With the arrival of the unexpected global pandemic, everyone has been encouraged to stay at home. Whether you’re part of the working force or just simply still in school, to ensure the well-being of everyone, going out to the streets may not be the smartest decision.

With everyone home, those who have children might find these times to be a nightmare. Not having used to their kids home 24/7 and juggling to attend to work matters, it’s definitely going to cause some headaches at some point. 

Thus, we got you covered. Here is a list of things that may help keep your kids occupied as you go on with your days to help give you your much-needed breaks.

1. BrainPOP

BrainPOP is a useful educational website that is specially curated for kindergarten to grade 12 children. Filled with over 1,000 short animated films, quizzes and related resources that will totally keep your kids engaged. 

It is also a helpful online resource that will help your kids learning. Covering subjects such as English, Math, Social Studies, Science, Engineering, Arts and Music, BrainPOP not only entertains but keeps the fun learning going outside of the classroom and it’s all for free! Definitely a site to bookmark.

2. CuriosityStream

For kids who are more interested in learning the real-life events of the planet, Curiosity Stream might be a good pick. Filled with thousands of documentaries about history, space and nature, it’s like a toy store for children who are more studious. 

Unlike BrainPOP, CuriosityStream has a subscription fee to access the shows that are available on the platform. For only US$19.99 (S$26) every year, you and your children will be able to watch such insightful shows. New shows are added every week, therefore, there’s always something new to look forward to.

3. Tynker

If you’re looking to teach your kids something different, or maybe get them started with a very useful skill, then maybe coding might be the answer you’ve been looking for. 

Tynker is the perfect educational programming platform aimed at teaching kids aged five to 18 to learn to develop coding skills. Making use of methods that will effectively teach the younger audience, instead of typing the source code, they will have to visually drag blocks of codes and snap them in place.

ALSO READ: 11 fun activities to do with your kids in Singapore when you're out of ideas

Interactive story-based learning allows kids to learn the basics and eventually being able to seamlessly transition them to real-world text-based languages such as JavaScript and Python.

4. Creativebug

After being swamped by academic activities from their home-based learning curriculum, a break from using the left side of the brain is essential and a good way of doing that would be to empower the right side.

Creativebug is the best destination for arts and crafts videos. With over a thousand classes that are hosted by top designers and artists, videos are uploaded every week that will ensure that your kids are always engaged and entertained. 

Knitting, crocheting, cooking, and even jewellery-making, it’s a platform fit for kids who are creative. There are different levels to the crafts on the site, therefore, your kids will be able to learn gradually with the skills that they pick up on Creativebug.

5. National Geographic Kids

The picks listed above are encouraged to have parents or some form of supervision, yet if you are one that is unable to seat with your kids throughout. A go-to way to keep the children entertained is through videos.

There are hundreds of thousands of YouTube channels found across the platform, but a channel that will guarantee your kids an insightful time would be National Geographic Kids. Catered specifically for the younger audience, Nat Geo Kids videos feature awesome animals, cool science, funny pets, and more that are suited for inquisitive children.

There are over a hundred videos found on the channel, definitely a great way to keep the youngsters occupied.

6. Crash Course Kids

For those who have slightly older kids, specifically, those who are in grade school, Crash Course Kids’ YouTube channel might be a great way to keep them occupied. Not only will they be kept entertained for hours, but they will also be extending their learning and possibly get ahead of their curriculum.

A bi-weekly show on Youtube, the audience will delve into Earth Science, Physical Science, Biology, Geography, Engineering, and Astronomy. 

Maybe through this, your children could potentially be a scientist.

ALSO READ: 13 fun camps and workshops for your kids to try out during the school holidays

7. Kids Learning Tube

Kids are encouraged to start their academic journey as early as possible to have a good headstart. Starting from a young age, parents are encouraged to start teaching the basics of basics such as speech and even alphabet recognition.

And if you are a parent that does not have that much time, a good resource to further advance your children’s learning would be through subtle ways and that is with songs and animation that happens very naturally around them. 

The Kids Learning Tube channel on YouTube makes use of music and eye-catching visuals that will certainly get your kids learning without them even knowing. It is a unique take in teaching but nonetheless effective.

8. TurtleDiary

Filled with countless engaging activities and videos, TurtleDiary is an online platform that is catered for kindergarten to grade five children. If you are a parent that worries about the content that their kids consume from their mobile games, this site assures you that learning is prioritised. 

It is a new way and exciting way of learning for kids, may it be in subjects like Math and English, it is not only a sure way of learning but engagement as well.

9. Storyline Online

Other than watching videos, or through games and activities, another way to occupy kids is through having them pick up a book. Although, getting the younger ones to read a book may be tough but that does not mean they do not enjoy being read to.

Storyline Online is a website that houses hundred of online stories that are read aloud by featured celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Chris Pine, Kristen Bell, and many more. Through this method, children have been shown to have improved in reading, writing and communication skills, logical thinking and concentration, and general academic aptitude.

ALSO READ: 12 best kids' activities for school holidays in Singapore for every budget

Storyline Online is available 24 hours a day for children, parents, caregivers and educators worldwide, the perfect activity to get the little munchkins occupied while you finish the things on your to-do list.

10. Seussville

Looking to share your own childhood with your children, having iconic characters from Dr. Seuss’ books might just do the trick. Seussville is a platform filled with content focusing on the creations made by the renowned children book author, Dr. Seuss. 

Children can watch short clips of Dr. Seuss’ animated shows dating back from 1970 or have the choice of playing interactive games that showcases book titles such as Fox in Socks and Green Eggs and Ham. 

You may also purchase Dr. Seuss books from the website to further get them into the fandom and essentially occupied.

And that’s it for some of our picks. Although these are all temporary solutions, they are some of the best resources in keeping your kids occupied. Moreover, these are all held on an online platform, do continue to keep an eye out for your children as they venture into the digital space. Additionally, if you have other recommendations to share, do let us know as well!

This article was first published in Geek Culture.