The Best Kids' Websites
Discovery Kids Toons Challenge
URL: http://kids.discovery.com/games/games.html
Part of the Toons TV entity—a fun, animated website—Discovery Kids has excellent, child-friendly games, video clips, and cartoon animations. It also has educational merit. For example, in the Real Toons Challenge game, the player must know facts about sharks or facts about ancient Egypt to win. Other areas of the site review those facts, teaching the necessary information. Discovery Kids has no inappropriate ads; and except for entry into the WhizzBall section, it is unnecessary to register.
Ready Set Learn! For Preschoolers
URL: http://kids.discovery.com/fansites/readysetlearn/readysetlearn.html
Unique to Discovery Kids, the site has a link to an amazing sub-site, Ready Set,Learn, which is just for preschoolers. Ready Set Learn is an outstanding teaching resource designed with age-appropriate games, activities, music, interactivity, etc. The child can even play a keyboard; and make his own music—and art. There are no ads on this part of Discovery Kids. Preschoolers can follow the link and go directly to Ready Set Learn. Highly Recommended.
Pirates - National Geographic
Kids.gov
URL: http://www.kids.gov/
Kids.gov does not have electrical animation and is not as much fun as some of the best kids’ sites; but it is distinguished by the volume of resources it links into, via other governmental kids’ websites. Some of those are even fun. Kids.gov is subdivided for grades K-5, 6-8, and Educators. It is the official kids' portal for the U. S. governmental agencies
NASA
URL: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/index.html
NASA is a powerful site, filled with multimedia resources and other information specifically related to Space. The resources are grouped according to age groups, through that of Higher Education. Because the site covers a wide range of ages, the home page does not have the animation, characteristic of the best-designed kids’ sites; but the graphics and background of NASA’s home page are excellent. It has a link to the fun, animated, Kids’ Club.
NASA Kids' Club
URL: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/index.html
NASA Kids' Club has neat, space-like sounds, flickering lights, and animation. At this time, NASA Kids' Club only has a few games; but they are of excellent, professional quality; and children won't be bothered by ads in this cyber-space.
NASA Kids' Club is totally safe and highly recommended.
NASA Kids' Club is totally safe and highly recommended.
National Gallery of Art - NGA Kids - Jungle
URL: http://www.nga.gov/kids/zone/zone.htm
"Create an imaginary landscape online with the NGAkids JUNGLE interactive. Mix and match the colorful characters, control the environment by changing weather and lighting conditions, or construct flowers, trees, and plants using special tools. An "AUTO" button generates random compositions, so you can sample program options and experiment with special effects as a starting point for your own designs. . . .
JUNGLE is inspired by the paintings of French artist Henri Rousseau."
JUNGLE is inspired by the paintings of French artist Henri Rousseau."
NGA Kids Paintbox & Much, Much More!
URL: http://www.nga.gov/kids/zone/paintbox.htm
NGA Kids provides numerous options for experimenting with 2-d and 3-d art. The site has a very exciting children's paint program, with options for free drawing and painting, as well as for creating kaleidoscopic snowflake and star designs. Brushes and pens can be selected in a range of sizes and colors can be applied in varying levels of transparency. This is a great into to adult programs that operate in much the same way.
The Symmetry Tool in Paint Box
NGA Kids Collage Machine
URL: http://www.nga.gov/kids/zone/collagemachine2.htm
Kids can select shapes and create Matisse-like designs; or you can select other collage elements--like letters and numbers--to create other types of collages.
This is an excellent activity to teach design and composition--to art students of any age.
NGA also has a good overview of the collages and other art of Romare Bearden.
This is an excellent activity to teach design and composition--to art students of any age.
NGA also has a good overview of the collages and other art of Romare Bearden.
NGA Kids Dutch Dollhouse
URL: http://www.nga.gov/kids/zone/dollhouse.htm
The NGA Kids Dutch Dollhouse allows the young artist to move background and foreground objects and manipulate them to create "old" Dutch masters, in the manner of the 17th century painters like Vermeer, Jan Steen, etc.
Kids can change the lighting from night to day--and can even select how much light to shine through the windows.
The entire NGA Kids site is outstanding for allowing a wide range of creative choices and exploration.
Kids can change the lighting from night to day--and can even select how much light to shine through the windows.
The entire NGA Kids site is outstanding for allowing a wide range of creative choices and exploration.
The Dollhouse TileMaker tool encourages creative exploration in design.
In the Dollhouse Studio, kids can paint a picture and watch it magically appear on the easel. There are different sizes of brushes.
National Geographic Kids
URL: http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/
National Geographic Kids is a quality website filled with games, videos, activities, and stories—all enhanced by National Geographic’s incredible photography. The site does have ads; however, the advertisements are tasteful. Because of clear labeling, older children, who probably have acquired the skill to discern, understand that the ads are ads. Young children have not acquired this skill and will need to be guided on this site. Regardless of the ads, this is a quality, excellent resource that is highly recommended—with supervision for younger children.
PBS Kids Cyberchase
URL: http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/
PBS Kids Cyberchase is an outstanding site, with educational games, animations, sound, and opportunities for interactive involvement, i.e. selecting a character, before entering the Cyberchase Quest. PBS Kids should be applauded for its fresh approach to creating websites for elementary children. There is an opportunity to become an official member of Cyberchase, by registering; but the child is not lured into registering. There is nothing shady about this site. It is excellent in every way.
The Talking Calculator
URL: http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/games/calculator/
The interactive, Talking Calculator is also a unique feature of PBS Kids Cyberchase.
The entire site is fantastic; and there are “virtually” no ads.
PBS Kids Cyberchase is highly recommended for older elementary kids. The games are too tough for the little guys.
The entire site is fantastic; and there are “virtually” no ads.
PBS Kids Cyberchase is highly recommended for older elementary kids. The games are too tough for the little guys.
Yahoo Kids Has Great Games
URL: http://kids.yahoo.com/
Yahoo!Kids is a much-improved makeover of the former Yahooligans.The site includes games, movie clips, sound, and other fun things. It also has an outstanding Study Zone, where kids can find detailed information about animals, science, and other reference data. This site is distinguished from many other educational sites, in that it has taken measures to have the same kind of kinetic, strobe-like activity that kids have come to expect. There are ads; but they are not inappropriate. Yet, younger kids should be guided around the ads.
Yahoo Kids Also Has A Fantastic Study Zone
Yahoo has the World Fact Bookand Science, Reference,and Animal sections.
From the ANIMALS page, you may elect to look at:
Amphibians, Birds, Fish, Mammals, or Reptiles.
And that is only the beginning!
From the ANIMALS page, you may elect to look at:
Amphibians, Birds, Fish, Mammals, or Reptiles.
And that is only the beginning!
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