Resources For Children

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Resources for Children

We’re very aware that this may be a difficult time for some of you, especially with no school and no ability to socialise.  So, we’ve tried to put together a few things that kids might find interesting, or might like to try.

There’s some child-friendly websites; suggestions for things to do, and even some printable resources.  We’re hoping to add more, so if you know of something suitable please don’t hesitate to get in touch and tell us.

We’d also like to develop the Island Kids page some more.  We can run competitions, look at live-streaming sessions like cooking or art, and maybe even bring together a collective diary to share experiences and memorable events during this time.  Just let us know what you’d like to see included and we’ll do our best, and please do try and get involved, whether by sending in a drawing, entering our photo competition, or using the video chat to catch up with friends.

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Printable Colouring In

Fed up with drawing moustaches on newspaper articles?  Then why not try our free downloadable printable colouring in pictures.

Coronavirus Timecapsule

Fancy making a timecapsule workbook while you are in lockdown? Click here to find out more…

For a giggle...

Sometimes even the most serious of situations can result in a funny news story.

Read this one about a scientist who wanted to help with the current coronavirus situation, but it didn’t quite go according to plan…

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/mar/30/astrophysicist-gets-magnets-stuck-up-nose-while-inventing-coronavirus-device

Things to do...

Adventure and Discovery with Maddie

Maddie, the presenter of Maddie’s Do you Know, has her own youtube channel full of videos, including try at home activities.  Take a look at her youtube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/user/maddiemoate/featured

The world of David Walliams

If you’re a fan of the David Walliams books why not take a look at his website.  There’s plenty of free downloadable activities and resources. Just visit:

https://www.worldofdavidwalliams.com/activities/

The Hebridean Handbook

An Lanntair have published the very gorgeous Hebridean Handbook.  Written by an artist and teacher based in the Isle of Lewis, the resources within are designed to be a gentle guide to home learning with accessible activities for all.

http://lanntair.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Hebridean-Handbook-On-the-Shore-compressed.pdf

The Great Indoors by The Scouts

The Scouts have pulled together a whole host of indoor activity ideas to help beat the boredom.  Take a look at their website for lots of things to do when you can’t get out and about.

https://www.scouts.org.uk/the-great-indoors/

JK Rowling’s Wizarding World

For the Harry Potter fans amongst you (all of us, surely) JK Rowling has added to the incredible pages of her Wizarding World website.  Now with new articles, quizzes, puzzles and plenty more to help cast a Banishing Charm on boredom. 

https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/harry-potter-at-home

Games

Board Game arena – Play board games online free

https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/games – CBBC 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/games – CBeebies

https://www.cartoonnetwork.co.uk/games – Cartoon Network

http://www.nick.co.uk/games/ – Nickelodeon 

RSPB games – https://www.rspb.org.uk/fun-and-learning/for-kids/games-and-activities/online-games-for-kids/

Geography games

 

Puzzles & Quizzes

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/puzzles – CBBC

https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/puzzles – CBeebies

https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/quizzes – CBBC

https://www.penguin.co.uk/search-results.html?articleType_1=Children%27s+articles&articleType_2=Quizzes&tab=articles – fun quizzes from Penguin Books

Colouring stuff

Medieval dolls to cut and colour

Free colouring book from the Public Domain Review

Downloadable colouring books from 113 different museums

Free colouring in activity book

 

Places to visit (virtually)

Visit the British Museum using Google Street View, allowing you to see over 60 different galleries.

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

https://naturalhistory2.si.edu/vt3/NMNH/

Mars – get as close to Mars as possible with images recorded 

https://accessmars.withgoogle.com

Edinburgh Castle

https://artsandculture.google.com/story/VAWxcB3PgVhOvw

Fitness

PE with Joe

The Body Coach Joe Wicks is offering a free workout aimed at kids.  Each weekday he’ll add a new 30 minute workout each day at 9am. Take a look at his youtube channel for more information.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyCLoPd4VxBvQafyve889qVcPxYEjdSTl

Things to listen to...

Stories

https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/shows/bedtime-stories – CBeebies

Dolly Parton reads bedtime stories 

Puffin Books have their own youtube channel where you can hear some of your favourite books being read.  https://www.youtube.com/user/puffinbooks1/featured  or find other audio files on their website.

Audible – Free for this period – Available in 6 languages

BorrowBox – For those of you with library membership, you can now access books around the clock, and from wherever you are in the world, using the new digital service, BorrowBox.

 

Podcasts

 

Penguin books have an excellent podcast:

https://www.penguin.co.uk/search-results.html?articleType_1=Children%27s+articles&articleType_2=Podcasts&tab=articles

 Podcasts for children from the BBC https://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts?q=children

https://www.storypirates.com/podcastUses kids’ story ideas to create stories and songs 

This podcast, aimed at middle-grade listeners and performed by 8- to 12-year-olds, is a Peabody Award-winner. The scripted story is a serial in the vein of Stranger Things and The Goonies, and so far it runs for three seasons. https://www.marspatel.com

Things to watch...

For those who love the wonderful words and characters of Julia Donaldson, why not take a look at her page on Facebook.  Here the author will perform stories, songs and poems in a new episode each Thursday at 4pm. https://www.facebook.com/OfficialGruffalo/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/watch – CBBC

https://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/cbbc – CBBC iplayer

As featured in the Daily News on 4th April, this website brings you live video feeds from across the world.  Watch Gorillas in the Congo, Elephants in South Africa, and even puppies in California.

Things to read...

For those of you with library membership, you can now access books around the clock, and from wherever you are in the world, using the new digital service, BorrowBox.

Coronavirus explained: free book illustrated by the Gruffalo illustrator Axel Scheffler

Penguin offer a wide range of extracts of things to read 

Things to learn...

Educational

BBC Bitesize have some fantastic resources, as well as games, to help with learning.  They feature Gaelic learning as well as English on their website which is helpfully split into different age ranges.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/primary

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize (for those aged 11 and up)

Carol Vorderman’s – The Maths Factor is allowing people to join up for free at the moment.  Find daily lessons, games, and lots of other resources to help with learning maths. – https://www.themathsfactor.com

Music

A fun, but curriculum based music class for all ages and abilities, by the talented Myleene Klass. 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQh2wgJ5tOrixYBn6jFXsXQ/featured

History

Explore a Roman fort

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/forkids/ – Find out about different periods of History through the BBC

Find out aboutthe Roman baths at Bath – https://www.romanbaths.co.uk/walkthrough

If you’re a fan of the Vile Victorians, or the Rotten Romans, take a look at the BBC Horrible Histories page for lots of activities and videos with your favourite characters.  – https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/shows/horrible-histories

A New skill

Blocky games – Games to help beginners learn computer programming skills

Scratch – Beginners computer programming games/projects

Girls Who Code: home exercises

Things to make...

Some great ideas of things to make from Puffin Books

Accessible Links...

Listening books.org – For people with Parkinson’s Disease, visual impairment, fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, mental health difficulty or learning difficulty such as Dyslexia, which impacts the ability to read or hold a book

Fun, accessible, activity and game Apps for people with disabilities

Get in Touch!

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