Following long school closures caused by the pandemic, some children might need a little extra help with school work or a head start before the school year? Luckily, there is heaps of support online in the form of brilliant free educational websites.
If you can find a program which allows your little one to have fun whilst learning then you’re onto a winner!
We are here to help you with our list of free educational websites for kids.
Note: Some of the resources below are completely free and others have free subscription periods. Many are Australia-based, while some are from elsewhere in the world, but are brilliant so we added them.
English and Reading free educational websites
Reading Eggs
Reading Eggs is one of Australia’s most popular programs for learning to read. Instead of the traditional teaching method, Reading Eggs uses games, songs and rewards to keep learning fun and interesting. They have programs not just for young children but also for older kids up to 13 years. We suggest getting the app version for on-the-go learning.
Which part is free? 30-day free trial (new customers only) with full access to all programs
Pros: Learn to read quickly, basic and advanced reading activities, mobile app version
Cons: Paid subscription after trial, design is outdated
You will love this education platform if: You want make learning to read fun and interesting.
Homer
Kickstart your kids’ learning with Homer Learn & Grow designed for kids from 2 to 8. It has thousands of interactive lessons, quizzes, songs, and other activities in five subjects: reading, math, social and emotional learning, thinking skills and creativity. Plus, if you want some off-screen educational time for your kid, you can also purchase the Homer Explore and Activity Kits (numbers, letters and feelings). You can also get the Sesame Street app, which is designed for kids from 2 to 4.
What part is free? 30-day free trial
Pros: thousands of effective lessons, interactive games, songs, and more
Cons: Your kid has to retake her quizzes to transfer her progress on the mobile app.
You will love this education platform if: You want a program that’s developed by experts, research-based, kid-tested, and parent-approved.
Free Educational Websites for children
Scholastic Learn at Home
Next on our list of free educational websites: Scholastic’s Learn at Home Program is one of the best free online education platforms available, with daily projects for kids sorted into grade levels (from PreK to Grade 9). There are lots of resources for parents and teachers that are super useful for home schooling and distance learning. Activities are designed to reinforce and sustain learning for students who are unable to attend school.
Which part is free? Free resources and activities covering all subjects
Pros: Free downloadable resources for students, parents and, teachers
Cons: Some activities are not that in-depth
You will love this education platform if: You have kids who are stuck at home bored.
ABC Mouse
Award-winning ABC Mouse has been in the e-learning business for many years, offering a full online curriculum for kids ages 2-8. The program is focused on early learning, with a huge catalog of activities (+9000) for reading, maths, science and art. The app version is just like the web version, allowing kids to learn anywhere and be immersed in a step by step program with 10 levels.
Which part is free? 30-day free trial on the full online curriculum
Pros: Extensive catalog of early leaning material from pre-K to grade 2, up to 3 student profiles in one account
Cons: Need to pay for tests/assessments, virtual learning rewards can be distracting for some children
You will love this education platform if: You want age-appropriate learning activities for younger kids
Busy Things
Busy Things is a UK based educational e-learning program packed with games, fun activities and learning resources for kids aged 3 to 11. All activities are curriculum based and a great supplement to classroom instruction. They cover reading, phonics, maths and creativity (colours, shapes and sounds). Kids will love the bright colours and fun graphics on the website. This is a paid program with a free 7-day trial to support school closures. You can access lots of resources with the trial, including worksheets and hundreds of activities.
Which part is free? Free 7 day trial for families or free 28 day trial for schools
Pros: Fun, comprehensive e-learning resource for ages 3-11, affordable ($71/year)
Cons: Not a substitute for in-depth classroom instruction
You will love this education platform if: You want a fun learning program for kids and want to easily monitor learning progress
Classroom Secrets Kids
If you like the educational resource website Classroom Secrets, you’ll love Classroom Secret Kids, a new online platform filled with fun learning activities for children. There’s a wide range of engaging material on offer designed by teachers. The subjects cover years 1-6 and include maths, reading, spelling and history. More resources are upcoming so make sure to check their website for updates.
Which part is free? Free 14-day trial with unlimited access
Pros: Comprehensive, all-in-one education resource for parents and educators
Cons: Lessons can get repetitive
You will love this education platform if: You are a new teacher/educator looking for engaging classroom resources or a parent who wants excellent distance learning material for younger kids
NatGeo Kids
Our list of free educational websites just when up a level: Did you know that the popular magazine for kids has an online website packed with learning support? These are mostly articles on science, history and trending topics like climate change and coronavirus. The website is a little too cluttered with sponsored ads, but it’s still a better alternative to online games and aimless browsing, especially if your kids are obsessed with science, nature and/or history.
Which part is free? Free online learning resources
Pros: Free general learning resources on natural science, history, culture, reading and trending topics
Cons: Articles are not that in-depth, requires supplementary material for mastery
You will love this education platform if: You want a fun jump-off point for kids learning science and history
Khan Academy Kids
It’s hard to beat Khan Academy Kids when it comes to foundational and quality early learning content. Kids won’t get bored easily with the lessons due to the variety of activities and breaks that encourage free play and creativity. The high-quality videos, games, books and songs cover math, logic, creativity and ELA for preschoolers up to first grade. For kids age 5 and up, Khan Academy is one of the best free educational websites to supplement classroom math instruction.
Which part is free? Everything
Pros: Huge database of high-quality activities, completely free
Cons: Some parents may want more detailed feedback tracking
You will love this education platform if: You want free but excellent quality early learning materials.
Highlights Kids
Highlights Kids is the companion website to the popular and enduring Highlights magazine. Kids can play online games, make crafts and conduct science experiments. They can also submit drawings and jokes that may be published on the site or in the magazine. Parents will love the variety of fun activities for different ages, most of which contain lessons on science, reading and other subjects. The best part is kids don’t need to register (or have a magazine subscription) to access activities.
Which part is free? Everything
Pros: Fun, diverse and creative activities, you don’t need a magazine subscription to access content
Cons: Lessons are not in-depth
You will love this education platform if: Your kids are big fans of Highlights magazine.
Science and Maths Platforms
Mathletics
Another multi-award winning e-learning platform, Mathletics is designed specifically to teach mathematics. Their extensive content for pre-K up to grade 12 covers subjects including numeracy, algebra, trigonometry and applied calculus. The lessons are self-paced but teachers can assign specific content and tests. Progress is recorded to help parents and teachers decide whether to provide supportive lessons or re-assign activities. This is one of our favourite free online education resources.
Which part is free? Free 30-day trial for teachers and schools, free 2-day trial for parents
Pros: Extensive maths curriculum for pre-K to 12 students, self-paced lessons
Cons: Some activities are repetitive and kids can get bored quickly, rote questions
You will love this education platform if: You want kids to prepare for advanced maths courses or simply catch up on difficult subjects
Prodigy
Maths is hard, but you can make the learning experience fun and entertaining for your kids through Prodigy. Prodigy motivates 1st through 8th grade students to learn, practice and improve their maths skills through a fun fantasy game. Their maths content is curriculum-aligned and designed by certified educators to ensure a high-quality learning experience. Overall a great review and practice tool when supplemented with classroom instruction.
Which part is free? Free maths review and practice lessons
Pros: Fun format for teaching kids basic and advanced maths skills whether at home or at school
Cons: Many features can only be accessed with a paid account
You will love this education platform if: You want to introduce your kids to civics and government
MultiplicationGames
Play games and learn at the same time with MultiplicationGames. The educational website is full of free multiplication games for grades 1 to 5. Some tables are provided in the form of games whilst others are more traditional multiplication exercises. Kids can play alone on any device and solve equations with their classmates. It’s a fun way for kids to practice maths and supplement classroom or online instruction.
Which part is free? Everything!
Pros: All multiplication games are free, available on all devices, large catalog of games from easy to difficult (times table 1-12)
Cons: Ad supported
You will love this education platform if: You have grade school kids struggling with multiplication tables.
Splash Learn
When it comes to maths-focused free online education resources, Splash Learn is an excellent platform for younger kids. The lessons adapt to how each child learns, whether used for catch up, practice or enrichment. Splash Learn is currently offering free access to all educators during the COVID-19 pandemic, with home access for remote learning. This means that all lessons assigned by the teacher can be accessed at home by the parent or student.
Which part is free? Free limited access to all parents and teachers, free 24-hour trial on your first premium class
Pros: Teachers can assign questions, easy practice and tracking progress
Cons: Limited content on the free account, questions can get repetitive
You will love this education platform if: You have younger kids who need help in maths
Math Seeds
Mathseeds is another free educational website that teaches kids aged 3-9 core maths and problem solving skills. The lessons are a combination of highly structured instruction and interactive games to keep children engaged. Reviewers say that the lessons and games can be addictive! Kids can learn from a desktop computer or a mobile device.
Which part is free? Free 30-day trial for parents and teachers (includes access to Mathseeds for ages 3-9 and Reading Eggs)
Pros: Wide variety of fun lessons and games in learning and practice modes, skill-based rewards
Cons: Help can be hard to find in some sections
You will love this education platform if: You need a program to make maths learning and practice fun for younger kids
Fizzics Education
Science can be a difficult subject for many kids, but learning it shouldn’t be. Fizzics Education provides fun and entertaining live science classes via video conference so children can learn anytime, anywhere. The instructors are experts in their field and dedicated to making science learning an engaging experience. If you’re not keen on the subscription program, they have a huge library of resources for FREE, including science experiments, podcasts and STEM teaching articles.
Which part is free? Free science resources (experiments, podcasts, trivia and articles) for students and teachers
Pros: Fun video lessons, expert teachers, science parties
Cons: Limited options for remote classes, frequent classes can get pricey
You will love this education platform if: You want kids to love learning science and STEM subjects
Exploratorium
Exploratorium is a science website and “public learning laboratory” from the museum of the same name in San Francisco, CA. All activities (videos, science experiments, hands-on activities, printables) are free to access and kids don’t need to register. Besides science and math, some of the content focus on art and history. Exploratorium has excellent resources for teachers to support home learning and make teaching fun.
Which part is free? Everything
Pros: Extensive library of interactive activities and science experiments
Cons: Lessons are not in-depth, content designed to increase museum visitors
You will love this education platform if: Your kids are science buffs who love going to museums.
Other Free Educational websites
Typing Club
The Typing Club is a free online education platform dedicated to teaching people how to touch type, whether you’re a kid or adult. Each lesson lets you practice until you reach mastery (five stars). We love that it takes only a few minutes each day for one to two weeks to become a pro touch typist. All you need is a computer and an internet connection to get started.
Which part is free? Everything!
Pros: Spanish, French and German versions, interactive lessons, progress tracking
Cons: When unsupervised, students may cheat by looking at the keyboard
You will love this education platform if: You or your kids wants to learn or improve touch typing skills
PEO.gov
The Parliamentary Education Office (PEO) is a great website if you’re looking for supplementary civics and government e-learning resources. Book a free video conferencing program and connect students with experts in Parliament. The program explores how laws are made, the responsibilities of representatives, the formation of government and how government is kept accountable. Lessons are suited for years 5-10.
Which part is free? Free video conferencing program, immersive learning, and outreach programs
Pros: Excellent supplementary resources for students and teachers of civics and government
Cons: Not designed as standalone lessons, subject can be dense and boring for younger kids
You will love this education platform if: You want to introduce your kids to civics and government.
Type Kids
Type Kids is an adaptive touch typing tool designed specifically for kids. It’s like Typing Club but with a fun, kid friendly user interface, and entertaining games and badges. We love the fact that program learns from mistakes and adapts the exercises automatically to help kids with problem letters. It’s like a having a private touch typing tutor.
Which part is free? Try the first three lessons for free
Pros: Touch typing tutor for kids, fun games and rewards, money back guarantee
Cons: Complete course is pricey at $99.95
You will love this education platform if: You want a kid-friendly touch typing program
ABC Kids
Last but most definitely not least on our list of free educational websites for kids: Watch your favourite ABC Kids show from any mobile device with the ABC Kids app. Designed for preschool and younger school-aged viewers, it features shows like Bluey, Peppa Pig, Hey Duggee, Play School, ABC Kids Listen and more. Kids can also play games and download activities like colouring kits and party packs. The app is completely free, but expect the usual ads.
Which part is free? Free Apple and Android app
Pros: Lots of popular kids shows and programs, plus games and activities
Cons: Doesn’t work without an internet connection
You will love this education platform if: You have little kids and want quality educational entertainment.
Solitaire
Another great option that provides education as well as enriching entertainment is Solitaired, the website features several of the most classic card games. Games such as Spades, Hearts, Yahtzee, and Solitaire are available online for free. Additionally, some of these games are equipped with educational decks that highlight notable achievements such as the Women’s Hall of Fame and Heroes of Space and Flight decks.
What part is free? Both their website and app
Pros: versatile library of popular card games
Cons: can be challenging for children under 6
You will love this education platform if: Your goal is to provide improved brain function, memory, and strategic skills
