We all know the struggle to find engaging and educational resources that fit perfectly into your lesson plans. This guide is your one-stop shop for websites categorized by my use & function, from games and videos to stories and full-blown lessons. So grab your cup of coffee (or your favorite teacher fuel!), and get ready to bookmark some awesome sites!

The {FREE} ones I use daily or weekly:

• Gonoodle.com: Get the wiggles out with kinesthetic learning games and dance parties. This site is a MUST for my kinders. And they love it. We do it often- in between subjects, before and after going outside of the classroom, during morning meeting, and just when I can tell they need to get up and MOVE!
• Storylineonline.net: Cuddle up for celebrity story time with actors and actresses reading aloud amazing children’s books.
• YouTube.com: There are so many great resources from songs, music, and educational videos. Check out my organized thematic playlist catered to young learners by clicking the link.
• Starfall.com: (Partially Free) Interactive phonics, reading activities, animated stories, and engaging games. I use daily for the letter of the week, blends, digraphs, CVC words, blending etc. The kinders love taking turns and working on this sites activities on the smart board.
• Abcya.com: Educational games that target reading, math, and logic skills – a fun way to practice! I can almost always find a game to go with what we are learning in math and reading!
• PBSKids.org: Explore a world of educational games, activities, and even apps featuring everyone’s favorite PBS characters.
• Ryan & Craig: This website is 2 dudes reading children’s’ books in a funny and engaging way. The kids love these guys and there are so many books that I would read normally (Pigeon books, No, David!, Dr. Seuss, etc)
• Sign Up Genius: I use the free version of this for mystery reader volunteers, parent fun Fridays, fun Friday snack donations, etc!

Reading Time Fun!

• Highlights Kids: Brings the fun and learning of Highlights Magazine to the digital world, with interactive stories, puzzles, and activities.
• Seussville.com : Explore the wacky world of Dr. Seuss with printable activities, games, and apps based on his beloved books.
• Storybird.com: (Free Trial) Allows students to create their own stories using beautiful illustrations.

Lights, Camera, Learning! Educational Videos + More:

• Brainpop Jr.: (Partially Free) Animated topics in science, social studies, health, and the arts. I find these videos engaging and material explained really well for young learners.
• National Geographic Kids: Explore science, history, and culture with stunning videos and interactive features.
• Sesame Street: Educational videos, games, and activities on a wide range of topics.
• Khan Academy Kids: Short, engaging animated lessons that introduce core concepts.

Level Up Your Games:

• Abcya.com: Educational games that target reading, math, and logic skills – a fun way to practice!
• PBSKids.org: Explore a world of educational games, activities, and even apps featuring everyone’s favorite PBS characters.
• Cool Math Games: And they are, well…cool! Engaging math games for young learners.
• Funbrain: Another awesome collection of free educational games that cover a wide range of subjects.
• Arcademics: Features engaging educational games for math, reading, language arts, and science.
• SplashLearn: Combines interactive games with personalized learning paths for math and reading.
• Math Playground: Engaging math games for young learners.
• Turtle Diary: Online educational games and videos sorted by grade level for math and reading.
• Prodigy Games: (completely free for teachers) Role playing games for math and English.

Research & Informational Sites:

• Time for Kids: Current event articles, biographies, and other informational text written specifically for young learners.
• National Geographic Kids: videos, games, and research about science and social studies topics like animals, and history.
• Google Earth: Explore anywhere in the world!
• Make Me Genuis: combines educational games, videos, and research with personalized learning paths for math, reading, social studies, and science.
• Kiddle: Kid friendly search engine.

Virtual Field Trips & More:

• Explore: a database of live animal cams (and a few other things).
• Virtual Musical Instruments: exactly how it sounds. 😉 12 instruments to choose from.
• Freedom Homeschooling: a comprehensive list of several links to FREE virtual field trips in many different categories, like: zoos, farms, factories, space, careers, and much, MUCH more. Great site to bookmark and use for a variety of lessons.
• Nasa HubbleSite: watch what the Hubble Space Telescope is viewing in real time.
• Travel Just For Kids: this site has a plethora of travel content for virtual explorers, like: virtual trips, stories, games, and more.

Brain Breaks:

• Gonoodle.com: Get the wiggles out with kinesthetic learning games and dance parties.

Classroom Management:

• ClassDojo: Not just for classroom management! Offers a library of high-quality educational content, including short videos, quizzes, and creative activities.
• Smore: Free newsletter builder. It’s a user-friendly platform that allows you to create visually appealing and informative newsletters. You just throw the link in out to your classroom families.

Beg your school to buy subscriptions to these:

• GetEpic: A massive library of digital children’s books, with options for guided reading and comprehension checks.
• Dreambox: Individualized lessons and games that increase in levels as skills are mastered. I used this a lot for independent work during center time.
• IXL: Another personalized skill based website with lessons, activities, & assessments.
• Pebblego: Awesome online read alouds that are easy to understand for young learners. Tons of topics related to curriculum including science, social studies, animals, and biographies.
• Myon: Another online resource for read alouds. Listen to stories or read on your own. Suitable for independent, small group, and whole group lessons and practice.

Have any other websites that you can’t live without in your classroom?