Free Online Videos and Interactive Resources to Educate & Entertain
There are so many amazing free resources online right now! Thanks to all these and others who are providing free educational and entertainment opportunities for families! I’ve been gathering the ones I come across, and I’m doing my best to keep listings and links updated. Also, know that we have tried out some but not all of these resources. Resources are organized into general categories:
- Art & Design
- Bible
- History & Places
- Science & Animals
- Stories & Fun
- Early Learning
Art & Design
Disney: How to Draw Characters
Choose from 42 loved characters and draw alongside a Disney animation artist.
Disney: Imagineering in a Box
A course designed to show how artists, designers and engineers work together to create theme parks. Go behind the scenes with Disney Imagineers and complete project-based exercises to design a theme park of your very own.
Drawing Live with Ben Clanton (facebook)
Use your imagination and draw with Ben on March 20, 2020 from 2:00-3:00 PDT
Drawing with Jarrett J. Krosoczka
A daily drawing webcast on YouTube at 2 PM EDT. You can also find videos on his website.
Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems
Hang out with Mo in his art studio.
Wow Art
Inspiring and fun painting challenges to follow along and try or even just to watch unfold!
Bible
Adventures in Odyssey
Get access to over 900 episodes and other interactive club features through Focus on the Family’s explosive program. Sign up at the top of the page for 4 weeks free, no credit card info.
BibleBreak Club with the Brubakers (facebook)
Young children will enjoy these Bible stories told live twice each week. Songs, crafts, and quizzes solidify the lesson.
Bible Time with the Farmers
Kids’ Devotions that dig into truths from God’s Word.
Calvary Church’s Kids Ministry
Weekly video lessons and resources from the children’s ministry at Calvary Baptist Church in Clearwater, Florida.
Bible Course from Veritas Press
Free 60-day access. Videos covering 96 events from the books of Genesis through Joshua, Judges to Kings, and the Gospels, students will progress at their own pace and have so much fun they‘ll forget they’re learning.
History & Places
AirPano World Tours
Take a 360 virtual journey around the world to over 400 locations!
Anne Frank’s Family Home 360 Tour
For nine years, before Anne Frank and her family had to go into hiding in 1942, she lived with her parents and sister at Merwedeplein square in Amsterdam. They lived a happy life, until the Netherlands was occupied by Nazi Germany. They would never return to this address.
Buckingham Palace
Tour the famous London palace virtually.
Colonial Williamsburg: Explore from Home
Escape to the 18th-century, learn a little, and find some entertainment. Find an interactive timeline, recipes, quiz, coloring, and more.
Colonial Williamsburg: Learn About Trades
Discover craftsmanship in more than 20 historic trades like blacksmithing, woodworking, gunsmithing, and weaving.
Google Earth Discovery
Lots of tools made possible by satellites and technology put the whole world at your fingertips.
Great Wall of China Virtual Tour
Feel like you are walking on the Great Wall of China.
History Videos for Kids from Brookdale House
Go back in time to ANY time: Ancient | Medieval | Early Modern | Modern
Homeschool History Video Database powered by Notgrass
History-related supplements like videos, websites, and more. Just sign up for a 60-day free trial. No tricks.
Mount Vernon Virtual Tour
Visit and stroll through George Washington’s home without the crowd!
Museum of Dutch Art in Amsterdam
See masterworks from the Dutch Golden Age, including works from Vermeer and Rembrandt.
Museum of the World: Artifacts
Discover artifacts from all over the globe and all over time.
National Park 360 Virtual Tours
Explore 31 US National Parks powered by Google Earth.
Plimoth Plantation Virtual Field Trip
Discover what it was like to be a Pilgrim and learn about the Wampanoag homesite.
Veritas Press History
Self-paced video courses covering any time in history from the Old Testament to the Present. > See course titles and examples > Sign up for free 60-days
WallBuilders/David Barton (facebook)
Join David and Tim Barton with Jonathan Richie and the WallBuilders team for “One Room Schoolhouse” videos as we share American historical artifacts and stories where truth is king.
Science & Animals
Answers in Genesis Kids Videos
Tons of science, animals, and other videos from a Christian worldview.
Answers in Genesis Live Programs (facebook)
Live programs streamed from the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter. Check out the live schedule or watch later.
Aquarium: Georgia Aquarium’s Live Webcams
Observe the Ocean Voyager tank or check in on the African Penguin, Coral Reef, or other cameras.
Aquarium: Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Live Webcams
Watch our Jelly Fish, Sharks, Sea Otters and more.
Busch Gardens’ Discover Resources
Through our distance learning resources, explore hands-on, multi-disciplinary activities, and engage in a fun and creative learning environment.
Diary Farm Virtual Tour from Dairy Alliance
Learn about the complex operations of a dairy farm.
Dairy Farm Virtual Tour from American Dairy Assoc.
Pick a tour to engage 4-9 year olds, 10-13 year olds, or high schoolers.
Disney: Science of Imagineering
Learn about science through the eyes of a Disney Imagineer:
Design and Models | Electricity | Energy | Fluids | Friction | Gravity | Magnetism | Newton’s Three Laws of Motion | Levers and Pulleys | Trajectory
Farm 360 Tours
Learn about agriculture through these virtual tours of different kinds of farms in Canada: Milk | Cheese | Dairy Cows | Grain | Sheep | Mink | Egg | Egg Processing | Feed Mill | Oats | Apples | Pigs
NASA Image and Video Library
NASA’s collection of 140,000 images, sounds, and video are available and searchable
P.E. with Joe Wicks
Half-hour video workouts for kids.
Weather School with Meteorologist James Spann
A fun, 1-hour interactive lesson on the science of weather! Intended for those in grades 1-5, but applicable information for everyone!
Weather Lesson Videos with Meteorologist Haley LaPoint (facebook)
Live weather videos.
Zoo Live: Brookfield Zoo Videos
Join us weekdays at 11:00am CST for a “Bring The Zoo To You” featuring one of our animals as well as educational, informative insight from one of our Animal Care Specialists. Watch on Facebook Live or watch later on YouTube.
Zoo Live: Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden Videos
Join us for a Home Safari where we will highlight one of our amazing animals and include an activity you can do from home. Facebook Live each weekday at 3pm EDT or watch later on YouTube.
Zoo Live: Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Videos (facebook)
Virtual Classroom on Facebook Live weekdays at 11 a.m. Join our biologists as we secure a future for wildlife at the Zoo. At 1 p.m. join our naturalists as we look for signs of spring, discover wildlife, and more.
Zoo Web Cams: Houston Zoo
Observe animals in several exhibits.
Zoo Live: Riverbanks Zoo and Garden (facebook)
Each weekday at 10am EST, join us as we discover new ways to Zoo and Garden. From live features, to behind-the-scenes peeks, to fun that’s too cute to handle.
Zoo: Sandiego Zoo
This interactive section for kids includes videos, info, and activities for a number of animals.
Zoo Tours
Videos and tours of zoos all over the United States.
Stories & Fun
Disney: 360 Virtual Park Rides
Over 100 Disney rides are ready for you to enjoy virtually. Jump in a swivel chair and enjoy!
Open Book Library
Search over 34,000 books/literature in this open library.
Read Alouds from Authors – Round-Up List
Make your selection and enjoy.
Storyline Online
Over 60 children’s books read by celebrities and presented with pictures and music by the Screen Actors Guild.
P.E. Round Up Ideas
A list of amazing virtual PE resources that can help you find ways to bust some moves in the great indoors
World E-Books
A huge number of books to open and read from your screen.
Early Learning
ABC Mouse
Free membership while schools are closed. Code: SCHOOL7771
Play to Learn Preschool (facebook)
Welcome to Virtual Preschool and lots of ideas.
Phonics Museum by Veritas Press
Free 60-day access to complete reading app for young learners with a clever mix of lessons, activities, games, and sing-along songs.
Looking for education companies offering free subscriptions due to school closings?
List of Free Academic Resources
