READING is probably the most important educational activity that children should be doing at home. Infant children should be read to each day or night and they should be discussing what is happening in the pictures and then questioned on the story. First to sixth class children should be reading their own books and if possible discuss the reading with them. This alone enables the children to maintain a good standard of English. It should be reading for pleasure where children enjoy the reading. Aim to develop a love of reading in your child/ren. Indeed, children learn so much from home and so much from the environment around them. Encourage them to ask questions and have discussions with them. There are so many things in the environment that are relevant to the different subject areas. As well as learning from the environment and from those around them, IT is an excellent tool for teaching and learning.In school we use technology to enhance our teaching and learning every day. But there are also so many excellent resources that the children can use on their devices at home.
Scoilnet is a great website, it is website for schools, teachers and children in Ireland with loads and loads of links and resources across all the subject areas.
Scoilnet also has a great encyclopaedia on the website: worldbookonline
A lecturer (Ciara Reilly) in Marino College, Dublin has created a super padlet with endless apps, websites and educational activities for children. I can’t recommend this enough: padlet.com
Woodlands Junior School (school in England) – they have some interesting resources especially Science. An amazing array of activities in all subject areas, including online games to practise skills in maths and English.
BBC Education Primary also has great resources for learning .
Scratch Jnr Coding for young children. Coding is the new literacy! With ScratchJr, young children (ages 5-7) can program their own interactive stories and games. In the process, they learn to solve problems, design projects, and express themselves creatively on the computer.
Webwise Ireland – a resource for parents where you will find “…all the information and support you need to ensure your child makes the most of their time online.”
Help my kid learn – A wonderful website which is full of ideas for learning, initiated by the Irish Department of Education and Skills. The site can be tailored to suit the age of your child. Check it out!
Starfall – This is a brilliant website for practising phonics. It is also very helpful for parents, as it says the sound that each letter makes in the English alphabet.
Cula4 – This site provides programmes and games that will support language skills in Irish. Your child will benefit greatly from listening to spoken Irish regularly at home, and it’s certain that they’ll enjoy the programmes on Cúla 4. If you’re not confident at reading Irish, click on the ‘English’ button to translate the site.
Nationalgeographic kids – A brilliant, colourful site, full of information on different countries, animals, science, and much much more.
Useful apps for learning Irish – This link provides some useful apps for reinforcing your child’s learning in Irish.
GoNoodle Exercise – Dance and exercise activities.
Joe Wicks PE – Joe Wicks PE classes on youtube.
Oxford Owl – Reading – Oxford Owl are offering free reading books, requires sign up.
Phonics – Alphablocks – Excellent cartoon to consolidate phonics.
ICT Games – Here you’ll find free educational games aimed at children between 5 and 8 years old.
Create a Story – This website allows children to make a story book with images and text.
Reading – An excellent resource for letters, sounds and reading to full sentences. Requires an e-mail sign up.
Digital Library – A huge collection of digital stories to read with and to your child.
Storylineonline– This website shows videos featuring celebrated actors reading children’s books alongside creatively produced illustrations.
Funbrain – Funbrain offers hundreds of games, books, comics, and videos that develop skills in maths, reading, problem-solving and literacy.
How Stuff Works – This website offers easy-to-understand videos and podcasts with answers and explanations of how the world actually works.
National Geographic Kids – National Geographic Kids is a fact-filled website created especially for ages 6 and up with an award-winning combination of photos, facts, and fun.
Learning Games for Kids – These online learning games and songs for children are fun, teach important skills for and they’re free.
Maths Aids – This website contains over 94 different maths topics with plenty of worksheets.
BBC Dance Mat Typing – A fun way to learn touch typing.
NCSE Ideas – The NCSE is providing online resources for children with Special Educational Needs who are at home as a result of the schools’ closure.
The following materials have been developed by Occupational Therapists and Speech and Language Therapists.
SESS Apps – Apps for children with Dyslexia / Literacy Difficulties
Spelling City – This is a game-based website and app used to build literacy skills in vocabulary, spelling, phonics, and writing.
Hubbard’s Cupboard – Printable sight words, phonics books and games.
Sight Words – Dolch Word Games
Sumdog provides engaging learning and practice in numeracy for children aged 5-14, and literacy for children aged 5-11.
Animoto easily make your own videos.
Relaxation and Self Regulation Tools for Children – Breathe – Self-Regulation and Relaxation Techniques for Children’ features a range of calming breathing techniques, written activities and guided visualisations that children can use to bring about a sense of peace and comfort in any situation. The resource is suitable for children of all ages and class levels.
