They’ll be entertained AND educated with our huge list of online resources

We stopped updating this article on 19th June; check out our Things to do section for further inspiration and updates 

While lockdown is slowly easing, social distancing restrictions will mean more time at home for many this summer. With schools still largely closed, keeping the kids entertained and educated may seem an impossible task...but fear not: the world wide web is here to the rescue, with everything from fun learning tools to home workouts and even virtual escape rooms for toddlers to teens. We'll be keeping this list updated so, if there's something we've missed, let us know. 


Ideas and activities 

Exercise and nature 

#LoveWhereYouLive challenge with Keep Britain Tidy

Family bike rides with Let's Ride Local

Exercising with MCRactive

Birdwatching with eBird

Tree discovery trail with Heaton Park

Kids' home workouts with Joe Wicks

Activities with Fields in Trust

Activities with RSPB Manchester

Activities with The Wildlife Trusts

Activities with Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust

2020 03 23 Kids Workout Joe Wicks
Joe Wicks is uploading kids' workouts

Reading and writing  

Summer reading challenge (June to mid September)

Literacy with Read Manchester

Books with Unite for Literacy

Storytelling with Manchester Literature Festival

Storytelling with Storyline

Football writing with Roy of the Rovers

2020 06 12 Little Reads Miriam Wild
Manchester Literature Festival's Little Reads posts a new story every Wednesday Miriam Wild

Music and drama 

Music making with Nordoff Robbins and the Clangers

Music making with Manchester Camerata

Classical music making with BBC Ten Pieces

Alien concert with the Hallé

Drama with the Royal Exchange

2019 12 18 Clangers
The Clangers star in Nordoff Robbins' cute music videos for young children

Science and natural history 

Activities with Jodrell Bank

Activities with the Science and Industry Museum 

Dippy on Tour with Visit Rochdale

2020 02 17 Dippy And Children
Dippy the world-famous dinosaur cast was touring the UK before lockdown hit. He is currently in Rochdale

Other games and activities 

Z Arts

Invisible Cities

Gallery Oldham

National Football Museum

Great Northern

PBS Kids

Watadventure

Transport for Greater Manchester

Highlights Kids

Seussville

Escape Hunt

Hogwarts escape room

You'll also find creative inspiration for all the family in our Manchester arts at home article and Manchester City Council's new roundup All sorts to do at home

2020 06 12 National Football Museum Kids Activities
Balls to boredom! The National Football Museum has activities galore

Fun educational sites   

(Some of these sites are American so grades may differ slightly)

Kaligo Handwriting (young children)

Switch Zoo (young children)

Khan Academy (ages 2-18)

Literactive (pre-kindergarten to grade 1)

Turtle Diary (pre-kindergarten to grade 5)

ABCya (pre-kindergarten to grade 6+)

Math Game Time (pre-kindergarten to grade 7) 

Funbrain (pre-kindergarten to grade 8)

Scholastic (pre-kindergarten to grade 9)

Starfall (kindergarten to grade 3)

Splash Learn (kindergarten to grade 5)

E-learning for Kids (kindergarten to grade 6+)

Tynker coding (age 5+)

BrainPop (various ages)

Cool Math 4 Kids (various ages)

Science for Kids (various ages)

Also check out the BBC's 'home school', which covers curriculums for ages 5-14 in collaboration with some of the nation's most famous faces

2020 03 23 Kaligo
Kaligo is offering its handwriting app for free during school closures

Educational YouTube channels

Crash Course Kids 

SciShow Kids

National Geographic Kids

Free School 

Geography Focus 

TheBrainScoop 

SciShow 

Kids Learning Tube 

Geeek Gurl Diaries 

Science Max

2020 03 23 Sceince Max
Science Max aims to make experiments exciting

Read more: COVID-19 - Manchester events cancelled or postponed