If you’re looking for great websites to enhance your child’s learning you’re going to love this list of the best free educational websites for kids.

It can sometimes be hard to find the ideal balance of fun and learning. The challenge might seem daunting, but have no fear the perfect learning website is out there.

Just check out this list of fun and information-filled sites to find the right website for you and your kids!

We’ve put this list into 7 different categories to make your search easier. See the table of contents for details.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 A Directory of Free Educational Websites
2 1. Preschool – Watch, Play & Learn Sites (4)
3 2. Reading & Math – Play & Learn Sites (6)
4 3. Science Websites (7)
5 PHET – Physics and Science Simulations
6 4. History & Geography Websites (3)
7 5. News & Events (2)
8 6. General Educational Websites (8)
9 7. College & Testing Prep (2)
10 Wrap-Up on Educational Websites

A Directory of Free Educational Websites

Preschool – Watch, Play & Learn Sites (4)
Reading & Math – Play & Learn Sites (6)
Science Websites (7)
History & Geography Websites (3)
News & Events (2)
General Educational Websites (8)
College & Testing Prep (2)

1. Preschool – Watch, Play & Learn Sites (4)

Khan Academy

Khan Academy is a free educational website for kids, teens and adults. They ask for donations, but it is not required to register and to use the site.

They have courses from pre-k to high school through AP College Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Science. They also have a Life Skills curriculum for things like personal finance and internet safety.

Our son-in-law, Nolan, who is a high school teacher found the site and has been letting our grandaughter use the app. She loves the learning games – in small doses – she’s only two years old.

Here’s their fundraising pitch:

“We’re a nonprofit that relies on support from people like you. If everyone reading this gives $12 monthly, Khan Academy can continue to thrive for years. Please help keep Khan Academy free, for anyone, anywhere forever.”

This site is so extensive that it could be included in most of the categories on this page.

Nick Jr.

Nick Jr. has games that feature recognizable characters like Blue for Blue’s Clues and Thomas the Engine. In addition to the games, there are printable coloring pages, activities, videos and more.

The site is centered around young learners in preschool. Your child will be able to work on their numbers, play dress-up, practice shape recognition, listen to new music, put puzzles together and generally explore their creative sides. One of the best websites for your kids.

One drawback to this site is the ads. There are really ads everywhere. If that bothers you then I would look for a different educational site.

PBS Kids

It is possible that your kids already watch PBS Kids on TV, but now they can also enjoy the educational benefits online. Each educational children’s show on PBS has a corresponding section on its website.

Just pick your child’s favorite PBS show and they will be able to do a variety of activities related to that show. A few of the options include counting games, watching videos, matching games, and more.

The fact that it is divided up by shows is great because you know the content will be similar to the show. It can be a great way for kids to expand their interests from an area they already know they like.

Sesame Street

Is Sesame Street your child’s favorite show? If it is, then this is the perfect site for you. The online places where their favorite characters live can be found anytime on Sesame Street online.

The show is geared towards younger children, so the website appropriately follows that direction. There are hundreds of short video clips and relevant games for your kids to choose from. The games will help them master their numbers, letters, shapes, and colors.

It will be easy to motivate them to play the games because all the beloved characters are a part of every game.

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2. Reading & Math – Play & Learn Sites (6)

Want free websites that encourage your child to read and do math (without it seeming like school)? We’ve got some great choices here.

MultiplicationGames.com

Multiplication Games is a relatively new website, but it’s chocked full of fun, animated, and engaging games for kids (and their parents). Steve tried one of their race car multiplication games and … didn’t get too far. The math was easy, but avoiding traffic cones was his downfall.

ABCYa.com

ABCYa.com stands for ABC’s for Young Adults. But the site is really geared from pre-K through 6th-grade. This is a really high-quality website with lots of great tools and videos for kids.

ABCya has more than 400 fun and educational games for grades PreK through 6.

Their activities are designed by parents and educators. They understand that children learn best when they’re having fun.

The games on the site are categorized by subject and grade. They cover topics such as typing, multiplication, parts of speech, pattern recognition, and more.

There are even some games that are just plain fun.

There is free access to the website on a desktop. If you want to use their app or have more than one user on the account, then you’ll want to purchase the Premium Family or Class Room subscription.

Kids Reads

If you have a reader in the family, then this is a great resource to keep them interested. KidsReads has articles, books review and author interviews of today’s most popular young adult books.

All the information is created with kids in mind, so it is an appropriate place for your child’s interest in reading to grow. It may help them to find their next book! Another valuable website that your kids will love. And so will you because it’s free.

Starfall

Starfall is one of the best free websites out there for helping kids to improve their reading skills. The site has been helping kids learn to read since 2002.

The website can help kids just starting to learn their letters and will continue to be helpful for a long time after that.

Starfall even helps kids make the transition into reading plays, comics, nonfiction, young adult novels, and full-length novels.

The online resource keeps reading fun with a variety of levels and games from your kid to advance through. Starfall even has seasonal sections for each holiday in order to help kids continue improving their reading through holiday breaks when it can be harder to motivate your kiddos.

This is really a great educational website for any child, but it might be especially important if your child is struggling with reading. Starfall can help bring their reading levels up.

Fun Brain

Fun Brain also divides its games up by grade level, but they only serve kids from pre-K to 8th grade. The games are centered around the basics of reading and math, but the material is presented in a fun way.

In addition to games, Fun Brain has videos and books available on their site for your young learners.

This free educational website for kids seems really well done, so it is definitely worth checking out.

Cool Math

As a self-proclaimed “amusement park of math and more,” Cool Math really lives up to its name. Kids can play games that involve addition, subtraction, division, multiplication, money, and decimals. All great things for kids to get very comfortable with.

Personally, I have witnessed my younger brother enjoy this site and use it frequently. It seems to have helped with his math skills.

Cool Math is made for kids 13 and up. However, there is a sister site, Cool Math 4 Kids that will help children ages 3 to 12. There is even a Cool Math – Games site that has math games available for children.

No matter how old your kids are, building math skills is a very important thing. Math is really a building thing. Your child could potentially start with the younger site and work their way up to pre-algebra on Cool Math.

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Scratch

Scratch is the perfect place for kids to start learning to write computer code. In today’s world, coding seems to be more and more important. Why not help your kids start learning this in-demand skill now?

The coding is taught through a variety of games that build on each other. Eventually, the website will help your child build their very own computer programs.

Yes, the programs are simple. However, these building blocks of coding could tremendously help your child if they decide to pursue computer science one day. Even if they don’t become the next computer tycoon, knowing a little bit of coding will not hurt!

This free educational website for kids is supported by MIT, so you know the information on coding is current. The content is geared for children age 8 to 16.

Johnnie’s Math Page

Johnnie’s Math Page site is set up for 1st thru 6th-grade students. It’s full of thousands of math games that your kids will be challenged to solve and love to play.

While it’s not the most up-to-date website. The games and problems they have created will definitely challenge and teach your kids.

They even have a resource section for teachers.

3. Science Websites (7)

If you’re looking for websites that spark your child’s science brain, these will do the trick.

How Stuff Works

Does your kid ask you a million questions a day? Kids are naturally curious so they ask questions.

“Why does it rain?” “Why do dogs bark? “Where do dolphins live?”

All these are questions I have heard more than once. If your child is equally curious, then you should let them check out the How Stuff Works website.

There are thousands of answers to the questions that are burning in our kids’ minds. The articles simply show exactly how things happen in a variety of subject areas including cars, money, science, technology, culture, and more.

How Stuff Works will really help your kids get answers that are accurate, helpful, and appropriate.

Discovery Mind Blown

Your child will learn everything about nature, science, and space on Discovery Mind Blown. “Where does trash go?”, “Why do volcanoes erupt?” and “How well do I really know dinosaurs?” are all questions that will be answered to satisfy the curiosity of your kids.

This free educational website for kids has activities, games, book recommendations, interactive games, video explanations and more.

The games include “Coastal Cleanup”, “Catch the Pups”, “Penguins Quiz”, and “Dogs Day Out.” You might have a hard time getting a kid who is interested in science off of this website.

This is an awesome destination for kids who want to learn more about life and science.

NASA’s Kid Club

NASA’s kid’s club is one of the great best free websites for kids who are interested in outer space, or even just science in general.

The site covers a variety of subjects within the topic of space including interplanetary travel, the science behind the rockets, our solar system and beyond.

There is a variety of games for children to play as well as videos and articles to explain complex topics. Most of the games allow your little astronaut to travel around space and experience what a real astronaut might encounter while they are above the Earth’s surface.

NASA’s Kids’ club might be a great way to get your child interested in science.

Old Farmer’s Almanac for Kids

The classic book that has helped farmers plan their planting and harvesting activities for the year also has a website, Almanac4Kids, that is dedicated to kids.

The content is appropriately centered around everything you would need to know for life on a farm including vegetables, weather events, pets, and astronomy.

The site’s activities include puzzles, games, and quizzes. It is a great opportunity for your kids to learn about the weather around them and the food that they eat. It might even inspire them to create their own little garden in the backyard, which is a fantastic learning experience.

Make Me Genius – Possibly Not in Operation

Make Me Genius promises that they can make your child a genius. While that sounds great, it might be too much to live up to. The site does have educational games and videos, but it is not the only website that will help your child learn things.

The subjects covered on Make Me Genius are complex but explained in a way that is accessible to kids. Physics, photosynthesis, the inner workings of the human body, electricity and outer space are all areas covered by this site.

NOTE: In July of 2022 we discovered that this website was down. We’ll check back periodically to see when it is back up and running.

The videos are extremely in-depth but presented in a way that will help your child understand the topic without feeling overwhelmed.

The topics are deep enough that your kids may only want to watch one or two of the videos a day. That is definitely normal, these intense topics need a little bit of time to sink in.

It is a good site to try, but remember it is not the only one available.

Science Bob

Science Bob is a great science-based website that will definitely help get your kids interested in a variety of science fields. The site has information for many fun science-related things such as science experiments and tips on research.

There is even a question and answer section for your young scientist to ask whatever their heart desires.

Directions for hand-on experimentation is a really great resource to have. Kids love to watch the experiment unfold before their eyes. Plus, an experience like that can really help them to appreciate science.

PHET – Physics and Science Simulations

PHET is an offshoot of the University of Colorado at Boulder science department.

PhEt stands for “Physics Education Technology.” But the PhET site now includes simulations about many other subjects besides physics.

This site is one of the top resources for Physics simulations. Recently it has branched out into various other subjects. It can be used by Junior High students through College.

It offers fantastic free simulations for concepts such as:

Forces and Motion
Planetary Orbits
Plate Tectonics
Stoichiometry (balancing chemical reactions)
plus hundreds more

The simulations are also available in a variety of languages.

4. History & Geography Websites (3)

BBC History for Kids

The reputable television network, BBC, has created a website just for kids to learn about history. The focus is on British history and the surrounding United Kingdom, but there are also sections on ancient and world history.

There is even a section on family history that may prompt your kid to start digging through family records to find out more about their ancestors. They might need your help for that mission!

The common theme of most games is that your child will enter history through the game. As they journey through that time period they will learn things along the way about that time and culture.

It is worth noting that the page is not updated regularly, so there will likely not be any new games added. However, the ones that are currently on the website are worth taking a look at.

Google Earth

Your child may love to travel and see new things. Well, now they can do that from the comfort of your home.

Google Earth will literally take you anywhere in the world, virtually of course. The easy to use interface will allow your kids to travel to far corners of the world and see what it is like from their computer.

It might remind them that the world is a bigger place than they realize sometimes.

You (as a parent) might even want to visit and search through GoogleEarth – it’s an amazing free site. We’ve used it to visit our old neighborhoods, scenic locations around the world and famous movie locations.

National Geographic Kids

This is the perfect free site for kids who are interested in animals and the outdoors. The activities on National Geographic Kids are seemingly endless.

Kids can play games, try science experiments, see nature photos from around the world, and learn about other countries.

They can also learn a multitude of facts about animals, watch animals through live cameras, and see photos of various animal habitats. On top of all this, they can learn jokes and get homework help on a variety of topics.

There is even an option for “Little Kids” for the smaller members of your family.

The website really allows kids to explore the world from a natural point of view without leaving the house.

It might inspire them to head outside and look for wildlife in their own backyard. One easy wildlife category to look for is birds, there are a variety of birding guides for kids on BirdWatching.com

5. News & Events (2)

If you want your child to keep up on current news and events these free websites are a perfect choice.

Time for Kids

Although this site is not as interactive as some of the others, it is still a good resource for kids. The website runs news stories but writes the pieces with children in mind.

Just because the stories are curated for children does not mean that issues are avoided. Time for Kids does a great job of keeping kids informed, without scaring them about some of the world’s harshest realities. The topics covered include politics, entertainment, sports, health, environmental problems and more.

The editions are separated by grade level, so what your child is exposed to will be at an appropriate level. The range of grade levels is from kindergarten through 6th grade.

In addition to the news, Time for Kids has seasonal adventures for kids to follow along with at home.

One final thing to note is the yearly journalism competition. If your child is interested in journalism or writing of any kind, then this could be a great resource for them to learn with. The encouragement they will receive from the platform could help them understand what a career in journalism would mean for them.

DOGO News

DOGO news is a great site for children who are interested in reading about current events in the news. The site offers a ton of recently published articles with new content coming out every single week.

The founder of the site is a young mother from California. That assures you that the content is all appropriate because it is a mother doing the writing. The topics covered range from innovative science to fun events.

Definitely worth a try if your kid is ready to start reading the news. DOGO is a very interesting free site for kids.

6. General Educational Websites (8)

Scholastic

Scholastic is known for its books and other physical products, but they also have one of the best fun free websites for kids to explore and learn on.

The game area of their website is called the Family Playground. It has videos, stories, games, and more.

An interesting feature of this site is that it is broken up by grade level.

The grade breakdown is a very useful feature if you are trying to decide whether or not a game or activity is appropriate for your child’s age.

The range is from Pre-K to 12th grade, so everyone can find something to learn.

Highlights for Kids

The popular children’s magazine has been around for over 60 years. You probably read Highlights for kids as a child.

They now offer online games that are similar to their magazine’s style.

In addition to games, Highlights for Kids has jokes, activities, science experiments, printable coloring sheets, and even a podcast for your kids to enjoy!

There is no shortage of fun, but educational content for your child to explore this amazing site. The games are so fun that they won’t even realize that they are learning valuable information at the same time.

Brain Pop

Brain Pop and Brain Pop Jr. are great sites for curious young minds.

These two websites offer content meant to help learners from kindergarten to 12th grade. The regular Brain Pop site is geared for grades 4 through 12, while Brain Pop Jr. is geared for the younger audience.

There are tons of videos and games on subjects including history, math, science, and art. In order for full access to the site, you will have to buy a subscription.

Annual subscriptions cost between $99 and $105. But there are often discount codes to reduce the cost.

However, there is a ton of free content to keep your children busy.

Learning Games for Kids

The name of the website, Learning Games for Kids, tells you exactly what it is. There are hundreds of games on this website that will help your kids learn about almost anything. This particular educational website for kids has over 15 categories of games to choose from. These topics include literature, U.S. states, social studies, keyboarding, health, art & music, and many more.

In addition to games, Learning Games for Kids has videos, music, and lessons that are designed to help your kids learn without being bored. The website also states that it adds new games on a regular basis, so your kids will never run out of new games to explore.

Superbook

Superbook is a faith-based website where kids can explore, learn and play games geared around bible-related topics. Created by the CBN Network, there are dozens of things for kids to do.

They have created full-length animated TV show episodes of “Superbook.” There are also Bible quiz games, character studies and loads of content your kids can enter.

A really wholesome site for your kids.

The Kidz Page

Although the website looks simple, this is really a great educational resource for kids. The Kidz Page has many printable coloring pages, online games, puzzles, movies, stories, clipart and more.

Plus, each holiday has its own section where you can find themed games and activities for your children to help get them in the spirit.

With over 5,000 pages of fun, your kids will never run out of things to do.

This is definitely a website worth considering for your kids or grandkids.

Disney Jr.

DisneyJR.com is for all the Disney-loving families out there. Your kids can enjoy playing educational games that are Disney-themed. Any kid who is a Disney fan will love this website because their favorite characters are a part of all the games.

The games are focused on developing skills of younger children. A focus is placed on hand-eye coordination, memory, color matching, and other crucial skills for a developing young child.

The games include “Minnie’s Bow Bubble Trouble”, “Protectors of the Pridelands”, “Miles from Tomorrowland: Mars Rover Rescue” and “Quest for the Secret Library.”

There are also fun videos and printable activities, bedtime stories, coloring sheets, and music for your young Disney fan.

Kids Know It

On KidsKnowIt (now part of Education.com) you can learn about a variety of subjects including animals, geography, dinosaurs, astrology, geology and many more.

The site has games, worksheets, free online classes, posters, music, movies and more. All these are both fun and educational. The website has a fun feeling that will get your kids excited to play these educational games.

Some of the games include “Simon Cells”, “Hopping through History”, “Spellasaurus”, “Muscle Planet” and more. All the games have an educational purpose behind them, but your kids will be enjoying themselves while they learn.

7. College & Testing Prep (2)

Number2.com

Number2.com is totally free to use. This is a great free educational website for kids if your child is preparing for standardized testing like SAT, ACT or GRE. It also has a vocabulary builder section. Steve & Annette Economides’ kids used this site to prepare for PSAT and SAT testing. As a result of practicing on Number2.com their son, Joe raised his SAT score enough points to earn an extra $3000 in scholarship money.

Number2.com is an incredible resource that can actually earn your kids money!

Learning Express Library

Learning Express Library is owned by EBSCOHost – a pioneering research and education company. This is another free testing prep site for high school students AND adults. On this site, you can study for the ACT, SAT, AP tests, GED, and much more. They also have sections for Adults who want to improve their math and reading skills. And they can even help with U.S. Citizenship exams.

Learning Express Library is a fantastic site for your kids and for you — especially if you want to improve your skills and or move into another career opportunity.

Wrap-Up on Educational Websites

These are all good educational resources that can be great places to help foster your child’s learning.

We always encourage parents to work with their children to find free resources. Simply sending your child to search will usually result in frustration or distraction.

Learning with your child benefits everyone. You may discover that some of these websites will benefit your career, education, or your whole family.

We hope this resource of free websites helps your search for the perfect educational resource for your family!