Distance Learning Free and Cheap Online
Free and Cheap Online Options for Bored Kids (And Tired Parents!)
Contributed by Leslie Campos Wellparents.com
We all know that children should not be overexposed to the screens on their devices, but that does not mean a complete technology ban. And as almost any parent can tell you, sometimes, buying yourself 30 minutes of quiet time with a videogame or television show is a lifesaver. It is okay to let your children indulge (within reason) as long as your most common response to boredom is the tried-and-true, “go outside and play.”
Knowing that you’ll need to turn to technology at least once in a while, it pays to be familiar with the many different free and low-cost options available for children of all ages. But first, you should know that you may have to invest in a new computer if yours is more than a few years old. Because technology changes so often, your current PC may not have the power to run multiple programs at once nor the memory to allow for more than one or two game downloads. If you are on a budget, look for a Lenovo coupon or promo code, which can help you tone down your spending.
Thinking Like a Teacher
Before you let your kids loose online, bookmark a few of the websites that teachers use when determining what’s appropriate for their classrooms. Scholastic recommends Common Sense Media for reviews on programs, tools, and educational apps. An added perk of this website is that you can easily see parent and child reviews of television shows and movies so you can make a more informed decision on which media is appropriate for your kids.
Games and More
When you are looking for online video games for your kids, think in terms of games that can actually reinforce their classroom lessons. There are many online games that teach math, which is a subject many children find intimidating. By reframing things like multiplication and subtraction as something fun and necessary for adventure, the kids can pick up difficult concepts with ease. Math Blaster and Prodigy are two online math games appropriate for elementary school students. Middle and high school students may better enjoy an escape game, which can help with critical-thinking skills.
Books for the Eyes and Ears
If your kids are more into literature, you don’t have to invest in expensive books that they will probably lose after they read anyway. Instead of spending cash here, check out the Kindle Lending Library or any of the sources for free audiobooks recommended by Book Riot.
A Treasury of Information
One of the most overlooked online resources is the Internet Archive. This free website is run by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to provide universal access to all knowledge for everyone. It is an exceedingly valuable resource, particularly for middle and high school-aged children (or those that simply love to learn) and features more than 23 million texts, 2 million television shows, and more than 5.6 million videos from the Getty Research Institute, the San Francisco Public Library, PopTech, and thousands of other sources.
Educate Remotely
Other free and low-cost resources for educational activities are sites like Coursera, Udemy, and Academic Earth; these are best suited to tweens and teens. Similarly, you can reach out to your child’s elementary school to ask if they have any online workshops, ebooks, or accounts (such as Study Island) that children have access to outside of school hours.
Again, children should not be given unlimited access to the internet, no matter how educational their usage may be. However, there is no shame in giving yourself a few minutes of quiet time by sitting the kids at their computer. After all, they are growing up in the digital age, and this is just a new tool for parents and children alike.
