videos covering a range of subjects. Learn about everything from the sun, to The Mona Lisa, to Groundhog Day.
• Learning Games for Kids – spelling fun games like crosswords, hangman and more.
• Crazy Adventures in Parenting – free printable, activity sheets, colouring pages featuring favourite characters and more.
• Dance Mat Typing – a fun way to learn typing.
• Keyboarding Without Tears – typing lessons for kids. There are sample online lessons available.
• Free Typing Games. net – different grade level typing games and challenges.

The Arts and Making Art

• 12 Museum Virtual Tours – providing free virtual tours of 12 famous museums.
• Virtual Field Trips – over 30 virtual field trips from the San Diego Zoo to the surface of Mars.
• Nomster Chef – illustrated recipe picture books to get kids excited about cooking.
• Crazy Adventures in Parenting – free printables, activity sheets, and colouring pages featuring favourite characters.
• Crayola Create it Yourself – fun and creative craft ideas for all ages and skill levels.
• Wild Free and Crafty Art Lesson Videos – Uploaded daily, these art lessons touch on a variety of techniques to help your young artists learn and grow.

Social Games and Movement

• Chess.com – this is one where kids can play online while interacting with their friends (a great way to keep kids in touch)
• Chesskid.com – free site where kids can learn and play chess with other kids.
• Tabletopia – play hundreds of board games online, and you can do this with friends online too.
• Sworkit Kids Workouts – a collection of kid friendly strength, flexibility , agility and balance exercises.
• Cosmic Kids Yoga – fun, theme based yoga classes that are awesome for kids! Huge collection of videos to choose from.
• Highlights Kids – kids activities, jokes, games, recipes and more.
• Board Game Arena – play board games online for free. 175 board games to offer.
• Switch Zoo Animal Games – learn all about animals through playing games.
• Sports Illustrated Kids – sports fun and reading.
• Netflix Party – With this Google Chrome extension you can watch movies simultaneously with your friends and family, and message together while you watch.

French Sites and Resources

• Lasouris – Collection of French games and activities.
• Alpha Lire – French reading games and activities. Has older activities, and spelling, fill-in the blanks with French sounds.
• Abracadabra – French reading activities.
• Radio Canada (younger) – radio canada provides French word, letter and reading games for younger children.
• Radio Canada (older) – the same kind of activities for older children.
• French Ebooks kids – some just visual, some with audio. More than 1400 books for kids.
• Les Desbrouillards – French science games/videos/experiments.
• TFO – a variety of topics, French videos, sorted by topic.