FREE Life Science Curriculum For Kids

Here is a terrific science curriculum for elementary-aged children. The life science course is FREE to download. It covers everything from biomes, life cycles, senses to body organs, classifications and health. It is written in a very engaging format and my kids have really enjoyed the course. I download and print out the pages and put them into a binder so it makes a handy science textbook. Whether you homeschool or not, this curriculum as well as the paid science courses are well worth the time.
http://eequalsmcq.com/ClassicScienceLife.htm 

ABCya: Free Computer Games for Kids

ABCya is a website with FREE educational computer games for elementary aged children. The games are modeled after elementary grade lessons and incorporate fun graphics. My kids both enjoy playing on ABCya and I have used the website with them for years. There are games for kindergarten through grade 5 and they include lessons in reading, math, science, social studies and holidays.
http://www.abcya.com/

Free Resources From Crayola

The Crayola website has a wide array of free activity, coloring and educator resources. Most of the coloring pages have the option to print and color or color online. Some of the categories include: science, social studies, Disney, holidays, seasons, sports and words and letters. My kids really like the online coloring option and I have found some helpful resources to supplement their lessons.
http://www.crayola.com/free-coloring-pages/

Progressive Phonics: Helping Your Child To Read

Progressive Phonics is a reading program for beginning readers as well as readers with a bit more experience. The best part is that it's absolutely FREE! From learning the alphabet to advanced phonics, the program also includes worksheet and activity sheets to complement the lessons. I have used this and my kids  really enjoy the cute and silly stories. I actually print them out and paste them into a blank journaling book for them to look at and read.

www.progressivephonics.com

Webrangers: Free National Park Service Site For Kids

Webrangers is a fun interactive website, which is actually the National Park Service's online Junior Ranger program for kids of all ages. You will find lots of games and activities plus the opportunity to earn rewards. There are activities concerning nature, history, science, animals, famous people, and the national parks. The skill levels are easy, medium and hard so all ages can find things that are the right level for them. Kids can customize their own online ranger stations as well.
 The best part is that it is FREE to join and play! It truly is a great resource.
http://www.nps.gov/webrangers/index.cfm

FREE Music Resource: DSO Kids

Learning about music can be a very enriching experience for children. Classical music, in particular, has been shown to have many worthwhile benefits for young minds. Knowing about the orchestra, famous composers and a wide range of instruments are all helpful for training kids in music study. One website that does a fantastic job of incorporating these components is DSO kids. DSO is a kid-friendly site of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. There are numerous games and listening activities focusing on famous composers spanning several centuries, music theory, and instruments of the orchestra. These games can be played by early elementary students with some parental help and by older elementary and middle school students on their own. My kids have learned a lot from using this website and they especially like hearing the different instruments.
Check out this wonderful resource for helping to introduce your child to the world of classical music.
http://www.dsokids.com/

5 Educational Science DVDs for Kids

Educational DVDs do not have to be

dry and boring. There are many entertaining shows with high-quality educational content to be found. I incorporate watching them within our homeschool day or in the car on long trips. In fact, sometimes the kids will ask to watch one of these videos rather than a mainstream cartoon. I have chosen five science based videos that we use often and are relatively inexpensive.

1) Popular Mechanics for Kids-
This was a series in the late 1990s and early 2000s based on the Popular Mechanics magazine. The main goal of the show is explaining how things work with the help of the two kid stars who travel around to try new things out. Since the series was fairly long-running, there are lots of episodes. I purchased the whole series for a very reasonable cost. Some of the episodes focus on roller coasters, zoos, alligators/swamps, lightning, toys/games and spaceships. My kids LOVE this show- it is definitely one of their favorites and it appeals to a large age range of children.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BQ1S3N8/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1535523722&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000AYYV6A&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=02GX6J6TVX9G7WKFK7ZV

2) Magic School Bus-
The popular series of books were made into educational cartoons in the 1990s. Each episode focuses on a particular science topic and follows the adventures of Ms. Frizzle and class. With episodes ranging from seeds to lost in space to ants to energy, there is always something new to learn. I bought the entire series and the kids will watch them all again and again. This series was targeted towards the elementary age range.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Magic-School-Bus-Complete/dp/B007I1Q4MM

3) Animal Atlas-
If your kids like animals and zoology, they will really enjoy this series and learn quite a bit. The DVDs pretty much cover almost any species of animal imaginable and are great for elementary aged kids as well as preschoolers.
http://www.animalatlas.tv/#!dvd/c1o1j

4) The Science of Disney Imagineering
The Disney magic is on display in these engaging videos about what goes on behind the scenes in creating the special Disney effects. Each DVD focuses on a different concept from electricity to friction and gravity to name a few. The series is aimed at a higher elementary level to middle school.
http://www.dep-store.com/The-Science-of-Disney-Imagineering-s/29.htm?searching=Y&sort=1&cat=29&show=10&page=1

5) Moody Science Classics
If you are looking for a Christian-based science series, Moody may be the right pick for you. These classic DVDs are dated, but are wonderfully made and stand the test of time. The topics range the entire gamut of science-related concepts all with the Creator as the central theme and focus.
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/cms_content?page=1449336&sp=1016&cm_mmc=Google-_-Homeschool-_-moody-_-moody%20science

1+1+1=1: Preschool Learning Resources

1+1+1=1 is a terrific website/blog with tons and tons of fabulous free ideas, activities, tot and preschool packs, tot trays and printables. They also have resources for kindergarten and first grade as well as lapbook templates. I have found some awesome learning tools to use with the kids. This is definitely a bookmark-worthy site.

http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.com/index.html

Starfall for Beginning Readers

Starfall is a beginning reading website for young children, mainly aged 3-7. Great graphics and fun games make learning letter sounds easy and enjoyable. There is a paid portion, but the free part has more than enough to keep children busy.
Website address: http://www.starfall.com/