Keeping kids entertained while nurturing their creativity and curiosity doesn’t have to break the bank! Thanks to the wealth of free online resources, you can provide hours of fun and learning from the comfort of home. Whether your child loves to color, explore the stars, or dive into exciting games, we’ve got you covered. This guide highlights some of the best websites for free coloring pages, virtual learning experiences, and educational games. Watch your little ones learn, grow, and thrive with these amazing tools!
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Coloring Pages
There are countless coloring page websites out there which can be overwhelming. Here we’ve gathered some of our favorites which have received positive reviews from parents, offer a wide range of coloring sheets, and/or have special offerings. Whatever your child can dream up to color, chances are you can find a coloring sheet for them on one of these sites. Break out the crayons, colored pencils, or markers and let the creativity fly!
Canva
Some sheets here are only available with a pro subscription, however there are plenty of freebies to be found. The unique aspect of these pages is that they can be customized to suit your needs. You can add a child’s name or a special message to the sheets. You could even start a game where you hide a favorite animal or symbol on each page for them to find. You can filter this site in a variety of ways including by:
- Grade
- Subject
- Language
- Topic
Crayola
There are new pages regularly added to the site including themes kids love like:
- Season and holiday
- Disney
- Characters
- Plants and Animals
- Custom coloring pages
GetColoringPages
If your kid has a favorite show, movie, or character, chances are you’ll find coloring pages for them here. Some of the popular coloring page themes include:
- Bluey
- Paw Patrol
- Squishmallows
- Cocomelon
- Gabby’s Dollhouse
Monday Mandala
Over 10,000 coloring sheets are available here divided into specific categories. Just a few of these include:
- Kids’ TV Shows
- Video Games
- Superheroes
- Princesses
- Nature
PrintableFreeColoring
This site boasts over 53,000 printable pages. There are a wide variety of styles and some themes and categories that are different from the other sites mentioned. Some of their unique offerings include:
- Gods and Goddesses
- Jobs
- Buildings and Architecture
- Celebrities
Virtual Learning
There are endless videos on any subject you can imagine on sites like YouTube but we’re looking for experiences that engage our children. These virtual learning sites do just that with content geared towards kids to make learning fun and interesting.
Google Arts & Culture
This site provides virtual tours of famous landmarks, museums, and cultural sites worldwide, allowing children to explore art, history, and science from home. Kids interested in art have a variety of ways to explore – by medium, by art movement, by artist, even by color. The 360-degree videos are another incredible way to explore on this site. Users can immerse themselves in environments from diving the Great Barrier Reef to touring the dunes of Mars with the Mars Rover. There is a lot of content on this site and overall is especially good for older children.
#MetKids
This unique site includes an illustrated interactive map of The Met (The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City) where kids can peruse artifacts, artwork, and various areas of the museum. The Time Machine feature is especially cool if the user has a particular interest in a time period or part of the world. You can narrow down what you see by combining filters to discover artifacts and art pertaining to your interests.
NASA
There is a ton of information and learning opportunities on NASA’s website. Their “at home” section includes virtual tours including a 3D tour of the International Space Station and a 360-degree tour of the Hubble Space Telescope’s Operations Control Center. There are also games, quizzes, and other interactive experiences that give one-of-a-kind views of our planet and other celestial bodies and occurrences over time. One fun feature shows you what the Hubble Space Telescope saw on your birthday!
San Diego Zoo Live Cams
For the animal lovers in your household, the San Diego Zoo site is a treasure trove of information, pictures, and even live cams. You can pop on to see Giant Pandas, Hippos, Tigers, and more. With over a dozen cameras to explore, you can meet many zoo creatures from the comfort of your own home. Each cam page includes information about the animals including details like their names, where they came from, and facts about their species.
Games and Activities
Games sites are everywhere but some are rather mindless and just keep children occupied rather than engaging them in learning activities. The sites we’ve gathered have found the balance between entertainment and education with fun, creative games that get children thinking as well as playing.
ABCYa
Games here are divided by grade level and then by subject. Letters, numbers, holiday, strategy, and skill games are all available under each grade level. You can also find games by themes like animal games, story games, and car games. Each grade level section also has Educator Info that explains the concepts the games can be used to teach or support. There are brief advertisements that play before each game but they can be skipped within a few seconds. You can also sign up for a premium account to go ad-free.
National Geographic Kids
While not a large collection, these games cover a variety of subjects from astronomy to mythology to animal facts. In the action game, Space Explorer, your astronaut character collects stars to unlock facts about each planet in our solar system. In the puzzle game, Letter Predator, the user guesses letters in a hangman type fashion to save a Triceratops from a T.Rex. The games are not as educational as some of the others on the list but they are well-designed and include a variety of science subjects kids find fascinating.
NickGames
You’ll find dozens of games here based on Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. shows. Kiddos can go on a “Pizza Quest” with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, play “Shopkeeper” with Peppa Pig, work on “Finding Feelings” with the Paw Patrol, and much more.
PBS Kids
For younger kiddos, these games have simple instructions and are easy to follow. You can find games by show, theme (dress up games, music games, and more), or check out the newest games PBS Kids has to offer. Some games include info for parents on what the game aims to teach and encourage. Daniel Tiger’s Tea Party is a game to work on taking turns and Wild Kratts’ Creaturepedia teaches animal science.There are many more games plus videos and activities for each show.
Room Recess
This collection of simple games for math, reading, and computer skills is completely free. Turbo Typer is a fun way to practice typing skills to make a car race around a track. Main Idea teaches and tests reading comprehension with short stories. And Tic Math Toe makes a competitive game out of math problems based on grade level. Plus, there are several other games in each category.
Sesame Street
Much like the television show itself, the Sesame Street online games help children learn about real-life scenarios. Kids will feel empowered to try new things or go new places after experiencing them in a virtual setting. Potty Plan, Ernie’s Dinosaur Day Care, and Cooking With Cookie are just a few of the games that make new concepts familiar for little learners.
With so many fantastic free resources available online, you don’t need to spend a fortune to keep your kids entertained and learning. From imaginative coloring pages and virtual adventures to engaging educational games, there’s something for every interest and age group. These tools not only provide entertainment but also foster creativity, critical thinking, and curiosity. Dive into these options today and make every moment a chance for your kids to discover, grow, and have fun!