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Word Search Makers

Even before I started selling resources, I loved to make word searches.  I just love word searches in general.    It really doesn’t matter who you’re making the word search for, they can be fun and entertaining.  Word searches are great for all ages from little ones (my Kinders always love them) to adults.

words being highlighted in a word search with a female hand

Over time, I’ve found several great word search makers online and I’d like to share them with you.  Some are free and some are for purchase.  If you plan on using one or need one for commercial use, please check the Terms of Use (TOU) or similarly named from each one to make sure that it’s allowed.  If you can’t find a TOU, please contact the site to ask them what is or isn’t allowed.

Here are just some of the word search makers that I’ve found over time.  Alright, so it’s 10….my top 10!

The FREE ones….

1.  Discovery Education Puzzlemaker

There are 8 steps to using this puzzlemaker.  You can choose title, size of the puzzle, shared letters, upper case or lower case, you words, to add directions or not, check your words and create the puzzle.  You can also choose your output type (image or HTML).  My favorite thing about this word search maker is that it allows you to put in whole paragraphs, instead of just a word per line.  There is also an option to generate an answer key with this one.  There are also other puzzlemakers available on this site like Fallen Phrase, Cryptogram, Maze, Hidden Message, and more!  Discovery Education does not allow commercial use.

2.  Two Lime Prints

This puzzle maker has plenty of options with it.  Some of the choices are grid size, grid shape, font, word direction, color (title, grid, words), border, and more.  You can also select to have it generate the answer.  The word search will generate as a PDF (or a PNG).  Just print and start playing!

3.  The Word Search

This word search maker allows you to add between 10 to 30 words to make your puzzle with the maximum word length being 14 letters.  For this one, it allows you to have spaces and dashes, which it will remove when it generates your puzzle.  This generator allows you to play online or print your puzzle out.  This site holds your puzzles for 30 days and they just may add it to their collection of available puzzles!

4.  SuperKids

This puzzle maker doesn’t have many options available, but it’s still a good one.  You can select the grid size and whether or not you want it to be an easy puzzle (no backward words).  Also, this one doesn’t allow numbers, spaces, or punctuation and it’s one word per line.  There is no answer key available.

5.  A to Z Teacher Stuff

This generator has a few choices like title, rows and columns, font style, font size, grid style, and word placement (direction).  Words can be from two to 15 letters and they can be place in the list separated by a comma or a space, or one per line.  For this one, you can also select from existing word lists.  There is no answer key available.

6.  Super Teacher Worksheets

This generator lets you choose level (basic, intermediate, advanced), header, alphabetized word list, and letter case style.  Words can be from three letters to sixteen letters with a recommended number of words of 20.

7.  ABCYa

There’s only 3 steps involved to make a word search with this maker.  This can be used for teaching children to spell at home or at school.

8.  Puzzlefast

This one allows you to make clues, phrases, multiple words, or omit for just the word.  There are also other types of puzzles available.  This one is very easy to use!

9.  Tools for Educators

This word search maker allows you to use images or text for hints/clues.  You can choose the font, 3 grid sizes, and upper or lower case letters.  If you use image clues, you can make up to 16.  They can be printed or used online.   

10.  The Teacher’s Corner

This word search maker allows you to use multi-word entries.  You can also make hidden message word searches.  There are lots of options like font, how many rows and columns, word placement, showing grid lines, and how many columns for the word list.  There is also the fun option to choose a shape for the puzzle from square to a car to a heart….and more!

The PAID ones….

123 Word Search Maker

$24.95/$18.71 with Educational Discount – Save $5 if you buy with the Crossword Weaver – FREE demo

There are 4 styles of word searches to include standard, hidden message, clues, and clues with hidden message.  You can also choose difficulty level, word direction, letter sharing, upper case or lower case (or both), and you can even choose how it prints.  Some of those options include export as text, export as HTML, export as image, and more.

Automatic Word Puzzle Maker

$10.00 – Bundle available for $30.00 (includes Word Search, Crossword Puzzle, Matching, Word Scramble, Letter Shapes, and Secret Code) – FREE demo

This generator operates in/with MS Word by using macros.  It functions on Win or Mac.  To use, enter your words and clues/descriptions, then generate your puzzle.  It also generates an answer key.  Some options when making your puzzle is upper case or lower case, grid shape, size, and more.  Spaces between words are removed.  Once generated, you save your puzzle as an editable file so you can alter it if needed, copy/paste into the project your making, and so on.  They offer customer service and have a YouTube channel on how to use the puzzle maker.  Commercial use is allowed.

Word Search Machine

$20.00 – Combo available for $36.00 (includes Word Search Machine and Crossword Puzzle Machine

This program works on PC and MAC by using Flash Player.  In just a matter of minutes, you can create a word search that can be printed or saved as an image.  Complete directions for set-up and use are included.  You can insert up to 30 words.  You have options like puzzle size and how often letters are shared.  It will also generate an answer key if you select that option.  Commercial use is allowed.

There are so many more, but these are the favorites that I’ve used over the years.  There’s so many that are so good and worth mentioning.  However, I did want to limit it to 10 so that it wouldn’t overdue it.  I hope that you find this useful and that it’ll help you in your word search endeavors.  

Do you have any favorite word search generators?  If so, please let me know in the comments.  I’d love to know if you have used any that I’ve used and didn’t include or maybe didn’t know about it.  Also, let me know if you’ve used any of these and if you like them as much as I do!

 

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It’s a Bonus!

bonus stamp in red

Back to School is in full swing for many, but others are just getting started.  If you still need materials to get this school year started, here’s a sale for you!

TpT Bonus Sale with blue background surrounded by school supplies

If you head over to TpT, I’m participating in the 2-day “Bonus Sale” for Back to School.  The Treasured Schoolhouse is on sale for 20% off.  If you use code BTSBONUS21, you’ll receive an extra 5% off at checkout.  You can also checkout The Treasured Schoolhouse at all my store locations and receive the 20% discount there as well.  This sale will be 31 August – 1 September, don’t miss it.

Teachers Pay Teachers – 20% off plus an additional 5% off with code BTSBONUS21

Amazon Ignite – 20% off (AI automatically sets this up, so hopefully it’ll display properly.)

Teacher’s Dojo – 20% off

Made by Teachers – 20% off

 

I do hope that you have a great back to school season and a wonderful school year.

Happy Shopping!

 

Disclosure:  This post contains affiliate links.  Please see my full disclosure policy here.

 

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Back to School

I can’t believe that it’s already time for back to school.  Are you ready?  I’m not and at this point, I’m really glad that mine is an adult so that I don’t have to worry about it.  With back to school, comes a sale!

Back to School Sale Banner - up to 25% off

The Treasured Schoolhouse will be on sale at each of the marketplaces where I’m located.  They will be on sale for 20% off from 3 August to 4 August.  I’ve added new stuff over the summer and even a couple new things in the last couple of days, so I hope that you’ll find something that you can use and that the kids will enjoy.  You can find The Treasured Schoolhouse at…. 

Teachers Pay Teachers:  20% off plus 5% off with code BTS21

Made by Teachers:  20% off (I’ve been working on adding new resources here.)

Amazon Ignite:  20% off (AI automatically sets this up, so hopefully it’ll display properly.)

Teacher’s Dojo:  20% off (There is the fewest resources listed here.) 

As always, I truly appreciate you following this site and The Treasured Schoolhouse.  If you ever have a request, please don’t hesitate to let me know.  I’m happy to help in any way that I can.

Have a great school year!

Happy Shopping! 

 

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A New Subscriber FREEbie

I know that it’s been forever and I appreciate all of you that continue to support and follow The Treasured Schoolhouse.  I don’t know why, but no matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to keep up with my blog.  Actually, I don’t seem to be good at much on social media!

This year, I’m teaching my religion class via ZOOM.  It’s been interesting to say the least.  Since I have Kindergarten, I’m sending packets home to the parents for the students to work on.  It’s gone pretty well so far.  I do have a couple kids that have never shown up.  It has been a challenge to get the copies run and in the mail on time for the classes though, so I decided that I was going to do one huge pack for the rest of the year!  I was a couple lesson short, so I decided I’d create something for them to do. 

The Lost Sheep Worksheet & Coloring Pack cover with Jesus and sheep

What I came up with what the parable of The Lost Sheep.  I made everything that I’ll need for class.  The best part, I’m sharing it with my newsletter subscribers ONLY!  All verses in the pack are based on New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) of the Bible.  This pack includes:

  • Word Search
  • Maze
  • Copywork for Matthew 18:10 and Luke 15:7 to print and trace
  • Coloring Pages for Matthew 18:12-13 and Luke 15:5-6
  • Answer Keys for Word Search and Maze

If you’d like to get this pack, you can go to the Home page or the right sidebar to subscribe to my newsletter.  You’ll receive the password in the confirmation e-mail, so please be sure to confirm in order to have access to the Subscriber Only page!

Thanks again for following along, no matter how much or low little it is.  I appreciate you more than you know!

 

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Cyber Monday

This year has gone by so fast.  I can’t believe that Thanksgiving has already come and gone.  I hope that you all are doing well and staying healthy.  I’ve been busy creating lots of new activities to help you and your kids with their religious education.  There’s many new things listed at The Treasured Schoolhouse and I hope that if you haven’t already seen them, that you’ll check them out soon.

Since the year has gone by so fast, and we’re past both Thanksgiving and Black Friday, it’s time for Cyber Monday!  Cyber Monday means that it’s time for a sale!  

Cyber Sale up to 25% off

All of The Treasured Schoolhouse stores will be on sale for 20% off on 30 November and 1 December.  Yes….every single resource in my shops are on sale!  You can find The Treasured Schoolhouse at…. 

TeachersPayTeachers – 20% off plus an extra 5% off with code CYBER20

Made by Teachers – 20% off (I had trouble scheduling this one, so I’m not sure if it’s going to work or not.)

Teacher’s Dojo – 20% off

Amazon Ignite – 20% off  (Amazon automatically sets this one, so it starting depends on them.)

I want to tell you about a few new things at The Treasured Schoolhouse….

First, there’s the Our Lady (Marian) series that I’m working on.  When completed, there will be at least one pack per month of activities to do for Marian celebrations.  Currently available are the Queenship of Mary, Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Sorrows, and several more!  I’m currently working on Our Lady of Guadalupe for her celebration in December.

Also for December is St. Nicholas Day and I have an activity pack for that.  There’s lots of things for kids of all ages to do.  Last year, I made a similar pack for St. Lucia Day.  Now that they’re both done, there’s a bundle available that include both packs and it’s 20% off the individual prices.  But guess what!?  With the Cyber Monday sale, you can get an additional 20% that already discounted price!

I’ve also been working on some Math Packs.  I made a new one for Halloween with candy corn and one for December/Christmas with candy canes.  I really had fun making those and hope that early learners love them as much as I do!

Some other new materials to note, I finished the “people in the Bible” series.  It now includes Fathers, Mothers, and Children in the Bible.  I love these resources!  I’ve also added to the “family tree” series by adding Noah and Adam.  There’s an Inside the Church Bingo Game and 3-Part Montessori Cards.

So please don’t miss this opportunity to grab some great deals!  I hope that you all have a very Happy and Blessed Holiday Season!

 

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Our Father

Do you work with your kids on their prayers?  Learning and even memorizing prayers can be hard for children to do.

  

A few years ago, I had made a sequencing mat to put the Our Father in order.  This helps children learn the proper order of the prayer.  A reader asked me if I still had this available and sadly I had to tell her “no”.  Well that didn’t make me happy, so I went digging through a very old back-up drive and found it!  I was able to make a slight update to it and I’m able to share it with you all!

If you’re interested in this sequencing mat, Just click on the cover image above to download it.  I hope that this helps your kids and makes it fun for them to learn the Our Father.

You might also be interested in….


 

 

Disclosure:  This post contains affiliate links.  Please see my full disclosure policy here.

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Hail Mary

Do you work with your kids on their prayers?  Learning and even memorizing prayers can be hard for children to do.

Hail Mary Sequence Mat cover with title and flower  

A few years ago, I had made a sequencing mat to put the Hail Mary in order.  This helps children learn the proper order of the prayer.  A reader asked me if I still had this available and sadly I had to tell her “no”.  Well that didn’t make me happy, so I went digging through a very old back-up drive and found it!  I was able to make a slight update to it and I’m able to share it with you all!

If you’re interested in this sequencing mat, Just click on the cover image above to download it.  I hope that this helps your kids and makes it fun for them to learn the Hail Mary.

You might also be interested in….


 

Disclosure:  This post contains affiliate links.  Please see my full disclosure policy here.

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Time for Back to School….and a Sale

Hello all!

I know that it’s been forever since I’ve posted.  I’ve been busy though.  I’m guessing that you all have been as well.  I’m hoping that this finds you healthy and safe.

notebook with TpT back to school sale info

First, the big thing is the site-wide Back to School sale on TpT.  Everything at The Treasured Schoolhouse will be 20% off.  With code BTS20, you can get an extra 5% off.  The sale will be 4-5 August and if you add the code, you’ll get up to 25% off.

In addition to that sale, my shop at Made for Teachers will be on sale as well.  Everything will be 20% off from 4-6 August.  I’ll be adding more resources to The Treasured Schoolhouse at that location in the next couple of days as well.

I’ve been getting to work on adding the digital layer to my resources.  As I said in my last blog post, the digital layer adds a layer to PDFs so that they can be used in Google Classroom.  They aren’t Google Classroom resources, but with this tool, they can be assigned and turned in via that process.  The tool allows the buyer or seller to add answer boxes, and has a pen and highlighter tool.  I’m working on updating my resources so that you don’t have to do it and can easily access them for your Google Classroom needs.  Again, remember that it’s just a layer and not an actual resource type so that you can assign them in that format.  I’m keeping a list of all the resources that I’ve updated.  It states the resource name, how many pages, and in most cases which pages/activities.  You can click here to view the list.  I’ll keep it updated as I add more materials with the layer.  Also, you can still get the PDF and have access to the digital layer!

I think that about covers it for now.  I hope that you have an amazing start to the school year.  Happy shopping!

 

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Something For You

Hello all!  I hope that this finds you all well….staying safe and healthy.

I know that this is a new time for everyone.  We’re all learning a new normal.  It’s a struggle.  

In an effort to help and hopefully give back a little, I’m holding a sale in my store at TpT.  My entire store is on sale for 20% off and with code FORYOU, you can get as addition 5% off.  The sale will run 6-7 April.

hands holding globe with sale details

With the code, that makes a savings of up to 20% off!  My hope is that you will be able to find resources for your distance learning, homeschooling, or whatever you new normal with the kids is right now.  You can click here or on the image above to be taken to The Treasured Schoolhouse on TpT.

In addition, there are a couple other promotions happening at other marketplaces that The Treasured Schoolhouse is located.  This is also an effort to give back during this time.  These discounts are….

  • The Wheel is offering 30% off with code  and you can visit The Treasured Schoolhouse if you click here.
  • Amazon Ignite is offering a large discount with a variety of resources that they’ve selected and you can visit The Treasured Schoolhouse if you click here.

$10 Gift Card for TpT

Finally, I’m giving away a $10 gift card to TpT.  All that you have to do to enter to win it is to visit my Facebook page and leave your e-mail address in the comments.  I will announce the winner at 12am on 7 April and e-mail the gift card to you.  You don’t have to “like” or follow….just leave your e-mail address!  If you’d like a chance to win the gift card, just click here or on the image above.

Please stay safe and stay healthy!  We can do this together!

 

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Temporary Update to TOU

"update" in purple box

Hello all!  In an effort to help my buyers and followers, I’m doing a temporary update to my Terms of Use (TOU).  Please read below for the complete update.

update on blue arrow with other blue and white arrows

 

With the current situation of schools being closed and masses, as well as religious education/Sunday School classes being cancelled, I’m opening my TOU to try to help you get the resources to the students.  Please note that these are temporary updates and there are stipulations, so please read thoroughly. 

Here are the changes to the TOU….

  1. You may upload resources to a site, BUT it must be secured.  That means that parents/students require a password or something similar to access the resources.  That way, others can’t do a random Google search and it shows up in the search results for just anyone to download.
  2. You may use my resources on Google (Drive, Classroom) for access by your students/families.  They should be the one ones allowed access and the link shouldn’t be shared with anyone but your own class.
  3. You may send my resources via e-mail so that your students/families can have access to them.    
  4. You may print off my resources and put in packets to handout to your students/families to work on at home.  This should only be done for class.

terms of use text on blue arrow with other blue and white arrows

Here are the Terms for being able to do the above….

  1. My name/copyright must stay in-tact on each page.
  2. The resources you purchase are only for your classroom and must not be shared with other teachers/classes.  You can purchase additional licenses for a discount price if other teachers are interested in the resource.
  3. These temporary changed to my TOU are only effective until 30 April.  At that time, I will re-access the situation and see how many schools and churches are still closed and/or doing distance learning.

I hope that this is of help to all of you.  I know that this is a trying time for all of us.  I want to help as much as I possibly can.  Additional things that I’m trying to do is update the freebies on my blog and make sure that all the links are working to download.  This is quite time consuming and not going as quickly as I want.  I’m trying though.  Don’t forget that if you sign-up for my newsletter that you also get a password to the resource library for subscribers only.  There’s not a lot there, but I do try to reward my followers.

Everyone, please stay safe and healthy.  Remember your social distancing.  And please, contact me if you have any questions or concerns about my resources or these updated terms.

 

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Things to Do While Everyone is Home 2

kids playing in room with books and computer

This is a continuation of my original post, Things to Do While Everyone is Home.  You can click here to see that post.  This new post are all the links that have been shared to other blog posts, Facebook posts, and so on to help teachers and parents during this time where everyone is home due to Spring Break and/or the coronovirus. 

boy and girl kids running 

Here’s the Entire List of Education Companies Offering Free Subscriptions Due to School Closings from Kids Activities:  “With school’s closing across the nation, parents and educators are in bit of a panic as they try to figure out how kids can learn and obtain their education from home. If this sounds like you, stop stressing. This is going to be super helpful!”

Guidelines to Running Online Instruction:  Compilations by Steve Sherman – livingmaths.com

Blog Posts from Fellow Teachers and Educators

Moving Kindergarten to Online Learning During the Coronovirus Pandemic from The Blue Brain Teacher

Using Google Classroom to Survive E-Learning Days from The Teaching Bank

10+ Social Emotional Activities for Home from Pathway 2 Success

Teaching During a Pandemic from Endeavors in Education

School Closing?  Read On… from Sweet Sensations

Learning from Home You Can Create Right Now from LMNO Pond

Continuing Learning Activities from Sharing Kindergarten

The Home – School Connection / Boosting Academics at Home from Peas in a Pod

Distance / Home Learning Packets and Strategies for Special Education from Breezy Special Ed

How to Transition to E-Learning with Success:  Tips and Tools from Adventures in ISTEM and Beyond

At Home Learning During the Coronavirus School Closures from Shelley Gray

Helping Your Child Learn at Home from An Apple for the Teacher

Home Learning for K-4 from Second Story Window

Keep Them Healthy and Learning from Elementary Matters

Elementary Spanish Resources for Home Learning from Fun for Spanish Teachers

Covid-19 and School Closures from Markers & Minions

Help!  How Should I Teach My Child to Read? and What You Need to Know to Make it Through School Closures from Paula’s Primary Classroom

Educational Websites and Resources to Use at Home from Sailing Into Second with Aris Rossi

Preparing for At Home Student Learning from Teaching in Room 6

School Closure:  30 Simple No-Tech Activities for Surviving from Teaching Products

Tips for Teaching with Remote Learning from Students of History

Digital Resources for Distance Learning in the ELA Classroom from Samantha in Secondary

Remote Learning in Kindergarten from Della Larsen’s Class

80+ At Home and Online Learning Ideas from Teach Beside Me

Simple Ideas and Help for Emergency Spanish Sub Lesson Plans and The Parent Guide to Summer Spanish Learning from Spanish Mama

20 Best Distance Learning Tools and Resources from Crazy Charizma

Distance Learning:  Keep Your Students Learning Even When School is Closed from Minds in Bloom

5 Online Learning Tips for Teachers from Vestal’s 21st Century Classroom

Virtual Learning in the ELA Classroom from Ideas by Jivey

Preparing Out Teacher for Online Learning by Sweet Integrations

Free Distance Learning Digital Resources for Upper Elementary from Alyssa Teaches

Free Digital and Print Resources to Send Home to Parents from KTP Classroom

Tips for Parents – Talking to Kids About Coronavirus and Easy Science Experiments at Home and Over 20 Free STEM Activity Printables for the Classroom from STEAM Powered Family

Corona Virus Distance Learning & Virtual Teaching Tips from Bow Tie Guy & Wife

Stuck Indoors?  Ideas to Keep Boredom Away from Red Ted Art on YouTube

Facebook Posts from Fellow Teachers and Educators

Teach Outside the Box post with free resource

Sailing Into Second post for distance learning

Raising Math Superstars in-depth post

My Special Learners post with links

Second Story Window post with grade level links

Seuss-tastic with Mel D post to link distance learning ideas

Happy Edugator post for free Poetry Book Project

Free Resources from Fellow Teachers and Educators

8 Free Elementary Science Activities for Educators and Families from The Science Penguin

Free Resources for Students to Practice at Home from Autism Classroom Resources

Covid-19 Social Story Free! from Noodle Nook

Free Print-and-Go Science Lesson from Teacher’s Workstation

Build a 3D Town Free Resource from TeachEzy

Free Math Activities to Build Number Sense in Your Students from You’ve Got This Math

3 Free Weeks of Take-Home Literacy Work from Out of This World Literacy

Homeschool Bloggers

Learning Through Experience – 

The Kitchen Table Classroom – 

Simple Living Creative Learning – 

The Emergency List of Online Educational Games & Apps from Raising Royalty 

Mama Teaches – 

Hess Un-Academy – 

Just a Simple Home – 

Meaningful Explorations – 

Free Things to do with Your Kids During a Coronavaction from This (Un)Exceptional Life

Homeschooling Hard Things Series from Intentional in Life

Suddenly “Homeschooling” Due to Coronavirus? from Woven Homeschool

Little Learning Moments – 

The Barefoot Mom – 

Top Ten Reasons We Love Outschool from Online School Mom

Kristen Moon Science – 

Coronacation Education Kit for Parents – Easy Ways to Teach at Home from Vegas Kids Zone

Tulip Tree Tales – 

Iowa Homeschool Mom – 

Craft Templates & Other Printables from Keeping Live Creative

Board Games for Learning – 

Homeschooling & the COVID-19 Effect and Free Homeschool Materials from The Homeschool House

Great Big List of Educational Websites for Homeschool from Geez, Gwen!

How to Homeschool for Free During a School Closure from Oaxacaborn

Suddenly Schooling at Home from Live to Learn, Love to Learn

Roundups and Link-Ups from Fellow Teachers and Educators

Supports for At Home Learning:  Grades 2-5 from Shelley Gray

Free Schooling Resources from Motherhood Maine’s Pinterest board

 

**I have NOT personally visited or used all of these sites.  It is up to each individual if to deem them appropriate for their kids or students.  Some offers may have limitations based on location or other rules and regulations.**

 

I hope that these links are helpful to you and your kids or students.  If you know of any that I could add, I’d be happy to do that.  Just leave a comment and I’ll add it ASAP. 

 

 

 

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Things to Do While Everyone is Home

kids playing in room with books and computer

Are you off of work right now?  Are the kids out of school?

boy and girl kids running  

It’s Spring Break all over the US.  Many businesses and schools are closed because of the COVID-19 that is a pandemic worldwide.  We all need things to do to keep us busy.  The kids need activities to do and to continue their education.  Here’s a list of things that grown-ups and children can do to combat the boredom. 

Things To Do – Sites to Visit 

12 Famous Museums Offer Virtual Tours:  “Experience the best museums from London to Seoul in the comfort of your own home.”

Minecraft – Education Edition:  “Minecraft: Education Edition is an open-world game that promotes creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving in an immersive environment where the only limit is your imagination.”

Google Arts & Culture:  “Google Arts & Culture features content from over 1200 leading museums and archives who have partnered with the Google Cultural Institute to bring the world’s treasures online.”

Mystery Science:  “To help educators during this time of coronavirus, we have pulled our most popular science lessons and are offering them for anyone to use for free. No account or login is needed. Copy and paste the links below into your documents and use them however they might be helpful! Mystery Science is the creator of the most popular science lessons in U.S. schools. We’ve curated this starter set of science lessons that you can use remotely or share with parents.”

Free Books with Amazon Prime:  “Prime Reading and Amazon First Reads are benefits perfect for bibiophiles — and they’re included with Prime.”

50 Fun Things to do with Your Kids at Home:  “We have revised our ever-so-popular list of Top 50 things to do for a snow day and adapted it to being home all day with your cherubs.”

Raddish Kids:  “At Raddish, we believe the heart of the home is in the kitchen.  And our team of parents, chefs, and educators know the kitchen is the perfect place to cultivate academic skills outside the traditional classroom — including math, science, geography, language arts, and more.  We’ve created this page as a free resource to support families likes yours, because food is love!  It comforts and connects us all!”

The Old Farmer’s Almanac for Kids:  “A children’s version of the Old Farmer’s Almanac. Contains facts about weather, star gazing, history and more.”

Smithsonian Learning Lab:  “Support deep, meaningful learning with an online universe of authentic resources and tools for making them your own.”

SmartMusic:  “SmartMusic is a web-based suite of music education tools that support efficient practice, helping musicians to develop and grow.”

National Geographic Education – Resource Library:  “At National Geographic, we teach kids about the world and how it works, empowering them to succeed and to make it a better place.”

Scholastic Learn at Home:  “Even when schools are closed, you can keep the learning going with these special cross-curricular journeys. Every day includes four separate learning experiences, each built around a thrilling, meaningful story or video. Kids can do them on their own, with their families, or with their teachers. Just find your grade level and let the learning begin!”

Great Minds:  “Three-quarters of our more than 800 employees are or have been teachers, so we understand the pressure teachers are under at this time to keep students on track. We are here to support them with free resources including our Eureka Math/EngageNY Math curriculum that is a free, open education resource available to anyone, anywhere.  And starting Wednesday, March 18, we are going to share—free to anyone—recorded daily lessons in Grades K–12 of Eureka Math, K–8 of Wit & Wisdom, and 3–5 of PhD Science. These lessons will be delivered by our own teachers and will be viewable on any device so that teachers and their students may use them.”

Coding For Kids: Free Classes, Websites, and Apps:  “It’s easy to imagine a kid learning coding being stuck in front of a computer for the rest of their lives. However, that doesn’t have to be the case! In fact, coding experience can open up many opportunities and make your child more marketable when they start applying for awards, scholarships, and even jobs! In the digital age, there are plenty of ways for kids to learn coding, free.”

DC Environmental Film Fest Goes ‘Virtual’ Amid Coronavirus Fears:  “The 28th annual D.C. Environmental Film Festival will hold a “virtual” festival next week after canceling all public events slated for March 12-22 due to coronavirus concerns.”

Over 30 Virtual Field Trips with Links:  Click on the colored text for links.  Safe travels!

The Metropolitan Opera Will Stream Operas for Free in Wake of Coronavirus:  “Have you always thought that you could get really into opera if it were more easily accessible? Well, thanks to the coronavirus, now is your chance. OperaWire has reported that the Metropolitan Opera will host “Nightly Met Opera Streams” on its official website in an attempt to continue providing opera to its audience members.”

Download Free Coloring Books from 113 Museums:  “Thy wish is our command, but be prepared to hustle, because today is the final day of Color Our Collections, a compellingly democratic initiative on the part of the New York Academy of Medicine.  Since 2016, the Academy has made an annual practice of inviting other libraries, archives, and cultural institutions around the world to upload PDF coloring pages based on their collections for the public’s free download.”

Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems:  “Mo Willems invites YOU into his studio every day for his LUNCH DOODLE. Learners worldwide can draw, doodle and explore new ways of writing by visiting Mo’s studio virtually once a day for the next few weeks. Grab some paper and pencils, pens, or crayons and join Mo to explore ways of writing and making together.”

Met to Launch “Nightly Met Opera Streams”:  “A day after canceling upcoming performances due to concerns around the coronavirus, the Metropolitan Opera announced that it would stream encore presentations from the award-winning Live in HD series of cinema transmissions on the company website for the duration of the closure.”

10 Virtual Field Trips for Your Kids:  “While we may not be able to venture out with the kids for a bit why not check out one of these virtual field trips and explore with them!”

22 Ways to Leave Home Without Actually Leaving the Couch, from Virtual Zoo Exhibits to Museum Gallery Tours:  “Here’s how to enjoy an afternoon at the museum, the zoo, or theme park all without leaving your couch.”

Virtual Storytimes for Kids – Authors and Venues Go Online Amid Coronavirus:  “Just because you’re staying in doesn’t mean an end to storytime! From the Brooklyn Public Library taking its readings to Facebook, to live demonstrations by famous picture-book authors, to a large selection of many of the greatest actors of our time reading some of the best books for kids, you can have an amazing storytime for kids right at home.”

100 Activities to do at Home During School Closures:  “I have created a helpful guide for all of you to survive the upcoming school closures.  Many of these activities listed below will require some supplies. Most items you could find at the Dollar Store.”

Art at Home:  “Ready to stay creative from the couch? Here is your guide to enjoying art at home!”

Help and Information for Kids

The Ultimate Kids’ Guide to the New Coronavirus:  “A new coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2 is spreading across the globe. Kids like you are likely wondering, “Will school be closed?” and, “Should I be worried about getting sick?” To help guide you through a confusing situation, here are answers from science to all the questions you may have.”

Talking to Kids about the Coronavirus:  “News of the coronavirus COVID-19 is everywhere, from the front page of all the papers to the playground at school. Many parents are wondering how to bring up the epidemic in a way that will be reassuring and not make kids more worried than they already may be. Here is some advice from the experts at the Child Mind Institute.”

How to Talk to Kids about Coronavirus:  “So what should you tell kids about the coronavirus, and how? We spoke to a pediatrician, two psychologists, a pediatric infectious disease specialist and a safety expert for their best tips.”

Children’s Book – Hello!  I am the Coronavirus:  “I have built this short book for children between 2 and 7 years old with the purpose of anticipating and accompanying the emotional world of children against the COVID-19 virus. This resource does not seek to be a source of scientific information but rather a tool based on fantasy and the symbolic. I recommend printing it so that the children can draw their emotion and they can have it at home to read it repeatedly. Remember that emotions are processed through repetitive play and stories read multiple times.”

Christian – Religion – Catholic

Sadlier:  For teachers and student/family resources.  Sadlier Religion Resources is access to valuable resources for the programs you are using.

The Catholic Toolbox:  “Tools” for the Classroom or at Home – activities, crafts, games, puzzles, worksheets, lesson plans, classroom tips, etc. for all ages.

Loyola Press:  “For over 100 years, our mission has been to lead people to Jesus and to facilitate transformative experiences of God so that people of all ages can lead holy and purposeful lives with and for others. We accomplish our goals with inspiration from Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), a man who spent his whole post-conversion life providing catechesis and engaging others in spiritual conversation. In addition to our spirituality and faith formation offerings, we are pleased to serve the Kindergarten through Grade 8 literacy community with our highly regarded English Language Arts programs.”  “Christ Our Life for over 40 years, the Christ Our Life religious education program has been leading children to Jesus Christ in schools and religious education programs in every diocese in the United States. A favorite among faith formation program directors, teachers, and catechists, Christ Our Life features the original spiral curriculum — a teaching process that ensures consistent progress toward an accurate and thorough understanding of the faith.”

Ignatius Press:  “Ignatius Press is an apostolate, a ministry of Guadalupe Associates, a church-based group of people who use their talents “for the greater glory of God”. Guadalupe Associates/Ignatius Press’s  mission is to collaborate in the evangelizing, catechetical, liturgical, and educational work of the Catholic Church, through the publication and distribution of Catholic print, video, and audio materials, especially books and films, as well as through the internet and social media. Guadalupe Associates/Ignatius Press helps deepen people’s spiritual lives in a number of ways, including by means of its retreat house and through the publication of liturgical and spiritual resources such as the Adoremus Hymnal, the Mass of Vatican II booklet, and the Ignatius Pew Missal for churches. These and other works reflect the liturgical and spiritual vision of Guadalupe Associates, Inc, which is nourished by the communal daily prayer and worship of many of its workers.”  Faith and Life religious education series was written for both school and parish use and is now in its Third Edition with separate manuals for the teacher in a daily classroom setting and the catechist in a once a week classroom setting.

Formed:  “The Catholic Faith.  On demand.  Get thousands of movies, programs, audio, and books instantly.”

Eric Gallagher:  “Ways to Teach, Meet, and Minister Online” Having worked for the church in a rural area for the past ten years and while striving to share and teach what I’ve learned to others across the country, I’ve discovered some incredible resources to help gather, teach, and grow online.  Given the current circumstances throughout the world, I thought I would share with you my list of resources that I’ve found to be most helpful in doing so.

YDisciple:  “Your subscription to YDisciple gives you (and your whole team!) access to our online streaming platform with offline playback plus iOS, Android, and Roku apps.”

Magnificat:  “During this challenging time, many of the faithful may be unable to attend Mass.  Magnificat is honored to provide complimentary access to our online version to help people pray from home.”

Religious Education – Online Resources:  “The following free resources are from faithful Catholic ministries and have numerous videos and other media available for ongoing catechesis and sacrament preparation. St. Joseph’s hopes these will aid parishioners during the suspension of parish catechesis.”

Help and Information for Teachers and Parents Working with Kids

Google for Education:  “To help with this, we recently announced that advanced Hangouts Meet features are available for free to anyone who uses G Suite around the world. This means you’ll be able to put up to 250 people on a Hangouts Meet call—an entire class or group of classes can join a lesson simultaneously. You’ll get live-streaming for up to 100,000 viewers within your domain, so that you can do a virtual school assembly or stream a lecture. Plus, you can record meetings and save them to Google Drive. When students can’t join the lesson, they’ll be able to access the content later.”  

Comprehensive Response to the Worldwide Coronavirus Outbreak:  “As a global company serving 4.5 million educators and 45 million students in 140 countries and territories around the world, Discovery Education has been monitoring the recent Coronavirus outbreak closely. Like educators everywhere, we are concerned about the Coronavirus’ potential impact on student learning in the unfortunate event schools or school systems are closed for extended periods of time.  So, to help schools and the communities they serve maintain continuity of learning in the event of prolonged school closures due to the Coronavirus, Discovery Education has created a three-pronged response.”

Boardmaker Activities-to-Go:  “Meet Boardmaker Activities-to-Go! Free, printable activities for students in K-12. Whether you are an educator, speech language pathologist, behavior specialist, or parent, start teaching today.”

How to Utilise Twinkl during the Coronavirus Shutdown – A Guide for Schools:  “At Twinkl, our mission is to help those who teach and we are therefore taking steps to support continued learning at home, by offering the teachers and parents of children in schools which are closed, or facing closure, free access to all Twinkl resources for a period of one month in the first instance.”

Remote Learning with Khan Academy During School Closures:  “With concerns growing over the coronavirus (COVID-19), we know many of you are making plans to keep learning going should your school need to close. As parents and teachers ourselves, we know there’s a lot on your minds, from health and safety to child care and jobs.”

PenPal Schools:  “PenPal Schools connects students from 150 countries through project based learning.”  Offering FREE access during the Corvid-19 pandemic.

The Parents’ Guide to Google Classroom:  A helpful guide for teachers to share with their parents as classrooms move toward online learning.  Excellent!

Zoom’s Commitment to User Support & Business Continuity During the Coronavirus Outbreak:  “The growing epidemic has broadened my view on what it means to be a video communications technology provider in times of need. I know many organizations are grappling with how to maintain business continuity and keep employees engaged amid the threat of the virus, and I’m compelled to help anyone who needs it.”

Kahoot!:  “We believe that there should be no limits to when and where you can learn. Engage students in learning even when they’re not in class and stay on track with curriculum while instructing online.”  If your school is affected by Corvid-19, you can access Kahoot! Premium’s distance learning tools for free.

Genially:  “As you unfortunately know, the current situation is forcing schools to close, and altering our daily work in many parts of the world. From Genially we take a step forward to make life a little easier for people who have been forced to stop.  For this reason, we launched a series of initiatives that aim to facilitate and promote, as far as possible, distance learning / working. This method is a crucial way to keep up with the pace of school, academy, university or office in these week.  At Genially we have a single goal: to offer resources and content to those affected students, trainers and professionals. For this reason, we launch a series of own actions in addition to joining all the movements initiated by other digital platforms in the sector.”

Kids Discover Online:  “Request free, unlimited access to Kids Discover Online if your school/district has been closed due to the Coronavirus.”

Emergencies and Switching to Online Learning:  “At core is the question, if the government in your state, province, or area ordered all schools to close, what would you do? How is this emergency something you can prepare for?”

Boom Cards by Boom Learning:  “If your school is considering closing for COVID19 reasons or has closed and you are not a current Boom Learning premium customer, we are offering free Ultimate subscriptions good through June 30 to affected schools.  Existing customer schools who do not have Ultimate subscriptions can get an Ultimate account per grade or subject team to share for authoring materials to share out school colleagues to keep learning on course.”  Reach out to help@boomlearning.com if you are an affected school.

EdHeads:  “Edheads is an online educational resource that provides science and math games and activities that promote critical thinking. Choose from Simple Machines, Virtual Knee Surgery or Stem Cell Heart Repair, among others. All activities meet state and national standards.”  Edheads Virally Free Membership for use March 13 through April 4, 2020 ONLY.  Each registrant will have one log in they create and can use for unlimited play for the dates mentioned above.  This membership will go away after April 6 and will have to be converted to a paying membership if the member chooses to continue to use Edheads games.

How to Homeschool for Free During a School Closure:  “Is your child’s school closed for two weeks — or more? Do you want to continue your child’s education at home while classes are cancelled?  Maybe you are facing the challenge of online learning, e-learning, or virtual school, thanks to COVID-19, or maybe you’ve decided to homeschool temporarily until the crisis is over. If you’re intimidated by the idea of trying to find things for your kids to do while stuck at home, the lesson plans, free curriculum, and activity ideas in this post will help you have a fun, educational, and memorable time with your kids.”

Helping You Plan and Continue Instruction During the COVID-19 Crisis:  “Start by initiating your complimentary access to Newsela ELA, Newsela Social Studies, Newsela Science, and The Newsela SEL Collection through the 2019/2020 school year.”

Smart Tech:  “Inspiring greatness and improving education outcomes through innovative tech and training that supports engagement and connection.”

How Schools Can Ramp up Remote Learning Programs Quickly with Microsoft Teams:  “As some schools look to continue learning remotely for the safety of their students and faculty, Microsoft Teams for Education provides an online classroom so students and teachers can find new ways to continue to focus on learning. Free for schools and universities, Teams provides an online classroom that brings together virtual face-to-face connections, assignments, files and conversations into a single place accessible on either mobile, tablet, PC or browser.”

Free BrainPOP Access for Schools Closed Due to the Coronavirus:  “Recognizing the enormous impact this situation has on a school community, we are offering free, unlimited use of BrainPOP to any school, anywhere, that is closed due to the coronavirus during the period of their closure.”

Parenting During Covid-19:  “Articles about how to parent right now — how to talk to our kids and help calm their fears — abound. I’ve read many. Contributed to some. And now I’m writing my own. Why? Because what I haven’t seen yet is a bulleted list, a set of short and sweet and pragmatic tips you could print out and hang on your fridge as a reference. And so that’s going to be my contribution.”

How to Talk to Your Kids about Coronavirus:  “So before lights out, we talked. I asked what they had heard about the coronavirus. We got it all out — their questions, their “I heards” and their fears. The rest of the conversation had three themes.”

Teaching Our World – The Coronavirus:  “We have heard that many of your students are worried about the new coronavirus. We’ve created this collection to help you ease their fears and empower them with age-appropriate information. These teaching resources were carefully prepared by grade-level to help your students understand what is being done to keep them safe and how to prevent germs from spreading.”

Helping Kids Who are Worried about Coronavirus:  “Many of our kids have been hearing about COVID-19 for weeks at school, from friends, on the news, and at home, and while they might not know how to appropriately express their feelings about the situation, they might be holding on to some pretty strong worries. While some schools are closing, kids are out of their comfortable routines, which can contribute to those worries.”  Infographic on her IG to help.

TeacherVision:  “In response to these unprecedented challenges, we are making all of the resources on TeacherVision freely available to teachers and parents until March 31, 2020 so they have access to everything needed to support students’ learning at home.”

NYC Department of Education – Learn at Home:  “The materials on the Learn at Home pages are designed to provide supplementary learning resources to students in the event that students may need to be home from school. We encourage you to use this time to continue your student’s learning while they are at home. To help students engage in educational material, we have shared the resources below for students in all grades, from Early Learn through elementary and middle school, and for high school. These materials do not replace what your child has been learning at school, but during this unusual time it is important that students continue to read, write, do social studies and science activities, and work on math problems.”

Schoology:  “Our Basic package is for instructors, students, parents, and advisors who want to improve learning at the classroom level. It’s free and easy to sign up.”

Feckle:  “Freckle empowers teachers to differentiate instruction across Math, ELA, Social Studies and Science.”  A free sign-up for teachers and students.

Miscellaneous

Cox Announces Plans to Support Residential Customers in Need During Coronavirus Pandemic:  “Cox announced today additional plans to support residential customers during the coronavirus pandemic. Cox is upgrading internet speeds for select residential packages and implementing a variety of other changes to provide support and relief for our customers and communities in greatest need.”

Spectrum Offering Free Access to Broadband and Wi-Fi for Students Without Access for 60 Days:  “Charter Communication announced Friday morning it will offer free Spectrum broadband and Wi-Fi access for 60 days to households with K-12 and/or college students who do not already have a subscription.”

Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO):   Facebook post – PSO is temporarily suspending all disconnections for non-payment as the coronavirus (COVID-19) has been documented in our state.

 

**I have NOT personally visited or used all of these sites.  It is up to each individual if to deem them appropriate for their kids or students.  Some offers may have limitations based on location or other rules and regulations.**

 

I hope that these links are helpful to you and your kids or students.  If you know of any that I could add, I’d be happy to do that.  Just leave a comment and I’ll add it ASAP. 

Edit to add….

This post got too long to be of use to readers.  I’ve split it up from my original post and all the other links that I’ve added from other bloggers, Facebook, and so on.  You can click here to be taken to Things to Do While Everyone is Home 2.

 

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