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Online Learning Games for Kids
Best Websites to Find Educational Activities for Children
Online learning games are not just a way to keep kids occupied, these games can also be used to stimulate their young minds.
Online learning games are not just a way to keep kids occupied, these games can also be used to stimulate their young minds.
Nowadays, kids are learning how to maneuver their way around computers before they’re out of diapers. And parents worry about the future effect too much mindless Internet surfing will have on their kids. But a child's time on the World Wide Web doesn't have to be wasted, as there are plenty of online learning games available that can be used to enhance his educational experiences.
Online learning games can help build critical thinking, memory, vocabulary, math, reading, concentration, and problem solving skills in youngsters. True, there is a lot of junk on the Internet, but quality websites for children do exist – parents just need to know where to find them. Here are some of the best websites to find educational activities for children.
Playhouse Disney
Playhouse Disney features plenty of free online learning games for children to enjoy. With the help of some of their favorite Disney Pals, children can read interactive online stories, print out activity sheets, listen to music, play games, and watch full episodes of their favorite television shows including Little Einsteins, Jungle Junction, Handy Manny, Imagination Movers, My Friends Tigger & Pooh, and of course, the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.
Adults can also get in on the online action because Disney Playhouse also offers an area where parents and educators can go to find information on things such as lesson planning, and upcoming Disney events. The Playhouse Disney website is fun, animated, and perfect for preschoolers and early elementary age kids.
PBSKids.org
PBS Kids provides some of the most educational television shows for children, and their website is no different. PBSKids.org offers tons of interactive online learning games, music, and activities that feature characters from favorite PBS shows including the Reading Rainbow, Curious George, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Super Why, Sid the Science Kid, and Maya and Miguel. PBSKids.org is a friendly website, that’s visually appealing, and easy for youngsters to maneuver.
Fun Brain
Fun Brain features plenty of online learning games to keep school-agers entertained for hours. Fun Brain features arcade-style math, reading, and grammar games kids will absolutely adore. This website also provides comics, and kid-friendly blogs for youngsters. The educational activities on Fun Brain are sorted by grade level, so kids don't have to wade through a mass of activities just to find age-appropriate games to play. The games on Fun Brain are geared towards kids ages six to 13. Children that are younger than six may find this website difficult to maneuver.
The free online learning games on Playhouse Disney, PBSKids.org, and Fun Brain can help make the most of kids’ time on the computer by enhancing their learning experiences, and building skills they can use throughout life.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Play & Learn - Educational Game For Kids
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Physical Activity in Children
Tips to Help Parents Encourage Exercise in Kids
Exercise promotes the development of muscles, strong lungs, and a healthy heart. Physical activity can aid in weight management and prevent diseases that can result from being obese. This is why physical fitness is not just important for adults, but for children as well.
"Our children are on a fast track to becoming unhealthy adults. It is evident that parents must bear the brunt of the responsibility to correct the situation," says Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper in his book Fit Kids, published by Broadman & Holman. If you are serious about increasing the levels of physical activity in your children, try these helpful tips.
Take Your Children Outdoors for After Dinner Exercise
Instead of flipping on the television after dinner, gather the entire family and go for a bike ride or a quick walk around the neighborhood. Your children may be resistant at first, but in the end, they will feel more refreshed and energized.
Encourage Noncompetitive Family Sports
Playing noncompetitive sports is a great way for kids to have fun while they are exercising. Jump-rope, kick-ball, frisbee, tag, and hide-and-seek are all ways to implement more physical activity into your child’s life.
Exercise Indoors
Bad weather is no excuse for your children to sit in front of the television. There are a number of indoor activities kids can do to get their bodies moving. Put on some of your favorite music and groove, pop in some exercise videos, or do a little yoga. It doesn’t matter how your kids move, as long as they’re not sitting on the couch like lumps.
Schools Can Help Kids Be Active
Schools, teachers, and parents have many different ideas when they hear about students needing to be more active or that kids need to exercise more. These ideas include:
- There's no time
- My children/students don't like to exercise
- We need to focus on academics
- Kids get enough activity at recess/PE class/after school
Many of these statements have a basis of truth. However, physical activity for children is far more important than many people realize. And children are getting far less physical activity than is recommended or necessary. Children do not get enough time to be active during PE class (once a week?) or during recess.
And the vision we have of children playing outside, riding bikes, or playing physical games after school often doesn't apply anymore. For one thing, parents in many areas don't want their children playing outside without close supervision. Since the parents are often working, that supervision can be hard to come by.
The more likely scenario today is for kids to be inside, watching television, playing video games, working on the computer, etc. Yes, they are safe...but they are also sedentary. The sad truth is that we are setting them up for a lifetime of health issues if we take away all of their physical activity opportunities.
So what role do schools and teachers play? A big one! Children spend most of their day at school. Plus, there are a number of studies that show combining learning and activity benefits children. Yes, it does take some extra effort to plan lessons that integrate physical activity. It also takes a more concerted effort to make physcial activity a priority for the whole school. Thousands of schools are now doing just that, and the benefits for everyone involved are enormous.
The biggest obstacle, unfortunately, is often not the kids. It is us, the adults. We think children won't exercise, we think it will be too hard, we think other things should take priority, or we think trying to manage a classroom full of active kids will just be a giant headache. However, our students often welcome the chance to do things differently, and will also thank us for allowing them to release their energy in a safe, fun way.
Let's set aside our own notions and instead see physical activity in a new light. What else can bring families and children together, give an entire school a common goal, improve health, improve learning retention and mood, and be just plain fun? The benefits you'll see in your students will be proof enough that physical activity is as important as academics.
Rainy Day Activities for Children of All Ages
Fun and Educational Ideas for the Indoors
Being stuck indoors due to bad weather doesn't have to mean instant boredom. There are ways to turn a wet, soggy day into a fun-filled, indoor experience for everyone!
Being stuck indoors due to bad weather doesn't have to mean instant boredom. There are ways to turn a wet, soggy day into a fun-filled, indoor experience for everyone!
Many children seem to be filled with limitless energy and absolutely love to run and play outdoors as often and for as long as possible. However, the weather is not always conducive for outside play and parents sometimes end up having to keep their children indoors for lengthy periods of time.
Unfortunately, many parents find themselves distressed just at the thought of having to spend time cooped up in the house with their children! Children can quickly get bored, restless, and cranky. Although, television often becomes the quick fix, it does not have to be the only way to keep children happy. Check out these great ideas to keep children cheerfully engaged in constructive indoor activities on all those rainy days!
Coloring and Painting Can Brighten Up Any Rainy Day
Provide children with lots of colorful crayons, colored pencils, and washable markers along with drawing paper so that they can express their creativity. Keep a collection of fun coloring books and water color paints on hand for easy access. Check out on-line coloring pages where children can color on-line pictures by clicking on the screen. These types of sites also allow parents to print out the coloring pages according to the age of the child and their particular preferences.
Jig-Saw Puzzles Can Keep Children Engaged for Hours
Traditional puzzles like jig-saws are a wonderful way to keep children busy on rainy days. Jig-saw puzzles are great because they help to develop problem-solving skills as well as fine-motor skills. Choose puzzles with an appropriate number of pieces for the age-group of the child. It can also be fun for families to work on larger puzzles together. Look for on-line versions of jig-saw puzzles as well!
Building Sets Make Wonderful Rainy Day Activities
Construction sets such as Lego's, Tinker Toys, and Lincoln Logs have been around for what seems like an eternity and for good reason! These types of building toys are wonderful for children of all ages. They encourage creativity, foster problem solving skills and enhance fine motor development. Another newer type of building set is called Gears, Gears, Gears. Parents may find that their children can't get enough of playing with these types of educational toys, rain or shine!
Board Games Make for Indoor Family Fun
Rainy days don't feel so long when children are actively engaged in playing classic board games such as Scrabble and Scrabble Jr, checkers, and chess. These types of games are more fun when everyone gets involved. Gather some snacks, put on some fun music and pull out the board games to help make rainy days more tolerable!
Books Can be an Exciting Escape on a Rainy Afternoon
Reading is an excellent way for children to spend their time when they have to stay indoors because of the weather. Parents should always make the time to either read with their children or have them read to them and rainy days make perfect opportunities to get this done! Parents can provide lots of high interest, age appropriate books for their children and then gently make the suggestion that they find a comfy spot to curl up with an old favorite or a new pick! One of the best ways to pass the time on a rainy day is to pull out a great book. Check out some of the reading incentive sites available for children on-line.
Music and Dance Can Be Great for Restless Children
Turn on the radio or CD player and put on some favorite hits. Clear the floor and get moving! Children usually love to jump, dance, stretch and just generally let off steam. This is especially important when the weather is so bad that they cannot get outdoors at all. Exercise is wonderful for both children and adults and it makes everyone happy! Pop in an exercise video or tune into one of the many exercise channels available on television. Actively participate with children and watch their excitement grow and grow!
Rainy days can become the portal between children and their next great adventure. Parents just need to provide meaningful activities to engage their children, offer gentle support, encouragement and specific praise when needed and then sit back to watch the magic unfold!
The copyright of the article Rainy Day Activities for Children of All Ages in Kids Indoor Activities is owned by Afua Saafir. Permission to republish Rainy Day Activities for Children of All Ages in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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