C.H.E.E.R.

This is a great way for children to learn more about dinosaurs, learn different word meanings and improve their computer skills.

This is a fun site where you can convert text into graffiti style wrting and manipulate colours. It is great for writing your name or a heading or title for an assignment. It could be used to make a sign for the kid's bedroom.

This is another great site which allows children to explore their creativity. It offers options to make a picture, a movie, a card, a story, make a drawing and doodle. It is easy and fun to use.

Help kids develop their imagination and develop their story telling skills with Story Maker. The site offers characters you can choose from and provides settings and objects. As you add items to the scene, a story is written at the bottom. When you have finished your story it is converted into a virtual book which you can share on the site or print out.

Trackmania Nations Forever is a free download game. It is a car racing game where you can choose from different level tracks. The is also an editor component which allows you to design and build your own track, design your car and edit replays of your races. This is a great game which provides fun and allows kids to show their creative side. There is also a version which you can purchase called Trackmania United. This version offers more options.

Here are some fun sites where you can create cartoon versions of yourself.

It is good for children to become familiar with the keyboard and know where the letters are. Here are some fun games to help them learn.


These are great for beginning typists where you only need to type a letter at a time. A good way to understand where the keys are on the keyboard.

It is a game which incorporates literacy with creativity and problem solving. You have several worlds and levels to choose from. You choose a boy or girl character and are given challenges. The challenges appear as text and as you move the mouse over the text the word is spoken. It provides a great opportunity for kids to learn new words. You interact with the character and click on them to choose your next task.

The challenges involve drawing objects which come to life and become part of the game. As you play and complete the challenges more levels are unlocked.

This is a great game for early readers and would even be suitable for students up to grades 3 or 4, due to the creativity and problem solving components.

A site which I love at the moment is Spelling City. It provides activities to learn the spelling of words which are fun and engaging for children. This site allows you to add a list of words which are then generated into activities. These activities are divided into Teach me, Test me and Play me. Play Activities include matching games, alphabetising, word search and crossword puzzles and placing the words with the correct sentences and meanings. The activities are easy to follow allowing children to navigate themselves.

It is a great site for the weekly homework spelling lists. You can type in the words each time or register and save your lists. This site is free to use.

Shidonni is a creative ‘virtual’ world. It provides a safe environment where children can create imaginary worlds and animals, play games and interact with their friends.

Shidonni offers drawing editors which are simple and fun to use. Drawing tools are added as you play and complete challenges. The drawing come to life.

The site offers many features which are added as the participant completes challenges. One activity is writing a virtual book using their drawn characters and creating a storyline.

This site caters for all ages and is a great way for children to develop computer skills and enhance their creativity. It also introduces them to email. They can send and receive messages within the game but only from friends who are added. The drawn characters can also be sent. This is a great way for children to stay in touch with friends and relatives. Even if they can't type up a message yet, they can send one of their drawings.

If you are really adventurous it is handy to use a graphic drawing pad which allows you to draw with a pen rather than a mouse.

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For P-3 years, sites based on television shows provide both education and entertainment. Children build their technology skills while developing their reading and hand eye coordination. Many sites contain games which explore a range of skills and also include videos and music. There are often free printables available which allow you to print out activities.

Here is a list of television sites suitable for children aged 4-9 years old.


ABC Kids – The Playground

The Wiggles

Playhouse Disney

Nick Jr Playtime

Nick Jr (Australia)

Nick Jr (UK)

CBeebies

Bo on the Go

Pinky Dinky Doo

Word World

PBS Kids

Tree House TV

Disney Australia

Disney UK

BunnyTown

Nickelodeon

Cartoon Network

Reading Eggs is a great site which is educational and engaging. Suitable for beginning readers through to 8 year olds.

The site provides lessons which are fun and interactive. Each lesson builds upon reading skills. Children are motivated by collecting points and buying games with their points. They also make their way through maps and levels. Children are enteratained with games, great animations, stories and music.

The site also provides the parents and teachers with a graph documenting the child’s reading success and strengths and weaknesses.

ABC Reading Eggs provides a 14 day free trial which you may be happy with or wish to subscribe after that.

Children start the program at level 1 which is good for revision. This site is also a great alternative when children are on holidays. It allows then to stay up to date with their reading.