Free Educational Websites

As a teacher and home-schooler I am always on the look-out for free educational materials online. I look for activities, games, crafts, projects, print-ables, maps, cut and paste anything I can find to enhance learning and make it enjoyable for children. Here is my list of must-have websites for your 'favorites' folder.

www.PBSkids.org
This site is maintained by Public Broadcasting Services. It contains links to separate sites for all of the children's' shows that PBS has hosted. Each site provides free games, music, activities, coloring pages for children to access themselves. These sites incorporate math, reading, science, social studies, art, and more. They feature teaching resources and materials and helpful links to other educational sites with related materials parents and teachers. You will find:

For Pre-readers
Clifford
Bob the Builder
Caillou
Teletubbies
It's a Big, Big World
Barney
DragonTales
Curious George
Sesame Street
Mr. Roger's Neighborhood
Boobah

For Readers
Arthur
Cyberchase
Zoom
Maya and Miguel
Fetch with Ruff Ruffman
Sagwa, the Chinese, Siamese Pussycat
Reading Rainbow
Postcards from Buster
Jakers!
Between the Lions
Berenstain Bears

www.wondertime.com
I found this site when I was teaching pre-school. I googled free cut and paste print-ables and was directed to the website for Wondertime magazine. Besides the wonderful parenting articles, this site features the create and play link with crafts, games and at least 5 complete cut, assemble and paste activities each month for you to print and copy. All you need is a color printer and Adobe Acrobat Reader.

The animations are really charming and nicely colored. I found a barn with animals and fold-out doors, a placemat diagram with 'dishes' for setting the table, a movable clock, and more. These activities teach cutting skills (with two lines to follow for different age levels) assembly, gluing, sequencing, ordering, and organization. They are free to print off and make great day care, pre-school, or rainy day fun!