Your kids are home and missing school, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have an educational experience. There are many free online resources for kids of all ages. Here in Los Angeles, there are even resources available on Public TV.
Parents are always their children’s first teachers, and when you’re all home together it’s a great way to continue that. Just remember that learning takes many forms and it’s not only in a classroom.
Free Online Resources
LAUSD Resources
The school district has opened 40 resource centers for kids and families, serving food and offering educational support, plus they have set up hotlines for people to call in and get info.
For families: (213) 443-1300
For school leaders: (213) 241-2000
For employees: (213) 241-2700
Public TV
All three of our Los Angeles Public TV stations have partnered with LAUSD to bring academic programming to LA for free.
KLCS TV is running academic scheduling all day in partnership with LAUSD
PBS SoCal has partnered with LAUSD and so has KCET
Los Angeles Public Library
Borrow eBooks and eAudio books while you’re home.
Scholastic Learn at Home
This website has daily lessons and projects for a range of ages.
Watch a Nature WebCam:
Lion Webcam from the National Zoo
Big Sur Condor Cams
San Diego Zoo Koala Cam
San Diego Safari Park Giraffe (and Rhino) Cam
Monterey Bay Aquarium Jelly Cam
Aquarium of the Pacific Penguin Cam
Khan Academy Free Online Learning
Beyond test prep, there are many free education resources here.
CoolMath
Just as the name implies, many cool math lessons for all ages
Amazon Future Engineers
Free online computer science classes
Crash Course on Youtube
History and Science Resource videos for Middle and High Schoolers
Take a Virtual Field Trip
Adventures in Familyhood has researched 20 places that offer virtual tours. Visit museums from the comfort of home!
Chalk Academy
Free resources for kids learning Chinese and Korean.
Kids Activities Blog
Check out this amazing Mom Blog with literally dozens of free education resources.
Homeschooling Mom’s Viral Facebook list of Resources
This list is crazy long and has been shared dozens of times.
Nitro Type.
An online game. Competition. Fast cars. And, kids are practicing their typing skills at the same time. This “school-friendly typing game” is popular with many of my son’s teachers. And, it’s free to play. Kids can monitor their speed and accuracy, keeping track of their progress as they level up, accumulating cars and prize money.
BrainPOP.
Because so many schools are due to the COVID-19 virus, BrainPOP is offering free, unlimited use of its site during this time period. Topics covered include science, arts and music, math, social studies, engineering and tech, and more.
Petersen Online Education Programs.
While the Petersen Automotive Museum is closed, families can take advantage of the museum’s livestream lessons. Each day, a different topic will be featured. And if you miss the livestream, all videos will be published at the end of the day. A sample of the scheduled lessons include “Balloon Cars,” “History of the Car,” and “Design Process” to name just a few.
Norton Simon Museum Online Teacher Resources.
You’ll find curriculum packets here designed for elementary, middle-school, and high-school students. Additionally, you’ll find quite a number of art projects for children which include step-by-step instructions.
