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What is going on in this photo? Send The Day your amusing captions for a chance to be next week’s winner!

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Test your knowledge on this week’s news!

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Is it proof you should never give up?

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'Greatest escape' in World Cup history - The Day

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Register and browse the library!

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Learning to read with phonics? Click the '+' for advice.

Learning to read with phonics

If you live in England, your child will learn to read using phonics. Their school is very likely to use either the Letters and Sounds phonics framework or the Read Write Inc. programme. Check with your school if you're not sure which one they use.

Using Letters and Sounds?

If your child is using Letters and Sounds, you can find this list of eBooks by Letters and Sounds Phases useful. Bear in mind the following:

If you don't know your child's Phase, you can check with your school. As a guide, most Reception children will be on Phases 1-4 and most Year 1 children will be on Phases 4-5. Beyond Phase 5, your child will be able to decode most books.

In Letters and Sounds, there are 'sets' within the Phases - so your child might not know all the sounds in every book within their Phase.

Some series contain occasional 'tricky words' that your child can't decode using phonics. Use the inside front cover notes to teach your child these words before they start the book.

Find out more about Letters and Sounds >

Using Read Write Inc. Phonics?
If your child is being taught to read using the Read Write Inc. programme, you can find books suitable for them by clicking on the 'Levels' menu below and using the 'Read Write Inc.' filter to select the right level.

Find more support and resources for Read Write Inc. in our parents' guide to Read Write Inc. >

Looking for printed books for phonics practice at home?

Not reading to practise phonics?

Sharing books and independent reading

If your child is reading simply for enjoyment, comprehension, or practice, just browse the library or use any of the other filters. You can check which level is right for your child with this simple test from Read with Oxford.

Reading for pleasure

Are you a teacher? Find out about the Oxford Owl for School eBook library.

More available on Oxford Owl for School

Schools who are registered with Oxford Owl can provide pupils with access to an additional 30 Oxford Primary eBooks, plus a separate library of 50 Read Write Inc. titles all for free using a class login associated with their Oxford Owl for School.
How to set up a class login >

If you need more eBooks, Oxford Owl for School has introduced a new annual subscription of up to 550 titles. For more information, please visit the OUP website.

Are you looking for your class login?

Accessing your class eBook library from home

The class log in link has moved. If your teacher has given you login details to use your class library at home, please use the log in link at the very top of this page and select 'Students'.

sign up log in

Songbirds

Levelled phonics books from the fabulous Julia Donaldson, author of The Gruffalo.

Read Write Inc. Phonics

A step-by-step phonics programme to support reading. Learn at home with Read Write Inc. Phonics

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Free eBook library | Oxford Owl from Oxford University Press

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Browse our library of free children's eBooks to read with your child including Oxford Reading Tree adventures with Biff, Chip and Kipper.

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Can we know how an animal thinks?

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The quest to understand life as a worm - The Day

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Here you can find lots of lovely interactive books to read online or watch with signing.

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Here you can find lots of lovely interactive books to read online or watch with signing, watch Storytime videos or play with our kids’ games.

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15 fascinating facts about Sir David Attenborough.

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15 fascinating facts about Sir David Attenborough.

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Check out some fascinating David Attenborough facts, from his very first documentary to his least favourite animal.

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Fascinating facts about David Attenborough!

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Learn more about the life of Britain’s favourite naturalist…

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Are you a fan of the Bunny vs Monkey books and comics? Meet author and cartoonist Jamie Smart.

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Bunny vs Monkey: Jamie Smart on new comics and characters

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He gave Press Packers Eli and Stephen some exclusive Bunny vs Monkey news and taught them how to draw one of the iconic characters.

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Sawe crossed the line to win the London marathon in 1 hour 59 minutes and 30 seconds, beating the official world record by more than a minute.

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London Marathon: Kenya’s Sawe makes history with run in under two hours

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Over two days tens of thousands of people have been taking part in the biggest marathon in the UK. Today Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe made history in the men’s elite race - crossing the line to win the London Marathon in 1 hour 59 minutes and 30 seconds, beating the official fastest time by more than a minute. And he wasn’t the only one breaking records. Read on to find out more.

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Dog owners, time to you give your pooch some extra cuddles!

International Dog Day is held on 26 August every year, created in 2004 by pet lifestyle expert and author Colleen Paige, to bring awareness to the condition of animals and to encourage adoption.

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International Dog Day: Top five facts about dogs

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Dog owners, it’s time to give your pooch some extra cuddles as it’s International Dog Day on 26 August.

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Choose a story and settle down to listen.

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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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Let us see what you have created.

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Play hundreds of free games online, brought to you by the BBC

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Skomer Island off the mid-Wales coast has always been linked to puffins. This year they have recorded the most ever!

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The team counts every single bird on the island using a pair of binoculars and a notepad.

Researchers have been counting them in the same way since the 1980s, so they can compare more than 40 years of puffin population data.

The 1.13 sq m (2.92 sq km) island is broken up into seven sections, and the team works against the clock and the elements to make sure they have counted every puffin.

If they start the count too early in the season, most of the birds will not yet have returned from their migration, too late and they will be settled on eggs in their burrows.

There are no shops on the island, so the researchers must bring their own food supplies with them whilst they stay there for a few months for the count, but they can catch a short boat ride back to the mainland if they need to.

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Record number of puffins recorded on Welsh island

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It's good news for a colony of puffins living on a small island off the coast of Wales!

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Celebrate Earth Day with these tips for helping our environment.

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Our planet is an amazing place, but it needs our help to thrive! That's why each year on April 22, more than a billion people celebrate Earth Day to protect the planet from things like pollution and deforestation. By taking part in activities like picking up litter and planting trees, we're making our world a happier, healthier place to live.

The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970, when a United States senator from Wisconsin organized a national demonstration to raise awareness about environmental issues. Rallies took place across the country and, by the end of the year, the U.S. government had created the Environmental Protection Agency. By 1990, Earth Day was an event celebrated by more than 140 countries around the globe.

You can celebrate and protect the planet at the same time. Check out these Earth Day ideas to help save the planet any time of year.

BECOME A WASTE WARRIOR

The number of garbage trucks Americans fill each year would stretch halfway to the moon. Toilet paper tubes, made from cardboard, take two months to decompose in a landfill. A plastic bottle sticks around for way longer-it can take over 450 years to break down! But instead of turning to the trash bin, you could turn these items into an awesome telescope or a flower planter. Before you throw something away, think about whether it can be recycled or repurposed. You can also limit waste by reducing the amount of things you buy. For example, check the library for that book you have to read before visiting the store.

PLANT A TREE

Researchers estimate roughly 15 billion trees in the world are cut down each year, so help offset that loss by planting a tree of your own. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen for people to breathe. They also provide shelter and food for animals such as squirrels and owls. Depending on where trees are planted, their shade can even reduce the need for air-conditioning in hotter months. How many more reasons do you need to go green?

TURN OFF THE LIGHTS

Does that lamp really need to be on while the sun is out? Electricity doesn't just happen-it has to be produced from things around us. A lot of times it comes from fossil fuels (such as coal, oil, or natural gas) that contribute to climate change. But electricity can also be made from renewable sources like wind, water, the sun, and even elephant dung! No matter where it's coming from, try conserving electrical energy by using only what you need.

LIMIT YOUR WATER USAGE

It might seem like it's everywhere, but clean, drinkable water is a limited resource. In fact less than one percent of the water on Earth can be used by humans. (The rest is either too salty or too difficult to access.) Turning off the faucet when you brush your teeth can conserve up to eight gallons of water a day. To help save even more water, challenge yourself to take a shorter shower (but still get clean!).

OFFER YOUR TIME

With a parent's permission, volunteer to pick up trash at a nearby park, start a collection drive for recyclable items, or organize a screening of an environmentally themed movie. By getting involved and working with others, you're not just helping the Earth-you're making new friends too!

SPREAD THE MESSAGE

Talk to your friends and family members about what you're doing and ask them to help. Need to get the conversation started? Get everyone together and reconnect with nature by taking one of our Get Outside challenges, or check out some other green tips you can share. The more people do, the better off our planet will be!

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Celebrate Earth Day with these tips for helping our environment.

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Giant Pandas can eat for 12 hours straight!

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Designed by human?!?!?

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Race to create ‘made by humans’ stamp - The Day

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Slingshot around the moon

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Humans travel further than ever before - The Day

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Articles and categories to help you research different topics..

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Nora and Leap are back – and ready to cause more chaos!

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Nora's Nightsky competition

Nora and Leap are back - and ready to cause more chaos! The second book in a funny, beautifully illustrated young fiction series about a star come to earth to cause trouble! Ideal for readers aged 6-9, the perfect next step for Isadora Moon fans. Nora Nightsky isn't your typical star. She does NOT want to shine and she does NOT want to grant human wishes. But after her first successful trip to Earth,

Nora's ready to return and help another human - much to the annoyance of her sister, Koko. Nora and Leap visit Maya, who wishes to become a comic book writer. Nora agrees to help her make her own wish come true, but something feels . odd. The bottom of the WishPost was torn, and Maya's request for the right shoes for the task is mysterious. Has there been some kind of magical mix-up? And can Nora figure it out and save the day in the nick of time, before her stardust runs out...?

Second in the charming new young fiction series perfect for readers of Laura Ellen Anderson and those moving up from Isadora Moon or Unicornia, brilliantly illustrated throughout in black and white by Becka Moor. Nora is a fun, bold, relatable character - and her adorable sparkly hare sidekick, Leap, balances her edge perfectly!

Gently introduces facts and mythology about astronomy and constellations in a playful and accessible way. Lots of humour, mischief and antics with themes of friendship and determination.

How to enter

Email [email protected] with the header WBD NORA NIGHTSKY explaining why you want to win.

Competition closes: 15 April.

Sign up for World Book Day updates and reading for fun inspiration

Reading ideas, free audiobook and video stories, celebration materials and book recommendations, delivered straight to your inbox.

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Win a set of both books in the Nora Nightsky series plus an at home planetarium and projector for kids!

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Learn counting to 15 with Mr. Teddy.

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Learning to Count up to 15 with Teddy Numbers Interactive Maths Game

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A fun learning to count maths game for early years children by Topmarks. Count out treats to give to teddy.

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Rain rain go away! Come again another day

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[pdfjs-viewer attachment_id=228812 url=https://theday.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Rain-RL-2_Feb-11.pdf viewer_width=0 viewer_height=800 url=https://theday.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Rain-RL-2_Feb-11.pdf download=true print=true fullscreen=true fullscreen_target=false fullscreen_text="View Fullscreen" zoom=0 ]

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Umbrellas up! Record rain soaks Britain - The Day

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Letters find that there is greater power in working together (blending). Master Anok shows that when you put different sounds together you can create more…

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How long have we been eating popcorn for?

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Oh, Popcorn! Delicious and delightful, popcorn is part of so many traditions. Popcorn balls at Halloween, popcorn strings at Christmas, and delicious buttery popcorn all year round at the movies!

Corn has played an important role in the diets of many cultures, and has spread to be a worldwide phenomenon since it was imported from the new world. So on National Popcorn Day make sure you have yourself a great big bowl of this delicious treat!

History of National Popcorn Day

To discuss the history of Popcorn day, one must understand the history of Popcorn. The original corn was derived from a small grass with kernels not much different than that of wheat. Careful selection and generations of breeding has resulted in what we think of today as the corn plant. When settlers came to the New World from the Old Country, they discovered this amazing crop and that it had been in use for quite some time.

Sometime along the line (possibly even thousands of years ago!), it was realized that certain corn kernels, when subjected to heat, will pop and reveal their soft fluffy endosperm in a cloud around their shell. Before long it was discovered to be a light and delicious treat, and cultivation led to the popcorn we have today.

There are actually two types of popcorn, but the familiar yellow popcorn we all see in movie theaters is by far the most popular. Popcorn has been used for everything from arts and crafts to the foundation of some of the most popular treats around. You can find it just about anywhere you go. The National Popcorn Board decided that this fluffy treat needed a day of celebration and recognition of its own, and thus was born Popcorn day!

National Popcorn Day Timeline

How to Celebrate National Popcorn Day

Celebrating National Popcorn Day is as simple and delicious as it comes! You can start by just enjoying a bag of popcorn with your favorite toppings, and oh what delectable variety there is.
Ways to Enjoy Popcorn
You can have it with a classic mix of butter and salt, or get creative and add your favorite spices and herbs to it! There really isn't anything that doesn't go wonderfully with it. For a light heart-healthy addition you can skip the butter and shake it down with herbs like rosemary and thyme, or spice it up with cayenne. Or you can forgo the healthy options and bury it under a delicious coating of caramel and bacon, and really enjoy the decadence.

Go Global with Popcorn

First made readily available in America in the early 1800s, this delightful treat has grown in popularity so that it is now a delicacy found the world over. And different places seem to enjoy their popcorn in different ways:

Japan. In addition to the standards, folks here appreciate flavors such as honey, milk tea, and curry.

Europe. Enjoyed here as a sugary treat, popcorn is often sold in bags at the cinema, rather than freshly popped.

Nigeria. Best enjoyed by popping it in the microwave, a preferred flavor of popcorn here is fruit chutney.

India. In addition to the standard butter and salt popcorn, popcorn here can be found in unique flavors such as miso soup, Thai red coconut, and anchovy garlic.

Crafting with Popcorn
You can also celebrate popcorn by doing crafts with it! Popcorn strings are a wonderful decoration or use them to make garlands or even glue it to construction paper for a collage.

String or glue popcorn onto a metal or styrofoam form to make a festive popcorn wreath to welcome friends into your National Popcorn Day party. And don't forget the paint and glitter to glitz it up even more!

Popcorn can even be used as a filling for glass Christmas ornaments to make cute decorations that give a little nod to the day.
Grab Some Gourmet Popcorn
If making popcorn at home doesn't sound like fun, then go fancy by including some of these gourmet popcorn brands in the celebration. These companies are dedicated to making the best there is to offer in the way of popcorn treats:

Garrett Popcorn Shops. Originally located in the Chicago area, this company specializes in mixing Caramel and Cheese flavors for an extra unique blend. Shops can now be found not only in the United States but also in many places in Asia as well as the United Arab Emirates.

KuKuRuZa Gourmet Popcorn. Started in Seattle but named after the Russian word for "corn", this company now does business in many countries in Asia and the Middle East, with online ordering throughout the world. Special flavors include Truffle Fromage Porcini, Seattle Style (Espresso Caramel), and Brown Butter & Sea Salt.

Harry & David's Moose Munch. On the sweeter side of things, Moose Munch is a popcorn based treat that has been delighting fans for 25 years with its blend of popcorn, nuts and chocolate. If there's no local shop nearby, online ordering is easy-or copycat recipes can make it simple to recreate at home.

Proper Corn. A fast-growing company in the United Kingdom, this popcorn company started in 2009 and has been delighting healthy snackers ever since! Look for flavors such as Sweet Coconut & Vanilla or Sour Cream & Black Pepper found in grocery stores in Europe as well as online in other countries.

The fun of popcorn can be enjoyed almost anytime, but National Popcorn Day is a particularly special day to celebrate this tasty treat. Popcorn is delicious, affordable, healthy (that is, before adding all of the butter, salt or sugar!) and can be enjoyed in a multitude of ways that is sure to delight everyone around.

Get creative for this special celebration and live up National Popcorn Day to the fullest with children and adults of all ages!

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Oh, Popcorn! Delicious and delightful, popcorn is part of so many traditions. Popcorn balls at Halloween, popcorn strings at Christmas, and delicious buttery popcorn all year round at the movies! Corn has played an important role in the diets of many cultures, and has spread to be a worldwide phenomenon since it was imported from the new world.

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Jason Momoa reads 'Tiddler' by Julia Donaldson

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Jason Momoa reads 'Tiddler' by Julia Donaldson

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Courtesy of CBeebies

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Bedtime Stories with Jason Momoa | Tiddler | CBeebies

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Can we save the insects?

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Missing! Millions of our best friends - The Day

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Actors and comedians read extracts from their favourite children's books and explain why they enjoyed them. With additional comprehension activities to help you guide your child to get more out of the short film.

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KS1 / KS2 English: Bringing Books to Life 1

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An adventure into the world of children’s literature as celebrity presenters share what they love about their favourite books, with animations that bring the stories to life.

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Romesh Ranganathan reads 'Henry and The Yeti' by Russell Ato

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Romesh Ranganathan reads 'Henry and The Yeti' by Russell Ato

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Courtesy of CBeebie

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Bedtime Stories | Romesh Ranganathan reads Henry and The Yeti | CBeebies

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Games, puzzles, quizzes, sing-a-long... Click to have fun.

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Games - Free online games for kids 0 - 6 - CBeebies - BBC

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Looking for free, fun games and activities for babies, toddlers and young children? CBeebies is the home of fun and educational games for kids to play and learn at the same time.

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Browse by subject and Key Stage

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Topmarks: teaching resources, interactive resources, worksheets, homework, exam and revision help

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Searchable site of thousands of quality teaching resources, interactive resources, homework, exam and revision help. Useful for teachers, pupils and parents.

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Olivia Coleman reads 'The Gruffalo's Child' by Julia Donaldson

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Olivia Coleman reads 'The Gruffalo's Child' by Julia Donaldson

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Courtesy of CBeebies

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Olivia Colman reads The Gruffalo's Child | CBeebies Bedtime Story

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Tom Hardy reads 'Zog and The Flying Doctors' by Julia Donaldson 

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Tom Hardy reads 'Zog and The Flying Doctors' by Julia Donaldson 

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(Courtesy of CBeebies)

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Bedtime Stories | Tom Hardy reads Zog and the Flying Doctors | CBeebies

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Activity suggestions for parents to encourage and support your child to read.

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Search Penguin's book lists by age / genre for book suggestions.

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Browse our wide range of books for children of all ages, from fantasy to non-fiction and top picks to classics. Penguin has something for every child.

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Interested in Animals, Geography, Biology? This site will keep you interested with short articles, games, and more.

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A virtual school at your finger tips. This site provides some parent help also.

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Interactive curriculum plans

Teaching resourcesTeaching resources

Curriculum plansCurriculum plans

AI ExperimentsAI Experiments

Join over 100k teachers and get free resources and other helpful content by email. Unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy.

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Explore thousands of high-quality resources for lesson planning and curriculum design. All optional, adaptable and free.

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For students in KS1 or KS2, learn whilst having fun using BBC Bitesize, Primary.

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Activity packs and links for primary-age children.

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Games to help you read, complete maths challenges, be creative and solve puzzles.

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Math Games | Educational Games for Kids | Toy Theater

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Fun & Free online math games for kids K-5, featuring addition, multiplication, subtraction, line plots, pictographs, virtual manipulatives, and more.

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Which creatures wouldn't stay still for the count? Which birds grew by 16 chicks? Why are flamingoes pink? Find out the answers and more....

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Keepers at London Zoo have begun recording an annual stocktake, to keep an eye on the more than 8,000 animals that live there, and monitor the number of babies they've had.

They began counting on Friday and it is expected to take almost a week to complete.

The results will be shared with other zoos, to help manage conservation breeding programmes for endangered animals.

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London Zoo stock take 2026: Annual animal count underway

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Lions, penguins and wriggly millipedes all have to be counted every year. It takes up to a week to count the thousands of animals which live at the zoo.