The holidays are over. The gifts that were so shiny and new are beginning to lose some of their appeal. The cold, snowy days quickly lead to the dreaded “What can we do?” question.
As a parent of three, I can tell you this is our least favorite question. It can be tempting to toss them a tablet and let them watch videos for a while so that you can have some peace and quiet. No judgment; we’ve all done it. The sites I’ve listed below provide engaging activities for children that use the digital world to alleviate that real-world boredom by blending the two. Parents can join in the fun with these sites, too!
Art for Kids Hub
Art Hub for Kids is a family-friendly YouTube channel that teaches children how to draw in a fun way. Each video includes the leading artist, Rob, and one of his four children drawing alongside him. On-screen, he’ll draw a line or shape, and then his co-artist will draw the same thing. The camera shows both drawings side by side so the viewers can see exactly what to do. Kids can pause the video while they draw or rewatch a section if they don’t understand the instructions.
Rob does a phenomenal job of emphasizing that every artist is different. It is perfectly OK if your drawing at home doesn’t look exactly like his. The artwork is colored and shaded when it is complete. The result is almost always something your child will be proud of. The most challenging part is choosing what to draw from the thousands of options available.
You can find the channel by searching for “Art For Kids Hub” on YouTube. If you’re not a fan of YouTube, check out ArtForKidsHub.tv. It is a paid site ($5.99 a month) run by the same family that allows you to access all the Art For Kids Hub videos in a friendly, ad-free environment.
Highlights Kids
Highlights magazine was a staple of my childhood. The “Hidden Pictures” feature was easily my favorite part. The 60-year-old publication continues to entertain another generation of children through its website.
The digital version of Highlights Kids has lots of great content for kids ages 6 to 12. The site includes jokes, online games and puzzles. The activities section contains 40 different crafts and recipes that can be done without much adult supervision. The all-caps “ADULTS” signals kids when they’ll need a parent’s help.
The site even includes an area where kids can submit the things they’ve made to be featured online or ask questions to the Highlights’ staff, such as, “I’m really messy. How can I get more organized?”
The one downside to the digital site is the Hidden Pictures. The popularity of the activity caused Highlights to create a separate subscription-based website dedicated to Hidden Pictures. Parents can sign up for a free trial that will be billed monthly until canceled. Overall, the site provides a load of fun, free activities for kids when boredom sets in.
Funbrain
Some readers may be familiar with the digital treasure trove of educational games, videos and books that is Funbrain. Funbrain features content for kids in preschool through eighth grade. Some games help kids practice fundamental skills in language arts and math, such as Word Derby and Math Basketball.
The “skill and drill” model is not ideal for teaching new concepts, but it can be a useful practice tool. The content is leveled, which means your fourth grader will not see problems designed for a kindergarten student.
My favorite part of the site is the reading section. Funbrain offers digital copies of books for students to read. A quick search revealed books from popular series such as “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” and “Judy Moody.” The books are published online in their entirety. Free books online let kids to dip their toe in the water to see if they’d like a book series before going to the library.
Funbrain is free; however, it is supported by advertisements. The advertisements appear to be family-friendly, but they can become cumbersome at times. Head over to funbrain.com to learn more.
Chrome Music Lab
Google’s Chrome Music Lab is an excellent resource for children who love making music, singing songs or both. The site provides a grid that you click on to add notes. The higher you place the note on the grid, the higher the sound made will be.
The options along the bottom allow the musician to choose the style of the sounds. Kids can select from a grand piano, strings, woodwinds and more. The tempo can be adjusted as well, giving you an upbeat, bouncy tune or a slower, melodramatic symphony. Children can even record lyrics using the built-in microphone on their tablet or by plugging a microphone into your home computer.
While this fun, this free activity won’t turn your little one into the next Beethoven, it is an excellent opportunity to engage their brain cells on a dreary winter afternoon. You can find this in the Chrome experiments section of Google’s site by searching “Chrome Music Lab” from your favorite search engine.
Remember to join in with your kids on these activities, too! For example, Art Hub for Kids is fun for kids AND adults. So is the Chrome Music Lab. Technology shouldn’t be your family’s answer to boredom. However, it can be used to grow your child’s love of reading, art, music and more by giving them opportunities to practice their skills in new and unique ways.
Mike Daugherty is a husband, father of three young children, author, speaker, Google Innovator, and possible Starbucks addict. He is a certified educational technology leader who has served in a variety of roles through his 18-year career in public education. Currently, Mike is the director of technology for the Chagrin Falls Exempted Village School district in Northeast Ohio. His blog, More Than A Tech, offers advice and ideas for parenting in a digital world.
