Have you ever tried to keep your kids engaged at home? Let alone get them to sit and read stuff other than what’s required for school?

For all of you nodding your heads right now, we feel you.

The only thing that grabs kids’s attention is the mobile or tablet screen. They can be at it for hours (if you let them) and not move a muscle. So how about we leverage that?

Let’s get them to spend some time on websites that not only entertain them, but also spark their curiosity and imagination, and expand their knowledge?

“But,” you may ask, “where to find such websites that are effective, safe, and non-spammy?”

Well, that’s why we’ve made a curated list of the best childrens’ sites. You can pick the ones that sound good to you and would align with your kids’ interests and learning style.

Let’s dive into Educational Websites For Kids

• ABC Kids 

ABC Kids is a free and one of the best educational websites for kids aged 4-6. It is the go-to place for popular shows like Bluey and Play School, interactive games, downloadable activities, and sing-along songs that reinforce learning across various subjects.

You can access all of ABC Kids content on the iview website or via the official app.

• Reading Eggs

Reading Eggs is a subscription-based online learning platform that helps 2-13 year old children learn to read. It has engaging games, catchy songs, and lovable characters, all designed to tackle  phonics, sight words, and comprehension in a playful manner. The primary fun factor is the “golden eggs” rewards system, which keeps children motivated to continue learning. 

You can access all the Reading Eggs content on their website or the app on Google Play Store/Apple App Store.

• Mathseeds

Mathseeds is a subscription-based online maths program that teaches foundational maths and problem‑solving skills to kids aged 3-9. It uses fun, interactive, rewarding lessons to nurture a love for maths from an early age. As a companion to Reading Eggs, it uses the same style, characters, and learning techniques to teach skills like counting, number recognition, problem-solving, and critical thinking.

You can access all the Mathseeds content on their website or the app on Apple App Store.

• PBS Kids

PBS Kids is a free educational websites for kids aged 2-8. It is well-known for popular shows like Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Wild Kratts, and Hero Elementary, but it goes way beyond entertainment. It also offers interactive games, educational videos, and downloadable activities that teach specific lessons in subjects like maths, science, reading, and social-emotional skills.

You can access all PBS Kids content on their website or download the various apps they offer, based on what your kid likes.

• ABC Education

ABC Education is Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s free online resource for students, teachers, and parents, aligned with the Australian Curriculum. You can find videos, games, interactive quizzes, and downloadable activities for children aged 5-18 that cover almost all subjects, like maths, history, science, language, etc.

You can access all of ABC Education’s content on their website or on iview.

• BrainPOP

BrainPOP is one of the potential educational websites for kids with animated content for kids aged 5-14. The videos feature quirky, funny characters that guide young learners through various subjects like science, social studies, English, maths, arts and music, health, and technology. It also has engaging quizzes, interactive activities, “Make-a-Map” tool, and a glossary and help section to build on the lessons.

You can access BrainPOP’s content on their website by signing up for a 30-day free trial before paying for it.

• Code Club Australia

Code Club Australia is a free resource that aims to teach coding to kids aged 8-13.  It uses step-by-step guides to help kids create projects like animations, games, and even websites, using popular coding languages like Scratch and Python. It caters to all kinds of learning styles and various devices, ensuring inclusivity for all young coders. They also provide the resources and training needed to start coding clubs for kids in your local community.

You can access all Code Club Australia projects and resources on their website.

• Duolingo ABC

Duolingo ABC is a free, award-winning app designed to teach kids to read and write English. It uses funny, character-driven stories and playful, interactive lessons to help kids learn phonics, sight words, vocabulary, and even improve handwriting. It was developed by a team of learning scientists, engineers, literacy specialists, illustrators, and parents to ensure maximum effectiveness.

You can download the Duolingo ABC app on your Android or Apple device by choosing the appropriate link on their website. 

• Fizzics Education Australia

Fizzics Education Australia helps spark a love of science in students of all ages, from early childhood to secondary school, through exciting, hands-on experiences. They help organize school shows, workshops, and science themed events and parties for kids, in addition to holiday and vacation care programs. They also provide free resources like articles, podcasts, and a list of free science experiments that can be used by teachers and parents to teach science in a fun way.

You can find all these resources on the Fizzics Education Australia website.

• Khan Academy

Khan Academy is a nonprofit organization that aims to provide a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere, across all age groups. They offer comprehensive courses on maths, science, language, history, etc., delivered via self-paced video lessons and quizzes. Even though the lessons might not be aligned with the Australian Curriculum, you can use this resource to supplement your childrens’ education.

You can access all Khan Academy courses on their website.

• Matific

Matific is a smart learning platform delivering the world's best maths activities to students in Kindergarten through Year 6, in a fun way. Its lessons align with the Australian Curriculum, which ensures your child is practicing concepts learned in school. The lessons are delivered via interactive games and activities, which adapts to your child’s strengths and weaknesses as they progress. As a parent, you can monitor your child's progress through their portal, find helpful tips to support learning at home, and celebrate achievements.

You can access Matific’s free and paid lessons on their website.

• MetKids

MetKids, designed for kids art-loving kids aged 7-14, transforms the halls of the Metropolitan Museum of Art into an interactive and engaging online experience. It’s an online virtual museum where kids can explore different cultures and historical periods through captivating videos and fun facts. It also offers a time machine and interactive map feature to make exploring the Met a fun activity.

You can visit the MetKids website for a free virtual museum experience.

• NASA Kids’ Club

NASA Kids' Club is a free website made by NASA to ignite the love of space exploration in children aged 2-10. It features engaging games, interactive videos, and downloadable colouring sheets, categorized by age group. If your child loves space-related stuff, they’ll be thrilled to explore rockets, planets, astronauts, and all things related to NASA.

You can access NASA Kids’s Club resources by visiting their website.

• National Geographic Kids Australia

As you can imagine, National Geographic Kids Australia caters to kids aged 6-12, who are interested in the natural world. Whether it be backyard creepy crawlies, domestic wildlife, or exotic animals from across the globe. The website uses age-appropriate language and exciting visuals to let kids explore the natural world through engaging articles, captivating videos, interactive games, fun quizzes and puzzles. With its focus on Australian animals and environmental awareness, Nat Geo Kids Australia encourages children to become responsible stewards of our planet.

You can access all of Nat Geo Kids content on their website.

• Ology

The American Museum of Natural History's Ology website is designed to spark a love for science in children aged 3-14. The website offers engaging games, informative videos, and downloadable activities on various topics like AnthropOLogy, ArchaeOLogy, PaleontOLogy, Genetics, Climate Change, etc. With Its playful approach and age-appropriate content, encourages children to delve deeper into specific topics or explore the multitude of topics on offer.

You can visit the Ology website to set your child on a path of scientific adventure.

• Oxford Owl Australia

Oxford Owl Australia offers high-quality learning materials for primary and secondary students, aligned with the Australian Curriculum. Its engaging ebooks, interactive activities, and quizzes cater to various learning styles and abilities, ensuring inclusivity for all learners. Developed by Oxford University Press, the resources are based on sound educational principles that foster a love of learning in children.

Oxford Owl offers a mix of free and paid resources, which can be accessed through their website.

• Scratch For Kids

Scratch For Kids, an initiative by Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is a free online platform for kids aged 8 and up to learn coding. It helps kids create animations, games, and even stories through interactive tutorials, and drag-and-drop building blocks instead of complex text-based coding. The platform encourages kids to participate actively, fosters problem-solving and critical thinking skills, and sets a strong foundation for future learning in STEM fields.

You can check out all Scratch For Kids offerings on their website.

• TIME For Kids

TIME For Kids offers news content for kids aged 3-11, where current events are transformed into bite-sized, age-appropriate stories. It covers science discoveries to historical events in an informative and engaging manner by using eye-catching visuals and interactive features. The platform also encourages kids to think critically by  analyzing news stories, forming their own opinions, and even submitting their own work.

Visit the TIME For Kids website to start your kids’ learning journey.

• Starfall

Starfall is an online educational platform for kids ranging from pre-K to Year 6. It focuses on teaching language, arts, music, and maths using untimed, multisensory interactive games that allow children to see, hear, and touch as they learn. Due to its lessons feeling like play, it serves as an educational alternative to other online entertainment options.

You can access all the free and paid lessons on Starfall’s website.

• Science Buddies

Science Buddies is a free online resource for kids of all ages that provides hands-on STEM experiences that reflect their unique personal interests. You can choose an area of science (like physics or robotics) and age-group to see age-appropriate science experiments, project ideas, how-to guides, and expert advice. The platform is designed to encourage discovery, engagement, and learning in STEM subjects among kids.

You can check out all of Science Buddies’ free resources on their website.

• FunFox Readers Club and Writers Club

We know we said 20 best educational websites, and we’ve listed those above. Allow us to promote our highly regarded online tutoring programs as the 21st option.

The FunFox Readers Club is designed to build strong reading foundations in year 2-8 students that ignites a passion for reading. Similarly, the FunFox Writers Club, is an online creative writing program for year 2-6 students, designed to spark a love for the written word.

Both programs use a mix of educational games, interactive exercises, and hands-on activities to keep children engaged and motivated. Each student receives individualized attention and feedback from trained, experienced tutors, which leads to tailoring the learning experience as per each student’s needs.

If you’d like more information on any of these programs you can visit the Readers Club page or Writers Club page on the FunFox website.

Final Thoughts

Mention the words “educational” or “learning,” and it’s sure to make your kids take off in the opposite direction. That’s why we curated this list of the top 20 childrens’ sites that offer education disguised as play and exploration. We hope you will find the educational websites listed in this article a good starting point for keeping your kids engaged, while ensuring they continue learning.