27 Fun and Free Educational Websites For Kids to Learn From Home

Are you searching for some free educational websites for kids to help keep them busy?

As a homeschooling family who likes saving money, we’re all about finding ways to learn that don’t cost a dime.

And even if you don’t homeschool, having a list of go-to learning websites for kids at the ready can be a lifesaver when, say, school gets canceled unexpectedly.

Because screen time can keep kids occupied but you probably don’t want them spending hours on video games. Introducing some learning websites into the mix can help make screen time more productive.

If you’re not sure which ones are worth your time, I’ve got you covered. I’ve put together a list of the best educational websites for kids that you can bookmark for those times when you need it.

All of these sites are free to use. And they’re all resources we’ve used at one point or another in our homeschooling so I know they’re legit. (And also, lots of fun!)

Ready to get your kids learning from home? Then let’s dig in!

Related post: 23 Fun First Day of School Interview Questions to Ask Kids

27 Best Fun and Free Educational Websites for Kids

1. Scholastic

Scholastic is one of the best free learning websites if you’ve got serious readers at home. There are plenty of educational and fun games kids can play themed around popular book series like Captain Underpants and Wings of Fire, one of my daughter’s favorites.

2. Sesame Street

Sesame Street is an obvious choice if you’re looking for the best free educational sites for preschool and kindergarteners. Kids can play games, watch videos and make their own Sesame-themed artwork on the site.

3. Reading Eggs

Reading Eggs is one of the apps I used to teach both my kids to learn to read. It’s free to get started and I recommend this one if you’re looking for early learning that emphasizes phonics.

4. Starfall

Starfall is another free learning site we used for preschool and kindergarten learning. This site covers the basics of reading, writing and math up to grade 3, with most of the learning based around games and songs.

5. Nick Jr.

Are your kids huge P.J. Masks fans? Can they not get through the day without a dose of Bubble Guppies? Then you’ll want to add Nick Jr. to your list of free educational websites for kids to check out. There are plenty of games here kids can play to encourage early learning.

6. All In One Homeschool

Easy Peasy All In One Homeschool is an outstanding resource for learning at home because it’s so comprehensive. Everything on the site is free to access and there are curriculum plans for K-12.

You can pick a set curriculum and follow it based on your child’s year of enrollment or skip around. This one gets a thumbs-up if you’re looking for a free learning website for kids with a Charlotte Mason-esque feel.

7. DK findout!

If you and your kids love the DK Eyewitness series of educational books then you’ll probably love DK findout! What’s great about this learning site is that’s very visual–lots of diagrams and example photos. This is one we still use in our homeschool now and I’m always impressed with the range of topics covered.

8. Mystery Science

Mystery Science offers free and paid video science lessons taught by resident nerd Doug Peltz. Each week, there’s a new free mini-lesson that’s designed to get kids thinking about a specific question.

There are also free lessons that go more in-depth and include an experiment, many of which can be done at home. This is another free educational website for kids that’s a regular feature in our homeschooling.

9. Cool Math

Cool Math is filled with free math lessons and games. The basics like adding and subtracting are covered but kids can also work on pre-algebra, algebra and calculus.

10. Scratch

If you have kids who are into gaming, then Scratch is likely to be a hit. This free site developed by MIT allows kids to learn basic coding by building games, animations and stories.

11. Exploratorium

When you can’t get out of the house to go to the museum, the next best thing is to bring the museum to you. Exploratorium is the official website for the San Francisco art and science museum of the same name and the site offers plenty of fun ways to learn for kids and adults alike.

12. Steve Spangler Science

Steve Spangler Science offers a great collection of science experiments kids can do at home. If you’re looking to make a long-term investment, the site also sells a monthly science kit subscription service.

13. Project Gutenberg

Project Gutenberg is a free library of over 60,000 ebooks you can access online. There’s a Children’s Bookshelf with titles for kids but tweens and teens should be able to find something to catch their attention as well.

14. XtraMath

XtraMath is another free math-focused site that hones in on helping kids fine-tune the basics: adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing. It’s easy to use and there’s also an XtraMath app in case you want kids to be able to practice math on the go.

15. Outschool

Outschool has to be one of my favorite educational websites for kids just because there are so many classes to choose from. While classes are paid, there are several that only cost a few bucks. And Outschool also has a policy of offering classes for free to students that have been affected by widespread school closures. So check it out now!

16. ABCya

ABCya is another staple on our homeschooling list of free learning websites for kids. There are a ton of educational games designed for pre-K kids all the way up to 6th grade. And in case you’re wondering, this site follows Common Core standards.

17. Funbrain

Funbrain is another game-focused site that’s designed kids from pre-K to 8th grade. There’s also a special math zone and videos on topics like how to deal with annoying siblings and how to make your own secret ingredient slime.

18. National Geographic Kids

National Geographic Kids features articles, videos and experiments that cover different areas of science. If you have a budding zoologist or biologist at home, they’ll appreciate the section of the site devoted to learning about different animals.

19. Ducksters

Ducksters includes articles, puzzles and games for kids who want to learn about history, science or geography. There’s also an entire section full of biographies about famous people including inventors, scientists, explorers and artists.

20. BBC History for Kids

BBC History for Kids has always been one of our favorite educational websites for kids because we’re history nerds. The site doesn’t get updated anymore but it’s great because there are articles, games, videos and photos exploring different periods of British and Ancient history.

My only complaint is that if you’re outside the U.K., you can’t access any of the Horrible Histories content. But you can still see the videos on YouTube.

21. Khan Academy

Khan Academy is a treasure trove of free learning resources for kids from preschool to high school. There’s even test prep material here if you have juniors who are prepping for the SAT.

This site is impressive because of how thorough it is and the range of topics kids can learn about. There are the basics, like math and reading but kids can also learn coding or take AP-level classes in world history or physics.

22. Duolingo

If you’re interested in having kids learn a second language or two, Duolingo can help them do it for free.

Right now, we’re learning Spanish and Japanese but the list of languages available also includes German, French, Hebrew, Swahili, Klingon, High Valyrian and Esperanto. Lessons are simple and kids can work on them in just a few minutes a day.

23. Typing.com

Typing is an important skill to have these days and if your kids need some practice, Typing.com is an excellent choice. Kids can access free typing lessons from beginner to expert and track how their typing speed and accuracy improve over time.

24. TIME for Kids

TIME for Kids is a free library of articles for kids covering a range of topics. For example, kids can read about how crayons are made or learn about financial literacy.

25. Open Culture

Open Culture isn’t designed exclusively for kids but it can be a great free learning option. This site rounds up the best free educational sites for kids (and adults) and groups them by subject.

26. History.com

History.com is a great choice for older kids who are looking for higher-level articles on different historical topics. You don’t need to have a History.com subscription through your cable provider to use the site, though some of the videos and articles are just for subscribers.

27. MrDonn.org

Mr. Donn is another awesome history-centric site for kids. There are plenty of articles, quizzes and games to keep kids occupied and learning about Ancient history, world history and American history for days.

Bonus: 10 Best Educational YouTube Channels for Kids

If your kids are more the visual type, then YouTube is another place they can go to learn online. The key is being selective about which channels you let your kids watch.

In case you need some suggestions, here are 10 of the best educational YouTube channels for kids to watch now.

1. MrBettsClass

If your kids are into learning about history through song and they don’t mind some off-key singing, then don’t skip MrBettsClass. Channel creator and teacher Timothy Betts takes historical events and sets them to music, with some slightly adapted lyrics.

2. Crash Course

Crash Course features 10- to 20-minute videos that dive into history and science topics. What’s great about this channel is that the creators somehow manage to make even the most boring topic interesting.

3. Crash Course Kids

Crash Course Kids covers all things science for kids with videos that are educational and just plain fun to watch. Channel host Sabrina is relatable and she explains scientific concepts in a way that kids can understand.

4. SciShow Kids

SciShow Kids is another science-themed channel that’s geared more toward younger kids. Videos are designed to get kids interested in and curious about science in the world around them.

5. Homeschool Pop

Homeschool Pop features videos for homeschoolers but you don’t have to be an at-home learner to like this channel. This one is good for kids up to third grade who want to learn about geography, science and different holiday traditions.

6. History Matters

History Matters might not be every child’s cup of tea but my tweens like this channel and your middle- or high schoolers might too. This channel features 10-minute history lessons that go surprisingly in-depth and cover everything from the Viking age to modern-day events.

7. Deep Space Sparkle

Deep Space Sparkle and the lovely Patty have been part of our at-home learning routine for years now. If you have artistically inclined kids, Patty’s instructional art videos are a must-see.

8. Art for Kids Hub

Art for Kids Hub is another art-focused YouTube channel. This one’s great because it’s a family-run channel and they all work on art projects together.

9. mathantics

mathantics is one of the best educational YouTube channels for kids I’ve come across that explains math in a way that doesn’t go over kids’ heads. The basics are covered but older kids can also find explainers for more advanced math concepts.

10. Extra Credits

Extra Credits is not the typical educational YouTube channel for kids but it’s worth a look if you’ve got an open mind. The videos feature stick figures and explore a wide range of topics from history and mythology. You might give this one a try if you have more mature kids who want to learn about history without the fluff.

What are your favorite free educational websites for kids?

Learning at home can be fun, whether it’s planned or happens unexpectedly. And the internet can make it so much easier for kids to learn at their own pace and study the things they’re most interested in.

Do you have a favorite website or YouTube channel that your kids love to use for learning?

Head to the comments and tell me about it and don’t forget to pin and share this post!