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Write a Letter to a First Responder

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All Operation Gratitude First Responder Care Pouch shipments include a bundle of letters from the American people, thanking them for their service to our country. First Responders tell us these letters, notes, and drawings are the most cherished items that they receive!

We recently had several nice ladies come out to our department with Care Pouches. It really meant a lot to us and the goodies inside were very much appreciated. Your organization is doing a wonderful thing!"

- Fire Lieutenant J.O., October 10, 2018

Start with a generic salutation, such as "Dear Hero" or "Dear Brave One."

Express your thanks for their selfless service.
Thank them for serving their community, not necessarily your own. Remember that these letters will be sent to First Responders in many different communities nationwide!

Avoid politics completely and religion in excess; however, saying you will pray for them is wonderful.

Share a little about yourself: Family, Hobbies, Work, School, Pets, Travel, etc.

Talk about life and interests: Sports, Weather, Music, Movies, Food, Books, etc.

Adults: Include your contact information (mail or email) so the letter recipient can reply. (Recipients may or may not write back; please do not be disappointed if you do not receive a response.)

Children's Letters: Include first names only and do not include addresses (an adult's address can be used).

Can't find the words? Consider drawing or painting a picture instead; please add a note to kids' drawings with their age.

No glitter or confetti please!

Please DO NOT put cards or letters in individual envelopes; all letters must go through an internal screening process and the envelopes slow that process down significantly.

Please don't date your letters, sometimes it can take up to a few months for our Care Pouches to be received after they are sent.

SHIP YOUR LETTERS TO US

1. Fill out our Donor Form and print a copy for each box that you send.
COMPLETE DONATION FORM

2. Put all loose artwork and letters/cards (no individual envelopes) in a large envelope or box according to their recipient type, and ship to:
Operation Gratitude
ATTN: First Responder Letters
9409 Owensmouth Avenue
Chatsworth, CA 91311-4278

I am a patrol officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office in Jacksonville, Florida. I am also a Marine combat veteran. I wanted to say thank you so much to your great organization for sending us thousands of Care Pouches that our FOP lodge handed out. The items are useful (and delicious). As a combat veteran it was always a nice surprise to get a care package while we were overseas and this care package, now that I'm a policeman, brought back the same appreciated feeling. This can definitely be a thankless job at times, and your survival bag reminded me that there are plenty of people that still love and support us."
- Officer A.E., October 14, 2018

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Write Letters to First Responders -- Operation Gratitude

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All Operation Gratitude First Responder Care Pouch shipments include a bundle of letters from the American people, thanking them for their service to our country. First Responders tell us these letters, notes, and drawings are the most cherished items that they receive! We recently had several nice ladies come out to our department with Care Pouches.

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Watch famous actors and writers read aloud some of your favorite books!

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The SAG-AFTRA Foundation's Daytime Emmy-nominated, Storyline Online, features celebrated actors reading children's books to inspire a love of reading in millions of children worldwide.

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The world has suddenly been turned upside down by COVID-19, or the coronavirus. Many of us are working from home and most of us have kids who are also home because schools are closed. No one knows when things will get back to normal. We don't want our kids to get bored and we don't want their brains to turn to mush over the next few weeks or months while we are all practicing social distancing.

It is stressful to think about being in charge of your kid's education when you are not a teacher or have never considered homeschool. Whether you are going all out homeschool or you are just trying to add in a few educational activities into the day to keep your kids (and yourself) sane, here are 50 journal prompts for kids that you can use to keep them writing while they are stuck at home during the coronavirus.

Why Bother with Journal Prompts for Kids?

If you are wondering why you should even bother with journal prompts for kids that are stuck at home during this strange time, there are a number of reasons why journaling is a useful activity for your kids. First of all, journaling is a well-known stress reliever. Writing down your thoughts helps you to realize and manage your feelings. Just because our kids may not understand the full implications of the current situation, does not mean it is not stressful or worrisome for them.

They know things are different and maybe a little scary right now. We cannot really answer the questions they may be asking like when can they go back to school, when can they see their friends, and when will things go back to normal? Being able to write about how they are feeling through these journal prompts for kids can help them process how they are feeling and work through those thoughts.

Besides being a good stress reliever, having some journal prompts for kids to respond to every day is an easy way for them to practice good writing skills. Simply, the more practice someone gets writing, the better writer they become. With these journal prompts for kids, younger kids get the practice of writing complete sentences and practice understanding how to explain themselves and provide details. Older kids get the practice of giving enough detail to support their ideas in a thoughtful and organized manner.

Keep in mind that any practice is good practice. Having your kids respond to prompts at home is not meant to be stressful for them - or for you. So remember to keep it light, try not to push them for perfection, and resist the urge to pull out a red pen and "grade" their responses every day.

Set Them Up for Success

Before you get your kiddos started on writing, set them up for success. Dig out a couple of those extra notebooks you have lying around that you bought for back-to-school or make your own by stapling some paper together. Then make them fun! Dress them up with cute drawings. Print out their favorite character and paste it to the front. You can even have them decorate their notebooks themselves with stickers and drawings. Go with whichever option you know will make them more excited about writing in their journal every day.

Once you have their journals ready to go, write out some clear basic instructions in the front of their notebooks. Something short and sweet like this: Using complete sentences (with capital letters and periods) write one full page in response to the writing prompt for the day. Look in your notebook for your writing prompt for the day! Then, every day write out a new journal prompt at the top of the page and number them. Make it a little more fun by writing their journal prompts in a different colored pen or colored pencil each day. If nothing else, it will make it a little more fun for you.

On day one and every day after that, set aside time for your kids to write in their journals. Having writing time at the same time every day is a good idea just to be sure you keep up the habit but do not feel pressure to force your kids to sit down and write at 9:30 a.m. every day. If they are in the middle of playing nicely together or reading a book or you are deep in a family game of Monopoly, wait until later for writing.

Once it is time for writing time, let them find a comfy spot, settle in, and take their time writing. Do not set time limits unless the prompt is something like "Write for 15 minutes straight about whatever comes to your mind." Let them write for as little or as long as it takes for them to respond to their writing prompt for that day. Remember, this is not supposed to be stressful.

50 Journal Prompts for Kids

Now that you have everything ready, here are 50 journal prompts for kids to get your kiddos writing while they are stuck at home. These prompts are suited for elementary and middle school kids. They have not been divided into age groups or grade levels because you know your kids best. Choose the journal prompts for kids that best suit your kiddos' ability level, and remember to set your expectations for the type of response they can give based on their age, grade, and ability.

1. What is your favorite thing or things about summer? Why are these your favorite? What do you like about them?

2. Describe 3 interesting, exciting, or weird things about yourself.

3. (As a follow up to #2) Choose one of the things you listed yesterday and describe why it is interesting or weird.

4. Imagine your school is thinking about making everyone wear a uniform to school. Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea? Explain.

5. Write about 3 things that worry you. Explain why each of these things worries you.

6. What is your favorite book? What makes it your favorite?

7. What is kindness? Define what you think kindness is and give examples.

8. You are locked in a room with your greatest fear. Describe what is in the room.

9. If you were president, what one thing would you change about this country? Why?

10. Do you think someone needs to have a college education to be successful? Why or why not?

11. In what ways have you changed since you started elementary/middle school?

12. If you could only eat one thing for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for an entire week, what would you eat? Why?

13. Write about someone you care about and why they are important to you.

14. Think about something you own that is one of your favorite things. Describe this item using words that explain how it looks, smells, sounds, and feels. Describe it so someone who has never seen it could picture it in their mind.

15. What character from a book would you like to meet? Why?

16. Write about something that you thought you couldn't do, but did anyway. What happened when you tried it? How did it turn out?

17. What is your favorite hobby? Why is it your favorite? What do you like about it?

18. If you got to be principal for one week, what would you do?

19. Should schools give homework? Why or why not?

20. What is your favorite thing about yourself? Why is that your favorite thing?

21. What makes you feel happy? Why?

22. What makes you feel sad? Why?

23. What makes you angry? Why?

24. What is your favorite thing about your family? Why is that your favorite?

25. If you could design an amusement park, what would you put in it? (You could follow up this writing prompt for kids with an art project where they draw their amusement park!)

26. If you could trade places with someone for a day, who would it be? Why? What would you do?

27. Describe your perfect day.

28. Where is your favorite place to go on vacation? What do you like to do there?

29. What would happen if dinosaurs still existed?

30. If you could be a superhero, what superpower(s) would you have?

31. Describe one thing you are good at doing.

32. When you are sad, how do you cheer yourself up?

33. What is your favorite subject in school? Why is that your favorite?

34. What is your favorite season of the year - winter, spring, summer, or fall? What do you like about that season?

35. If you could have any animal for a pet, what animal would you choose?

36. Pick a book from your bookshelf. Open it up to any page. Copy down the first full sentence on the page. Now write your own short story with that as your first sentence.

37. Imagine that you meet a dragon while walking in the forest. Describe what happens next.

38. If you could be famous, would you be a famous singer, actor, chef, writer, or something else? Why?

39. Imagine your school was going to get rid of art and music classes to save money. Do you think this is a good idea or not? Explain.

40. What is your favorite game to play that is not a video game? What do you like about it?

41. Do you like cats or dogs more? Why did you choose the one that you did?

42. A lot of people around the world eat bugs as part of their diet. Would you ever try eating a bug? Why or why not? If you have already tried eating bugs, what was it like? Did you like it or not?

43. What is your favorite movie? In that movie, who is your favorite character and why?

44. Write a short story that starts with this sentence: "One morning I woke up and everything was upside down."

45. Do you like to be around a lot of people or would you rather be alone or with just one or two other people? Why? What do you like about the one you chose? What do you not like about the other choice?

46. If you could go into the future, what would you like to do or find out?

47. If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go and what would you want to do there?

48. If you could do something that you have never done before, what would it be? Why would you want to do that particular thing?

49. Describe a happy memory.

50. What is the hardest thing about being your age?

Hopefully, these journal prompts for kids will inspire your kids to write some thoughtful journal entries and help you keep your sanity while you are all stuck at home together. Read them over after your kids write them and respond with a sentence or two about something you liked about what they wrote or tell them what your favorite season or place to visit would be. Even better, encourage them to read you what they wrote and talk about it. You might be surprised at some of the things they come up with when given the time to write down their thoughts. Happy writing!

WANT TO READ MORE?
Check out this article on How to Homeschool During the COVID-19 Crisis.

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50 Journal Prompts For Kids Stuck At Home During Coronavirus

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The world has suddenly been turned upside down by COVID-19, or the coronavirus. Many of us are working from home and most of us have kids who are also home because schools are closed. No one knows when things will get back to normal.

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Download activities and games you can play with kids of all ages on a wide range of English-Language Arts topics.

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Choose your grade, and play a game!

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ABCya! • ABCya! • Learning Games and Apps for Kids

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Educational games for grades PreK through 6 that will keep kids engaged and having fun. Topics include math, reading, typing, just-for-fun logic games… and more!

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ACCESS FREE DIGITAL LIBRARY HERE

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One day when DeJuan Strickland was in fourth grade, he didn't have the money for school lunch. "That really kind of stuck with me," DeJuan, now 15, told TIME for Kids. This year, DeJuan, who goes by DJ, raised money...

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Math lessons that can be shared with students

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A quick, grade-

appropriate reading- or math-readiness assessment to gauge their skills. After, use some of the suggested activities to continue learning

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Help your child succeed (and love) math this year!

Like a game, have your child answer these 5 short questions. You'll see how they are doing with math skills needed this year. At the end, get videos and activities to support grade-level learning at home.

Get Started Fill 1 Copy

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Readiness Check Fall 2023 " Be A Learning Hero

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Help your child succeed (and love) math this year! Like a game, have your child answer these 5 short questions. You'll see how they are doing with math skills needed this year. At the end, get videos and activities to support grade-level learning at home.

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Need a way to get students more excited about building math skills? A deck of playing cards might just be the answer. These math card games work for little ones and older kids alike, and they're all free to learn and play. Draw a few to add to your winning math class hand today!

1. Match to make 11

Lay out three rows of three cards each, face up. Then check to see if you can find any two cards that add up to 11. If so, remove those cards and set them aside. Replace them with new cards from the deck. Continue until you run out of cards or can't make any more matches.

Learn more: Game Rules

2. Race to 100

Flip a card and add its value to your running total. First person to reach 100 without going over wins! (Remove face cards for younger players; use these values for older kids: Jack = 11, Queen = 12, King = 13, Ace = 0.)

Learn more: 123 Homeschool 4 Me

3. Play a game of 21

In Vegas, they call this one Blackjack, but it makes a great learning game for kids too (no need to place bets!). Not only do they practice their addition skills, but they'll also get a little practice at thinking logically and calculating the odds.

Learn more: Planning With Kids

4. Try pyramid solitaire alone or in teams

Some versions of solitaire are really just sneaky math card games, and pyramid is one of them. Try to find cards that add up to 10 as you clear your pyramid row by row. Learn how to play at the link below.

Learn more: Multiplication.com

5. Flip and add 1 or subtract 1

There are a few versions of this basic addition and subtraction game. We like this one: Remove the face cards from the deck. Flip a card. If it's red, add 1 and say the amount out loud. If it's black, subtract 1. If you get it right, you get to keep the card.

Learn more: Plus 1 Minus 1/Creative Family Fun

6. Go fish for pairs that make 10

Your students probably already know how to play Go Fish, but in this version, they're fishing for pairs that add up to 10. Have them ask: "I have a 2. Do you have an 8 to make 10?" Change aces to 1 for this game and leave face cards out entirely.

Learn more: Go Fish/The First Grade Roundup

7. Calculate the gain or loss

Each player starts with 15 points. Player one flips a card (remove face cards or assign them point values first). If the card is black, they add it to their total. If it's red, they subtract it. Highest point total when all the cards are gone wins! Get a free printable worksheet to use with this game at the link.

Learn more: Teacherspayteachers.com

8. Practice counting on with cards

Remove the face cards for this one, and grab a die. Players flip a card and roll the die. Starting with the number on the card, they "count on" using the number on the die. For instance, if the player flips a 7 and rolls a 4, they would say, "7 ... 8, 9, 10, 11." If they get it correct, they keep the card.

Learn more: Creative Family Fun

9. Card turnover and multiply (or add)

This one is so simple! Have students pair up. One person flips two cards from the deck. The first student to multiply (or add, depending on what you want to practice) them correctly and call out the answer wins and takes both cards. Play continues until all the cards are gone, and the winner is the one with the most cards.

Learn more: Turnover/Top Notch Teaching

10. Try for a total of 10

Play this math card game alone or as a team. Lay out 20 cards on the table (leave out face cards or change them to equal 0, while aces equal 1). Kids remove sets of cards that add up to 10, ultimately trying to remove all the cards from the table. It's harder than you think!

Learn more: Total of 10/The First Grade Roundup

11. Practice number sequencing with Builder's Paradise

Simple math card games can help kids learn how to put numbers in order. To play Builder's Paradise, discard the face cards and lay out the four sevens in a deck side by side. In each round, players work to add the next higher or lower number in each suit, trying to be the first to get rid of all their cards. Get the full how-to at the link below.

Learn more: Builder's Paradise/Math Geek Mama

12. Add decimals to "make a buck"

Draw, swap, and discard to make a hand that equals $1. Learn what face cards equal and get all the rules at the link.

Learn more: Make a Buck/Math Geek Mama

13. Declare a fraction war

War is one of the original math card games, but this version adds a fraction aspect. Students deal two cards-a numerator and denominator-then determine whose fraction is the largest. The winner keeps all four cards, and play continues until the cards are gone. ( Click here for more fun and free fraction games.)

Learn more: Math File Folder Games

14. Learn numbers with card bingo

Remove the face cards and have each student lay out a 4 x 4 playing "board" of cards. The remaining cards (or another deck) are placed face down, and a caller flips over a card. Any player who has that number on their board turns the card face down. Play continues until one player has a row flipped over horizontally, vertically, or diagonally and calls "Bingo!"

Learn more: Card Bingo/Top Notch Teaching

15. Play a game of "I Spy"

Lay out cards on the table, then take turns giving clues. "I spy two cards that add up to 12." Differentiate for younger kids with options like, "I spy a card that's less than 4," or for older ones: "I spy two cards that are factors of 12."

Learn more: Susan Jones Teaching

16. Use order of operations to get to 24

Math card games aren't just for little kids-even adults will find this one a bit tricky. Each player is dealt four cards, then uses the order-of-operations rules to try to make a number as close to 24 as possible. Simple but challenging!

Learn more: Learn With Math Games

17. Take a gamble with triple-digit dare

Each player gets three cards and privately determines the highest three-digit number they can make (you can use decimals or not, depending on age). Then, each player has a turn to stick with the cards they have, swap with one from the deck, or steal one of the other player's. All players then lay down their best number to see who wins. See more at the link below.

Learn more: Math Coach's Corner

18. Deal and round to tens to win

Each player deals two cards and lays them on the board. Then, round to the nearest 10 to find the winner of that hand.

Learn more: Adventures in Third Grade

19. Find a way to make 10

One of the terrific things about math card games is that many of them can be customized for various concepts and skill levels. The original goal of this game was to look at the cards you're dealt to find ones that add up to 10, but it can be changed to 15, 20, or any number you choose. You can also add to the difficulty by allowing addition and subtraction (for example, you could use 8 + 4 = 12 and 12 - 2 = 10). Get the rules and free printable mats at the link below.

Learn more: Mama.Papa.Bubba

20. Use Close Call to practice two-digit addition or subtraction

The best math card games are simple at heart. To play Close Call, each player deals themselves four cards, then determines how to arrange them so they make two two-digit numbers that add up as close as possible to 100 without going over. For a subtraction version, work to get as close to zero as possible. Learn how to play at the link.

Learn more: Close Call/Math Geek Mama

21. Let card color indicate negative or positive

In this game, red cards are negative integers, while black cards are positive. Students attempt to play pairs of cards that total 6 or -6. You can change the goal number as needed.

Learn more: Filling the Frame With Learning

22. Take a trip around the card spiral to practice math facts

You'll need a pair of dice for this math card game. Lay out cards randomly in a spiral formation as shown, and set a marker for each player on the center card. Player one rolls the dice then moves their piece that number of spaces shown. They then must multiply (or add or subtract, depending on preferences) the card number by the number on the dice. If they get the answer correct, they stay where they are. If not, they return to their original card. Play continues until one player reaches the end.

Learn more: My Baba

23. Flip to make a prime number

Flip two cards. If you can add, subtract, or multiply them to make a prime number (use one or all of these operations), you get to keep them.

Learn more: Flip for Prime/Games4Learning

24. Be the fastest in the race to pi

In this game, kids work to lay out the digits of pi in order. It's a simple draw-and-play game that will help familiarize students with this important number. You can write out the digits first or see who knows them from memory. Find out how to play at the link below.

Learn more: Race to Pi/Math Geek Mama

25. Pick three to make number sentences

Flip any three cards. If you can use them to form a valid equation (8 - 3 = 5), you keep the cards!

Learn more: Number Sentences/Games 4 Learning

26. Do some basic fast facts practice

Give your flash cards a rest and practice facts with math card games instead. Simply lay down two cards from the deck (remove the face cards first) and add, subtract, or multiply them. Kids can work on this alone, or you can make it a contest to see who can call out the correct answer first.

Learn more: Fast Facts/Top Notch Teaching

27. Challenge them to beat the teacher

Practice place value by drawing cards and trying to build the largest number possible. Kids play against the teacher to see who wins! Get the rules at the link below. ( Find more fun place value activities here.)

Learn more: The Teaching Love Fest/TpT

28. Read minds to figure out the correct numbers

Two students draw a card from the deck without looking and hold it up to their forehead facing out. A third student mentally multiplies the numbers and gives them the product. The students then must figure out what number each is holding. You can do this with addition and subtraction too. You'll find this game along with dozens of other math card games in the free printable book at the link below.

Learn more: Acing Math (PDF)

Plus, sign up for our free newsletters and get all the latest teaching ideas, straight to your inbox!

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All you need is a deck of cards to play these clever math card games. Kids will learn all sorts of important math skills and have fun too!

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For a wide selection of online reading resources, students may use the Santa Clara County Library system.
For SCCL, username = S + Student Perm ID + CUSD (for example, S123456CUSD)  Password is Birth month + 00 (for example, May = 0500).

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OverDrive's Kids eReading Room allows you to browse our downloadable titles for kids in one location. About Privacy & Terms Privacy...

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If students already have a login, they can access through Clever. Parents, however, can set up a parent account for free for the summer and access math materials. Below is the the parent link for the Zearn Math Parent/Caregiver Pack.

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Looking for our Parent Pack in a different language?
View the parent pack in Spanish
Thanks to donations, our entire K-5 math curriculum - including over 400 hours of digital lessons with on-screen teachers - is available for free during this time. Kids, teachers, parents, and caregivers can directly access all of our top-rated content 24/7, outside of school, including paper-based materials that can be used without a device.

Below are resources to support parents/caregivers with helping their student use Zearn Math at home.

Parent/Caregiver Webinars

In this 30-minute session, we walk through each step to getting you and your student set up and working on Zearn. At the end of each session, we answer frequently asked questions. Access the recorded webinar on our Distance Learning Resource Center.

If your student already has a Zearn account that they use at school: Navigate to https://www.zearn.org/ and sign in with their username and password. Skip the rest of this section if your student already has an account and can sign in. They will work on the assignment set by their teacher.

For students that don't have existing Zearn accounts: We can get them set up in a few easy steps. Follow the instructions below, and remember, we'll be going through these live in our parent webinars if you have any questions or get stuck.
Creating your Adult Account

1. Go to https://about.zearn.org/ and click on "Get Started" at the top right of the page. Then select "Sign Up". On the next page, click on the circle labeled "I'm an Adult"

2. In the form on the next page, you'll enter your personal information. Make sure to enter an email address that you have access to, and that you write down your password. Your email address will be your username in later steps. After entering that information, click "Next"

3. On the next form, you'll click on the tab labeled "Other", enter your zip code, select "Homeschool" from the dropdown list of schools, and then click on the button labeled "One more thing". Once you read through these you'll move on by clicking on the button labeled "I accept"

Verifying your Adult Account

1. We'll send an email to the address you entered. You'll want to find this email and click on the blue button labeled "Verify your email" NOTE: You must complete this step to access your account. If you can't find this email please reach out to us at support@zearn.org

2. Once you click on the verify button, you'll be brought to the login page. Here you'll enter your username (this is your email address) and your password

Creating your Student's Account

1. After logging in, you'll click on "Roster" found on the top right side of the page. Then follow the on-screen instructions for adding a class, starting by clicking on the "Add Class" button. Name your class and select the grade that your student is in. If you have multiple students, don't worry, you can set them to different grades in a later step. Click "Create class" to continue.

2. Now that your class is created, you'll want to add your students by clicking on the "Add students" button. In the box shown on the screen, simply type in your student's first and last name. If you have multiple students, just put each one on their own line. On this page, you'll also want to take a note of your Class Code, shown in the circle on the left side of the screen. This 6-character Class Code will be used later

3. After entering your student information and clicking next, you'll have a chance to set up student usernames and passwords, as well as select different grade levels if you have multiple students. The most important thing is that a student's username and password is easy for them to remember. If the username you wanted is already taken, try adding a number to the end.

Setting your Student's Assignment

On the next page, you'll choose the lesson that your student starts on. Don't worry, we have a list of where students should start based on their grade below. Once you've reviewed the starting point, enter the grade, mission, and topic, and click "Finish"

Kindergarten: Set to the beginning of digital activities.

Grade 1: Use this time to strengthen place value understanding with an introductory mission to place value. Set students to Mission 2, Topic A.

Grade 2: Use this time to strengthen place value understanding with a more complex mission on place value. Set students to Mission 3, Topic A.

Grade 3: Use this to build foundational understanding of multiplication and division strategies. Set students to Mission 3, Topic A.

Grade 4: Use this to develop a more sophisticated understanding of multiplication and division strategies. Set students to Mission 3, Topic A.

Grade 5: Use this to develop a more sophisticated understanding of base ten operations. Set students to Mission 2 , Topic A.

Congratulations! Your student's account is set up. Now all they need to do is navigate to https://www.zearn.org/ and enter the username and password that you set up for them. The very first time they log in, they'll be prompted to enter the 6-character Class Code we wrote down in an earlier step, make sure to have it handy!

Now that your student can log in, it's important to take a few minutes to orient them to Zearn Math. We recommend watching the video below, and then logging in and doing the first lesson together. Make sure they have scrap paper and a pencil handy.

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Looking for our Parent Pack in a different language? View the parent pack in Spanish Thanks to donations, our entire K-5 math curriculum - including over 400 hours of digital lessons with on-screen teachers - is available for free during this time.

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Access through August 1st

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Online Curricula and Solutions | Imagine Learning

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Get back-to-school product help. imagine empower potential learning Solutions that inspire boundless possibilities: every day, every student Core Curriculum Explore Core Solutions Courseware Discover Courseware Products Supplemental and Intervention Find Supplemental Solutions Instructional School Services View Virtual School Services In a year, Imagine Learning serves: 15 million students 400,000+ teachers 38,000+ U.S.

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Access through September 6

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AldoAcademic Supervisor of Humanities New Jersey

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Solutions for every subject, student, & school: Newsela 2021

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Learn about how every piece of content or text set from Newsela is vetted and reviewed to ensure alignment with your specific state or local standards.

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Practice, Play, and Prepare for next year!

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Summer Break Educational Resources | Education.com

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A large collection of eBooks. Try to read for at least 15 minutes a day!

Free for 30 Days

Remote Student Access (if you signed-up through your teacher) is available through June 30, 2020

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Instantly access over 40,000 of the best books & videos for kids on Epic

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Check out games and activities to learn more about the solar system!

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NASA encourages you to visit NASA Kids' Club and use its games and activities to inspire the next generation.

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Lessons & Activities for all grades!

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From free curricula to all-inclusive kits, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology has a wide variety of lessons and activities to captivate learners of all grade levels. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology K-12 team engages educators around the nation to assist in content development that is user friendly, meets NGSS standards, and inspires students.

Educators can attest to the success of the lessons and activities in their classroom.
"All the BirdSleuth activities are easy to mix and match according to your needs. As an educator I really appreciate the flexibility" (5th-8th grade Informal Educator)
"Studying birds is an easy way to get kids to notice animals in nature when they are outside. My students have a better appreciation for bird habitats and the need for trees and seeds" (3rd grade classroom teacher of 20+ years)

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Lessons & Activities - K-12 Education NGSS Curricula and Kits

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From free curricula to all-inclusive kits, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology has a wide variety of lessons and activities to captivate learners of all grade levels. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology K-12 team engages educators around the nation to assist in content development that is user friendly, meets NGSS standards, and inspires students.

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California Academy of Sciences Lesson Plans

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California Academy of Sciences Lesson Plans

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Anoushka Takla's fourth graders seek to answer the question: "What happens to our trash over time?"

Erica Katz's fifth graders seek to answer the question: "Why does the moon look different on different days?"

¡Únete a nosotros mientras nos acercamos a los árboles en nuestros barrios y trepamos a un gigante de las secuoy

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Science lesson plans for elementary, middle, and high school classrooms teaching life, earth, and physical sciences: activities for kids and students!

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Check out this list of STEM challenges you can do from home!

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Anytime can be the right time to explore STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). Explore our favorite experiments, engineering challenges and demonstrations with these fun hands-on STEM activities! Materials are easy to find, most activities take an hour or less, and the STEM learning is limitless.

Try the annual Engineering Challenge from Science Buddies! Open to all students worldwide, a new challenge and prizes are announced every January. Explore the current challenge as well as ones from past years! Read more

Did you know that the seaweed you've seen in the ocean or even eaten as a snack is inspiring innovators to imagine new materials? Large brown algae, like kelp, contains polymers-long chains of molecules-that are more environmentally friendly than the ones in most plastics. These natural polymers (alginates) could eventually be used to create sustainable everyday objects. Try your hand at using a bit of chemistry to turn biodegradable polymers from algae into your own custom... Read more

Explore Our Science Videos

Make A Candy DNA Model!

Light-Tracking Robot: BlueBot Project #2

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Fun hands-on STEM activities (science, technology, engineering, and math) activities for kids of all ages.

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64 Easy Science Experiments for Kids to Do at Home

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64 Easy Science Experiments for Kids to Do at Home

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Searching for kid-friendly science experiments to do at home? Whether you're prepping for a fifth-grade science fair or want something fun to do with preschoolers, these cool science experiments for kids are super easy and a lot of fun for kids of all ages. Parents may end up learning a new thing or two, too!

Children are born scientists. They're always experimenting with something, whether they're throwing a plate of spaghetti on the wall, blowing bubbles in the bathwater, or stacking blocks into an intricate tower only to destroy it in one big swipe. Happily, you can do some pretty mind-blowing, hands-on science experiments at home using stuff you probably have lying around the house.

Want even more science experiments for kids like this? Check out our list of 25 Preschool Science Experiments, and more, in our Guide to Science Experiments for Kids, which is packed with fun STEM activities.

Popular KiwiCo, Green Kid Crafts, and Mel Chemistry subscription boxes send age-appropriate projects every month, so you never run out of science experiments you can do at home.

Coolest Science Experiments for Kids at Home

1. Make rock candy

Learn about the crystallization process by learning how to make rock candy in a glass.

2. Make a lava lamp

Make a lava lamp by pouring vegetable oil into water and then adding an Alka-Seltzer tablet to make the blob of oil move.

3. Make homemade slime

Borax plus glue equals homemade slime.

4. Frozen bubbles

Blow bubbles outside when temperatures dip to the single digits and watch them freeze.

5. Invisible Ink

Use lemon juice to make invisible ink that can only be seen when held up to a heat source.

6. Walking rainbows

Use food coloring and water to make a walking rainbow and explore how combining primary colors makes secondary colors.

7. Paper towel art/magic

This paper towel art magic trick, which also involves science for an added bonus. Permanent and washable markers make art and teach about solubility at the same time.
RELATED: 1000s of Boredom Busters for Kids
8. Pepper and soap experiment

Dish soap, pepper, a toothpick, and a little bit of water are all kids need to feel like science wizards. Watch a little drop of soap chase pepper away in the pepper and soap experiment.

9. Balloon carbon dioxide experiment

Create carbon dioxide and hang on while you use it to fill up a balloon.

10. Skittles science experiment

Learn about a phenomenon called water stratification, using Skittles as the subject matter. Perfect for after Halloween!

Fun Science Experiments Using Household Staples

11. Marshmallow catapult

Build a marshmallow catapult out of a plastic spoon, rubber bands, and Popsicle sticks.

12. Make a parachute for toys

Use a plastic bag and cup to build a parachute for a light toy.

13. Dye flowers with food coloring

Place white flowers in colored water and watch how they soak up the hues.

RELATED: 50 Magna-Tiles Games and Building Ideas for Kids

14. Baking soda lemon juice experiment

Create a colorful and fizzy reaction by adding a drop of food coloring and a little baking soda to a sliced lemon.

15. Make homemade butter

Make your own butter by shaking a jar of heavy cream.

16. Homemade ice cream in a bag

Make homemade ice cream in a bag: shake salt, ice, cream, and sugar vigorously until the consistency is right, then enjoy.

17. Do oil and water mix?

Plop oil into water to see that they really don't mix; try it with a variety of liquids to make a rainbow of stripes.

RELATED: 25 Exercise Games to Do with Kids Indoors

18. Egg in a bottle experiment

Force an egg to fit into a bottle by creating a suction using heat.

19. Floating eggs

Change how an egg floats or sinks in a glass by adding salt to the water.

20. Turn milk into plastic

Turn milk into a material that acts like plastic using white vinegar.

21. Thriving yeast experiment

Mix a batch of bread dough and separate it into several different bowls; place them in different places (outside, inside, in the dark, in the light) to see which environment yeast thrives in.

22. How does mold grow?

Grow mold on bread by putting slices in different environments (in a bag in the dark, in a bag in the sunlight, out in the open, in the refrigerator); see which one gets moldy first.

23. The taste-smell connection

Have your kids close their eyes and hold their noses and see if they can still identify foods by taste.

24. Make easy homemade cheese
RELATED: 75 Indoor Activities for Kids for Rainy Days
Dabble in some kitchen science while making this yummy ricotta cheese.

25. Make an eggshell disappear

Your egg will be so embarrassed when you leave it naked! Dissolve the shell right off an egg by simply placing it in a cup of vinegar.

26. Make a taste bud map

Map taste buds by dipping Q-tips into different flavors and placing them on different areas of your tongue.

27. Find the fatty food with a simple trick

Explore the fat content of different foods by wiping them on a brown paper bag; fatty foods leave behind a greasy spot, while fruits and vegetables leave no trace at all.

Slime, Putty, and Oobleck Science Experiments for Kids

28. Silly putty recipe

You will be squeaky clean after creating this satisfying non-sticky putty by simply combining cornstarch and dish soap.

29. Easy Oobleck recipe

Whip up some Oobleck, a fascinating non-Newtonian fluid that can act like a solid or a liquid depending on certain conditions.

30. Ivory soap in microwave

Microwave Ivory soap (or any soap that floats) to create a bizarre puffy soufflé.

Outdoor and Nature Science Experiments

31. Grow beans

Grow a bean in a clear cup to watch the roots grow down and the stem grow up.

32. Make a duck call/whistle from a straw

Craft a duck call by cutting the ends of a straw into a point, then blow.

33. Musical bottles

Set up a row of bottles with varying amounts of liquid and then blow across the openings to hear the different tones.

34. How to make a sundial

Make a sundial by placing a stick in a vertical position and a circle of rocks around it marking each hour.

35. Cut ice cubes like magic

Cut ice in half using a fishing wire-the pressure melts the ice faster than the air.

36. Make a rainbow

Make a rainbow by holding a glass of water up to the sunlight with a sheet of paper behind it to catch the colors.

37. Tornado in a bottle

Create a tornado in a bottle by taping two plastic bottles together neck to neck-one filled, the other empty-and swirling it quickly.

38. How to make a solar oven

S'more science, please! Harness the power of the sun and turn a pizza box into a solar oven and roast some delicious treats for the whole family.

Science Experiments for Kids that Fizz, Bubble, and Foam

39. Baking soda volcano science project

Mix baking soda, vinegar, and glitter for a sparkly volcano.

40. Diet Coke and Mentos

Mix Diet Coke and Mentos and stand back to watch the explosion. (Really! Stand back.)

41. Pop Rocks and soda

Drop Pop Rocks into a bottle of soda and then place a balloon onto the opening to watch it inflate.

42. What will shine a penny?

Discover how to keep your pennies shiny by experimenting with different cleaning solutions.

43. How to make elephant toothpaste

Make " elephant toothpaste" (a.k.a. an impressive large foam) out of soap, yeast, and hydrogen peroxide. For the holidays, turn it into " reindeer toothpaste."

44. Glitter germ experiment

This glitter does more than shine, it sparks a scientific experiment to see how far germs can spread.

45. Dancing popcorn experiment

Baking soda and vinegar react to make popcorn kernels hop around a jar of water.

46. Fizzy chalk fireworks with sidewalk chalk

This STEM activity adds some sizzle to your summertime sidewalk chalk using just a few basic ingredients: baking soda, cornstarch, food coloring, and vinegar.

Physics and Physical Science Experiments for Kids

47. Milk and food coloring experiment

Learn about surface tension by dropping food coloring into milk and watch as the colors move when you add some soap.

48. Rube Goldberg machine for kids

Make a Rube Goldberg machine featuring a series of moving pieces that affect one another: marbles, dominoes, books, and most any surface.

49. Balloon rocket car

Build a rocket balloon car using a Styrofoam tray, a balloon, and a straw; watch how air pressure moves it across the table.

50. Dominant eye / dominant hand

Looking for hands-on science experiments? Ask your kids to do simple tasks with their hands, feet, and eyes (like grab a ball, stand on one foot, or wink) to see which side is dominant.

51. Reaction time test

Test your reaction time by having a friend drop a ruler between two almost closed fingers. See how fast you can grab it.

52. Soap boats

Explore the scientific concept of density while taking a bath. Ivory soap boats do more than just float, they demonstrate density.

RELATED: 40 Snow Day Boredom Busters for Kids

53. Paper cup tower activity

Engineer a tall tower using red party cups and sheets of paper. How high can you go?

54. Best paper airplane design

Fold a paper airplane and then bend a corner to see how that changes its flight path.

55. Blind spots

Find your blind spot by moving a card with a speck on it until you can no longer see the spot.

56. Build a miniature windmill

Build a miniature windmill using a few simple objects. Watch it spin faster or slower based on the direction of the "blades."

57. Simple energy transfer experiment

Bounce a ball on top of another to watch how the energy transfers to the top ball and leaves the bottom one "dead."

58. Easy centripetal force experiment

Demonstrate centripetal force by spinning a bucket of water on a rope in a vertical circle.

More Easy Science Experiments for Kids

59. Egg drop project

Build a container for an egg that protects it from breaking and then test it out by dropping it from on high.

60. How to make a bouncy ball

Fashion your own bouncy balls with this recipe to see how various shapes bounce differently.

61. Balloon speakers

Use a balloon to amplify sound by holding it to your ear.

62. Shaving cream cloud experiment

Budding meteorologists can create shaving cream storm clouds and Technicolor raindrops.

63. Balloon static electricity

Make static electricity by rubbing balloons on clothing or shuffling on the carpet with socks, then zap someone with a quick touch.

64. Gummy bear science experiment

These gummies won't be so yummy in your tummy, but you can watch gummy bears grow by placing them in water, salt water, and vinegar.

65. Make a periscope

Build your own periscope using a milk container and carefully angled mirrors that allow you to see things above or behind you.

66. Fingerprint science experiment

Be a DIY spy with this fun fingerprint experiment. Collect fingerprints using one of these methods, and then dive a little deeper with a forensic study of fingerprint patterns.
This article may contain some affiliate links, which means we might earn a small commission if you make a purchase. There is no extra cost to the reader. We only recommend products and services that we have personally used or have thoroughly researched. This article was first published in 2014, but it has since been updated. Additional reporting and photos by Ally Noel except where noted.
67. Expanding ice experiment

Fill a plastic bottle to the brim with water and put it in the freezer; in a few hours, the bottle will crack because ice expands.

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67 Easy Science Experiments for Kids To Do at Home

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Searching for kid-friendly science experiments? These easy science experiments use household products, food, and other items you probably have on hand.

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Resources for social studies, science, and more learning from home.

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Activities for families using household supplies.
Daily Science activities (at 10:00 am) by California Science center

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Check out our catalog of activities from Spring 2020!

Each week focuses on a unique theme. Explore with us while you're Stuck at Home!

Welcome to Stuck at Home Science! When you're stuck at home, come here to continue your child's science learning with our easy to follow activities. This space is designed for families to explore, investigate and have fun learning together without leaving home. All activities use easy to find household supplies, and are appropriate for a variety of ages.

Daily Activities for June 8 - June 12

Ecosystems Gallery

Dive into our Ecosystems Gallery! From June 8th-12th discover how living things on our planet are interconnected. Explore coral, melting ice, and engineer a tool to help feed underwater critters!

¡Sumérgete en nuestro Ecosystems Gallery! Del 8 al 12 de junio descubre cómo los seres vivos de nuestro planeta están interconectados. ¡Explora coral, derrite hielo, y diseña una herramienta para ayudar a alimentar a los animales submarinos!

Daily Activities for June 1 - June 5

Creative World

Get creative as you design, build and test! Join us June 1st-5th as we explore the Creative World Gallery! Explore sound, use light to trick your eyes, and design a rover.

¡Sé creativo a medida que diseñas, construyes y pruebas! ¡Acompáñanos del 1 al 5 de junio mientras exploramos Creative World! Explora el sonido, usa la luz para engañar a tus ojos y diseña un rover.

Daily Activities for May 25 - 29

Air and Space Exhibits

Let your imagination and ingenuity soar! Join us on May 25th-29th as we give you a peek at some of the artifacts found in our Air and Space Exhibit. Discover how you push against gravity, explore the stars, and control a floating ketchup packet.

¡Deja que tu imaginación e ingenio se eleve! Acompáñenos del 25 al 29 de mayo mientras le damos un vistazo a algunos de los artefactos que se encuentran en nuestra exposición de Air and Space. Descubre cómo empujas contra la gravedad, explora las estrellas y controlas un paquete de kétchup flotante.

Daily Activities for May 18 - May 22

World of Life

Explore our World of Life exhibit themes! Join us May 18-22 and discover the connections between all life forms. From getting our hearts pumping to engineering ears, let's see how living things are alike. Let's explore the World of Life from the comfort of your own home!

¡Explora nuestros temas de exhibición de World of Life! Acompáñenos del 18 al 22 de mayo y descubra las conexiones entre todas las formas de vida. Desde conseguir que nuestros corazones bombeen, a construir orejas, veamos cómo los seres vivos son iguales. ¡Exploremos el mundo de la vida desde la comodidad de su propia casa!

Daily Activities for May 11 - May 15

Fantastic Physics
Física Fantástica

On your mark, get set, move! Join us this week as we discover the physics in energy to make things move, while you make snakes, ziplines and explore gravity with a former NASA astronaut.

¡En sus marcas, listos, muévete! ​Acompáñenos esta semana mientras descubrimos la física en energía para hacer que las cosas se muevan, mientras haga serpientes, tirolesa y explora gravedad con alguien que fue astronauta de NASA.

Daily Activities for May 4 - May 8

Chemical Connection
Conexión Química

Mix, fizzle, puff and ooze! Join us this week as we discover the chemistry in everyday items, while whipping up batches of puffy paint, oobleck and more.

¡Mezclar, burbujear, inflar y rezumar! Acompáñenos esta semana mientras descubrimos la química de los artículos cotidianos, mientras preparamos lotes de pintura inflamada, oobleck y más.

Daily Activities for April 27 - May 1

Biolo-Gee Whiz
Genio de Biología

Are you ready to explore the world of living things? Join us this week as we take a closer look at what organisms do to survive. Build a tool to look at the finer details of life, play games that will get your senses going, and experience the world around you in new ways. It's time to be a Biolo-gee Whiz!

¿Está listo para explorar el mundo de los seres vivos? Acompáñenos esta semana mientras observamos más de cerca lo que los organismos hacen para sobrevivir. Construya una herramienta para ver los detalles más finos de la vida, juegue juegos que harán que sus sentidos funcionen, y experimente el mundo que lo rodea de nuevas maneras. ¡Es hora de ser un Genio de Biología!

Daily Activities for April 20 - 24

Big Lab Scientist
Cientifico del Laboratorio Grande

Science happens everywhere! Join us this week as we take you through our Big Lab at the California Science Center and help you explore fun ways to learn how science is happening in your own home. Not all science labs are the same, but what matters is what scientists do inside the labs!

¡La ciencia sucede en todas partes! Acompáñenos esta semana mientras lo llevamos por nuestro Laboratorio Grande en el California Science Center y lo ayudamos a explorar formas divertidas de aprender cómo está sucediendo la ciencia en su propio hogar. No todos los laboratorios de ciencia son igual, ¡pero lo que importa es lo que hacen los científicos dentro de los laboratorios!

Daily Activities for April 13 - 17

Know your problem, gather your materials, and let's "BUILD IT"! Join us this week as we venture into different problems where you can be the engineer that designs, builds, and tests solutions! Get creative in the Engineering Design Process as you build your own traps, cars, toys, and more to share with family and friends.

¡Conozca su problema, reúna sus materiales y "CONSTRÚYELO"! ¡Acompáñenos esta semana, mientras aventuramos en diferentes problemas en los que usted puede ser el ingeniero que diseña, construye y prueba soluciones! Sea creativo en el Proceso de Diseño de Ingeniería a medida que construya sus propias trampas, autos, juguetes y más para compartir con familiares y amigos.

Daily Activities for April 6 - 10

Ooze-rageous
El Ataque del Ooze

Join us as we create sticky mucus, noisy flatulence, bird droppings, and more! Each day this week, we will feature a new Stuck at Home Science activity focused on gross science.

¡Acompáñenos mientras creamos mucosidad pegajosa, flatulencia ruidosa, excremento de pájaro y más! Cada día de esta semana, presentaremos una nueva actividad de Stuck at Home Science enfocada en la ciencia asquerosa.

Daily Activities for March 30 - April 3

All Cooked Up!
¡Todo Cocinado!

Join us in the kitchen to whip up perfect pancakes, homemade ice cream, candy, and more! Each day this week, we will feature a new Stuck at Home Science activity focused on culinary science.

¡Acompáñenos en la cocina para preparar panqueques perfectos, helados hechos en casa, dulces y más! Cada día de esta semana, presentaremos una nueva actividad de Stuck at Home Science centrada en la ciencia culinaria.

Daily Activities for March 23-27

3, 2, 1, Blast Off!
¡3, 2, 1, Despega!

Join us as we explore rockets, projectiles, gliders and more! Each day this week, we will feature a new Stuck at Home Science activity focused on flight and/or rocketry.

¡Acompáñenos mientras exploramos cohetes, proyectiles, planeadores y más! Cada día de esta semana, presentaremos una nueva actividad de Stuck at Home Science enfocada en vuelo y / o cohetes.

Continue exploring with Stuck at Home Science

More Individual Activity Guides

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Each week focuses on a unique theme. Explore with us while you're Stuck at Home! Welcome to Stuck at Home Science! When you're stuck at home, come here to continue your child's science learning with our easy to follow activities. This space is designed for families to explore, investigate and have fun learning together without leaving home.

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Open-and-go lessons that inspire kids to love science.

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Mystery Science offers open-and-go lessons that inspire kids to love science. The hook, visuals, and activity have all been prepared for you. Less prep, more learning.

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Online Science Videos and Lessons For K-5. Try it free.

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Video lessons made in partnership with the National Science Teachers Association that engage, educate & inspire kids in science. Generation Genius videos are 12-minutes long and include lesson plans, teacher guides, DIY activities and stopping points for class discussion.

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Make sense of timely topics and find general science support for your virtual classroom or learning together at home.

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Teaching kids at home with the Question Formulation Technique

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News
The QFT is easy to use, fun, and adaptable. You can use it for any subject and with kids of any age. It gives kids a serious brain workout without the traditional teacher-student dynamic-making it a tool all parents should have in their homeschooling toolkit.
How do you keep your child's learning on track when school is closed for weeks and you're not a professional educator?

It's a question parents and guardians around the country have been asking as communities respond to the COVID-19 virus with school shutdowns.

One activity worth trying is the Question Formulation Technique, known in education circles as the QFT. Created by the Right Question Institute, the QFT gives kids the opportunity to steer their own learning. It relies on kids' curiosity and their own questions, which can make it a fun activity for parents, too.

The QFT is easy to use and adaptable. You can use it for any subject matter and with kids of all ages. You don't need specific knowledge at your fingertips to use the QFT and create a joyful and meaningful learning experience for kids.

A book about the QFT, Make Just One Change: Teach Students to Ask Their Own Questions, is one of Harvard Education Press' all-time top sellers. The technique used in schools to achieve a wide range of learning goals, but at home it can be a fun family activity for everyone. It's something the family can do together as a break from screen time or as a project that uses online resources.

What is the Question Formulation Technique?

So, what is the QFT?

It's a process through which kids (or adults) ask as many questions as they can, improve their questions, prioritize them, strategize on how to use them, and reflect on what they've learned.

The novel idea in using the QFT is that we, as teacher or parent, simply present a focus for the child to start asking questions about. Traditionally, it's the teacher who asks questions in an effort to stimulate children's thinking. With the QFT, children stimulate their own thinking with their own questions. It's a simple change, but a profoundly important one. Something magical happens when, instead of following our questions, children get to ask their own.

Through this process, kids are able to flex their curiosity muscles, thinking broadly and widely about a topic and generating productive questions about it-sometimes profound or original questions that teachers have never thought of.

Then, kids are invited to focus. They work to make their questions better, and they eventually use those questions for further learning activities. In a school setting, questions often serve as the basis for age-appropriate research projects, essays, or scientific investigations. Children are also given the chance to think about what they've learned and how they learned it, which builds good study skills.

In the hands of an experienced teacher, the QFT can support a wide range of nuanced learning goals. For parents and guardians new to homeschooling, it can be a way to get a lot of learning mileage from one simple activity.

Get started with the QFT: videos and guides

The best way to get started is to watch one of the instructional videos at the Right Question Institute's website. Each video is about nine to 12 minutes long:

Next, create and collect the things you'll need:

QFT worksheet: Download the "QFT Outline - Student Worksheet." Print it up, use it as your guide, and use it to write down questions. (The Right Question Institute is a nonprofit organization, and resources on its website are free.)

A Question Focus: This is a prompt that gets kids asking questions. It's often a cool scientific phenomenon or image. Titles of books or videos often make quick and easy Question Focus material. There's only one rule: The Question Focus can't be a question.

A next step: Think about what age-appropriate activity you want your kids to do with their questions. For instance, they could use them to do an online research project, go on a nature hunt, or draw a picture.

Don't feel the need to go overboard. Keep it simple. Find an interesting image or YouTube video and use it as a Question Focus. The more you use the QFT, the more ideas you'll develop about how to get the most out of it.

Tips for parents

The situation in every household is different. Some caregivers are interested in creating a structured homeschooling experience. For others, it's important to maintain normal and relaxed family relationships.

Here are some tips for parents who want to keep things more relaxed:
About the author: Chris Orchard is senior communications associate at the Right Question Institute. Email him at chris.orchard@rightquestion.org.

Have fun

Parents can be facilitators but also participants

Kids can also come up with a Question Focus

Sibling dynamics may matter, but stick to the rules for asking questions

Older kids could eventually work on their own

If parents are too busy to explore the questions after doing the QFT, the children could become the teacher and search for different answers.

If you want to take the QFT to the next level, visit the Right Question Institute's educational resources page to find additional guides and ideas.

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Teaching kids at home with the Question Formulation Technique - Right Question Institute

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The QFT is easy to use, fun, and adaptable. You can use it for any subject and with kids of any age. It gives kids a serious brain workout without the traditional teacher-student dynamic-making it a tool all parents should have in their homeschooling toolkit.

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Emphasizing the latest STEM thinking and the Next Generation Science Standards, ScienceFlix® is transforming the way students access science topics, acquire scientific knowledge, and build an abiding interest in science, technology, and engineering.
You can request a Free Trial!

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AT A GLANCE

WHAT

Science, Technology, Engineering, Math

FOR

600 - 1200 Lexile Level Readers

HOW

Web-based, unlimited access, unlimited users

TERMS

One-year subscription

PRICING

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Offering more than 70 complete units of study with over 20,000 science-related assets in a variety of media, ScienceFlix® provides students with a better understanding of science concepts and ideas through hands-on projects, videos, multiple text types, interactive features and more.

ScienceFlix helps students:

Practice hands-on scientific study

Develop inquiry-based learning skills

Build STEM content knowledge

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Discover our highly engaging, NGSS-aligned science resource that teaches students STEM concepts and ideas through hands-on projects, videos, and more!

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Explore Earth and Space!

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What are the animals doing in THEIR homes?

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The Monterey Bay Aquarium Sea Otter Program has played an important role in the continued recovery of the southern sea otter population with our research, rescue, rehabilitation, and surrogacy work.

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With ten live cams to choose from, you can experience the wonder of the ocean no matter where you are. Be delighted by the antics of our sea otters or mellow out to the hypnotic drifting of our jellies. Tune in to one of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's web cams.

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Visit the Penguins and Coral Reef at the Cal Academy	

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Visit the Penguins and Coral Reef at the Cal Academy	

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While we can't visit the California Academy of Science at the moment, you can still see how the penguins are doing via three cameras in their enclosure. Then, head over the live Philippine Coral Reef camera to see all the unique creatures that make up that exhibit. You can also check out all the Academy's fascinating specimens here (see Research Specimens on the right-hand side).

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There is never a dull moment in the penguin exhibit. Watch for these commonly seen behaviors and processes that offer a window into penguin biology and their complex social interactions.
Preening
In order to stay warm, a penguin must constantly work to keep their feathers clean, well-oiled, and waterproof. This behavior is called preening, and can be done while swimming or on land. Penguins have an oil gland at the base of their tail, and nip at it to transfer the oil to their beak, so they can apply it to the rest of their body.
Head-Shaking and Bowing
These behaviors begin during courtship when a new couple is getting to know one another. Throughout their relationships, which can last a lifetime, partners will continue to bow and shake their heads at one another to reinforce their bond.
Slender Walk Display
When moving through the territory of other birds, African Penguins adopt a slender posture in which the body is stretched vertically, and the neck is elongated and the head held high. By moving in this manner, the penguin signals to other birds that it is not a threat and need not be pecked. You can watch our penguins exhibiting this behavior when walking on land and approaching a nest box.
Ecstatic Display
The most common and loudest behavior of the African Penguin is the ecstatic display, seen and heard every day in the exhibit. Standing with its feet apart, a penguin slowly raises its head, pointing the beak upwards. Wings lifted outward, the chest heaves with an inhale of air, followed by a loud braying sound. This display is most frequently seen and heard when a penguin has wandered into another's territory. It communicates territory ownership, identifies the penguin (each bird's bray is unique) and often draws the mate back to their territory.
Molting
Penguin feathers are highly adapted to provide insulation, but they wear down over time and need to be replaced. About once a year, each bird goes through a molting process which takes weeks to complete. New feathers are manufactured beneath the skin and essentially push the old feathers out as they grow in, causing the birds to appear quite disheveled. In the weeks leading up to molting, a penguin will eat more than usual to bulk up for an extended period of time out of the water. In our exhibit, biologists feed molting birds on land, but in the wild, this would be a time period without food.

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There is never a dull moment in the penguin exhibit. Watch for these commonly seen behaviors and processes that offer a window into penguin biology and their complex social interactions. Preening In order to stay warm, a penguin must constantly work to keep their feathers clean, well-oiled, and waterproof.

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Visit Crissy Field  via these two webcams offered by the Parks.Conservancy. Insider tip: if it shows "Controls Available" you can take control of the camera and zoom in on points in the distance like the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz.

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Take a look at the Golden Gate Bridge and Crissy Field through our webcam.

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Even though you might not be able to make it to the beach for a while, you can still see the crashing waves in Santa Cruz via this Santa Cruz Harbor webcam. See the fishing boats come into the harbor, watch the kayakers and see if you can spot any sea birds.

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This webcam will give you a live look at the PIER 39 sea lions and Alcatraz Island. Learn all about these amazing creatures and why they came to live at PIER 39 after the 1989 earthquake

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The Sea Lion Story & Live webcam

A few California sea lions began "hauling out" on PIER 39's K-Dock shortly after the Loma Prieta earthquake hit San Francisco in October 1989. By January 1990, the boisterous barking pinnipeds started to arrive in droves and completely took over K-Dock, much to the exasperation of PIER 39's Marina tenants.

The Marina Staff turned to The Marine Mammal Center, an organization devoted to the rescue and rehabilitation of marine mammals, for advice about their new slippery tenants. After much debate and research, the experts from The Marine Mammal Center recommended that the sea lions stay in their newfound home.

With a plentiful supply of food from the Bay and an environment protected from predators, the PIER 39 Marina proved to be an ideal living situation for the sea lions. Within a few short months, the number of sea lions grew to more than 300 and hit an all-time record of 1,701 in November 2009.

While the number of sea lions at K-Dock rise and fall with the seasons, available food supply and natural migration patterns, the world famous sea lions always have a home at PIER 39.

LIVE Sea Lion Webcam
To view the Sea Lion LIVE webcam, press the "GO LIVE" button. From there, you can press "Control" to choose a position, snap a screenshot, pause it or enter a full-screen mode. Please contact HD Relay for any technical issues related to the camera presentation at help@hdrelay.com.

Fun Facts About Sea Lions

Sea lions in the wild may live up to 25 years.

Sea lions migrate to areas across the Paciﬁc Coast, from Vancouver to the southern tip of Baja. Most pups are born on the Channel Islands, located off Southern California, in June.

California sea lions are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. It is unlawful for unauthorized persons to feed, handle or harass them.

One of the biggest dangers to sea lions today is becoming entangled in plastic pollution.

Want to learn more about the Sea Lions?

Visit The Marine Mammal Center's Sea Lion Spot, the hub for all things sea lion at PIER 39. The Sea Lion Spot is located behind the sea lion viewing area (K-Dock), on the second floor. Read all about it here.

The temporary Sea Lion Spot will remain open through October 16, 2023, when it will close for a major renovation. The permanent exhibit will open in spring 2024.

Conservation experts from The Marine Mammal Center are also at K-Dock, adjacent to the sea lions, to answer your questions and share information about the California sea lions. These experts will remain at K-Dock throughout winter and beyond.

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California Sea Lions at PIER 39 - PIER 39

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A few California sea lions began "hauling out" on PIER 39's K-Dock in October 1989. By January 1990, they started to arrive in droves and completely took over K-Dock. Learn the history of PIER 39's sea lions.

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Innovation-igniting, live online classes + free resources for pre-K – 8th graders

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Camp Galieo Anywhere: Online Innovation-Sparking Classes. Single or Weekly

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Our engaging online experiences bring pre-K - 8th graders together to create, celebrate, socialize and ignite their inner innovator. Led by enthusiastic instructors who know how to make every moment magical, kids get immersed in projects and activities so inspiring and fun, they almost forget they're virtual.

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A great way to get some exercise inside!

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Choose an active activity and try it!

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Activities designed to get kids moving and having fun. Each activity helps children develop fundamental movement skills, essential for physical literacy.

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A calming app helps to center kids.

(NOTE: Parent Permission Required)

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Access free guided mindfulness sessions, and subscribe to unlock all Mind Yeti content.

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A mindfulness site that helps to center and calm your thoughts.  This site is great for kids and adults alike.

For a free account, visit the Santa Clara County Library: https://sccld.org/new-headspace-account/

(NOTE: Parent Permission Required)

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Unlock hundreds of mood-boosting meditations, relaxing sleep exercises, focus music, and more with our biggest offer of the year.

It's the healthiest, happiest deal you'll find this Black Friday, and it won't last long.

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Meditation and Sleep Made Simple - Headspace

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Live a healthier, happier, more well-rested life in just a few minutes a day with the Headspace app.

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A menu of Social Emotional building activities to build empathy and resilience.

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SEL Home Activities Elementary and Middle (updated 5.4.20)

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Paint rocks and leave them around the neighborhood to brighten someone's day!

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OUR GOAL IS SIMPLE...TO PROMOTE RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS TO UNSUSPECTING RECIPIENTS BY PAINTING AND SHARING INSPIRATIONAL ROCKS HERE'S HOW:

STEP #1 YOU WILL NEED SOME ROCKS!

Flat smooth river rocks work best. I find mine along the shores of Cape Cod, however if you live in the city, check out your local craft store or garden center as they typically sell smooth river stones. The 3″ to 6″ size work best! You can also purchase stones for larger events here. Try creating your own with silicone molds and cement click here to learn how!

STEP #2 PREPARE THE ROCKS BY PAINTING THEM WITH NON-TOXIC PAINT

This will prepare the rock surface for your artwork/writing and seal the rock so your paint pens will last longer. We like the Apple Barrel Multi-Surface Paint and usually use foam brushes like these. Or purchase our all inclusive PAINT KIT for just $20...it contains all of the supplies needed-just add rocks and creativity.

STEP #3 USE PAINT PENS TO CREATE YOUR ARTWORK

They work best... and are easy to work with, and last a long time. We suggest our Branded Paint Pens however Sharpie Paint Pens, Prismacolor Premiere, and Posca are good bets as well.
BE SURE TO ADD...#THEKINDNESSROCKSPROJECT to the back of each rock you drop so others can join us and share their pictures when they find one, that way you can follow the journey of your rock...

STEP #4 FINALLY top COAT your art with a NON-TOXIC CLEAR SEALANT

This will protect the artwork from the elements and the paint from altering the environment... brush on clear sealant like the one provided in our PAINT KIT
In a hurry? Try spraying light coats of Mod Podge outdoor spray or Krylon clear acrylic spray. This will typically dry in 10 minutes or less.
*When sharing your rocks or installing an Inspiration Garden, be sure to acquire permission. It is our goal to promote respect and consideration for others while spreading kindness. It is frowned upon to drop anything in our National forests and National Parks, where they have a LNT (Leave No Trace) policy for visitors. Please visit our LNT Page for further information on respecting our environment. NEVER EVER LEAVE MARKERS OR PAINT FOR OTHERS TO ADD INSPIRATION, AS YOU CANNOT BE SURE THAT PEOPLE WILL BE RESPECTFUL TO THE ENVIRONMENT!
Not Crafty ?

Check out our Random Art of Kindness Cards

Where do I find interesting, inspiring quotes to use?
"One moment can change a day, one day can change a life and one life can change the world, Buddah" This was dropped to let you know that You matter!
We search Pinterest, Instagram or Brainy Quote for super cool inspiring quotes but often we create our own sentiments that come from straight from our heart!
Hey, Psst... just wanted to let you know how awesome you are You got this! Smile and the world smiles back at you In the end, what will matter most?
...some of our favorites are

Your Legacy is every life you've touched

Wish to start your own social media page?

No problem, that is great too, Its fun to connect LOCALLY with your COMMUNITY and many groups have popped up adding their own twist to the project, such as community scavenger hunts, hide and seek rock games as well as in memorium of lost loved ones. Simply be sure to add your group to our REGISTRATION so that others in your area can find you, and in your "about us" section on your page be sure to note that you are part of our project! Finally, be sure to email us your information and photos so we can feature your kind work as this is a project of MANY KIND SOULS!

PLANNING A GROUP ROCK PAINTING EVENT?

What's better than creating kindness rocks for others...getting together with people in your Community to create KINDNESS together! Many people have reached out to us asking for tips on HOW TO create a large rock painting event. First secure a location whether it be at a local Restaurant, a School, a Park or a Community Center. Often these businesses welcome the great PR they receive for hosting these events.

Next you may want to reach out to a local garden center to contribute to your rock event... be sure to include them on your social media posts and posters as a "thank you" for their community support!

Next, make sure you have plenty of paint pens on hand for the expected number of participants, and you may want to have some samples of inspiration scattered on the tables.

Finally you will want an outside area to spray the rocks with a light top coat of clear acrylic sealant. This will prevent the rocks from running in the rain or fading in the sun as well as protect the environment from the paint.

You then must decide whether you will use the kindness rocks from the event to "plant" a community inspiration garden or if the participants will take home their kindness rocks and distribute them in their neighborhood.

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OUR GOAL IS SIMPLE...TO PROMOTE RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS TO UNSUSPECTING RECIPIENTS BY PAINTING AND SHARING INSPIRATIONAL ROCKS HERE'S HOW: Flat smooth river rocks work best. I find mine along the shores of Cape Cod, however if you live in the city, check out your local craft store or garden center as they typically sell smooth river stones.

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Perfect for people who like step by step drawing instructions.

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ART PROJECTS FOR KIDS CREATOR, KATHY BARBRO

Prep Your Art Lesson Plans, Effortlessly

The Art Projects for Kids step-by-step method of elementary art instruction breaks the often anxiety-inducing subject of art down into a simple, fun process (for students AND teachers) that boosts your students' confidence and allows them to create with joy.

Each of your kids can set their own pace to create artwork they can be proud of. And you can feel empowered to instill your kids with the delight of creativity (even if you tend to be a left-brained, "in the box" thinker yourself).

But after 20 years in the classroom as an art teacher, I also know what it's like to give up every Sunday afternoon (and most evenings) to plan the week's lessons. You shouldn't have to give up all your free time to bring your students meaningful art instruction. That's why at Art Projects for Kids, you'll find a variety of easy, step-by-step lessons your kids will love all in one place. The result is an instant extra 90 minutes minutes back in your weekend - just by signing up for our emails (and it's free!).

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Art Projects for Kids Stop searching. Get no-prep, step-by-step elementary art lessons delivered daily (it's free)! STOP THE SUNDAY SEARCH I WANT Drawing for Kids I WANT Crafts for Kids I WANT Painting for Kids I WANT Coloring for Kids Stop the Sunday Search For teachers who are tired of having their Sundays swallowed up...

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Do it Yourself Air Dry Clay Instructions 

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Do it Yourself Air Dry Clay Instructions 

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You know the ingredients your kiddos like to stockpile for making slime? Use this simple DIY recipe to learn how to make air dry clay with everyday, household ingredients. This DIY clay is silky smooth and pure white; a super sensory activity no matter what you choose to make with it!

Air dry clay ingredients....

Grab some white glue. We buy Elmer's glue by the gallon because it so much cheaper than picking up the little bottles at the store. Head to the pantry and grab cornstarch and white vinegar. Lastly you'll need a bit body lotion and baby oil.

What a weird combination, right?

These air dry clay ingredients may sound a little odd and a lot sticky. But in the right proportions instead of slime you get a super smooth white clay that will air dry perfectly, no heating required at any step. And best of all is the fact that all of those ingredients common.

This DIY clay is a perfect replacement for the more expensive store bought air dry clay or polymer clay like Sculpey.

Updated to add this DIY clay will not be the same consistency of polymer clay. While it can be a substitute for polymer clay in some applications it is not meant to be a replica of polymer clay. This DIY clay is super soft. It is perfect for lots of arts and crafts projects and an amazing sensory experience just to follow the recipe and make your own clay!

How to make air dry clay, the easy way....

Mix all air dry clay ingredients together in a large mixing bowl till smooth. Chances are your DIY clay will still be sticky mess at this point. Do not panic- this is normal and it will get better!

Start with the ingredient amounts listed below and slowly add bits more cornstarch until the mixture can hold no more. Add just a little at a time. Soon the air dry clay will go from being sticky to smooth, stretchy, and super soft. You'll know you have added enough cornstarch when it becomes difficult to mix more in.

There's quite a bit of wiggle room for getting this mixture "just right" so don't hesitate to let your kiddos get in there and do the dirty work of mixing and measuring!

Prepare your counter....

Prepare a clean counter with extra cornstarch spread out much like you are rolling out a pie crust. Splash a little cornstarch on your hands as well. Turn clay out onto counter and knead it like dough. If it's still sticky- again with the cornstarch.

Add tiny bits of cornstarch at a time and the air dry clay recipe will absorb it. Try to stop adding cornstarch before the clay starts to feel dry and stiff. We have revived air dry clay that got a bit too dry with a tiny splash of additional baby oil.

This process totally reminds me of making a pie. Not that I make many pies of my own but I have great memories of my mom and grandma making them. The great thing about letting your kids take part in this mixing of the homemade clay recipe is that this isn't rocket science.

It doesn't have to be perfect for it to be super fun, a great memory, and a totally usable ball of homemade air dry clay to craft with!

Ready to use air dry clay....

At this point your DIY clay is ready to use. Mold it, make , let it dry- it's really that simple. The drying time will depend on the thickness of the finished clay product. Projects that are super thick will take longer to dry while thinner projects made with this air dry clay recipe should be dry in a day or so.

I've used many DIY clay recipes that looked awesome when they were wet but when they dried they left behind a cracked mess and tear stained cheeks of a little artist. Art that ends in tears is not my favorite. We have made this air dry clay recipe over and over and have never had a cracked project. I'm not saying that it can't happen but it's more than likely you'll end up with a great finished project. That's as much as you can ask for in the world of kid's art!

Preparing your air dry clay ahead of time...

If you're not ready to use your air dry clay quite yet or you have leftovers you can wrap it up and save it for later. Spread a layer of cling wrap with a squirt or two of lotion and wrap tightly around your DIY clay. This keeps the air dry clay from sticking to the wrap; not necessary but definitely helpful. Put in the fridge and store for up to a week.

Now that you know how to make air dry clay the possibilities are endless.

Air dry clay texture pendants....

These are such a fun, simple activity that results in the sweetest little necklace pendants. This is a great project when you're looking for a gift or finished product that really "pops" but isn't a cookie cutter craft! If you're working with a larger group these also take very little clay and very little storage room while they dry!

Leaf bowls from DIY clay....

These leaf bowls are another great example of how to use this DIY clay. These are so pretty and colorful. Nature provides the shape and details of these bowls. We finished ours with watercolor and oil pastel but there are lots of possibilities! These are a great project for any age or skill level. I can see these being really successful in class with kids or adults that may have special needs and need accommodations.

Colored air dry clay....

Another fun possibility is to learn how to make colored air dry clay! Add one additional ingredient and making air dry clay turns into a color mixing experiment. The finished product won't even need to be painted, the color is already there!

Every single share help me to bring you more free printables and fun projects like this DIY clay!

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Air Dry Clay- An Easy DIY Clay Recipe - The Kitchen Table Classroom

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You know the ingredients your kiddos like to stockpile for making slime? Use this simple DIY recipe to learn how to make air dry clay with everyday, household ingredients. This DIY clay is silky smooth and pure white; a super sensory activity no matter what you choose to make with it!

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Participate in The Institute of Contemporary Art's Quilt Project!

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Download printer-friendly PDF This activity is adaptable for beginners to experts. Please note that this project involves using scissors to cut fabric and/or paper. Great for individuals, groups, and families to work on together at home!

Inspired by Merill Comeau and her current Art Lab installation Threads of Connection, we're excited to continue our community quilt in this digital space. You're invited to create your own quilt square that represents who you are. What makes you special? What do you love about your community? What are you proud of? What do you believe in? Submit your finished quilt square for the chance to be featured in our virtual quilt and help us build community while we're all apart!

You will need:

Scrap fabric, paper, or recycled materials. See more below about material options.

Scissors

Glue or tape (optional)

Camera (optional)

Construction & material options:

Fabric: Use scrap fabric for backgrounds and collage details. Look around your house for some scrap fabric or old clothes that you have permission to cut up and use.

Paper: Use different kinds of paper for your backgrounds and collage details. Look around your house for scrap or recycled paper, cardboard, cereal boxes, old birthday cards, or newspaper- all of which have different colors and textures and can be great for art-making. If you have a printer, you can download + print our digi-fabric swatch to cut and collage with. Download now

Digital: Are you a digital expert? Feel free to submit a quilt square made completely digitally using software or tools of your choice. Get creative!

Do you have another idea? Go for it! Be inventive and use what's around you. Keep in mind if you would like to be featured on the website, you will need to submit a photograph or digital file showing your quilt square from above.

Step-by-step:

1. Make your background

Create a square background with the materials available to you. The length and width of your background should be equal to make a perfect square. We've been working on a 6" x 6" square, but you're welcome to work larger or smaller.
2. Cut & collage
Collect your collage materials and brainstorm your design. Cutting custom shapes and using different colors and patterns can help visualize your ideas. Layering is encouraged! Will your design be representational or abstract? How will you cut your materials to make details and designs? How will you place cut pieces onto your background to convey your message? Get creative! There's no wrong way to collage.
3. Finalize
Once you have your design laid out, glue or tape down your collage materials to keep everything in place. If you don't have glue or tape you can just lay out your design on a flat surface for taking your submission photo.

If you're inspired to use other materials, or maybe you're an expert at other skills like sewing or embroidery, try incorporating them here. Try to keep your design within the edges of your square so we can connect your square next to others!

4. Take your submission photo! Because we're all practicing social distancing, we'll be displaying the community quilt digitally for everyone to view from home. Find a sunny spot or brightly lit place in your home or outside. Lay your quilt square on a flat surface that is a solid background and take a photo from above.

5. Submit your photo

Post your finished quilt square on social media with #ICAartlab for a chance to be featured on our website!

This activity was created by artist Merill Comeau and Brooke Scibelli, Family and Art Labs Program Coordinator.

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Download printer-friendly PDF This activity is adaptable for beginners to experts. Please note that this project involves using scissors to cut fabric and/or paper. Great for individuals, groups, and families to work on together at home! Inspired by Merill Comeau and her current Art Lab installation Threads of Connection, we're excited to continue our community quilt in this digital space.

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Boredom Busters for All Ages

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Rainy day blues? Weather at the extremes? Need to stick to a budget and stay in? Whether you are looking for simple games for kids or full scale activities for groups, it's easy to save the day, bust boredom and have fun with this list of screen-free indoor games for kids of all ages! What indoor games did your family love to play growing up, and what indoor games do you play now with your kids? Did you learn some great games for kids at school? Let us know your favorite games to play when bored in the comments so we can share them!
Note: Most of these indoor games for kids are fun games to play with friends indoors without many materials. The classics don't require any fancy equipment. However, if you prefer, we have found ready-made versions of these games for children to play. Click the image to go to the product on Amazon. While your price does not change, we receive a small commission on any purchases made through our site.
If you stick with us, this list of indoor activities has been categorized into age appropriate groups at the end of the article (fun games for preschoolers up through teens). Or you can use the quick links below to skip to the lists. As always, these games and activities for kids can truly be enjoyed by anyone who is ready and willing to have fun.

This may be the most absurdly simple of all the indoor games with friends - blow up some balloons, tell the kids to keep the balloons from touching the floor, and get the party started! This is admittedly one of those kids physical games that can get a little rambunctious indoors, so move the breakables out of the way. Buy It: 500 pack multi colored balloons.

Balloon tennis or balloon volleyball: String up a divider as a net and see how many times they can volley the balloon over the net without it touching the ground. Fly swatters, plastic spatulas or wooden spoons could work well for the tennis game, but they aren't absolutely necessary. (This works best with only two children playing for safety reasons.)

This is a great indoor game to focus young kids on the sense of touch in a world so focused on the sense of sight. Train their minds to associate information other than just how the object looks. Start by putting interesting objects into containers that a child must reach into and identify by touch. Shoe boxes work well as they are usually readily available, can be easily cut with scissors, and do not let light through. Making the boxes is part of the fun - have the kids decorate them, just make sure to cut out a child-sized hand hole on the side of the box beforehand. Place an item in each box and have your kids take turns guessing what the items are. Encourage questions and offer clues as needed.

This is another of the games for kindergarten readiness that you can easily pull together. When a child plays a sorting game, they are analyzing objects, describing and comparing them and engaging in critical thinking. All kinds of learning is going on. Start by creating "bins", which can be as simple as using tape on a level surface. Buy It - Learning Resources Mini Muffin Match Up Counting Toy Set.

Colors: For younger kids, using colors is the easiest way to start a sorting activity.Try taping down pieces of colored construction paper, then gather objects to match. (LEGO Duplos work well.)

Advanced: Sort by the texture of a surface or type of object, for instance wooden vs plastic vs metal.

More variations: You can make it into a full on game by asking competing children to go find 5 objects of each type the fastest. Or you can enforce an order that they must retrieve them in - first red, then blue, then yellow, then repeat.

We typically think of bubbles as an outdoor activity; this version can be played indoors around a table. Simply get a plate and straw for each child and put a coin-sized drop of dish soap on the plate. Mix a little water in until suds form. Each child should then put the end of the straw straight up and down into the suds so that a layer of soap forms over the end of the straw. Blowing very slowly, a single bubble will start to grow! Who can make the biggest bubble? Who can hold the bubble there the longest?

I Spy and its variations are wonderful sensory games for young kids to get to know the world around them. For a child who has never played, you can start by picking out a secret object within plain view and saying, "I Spy something blue." If there is only one child, then she can keep guessing until she gets it right. If there are multiple children then they can take turns looking around and guessing. The first child correct gets to spy something next. It is so versatile, you can take it anywhere.

Variations: Limit the number of guesses each child gets. Or, say things like "I Spy something that is a circle." The difficulty is easily changed by what you are actually spying (smaller or less obvious things) and how you describe what is spied (bumpy or soft things, for example).

This is a more easily set up indoor game than you might think. Using painter's tape (go gentle on flooring), tape down a line of any length, and have a blast. Challenge your child to only walk on the line all the way to end. Buy It - Healthstar Foam Balance Beam 6″ Blue.

Angles: Try taping down further lines at different angles. Spirals and zig-zags are always fun. This is one of those physical games for kindergarten readiness that is easy to practice.

Backwards: Switch up the challenge by having the child walk the tape line backwards or with eyes closed (socks off so they can feel the line).

Other variations: Walk the tape line heel-to-toe or try jumping down the line (both feet still on!)

If you're able to create enough space on the floor, constructing a tape maze can be a great indoor activity. Design a simple maze for toddlers or add dead ends to challenge older kids.

Add balls: Can the kids dribble a small ball through the maze without crossing any of the tape lines? Get a timer and mark how long it takes the kids to move the ball through the maze - then challenge them to improve their time.

Number maze: This is a good variation for children who are learning number recognition and counting skills. Mark numbers along the maze route the child can follow in the correct order from start to exit.

Again, you'll need the painter's tape for this game. Design a road map on the floor for your kid's collection of matchbox cars and those other mini vehicles we somehow all accumulate. Get creative and add other pieces to make a street scene or use furniture in the room as obstacles. The kids will be driving all over town all day long.

Variations: The tape course is limited only by your imagination. Trains could follow train tracks or unicorns could dance on rainbows.

Buy It: If you can imagine it, you can probably buy a decorative tape already printed.

When any indoor games need to be low energy:
Indoor Fun at Home: No Energy, No Space, No TV, No Problem

- SOCK FUN GAMES -

Sock Wars

The setup of this game can actually be as fun as playing it. Divide into two teams, create some sock balls from pairs of socks, and then each team creates its fort! Blankets, pillows, chairs, and couches are all fair game. Once you have built your elaborate fort, make sure all breakables are cleared away and start throwing! If a kid is hit then they are out for the remainder of the game. The last team standing wins. If you don't mind your kids activity games to get crazy, this is the indoor game for you. It also translates well to an outdoor game - just make sure you bring in all the socks when you are done.

Sock basketball: Basketball games for indoor fun? You betcha! Make a few "snowballs" out of pairs of socks, get a laundry basket (or smaller receptacles for more challenge), and you're all set. Kids can take turns shooting to score, and they could even take the risk of a longer shot worth more points!

More sock basketball variations: Each kids shoots the ball, and if they score they take a step back. The one to score from the furthest distance wins. Buy It: Nerf Sports TablePros Basketball

Sock hockey: Likely the safest way there is to play hockey - no helmets or even sticks required! We like to use a plastic laundry basket tipped sideways for the goal. Pick a kid (or adult) for goalie and try to toss the socks into the goal.

Sock bean bag toss: A great use for that large cardboard box you were about to recycle. Cut holes of various widths and shapes and assign point values to each one. Flip the box upside down and you've got an instant carnival-style bean bag toss. You can use soft socks to toss or small balls such as ping-pong. Little prizes totally optional.

Hot Potato: This indoor game can get a little giggly, so be warned! It is great though, because it is one of those games to play with kindergarten kids up through the older grade school ages. Simply get any soft ball or rolled up socks and underhand-toss it to a child. Instruct them to under-hand toss it to someone else as quickly as possible. Each child repeats this. When does this game end? Who knows? Just get rid of it! Buy It: Hot Potato Family

Hot potato variations: If you have enough children, play short segments of music while they toss the object, stop the music, and the last child to touch it when the music stops is out of the game. Repeat until there is only 1 child.

- MOVEMENT GAMES -

Charades

If you haven't played this classic game, then you need to. Right now! This game is all about acting out a word or phrase using no spoken words whatsoever. It can be easily modified for any age group. For full instructions click here.

Buy It: Charades Party Game - Family Charades.

Animal Charades: Before playing, first print off a page of animal pictures. Cut out each individual animal, fold each in half, and put them in a bucket. Begin the game by having the first child choose a piece of paper. The child then needs to act out the animal silently, while the other children try to guess what animal is being portrayed. Once the animal is guessed, choose another child who has not picked a piece of paper yet, and then they get to have their fun acting. Charades games are so versatile that they can be group games for 5 year olds, one on one games for 2 kids or even adult games with no kids at all. We like this game when we're tired, too.

More variations: All secret words could come from a theme such as movies. Or play with a partner and compete against other sets of partners. Buy It: Animal Charades.

Duck, Duck, Goose (or Duck, Duck, Grey Duck for us Minnesotans!)

If you are looking for an easy game to play with kindergarten and preschool-aged kids, you found it! This fun indoor game needs about a minimum of 6 children to play it. Choose someone to be the Goose (or Grey Duck). All the other kids sit in a circle. The Goose then walks around the circle, tapping each kid on the head and calling, "Duck, duck, duck, duck..." Eventually, the Goose calls "Goose!" when tapping a child. The old Goose has to run around the circle and try to sit in the vacant spot before the new Goose can catch them.

There are two outcomes: 1) the old Goose is able to run around the circle and sit down in the new Goose's spot without being tagged. A new round of the game begins. Or, 2) the old Goose is tagged before he/she gets to sit down in the vacant spot in the circle and must remain the Goose for the next round. Buy It: Try a less rambunctious version - Game Zone Duck Duck Goose.

Indoor Bowling

You will need a level space indoors to create a bowling "lane" for this game. Collect items to act as pins such as empty water bottles or plastic cups. A small ball works best for indoor bowling; nothing heavy is needed. If there are a lot of kids, make it an indoor team game for kids by creating "leagues". Buy It: KOVOT Foam Bowling Set.

Variations: Make a bulls-eye on the ground out of masking tape or one on a piece of paper. With each section worth different amounts of points, the kids can take aim and challenge each other.

If you'd prefer to get out of the house instead, try our list of Twin Cities bowling alleys.

Musical Chairs

Get your dancin' shoes on! This game is best with at least 4 or more children playing and 1 additional person to stop the music. This is probably the most popular of the children's group games for inside. Buy It - Musical Chairs And Party Games

Variations: If you don't have enough chairs, try substituting pieces of colored construction paper taped to the ground. When the music stops, the child who gets both feet on first claims the spot.

Indoor Obstacle Course

This is one game that I absolutely loved as a kid. Depending on the skill level of the stations you create, obstacle courses can be fun games to play with kindergarten-aged children through adults. Here are some ideas for your course that you could put in any order:

Put down pillows or couch cushions and the kids need to jump from one to the next. Alternatively, the kids could need to jump over the pillows or cushions!

Climb over ottomans.

Allow only jumping/somersaulting/crawling/crab walking from one area of the course to another.

Put down some Balance Beams as described in game number 2.

One of my personal favorites as kid - crawling through tunnels made from blankets or sheets hung over chairs and couches.

Perform various exercises like 20 jumping jacks.

Toss 5 sock snowballs from game number into laundry baskets. Throwing stuffed animals also works here.

Crawl under tables

Variations: For older kids, time them to see how long it takes them to go through the whole course. Buy It: Papair Indoor Obstacle Course Game

Sardines

If you are tired of the same old indoor group games for kids, shake up your game of hide-and-seek a little with only one person hiding and everyone else doing the seeking. In the game of Sardines, as soon as a seeker finds the hider, he or she must join the hider in the hiding spot. (It's a fun challenge to discover a hiding spot that will fit your whole crowd!) The last person to find the spot becomes the hider for the next round.

Hide and Seek

This has to be one of oldest games on planet Earth. It ranks among my favorite indoor games for family get-togethers. Anyone from tot to grandma can play along. Variations of hide and seek are wonderful games to play in a big house, but can be scaled down for a smaller home. Buy It: Hide and Seek Puppy Game For Kids (This is a good way to modify hide and seek for smaller kids).

In the dark: The variations of this game can be truly fun for both kids and adults. Hide and seek in the dark (or dim room) can be a mildly spooky thrill. It really can be a lot harder to find someone, which appeals to older kids. As with all games, exercise caution and talk ahead of time about what's off limits.

Simon Says

Start by selecting someone to be "Simon". Next, kids must do whatever Simon says when starting a command with "Simon Says", for instance, "Simon Says touch your nose." If a child fails to do it before you finish saying before Simon gives the next command, then they are "out" of that game. You can also attempt to get children "out" by saying commands that don't start with Simon Says. If a child follows that directions then they are "out". The last kid that is "in" gets to be Simon. If you want to make the game difficult for older kids, simply issue commands faster and faster, and make the needed actions more and more difficult to complete. What I LOVE about this game is that it can be one of the most adult-controlled physical games for kids. They get some exercise, but you can keep the rowdy down as Simon. You can play this game when you are looking for 3 player indoor games.

Simon Says Draw or Color: A fun variation is to play Simon Says with drawing or coloring. For example: "Simon Says draw a circle. Simon Says draw a stick figure. Draw a tiger. Ohhh, Emily you're out, you started to draw a tiger!"

The Floor is Lava

I had to add this idea to our list of indoor games for preschoolers because my four-year-old LOVES this game, which she learned from her older siblings. Any time, any where she is likely to yell, "The floor is lava! Mom you're dead". Sweet, I know. It is a very easy game to learn. When the floor is declared lava, no one is allowed to touch it. Players have to get where they are going by stepping on furniture and anything they can toss on the floor. Hint: I always declare that moms and dads have special lava shoes, so we can still walk on the floor.

Variations: Hey! You could make anything lava: "The fridge is lava." "Mom's chocolate is lava". It could work?! Buy It - If you don't want kids walking on the furniture but still want some physical activity games, you can use foam pieces in the board game version: The Floor is Lava - Interactive Game for Kids and Adults.

For games to play physically when you are sick of your own home:
Twin Cities Indoor Playgrounds and Play Areas Guide

- SCAVENGER HUNTS & TREASURE HUNTS -

Scavenger Hunt

If you haven't done a Scavenger Hunt lately, then you just aren't living! This was one of my favorite games with cousins when I was a kid. A scavenger hunt is all about finding items from a list in certain rooms or areas. Depending on how many items you want the kids to find and how many kids are a part of the game, you can either hand write the lists of items for each child, or type it up on a computer and print out copies. If the items will be in difficult hiding spots you can write clues next to each item on the list. The kids will love the adventure and challenge. Buy It: Scavenger Hunt for Kids.

Traveling? A scavenger hunt can be taken on the road rather easily and many attractions (museums and galleries in particular) offer their own versions.

Color & Number Hunts: Simplify the hunt for younger children. Instead of writing items on a list they may not be able to read, mark boxes of color on a white piece of paper and ask the children to find items around the house to match the colors. Add numbers into the mix if they have a grasp on those.

Puzzle Piece Hunt: This works best if you start with a relatively tidied-up space (which we find in short supply around our house.) Hide the pieces of a large jigsaw puzzle around the room and ask the kids to hunt for them. Bring the pieces back one at a time to fit together into the completed puzzle.

Glow-in-the-Dark Hunt: This awesome idea came from our reader, Denise, and I had to share! Denise said, "My kids love it when I hide glow-in-the-dark stones, turn off the lights, and let them see who can collect the most. They usually demand we repeat the game multiple times (ages 4 and 7)." I found some cute glow-in-the-dark stones on Amazon for a pretty reasonable $10.

Treasure Hunt with Clues

This indoor game usually gets all ages in our family involved. The younger ones often request their older siblings to design a treasure hunt that will lead them around the house in search of some token prize (usually fruit snacks). The challenging part is writing the clever clues that will lead the seekers from point to point until the treasure is located. Adults can be involved and make this as simple as necessary for younger kids to play if they cannot yet read. For instance, using picture clues instead of written clues.

Rhyming clues: Older kids might enjoy the extra challenge of creating clues that rhyme. Bonus: they're working on their writing skills!

- TABLE GAMES & BOARD GAMES -
Many of these Fun Physical Games for Kids can be adjusted to be indoor games for kids.
Dominoes

Another one of those classic games for kids and adults alike. Click here for instructions on how to play. You don't even need to buy dominoes, just print them and cut them out!

Buy It: Cardinal Double 12 Color Dot Dominoes in Collectors Tin.

Domino Toppling

Unlike playing the game dominoes, you'll need to purchase these from a store. This is one of those activity games for kids that can go all day on a rainy day. Simply set them up one after the other and tip them over!

Rube Goldberg machine

The objective of a Rube Goldberg machine is to complete a simple task using a complicated series of steps. (Yes, making it complicated is actually the fun part.) My kids have built these machines at home to compete at our local county fair. Your own Rube Goldberg machine doesn't need to be nearly so involved. Your goal is to link together simple devices to produce a domino effect, in which each device triggers the next. Completing a simple task is optional and can depend on how much the children want to be challenged.

Buy It: Rube Goldberg Machines

Our Favorite Board Games

Board games - the ultimate indoor games for kids. Below is a fun games list of some of our classic favorites. We know that families often look for indoor games for 4 players. Most of these board game activities for kids will accommodate four or even more players.

Since we started this list, we have had readers recommended Blokus Strategy Game and Four Score. What are some of your board game ideas for kids? We'll keep growing our list.

Marbles

When collecting marbles for this game, make sure to get 1 bigger marble for each kid that is going to play. First, make a circle 3 feet wide out of masking tape or string. Then place 3-5 marbles near the center of the circle for each kid that is playing. Then each child takes a turn, with their hands outside the circle, flicking their big marble out of their fist with their thumb towards the marbles in the center. If they knock any marbles out of the ring then they get to keep them and shoot again. If they miss, then they leave their big marble there until it is their turn again. The winner is the kid with the most marbles when all marbles are knocked out of the ring. Buy It: Toysmith Marbles in a Tin Box or add to the fun with a Marble Run.

Dice Games

A set of 10 dice can fit in your purse and you instantly have mini games to play at home or wherever you land. These are four of our favorite family indoor games you can play with just a set of dice, paper and pen. The links will take you to instructions on how to play.

For when you need some place to go for indoor summer games and activities:
10 Free & Air-Conditioned Indoor Family Outings

- CARD GAMES -

Great Card Games for Families

Kid-friendly card games are an easy way to keep indoor games for kids on hand. While you can buy books with instructions for more game than you'll ever be able to play, we recommend these four to start.

- PAPER GAMES -

Paper Games - Indoor Games For Kids Anywhere You Need One

These classic paper games are fun, super portable activities (all you need is a sheet of paper and a pen) and require no set up or clean up. If you are looking for indoor games for just two players, these are always good go-tos. What would you add to this list?

Hangman - children do need to know their letters to play this game. You can start with simple, three-letter words to practice spelling skills or increase the challenge for older kids with multiple words or phrases. Give the kids a hint by telling them a category the word falls into (i.e. "Animal").

Dots and Boxes

Paper airplane landing strips

This is a great engineering game we love from What Do We Do All Day? Can you design the ideal airplane to land in the correct "landing strip?" Get creative with the landing space adjusting the size to fit the kids playing.

- QUIZ GAMES & SPOKEN GAMES -

Alphabet Game

This activity is all about coming up with themes and is among the family pastimes that are easily convertible to group indoor games. I've listed some theme ideas below to get you started. Within your chosen theme, take turns with letters of the alphabet and come up with things in the theme. For instance, in the theme "Animals", you would have anteater, baboon, carp, duck, etc.

Animals

Countries and US states

Famous people (many sub-categories here, actors, actresses, etc)

Household items

Kitchen items

Food

Drinks

Movies

Cartoon characters

Variations: Normally played in the car, start from "A" and say things that you see while driving or find each letter on signs and license plates as you pass.

Rock, Paper, Scissors

For anyone looking for mini games indoors, this is the go to. I always love using this game to settle something when I don't have a coin to flip. You can play once or keep busy for a long wait at the doctor's office.

Variations: Try holding a tournament. You can get as fancy as you want, writing down the tournament brackets of all the children on paper, or having each child play all other children and see who gets the most wins. Buy It: Rock Paper Scissors Card Game - This is a good way to randomize the game for younger kids who can't get the concept of picking something other than Rock.

Telephone

I get excited just thinking about this game. The more kids the better. Line the kids up, think of a sentence of sufficient length, and see what that sentence becomes by the time each kids whispers it into the next kid's ear. O.M.G. Funny. Buy It - Electronic Phone Game.

Twenty Questions

This activity is great one for indoors, car rides, and anytime you are waiting. Super easy to play - one person thinks of an object, and another person has 20 questions to guess what it is! Buy It: The Classic Game of 20 Questions

Variations: Instead of a thing, one person thinks of something in a category such as famous people or occupations.

Two Truths and a Lie

This game is a favorite of the short fun games for kids when a leader needs to facilitate introductions, but it doesn't need to be used only with strangers. Each kid simply writes down two truths and one lie about oneself, and the others need to guess which one is the lie.

Variations: Try a game of two lies and a truth and guess the truth! Buy It - Truth & Lies Playing Cards.

Jeopardy

Perfect for grade-school kids who need a break from the screens. Create a homemade game of jeopardy and suit the categories to the age group you're playing with. You provide your own game questions and price levels. Materials used can be as simple as writing the categories on a white board or pin post-in notes to a bulletin board. Split kids into three teams, if possible, and rope an older sibling or adult into being the game host. For buzzers, use three different noise makers (we use small musical instruments such as shakers and whistles). Once buzzed, the team has a certain amount of time to come up with the correct answer. (via How to Adult).

The Song Game

I thought I made this game up. We used to play it in the car, but now I see it is a board game, too. When we played it in the car as kids, we would let the youngest sibling say a word and we would have to come up with a song about the word, In our rules, there was no winner or loser, it was just a fun way to keep us busy in the car.

Variations/Buy It: The board game, Spontuneous, is the same concept except the first person to blurt out a song gets to roll the dice to move ahead on the board. If you love singing - whether you are good at it or not - this is a fun way to pass some time.

Want to know how to write Indoor Games in Hindi: इंडोर गेम्स. Is that not the coolest?!

INDOOR GAMES FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES, CATEGORIZED

INDOOR GAMES FOR KIDS AGES 2-4

For inside games for preschoolers, we often want to think of fun physical games to tire the little ones out - especially when the weather is uncooperative for outdoor games. We have a few ideas for both physical games for children as well as quieter games for preschoolers indoors. Many of these simple games for preschoolers can be adjusted for older kids, too.

Balance beam

Touch-and-feel boxes

Sorting - Sorting games make good color games for preschoolers.

Bubbles

I-Spy

Keep the Balloon Up

FUN GAMES FOR KIDS AGES 5-8

Some of the best fun can be had with these games for school age kids. You'll recognize many of these games to play with school-agers from your own childhood. We've suggested this list as great indoor games for kindergarten through third grade, but like all the games, they can be adapted for other ages.

Scavenger & Treasure Hunts

Simon Says

Duck, Duck, Goose

Hide & Seek

Charades

Indoor Obstacle Course

Musical Chairs

Paper Games

Fun physical games to play in the water?
Family Exercise Fun: Twin Cities Indoor Waterparks and Pools

As kids get to middle school age, games can sometimes get a bit more complicated, but are still a great deal of fun. When your kids are looking for fun games to play at home with friends inside, they could try any of these games.

Indoor Bowling

Sock Basketball

Marbles

Board & Table Games

Card Games

Dice Games

Dominoes

Rube Goldberg Machine

Quiz Games

If you have more fun games and indoor activities ideas for kids, we would love to hear them. Leave us a message in the comments, send us an email or tag us on social media. Let's get this list up to 100!!!

75 Fun Indoor Games for Kids was originally published in 2016 by Tom Kingston
and has been updated periodically

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English sculptor Henry Moore once said: "Drawing, even for people who cannot draw, even for people not trying to produce a good drawing, makes you look more intensely." The practice of drawing can help us to see and understand our worlds better. Even young children start to draw as soon as they can drag their fingers through the sand.

Seventeenth-century naturalist Maria Sibylla Merian used drawing to study the life cycles of insects starting when she was only 13 years old, and through her close-up explorations was one of the first naturalists to understand metamorphosis. Similarly, Michelangelo used drawing as a way to study the human body, making detailed sketches of muscles, bones, and even blood vessels.

Drawing together with your children is a great way to connect with each other and with your environment, to look and see together, and to build a little humor into your day. Whether you're an experienced artist or someone who rarely picks up a pencil, you can see your world through a new lens by drawing-and also have some fun while you're at it.

Concerned your drawings may not be very good? No worries-it's a great opportunity to model persistence and patience for your children! Best of all? No need to go shopping-just a pencil or pen, and any scrap of paper will do!

Below, we share inspiration from art and artists in the Getty collection to guide you through five activities.

1. Draw a Hairdo

Draw a portrait of yourself or a member of your family-but add an imaginary or whimsical hairdo. Check out these portraits of Anne, Countess of Chesterfield and Louis XIV for hairstyling inspiration.

2. Find a Tiny Creature

Find a tiny creature outside your front door; you shouldn't have to go far. Maybe it's an ant or a spider. Take a photo with your phone-quick! before it crawls away-then try to sketch it from your photo. For inspiration, take a look at Maria Sibylla Merian's The Caterpiller Book, Man Ray's butterflies, and Durer's stag beetle.

3. Celebrate Spring!

Draw a flower. No flowers nearby? Check out Monet's Still Life with Flowers and Fruit or Martin Schongauer's Studies of Peonies.

4. Draw your Pet (Real or Imaginary)

Make a portrait of your pet-or the pet you wish you had. See how other artists celebrated their pets in this portrait of a majestic pet and this portrait of an extra cuddly friend. If you're into horses, here's some inspiration, and here's a selection of some of the best cats in the Getty collection.

5. Use Short Lines

Pick an object in your home-any object will do! Now, try to draw it by using only a bunch of short parallel(-ish) lines. Observe how Vincent van Gogh made an entire portrait using only short lines. Be patient! This challenge may take a few tries.

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Channel your kids' inner Van Gogh or Monet with these awesome artist inspired art projects. Painting or drawing in the style of renowned artists will no doubt open up conversations about art mediums, techniques, styles and inspire your child's own twist on masterpieces spurred by some of the greats.

What are some of your favorite artist inspired projects?

Alexander Girard Cardboard Dolls (via hello, Wonderful)

Alma Thomas Rainbow Collage (via Making Table)

Kandinsky Mixed Medium Circles (via Teach Beside Me)

Watercolor Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh (via Parents)

Matisse Paper Collage (via Pink Stripey Socks)

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27 Art Activities and Lessons to Try at Home

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In the current situation of the widespread transmission of COVID-19, the hands of educators are tied. Knowing schools could be the first places to shut down, we're waiting to see what's expected of us. Will schools close? What happens if my school closes? Do I need to prepare for virtual learning? What if my students don't have access to the internet or technology? How do I teach when students have limited access to art materials at home?

These are all questions that have probably been on the top of your mind in recent weeks. We don't have the answers to all of these things, but we do know that trying to keep some normalcy in the routines of the art room at home is going to be a challenge.

The approach to this situation is not going to be one-size-fits-all. Every single art teacher has a unique situation and different student body they are trying to reach. Keeping that in mind, you, as the educator, will have to develop ways to plan and facilitate learning in a way that meets your specific situation. To help ease the pain of trying to figure out what to teach to your students at home, we've created a list of ideas to help inspire your planning. As you look at these ideas, keep in mind the circumstances of your students, and make adaptations to serve your students best.
Have all your curriculum resources available from anywhere: FLEX Curriculum
Alternate Paint Ideas

Unfortunately, many students will not have access to paint at home. Consider using this as a time for exploration to introduce students to new types of paint. Challenge students to think about what natural materials they might have, much like the people creating might have used. Try some of these homemade paint options:

Found Object Ideas

Found object artmaking is a medium that has been explored by artists throughout the ages. Let your students' creativity flow by creating with the objects they have around them.

Here is a list of found objects that might help inspire your students. Try one of these found object ideas:

3-D Lesson Ideas

Planning activities and lessons for 3-D classes like ceramics and sculpture might present an extra challenge. It won't be very easy to truly emulate the happenings of a ceramics class without clay at home. Maybe, you'll get lucky, and you can send each student home with a pound of clay, but this won't be the case for everyone. Instead, get creative and keep it simple. Here are some ideas to consider.

Create temporary sculptures with household items. Have your students photograph them, and use them as a drawing inspiration. When you eventually get back to the classroom, students can recreate their sculptures with other materials.

Have your students create stop-motion videos using clay-like material. This can be done with clay, play-doh, or even cookie dough.

Paper Pottery

Here are some additional clay recipes your students can try to make their own homemade clay:
Lessons with Limited Supplies

When it comes to limited supplies, drawing is going to be the best way to have our students find success. They can simply draw with the materials they have, any type of mark-making and paper will do the trick.

Use these drawing prompts to continue your students' drawing skills.

Observational Drawing

Now is the perfect time to refine observational drawing skills. To encourage your students to take note of the world around them, encourage them to participate in the "View From My Day " drawing challenge.
Other Drawing Activities:
Additional Art Challenges to Engage Your Students

Use and adapt these art challenges to fit the needs of your students.

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Practice problem solving, estimation, measurement and other math skills by making ice cream!

Cooking activities are great for teaching kids how to use measurement tools, giving them a chance to apply math skills like counting, adding, multiplying, etc. In addition, when you give them a chance to design their own recipe, children have to rely on estimation, problem solving and other critical science, math and engineering skills.

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Can you work as a team to meet this challenge?

Many of the activities in this curriculum rely on kids working together as a team. Engaging children early on in team-building activities such as this one can help to create a foundation for later team-based work in which collaborating together is critical to students' success.

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Can you make a telephone using only cups and string?

Engineering challenges like this one help children develop problem solving, observation and teamwork skills and much more. In this challenge, your students will learn about properties of different materials and the transmission of sound as they work to design working "telephones" using simple materials.

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How long a chain can you build using words?

Word games are a great way to help children flex their literacy skills and have fun at the same time. This activity focuses on vocabulary and concept development as well as spelling.

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Cooking activities are great for teaching kids how to use measurement tools, giving them a chance to apply math skills like counting, adding, multiplying, etc. In addition, when you give them a chance to design their own recipe, children have to rely on estimation, problem solving and other critical science, math and engineering skills.

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Camp Galieo Anywhere: Online Innovation-Sparking Classes. Single or Weekly

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Our engaging online experiences bring pre-K - 8th graders together to create, celebrate, socialize and ignite their inner innovator. Led by enthusiastic instructors who know how to make every moment magical, kids get immersed in projects and activities so inspiring and fun, they almost forget they're virtual.

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A nonprofit with the mission to provide a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere.

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A required part of this site couldn’t load. This may be due to a browser extension, network issues, or browser settings. Please check your connection, disable any ad blockers, or try using a different browser.

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Rosetta Stone is available for students who already have accounts until August 1

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Username hint:
Students, this is [6-digit ID]@cusdk8.org (e.g. 123456@cusdk8.org)

Password hint:
If you do not know your password, please complete this form: https://forms.gle/R7KrLphZihcpwMru6.

Log in with Google Log in with Clever Badges

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Username hint:Students, this is [6-digit ID]@cusdk8.org (e.g. 123456@cusdk8.org) Password hint:If you do not know your password, please complete this form: https://forms.gle/R7KrLphZihcpwMru6. Log in with Google Log in with Clever Badges

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A collection of digital games that students can play at home.

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educational technology education technology companies technology and education how important is technology in education educational technology tools learning educational technology educational technology in schools educational games educational games for kids free educational games for kids free educational games educational games online classroom games online classroom games halloween classroom games 5th grade classroom games classroom games for students games to play in the classroom kindergarten classroom games learning games for kids learning games free learning games kindergarten learning games free kids learning games

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Breakout EDU gamifies learning to create an engaging and empowering experience for students of all grade levels.

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A free collection of the best online learning experiences for kids curated by the editors at Common Sense.

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Wide Open School's mission lives on at Common Sense

With schools back in person, we have closed this dedicated distance-learning site designed to guide families and educators through the sudden shift to remote learning.
Discover More Great Resources for Families & Educators
Common Sense is dedicated to providing teachers and families with free resources to help kids learn, grow, and thrive with media and technology. Join our community for more tips and resources to support kids' learning and healthy development.

More Resources You'll Love

Get more free content like what you found on Wide Open School.
For Families For Educators
Thank You to Our Supporters & Partners

We are grateful to our supporters and partners for helping to bring these resources to kids, families, and educators everywhere during a global crisis. It is a testament to the power of creativity, collaboration, and a shared commitment to education and digital access for all.

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Wide Open School's mission lives on at Common Sense With schools back in person, we have closed this dedicated distance-learning site designed to guide families and educators through the sudden shift to remote learning. Discover More Great Resources for Families & Educators

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Cignition’s FogStone Isle lets kids explore, create and engage with math through real-world scenarios. Unlike most game-based learning programs, FogStone […]

Polyup is a free and open computational thinking playground where students can experiment with numbers and functions. Students will “mod”, […]

Refraction focuses on teaching fractions and discovering optimal learning pathways for math education. Refraction lets you bend, split, and redirect […]

This lets you play with math while exploring a 3-D virtual world, filled with number creatures and mathematical machines. It […]

Dragon Box teaches you algebra through visuals. You solve for x and have fun doing it. It really encourages algebraic […]

SET is a board game where any table becomes the board. It is a highly addictive, original game of visual […]

In this app you have to release the creature from jail by turning the gears. It helps you develop number […]

Mancala is a family of board games played around the world, sometimes called “sowing” games, or “count-and-capture” games, which describes […]

Muggins math board games and manipulatives are not only educational but make learning FUN! Built the old fashioned way with […]

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Mancala is a family of board games played around the world, sometimes called "sowing" games, or "count-and-capture" games, which describes [...]

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Typing Club is available all summer for grades 2 through 5 - automatic login through Clever.

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Username hint:
Students, this is [6-digit ID]@cusdk8.org (e.g. 123456@cusdk8.org)

Password hint:
If you do not know your password, please complete this form: https://forms.gle/R7KrLphZihcpwMru6.

Log in with Google Log in with Clever Badges

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Username hint:Students, this is [6-digit ID]@cusdk8.org (e.g. 123456@cusdk8.org) Password hint:If you do not know your password, please complete this form: https://forms.gle/R7KrLphZihcpwMru6. Log in with Google Log in with Clever Badges

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Don’t forget that Scholastic Book Fairs has decided to allow schools to continue their book fairs for the entire summer.  Please go to this link to continue to order books.  They will continue to send book only orders of $25.00 or more for free.

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New Online Shopping Experience

You now have access to shop The Scholastic Store and earn rewards for your school with every purchase when you click 'Shop Now' from this page! Explore thousands of best-selling books, collections, new releases, educational toys, games, and more. All online items priced as marked.

All orders ship home!

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You now have access to shop The Scholastic Store and earn rewards for your school with every purchase when you click 'Shop Now' from this page! Explore thousands of best-selling books, collections, new releases, educational toys, games, and more. All online items priced as marked. All orders ship home!

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Caribu is an app for children ages 0-13 to read, draw, and do activities in an interactive video-call with family and friends. This summer, Caribu has kicked off #CampCaribu which includes 100 days of activities, featured books, and weekly themed reading categories with challenges and prizes to keep kids on track for the next school year. It’s 100 days of summer reading in your pocket! To receive the free #CampCaribu weekly activities and challenges, families can go to caribu.com/summer to download the app, create an account, and then enjoy their free access.

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This week, Caribu is launching a summer reading challenge, #CampCaribu! It is the world's first summer reading program that you can experience together in a video-call. The program includes 100 days of activities, featured books, and weekly themed reading categories with challenges and prizes to keep kids on track for the next school year. #CampCaribu will help keep the kids engaged and entertained while parents work from home and continue to be mindful of social distancing. It's 100 days of summer reading in your pocket!

#CampCaribu's first week will kick-off with the theme, 'Courageous Conversations.' Join us as we launch discussions around anti-racist texts, and ask questions that inspire reflection on each person's role in advocating for change. Consider ways that your family members can take action for justice and equity, from small acts of friendship to larger gestures of peaceful protest.

During each week of #CampCaribu, we will post the week's schedule of featured books and daily activities on the main # CampCaribu Page. Caribu users also will receive the weekly schedule in their Caribu e-mail newsletter. Kids can download our reading log to help them keep track of their daily reading. Each Monday, your child(ren) will receive an Achievement Certificate and online badge to recognize their progress and celebrate their hard work.

To receive the free #CampCaribu weekly activities and challenges, families can go to caribu.com/summer to download the app, create an account, and then enjoy their access. Sign up today so your child will be eligible for the '100 Day Summer Reading Streak' challenge prize!

As the week begins, mark your calendar to reserve time for daily Caribu Calls with friends and relatives. Pick a time each day of the week that works for you and suggest a standing weekly date with the family! In #CampCaribu, Tuesdays are designated especially for a call with grandparents or grandfriends, so make sure to book some time with them for reading and discussion. Help your kids with their summer reading goals and keep up their daily reading streak on Caribu throughout the week.

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Courageous Conversations Week at #CampCaribu

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This week, Caribu is launching a summer reading challenge, #CampCaribu! It is the world's first summer reading program that you can experience together in a video-call. The program includes 100 days of activities, featured books, and weekly themed reading categories with challenges and prizes to keep kids on track for the next school year.