The coronavirus has given some of us a host of free time. It’s the perfect time to explore new subjects and learn new skills and, if you have kids, to help them keep up with learning as most schools are closed.
Not only can online learning help keep you busy and reduce anxiety during these uncertain times – but you could also improve your personal development and career opportunities when hiring picks up again. If you have kids, online educational resources are a great way to keep them engaged too.
Many museums and universities around the world have introduced a variety of free, online educational resources.
We’ve put together some of our favorite resources for kids & adults by category.
School Curriculum and Career Prep
- K12.com – offers free learning programs and curriculums that cover reading, math, coding, arts and literature, IT and healthcare career prep – you name it. Check out free options in their COVID-19 section.
- Kahn academy – offers engaging lessons across school subject matters, organized by grade level. It’s easy to browse and follow lessons that advance your skills. Your student will be learning independently and having fun! The even made daily lesson plans and schedules to help parents who are struggling to homeschool while they do their regular jobs!
Science
- OLogy.com – a science website for kids offering resources on subjects ranging from climate change, anthropology, genetics, and every in between. There are a host of videos, games, and stores students can interact with.
- American Museum of Natural History at Coursera – is offering free online courses for adults with Coursera. These courses are taught by university professors and are complete with a syllabus and certificate of completion you can even add to your LinkedIn.
- Amplify – offers free remote learning through its digital software. There are great interactive reading sections and science components suitable for kids K – 8.
- Smithsonian Museum Virtual Tour – The Smithsonian Museum is offering virtual tours of its current exhibitions – it’s engaging for kids and adults alike.
- Smithsonian Learning Lab – The Smithsonian Museum is also offering online learning resources available to anyone – from adults to kids- through its online collection. You can browse different videos, articles, photos, and courses on
History
- Class Central – is a great resource for free online IVY League classes. The humanities section has numerous free courses on world history & American history.
- Crash Course History – is a YouTube channel that offers short educational videos on various history topics, suitable for kids and adults.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica – is offering history and social studies learning content with videos, articles, images and more. Resources are also available in multiple languages and are available without registration.
Mathematics
- Carnegie Learning’s LONG + LIVE + MATH – is an online resource for math lessons, learning videos, and practice problems for students in grades 6 – 12. You can download different tools and learning resources.
- EdHelper.com – is offering free printable math, reading, and writing worksheets for elementary school students. Worksheets are accessible directly on the website and are updated weekly.
- Hand2mind – is offering free daily lessons on math and reading for students in kindergarten through 5th grade. Videos and worksheets are accessible without registering.
Computer Science
- Boolean Girl – is hosting free, live instructor-led online classes on how to code. Its geared towards kids aged 8 to 18. You’ll need to register to join the classes.
- Carnegie Mellon Computer Science Academy – is a free, online middle school and high school resource that offers courses in computer science. Registration is required.
- Girls Who Code –Publishing free weekly coding activities both online and offline.
- Codecademy – offers a free, Basic membership where you can learn and practice your coding skills. The courses are geared toward working professionals.
- Open P-TECH – is a digital learning platform developed by IBM to help young adults and educators learn about cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing. Registration is required.
Language
- Babbel – is offering three months of free language learning for students from kindergarten through college. You’ll need to create an account to access the service.
- Carnegie Learning iCulture – is a cultural immersion digital platform that offers interactive media in Spanish, French, and German for free throughout the remainder of the 2020 school year. It is geared towards educators and students.
- Duolingo – is a free, online platform that teaches numerous different languages. It’s free, but you’ll have to register to sign up.
Art and Music
- The Museum of Modern Art – has partnered with Coursera to offer some free online courses on art theory. The courses are geared toward adults and teachers.
- Metropolitan Museum of Art – is offering online virtual tours and educational resources on its website for teens and adults.
- Class Central – is offering free online art history and music theory classes from IVY Universities.
Job Training
- LinkedIn – offers one-month of free access to its learning database where you can learn new skills and even add certificates to your LinkedIn profile.
- Alison – offers a host of free online courses geared towards professionals looking to develop new skills. Many courses come with completion certificates you can add to your resume.
- Udacity – is offering one month of free access to all its career and skills development courses. Many courses go over computer programming and STEM topics.
- SkillShare – offers a number of free online classes that range from professional development to personal interests.
Finance
- Khan Academy – is not just for students! They are currently offering free online classes on career development, economics, finance, and more.
- Class Central – is offering free access to IVY League online courses in finance, business, and more.
- Edx – offers a host of financial and other educational courses. You will have to create an account to register for a course and a completion certificate is available at the end.
News
- Thinking Through The News – is a resource developed by The Economist to help students think critically about the news and global topics. Parents and teachers can sign up for free to gain access.
- Knowledge Unlimited – is offering free access to its weekly current events newsletter for children. Parents can log in by using “brain” for the username and “spring” for the password.
- New York Times – is now free to all high school students and their teachers. Students will need to coordinate with their teachers to have their emails inputted to receive access.
Stay focused and busy
There’s a lot of uncertainty in the world amid the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the best ways to help yourself cope is by staying productive. Learning something new will give you a sense of pride today – and your future self will thank you. Work on coming out of this situation as a smarter, better you!
