Free Educational Websites and Games for Elementary School Students

Nobody doubts that the Internet became a very important presence in our lives: think of all the time spent on surfing, downloading, buying, chatting - the list can go on. Elementary school students are no exception. Today the Internet provides them with entertaining possibilities that were not available only a few years ago. Numerous games offer many hours of fun, often at the expense of the time necessary for homework. Is there an alternative?

Fortunately for parents and educators there are many free educational websites that expand knowledge, develop skills and entertain at the same time. With their number constantly growing, how one can decide which websites will serve students' needs best?

Several well known educational sites constantly research and review new websites: Blue Web'n (http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/bluewebn/) is one of them. It is a library of "Blue Ribbon learning sites on the Web" which is arranged by subject, grade level, and format, including lessons, tutorials, and activities available). These sites are selected by a panel of teachers with degree in education or library science, and with many years of experience. To subscribe for the weekly updates, send e-mail to bluewebn-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Another good source of information about free educational websites is Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators (http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/). The subscriber receives regularly updates. The site includes Curriculum center, Homework helpers, and Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators arranged by the subject and provided with various search tools. Kathy Schrock is a well-known educator and promoter of technology integration in schools.

I would like to review some of the best educational websites by grade-level and subject, making it easier to follow.

Kindergarten through Grade 2

Reading and Writing

Starfall http://www.starfall.com/ provides activities that develop reading and writing skills. Although designed for the first grade students, these activities are useful for younger students, and children in second grade. The activities range from the introduction to letter sounds, followed by early and intermediate beginning reader.

GameGoo http://www.cogcon.com/gamegoo/gooey.html educational website is a part of Cognitive ConceptsTM Builds Better Readers company. Its "award-winning Earobics® products and services are being used to help students achieve success in approximately 8,000 schools and in more than 50 countries". Games range from beginner to advanced and help develop early language and reading skills. Parents and teachers can find educational standards covered by games, and select the game accordingly.

Math

The Little Animals Activity Center http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/laac/numbers/chi.shtml provides interactive number games covering addition and subtraction.

Spacey Math http://www.learningplanet.com/sam/sm/index.asp?contentid=177 is an arcade-style math game designed to make the drill of practicing math facts more fun. It is divided into addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division with each section being multi-level. Spacey Math is a free activity offered by the LearningPlanet - a company that "created interactive learning software for companies such as Lightspan, Inc., Jostens Learning (now Compass Learning), Houghton Mifflin, Co., Educational Activities, and many others"

Count Us In http://www.abc.net.au/countusin/default.htm are engaging interactive games designed to help children understand basic math concepts. By clicking the main "Games" button a parent or a teacher can review concepts practiced in each game, and than suggest a game to a student.

Grade 3 through Grade 5

Reading and Writing

The Internet Picture Dictionary http://www.pdictionary.com/
Provides language arts activities ranging from flashcards and fill-in-the blanks to the straight recall. The dictionary is available in several languages, including Spanish.

Vocabulary Fun http://www.vocabulary.co.il/ invites students to practice their vocabulary skills in engaging and easy manner. Games include word search, crosswords, match, hangman, and interactive quizzes.

Math

A Maths Dictionary for Kids http://www.amathsdictionaryforkids.com/ is an animated interactive dictionary of more than 500 common mathematical terms. Children can improve their mathematical skills while playing educational games.

Count On http://www.counton.org/games/ is managed by the University of York (Great Britain) for the Department of Education and Skills. The site contains games divided into two main categories: whole numbers and fractions. There are several activities within each category.

Multiple Subjects for Elementary Students

Funbrain http://www.funbrain.com/ is a well-known free source of educational games searchable by grade level (from Kindergarten to grade 12) and by subject.

Library in the Sky http://www.nwrel.org/sky/index.asp is a database of useful websites for students and teachers. The database is arranged by the subject, and alphabetically within the subject; however, grade-level indicators follow each activity.

Great Websites for Kids http://www.ala.org/gwstemplate.cfm?section=greatwebsites&template=/cfapps/gws/default.cfm selected by the American Library Association allow search by "intended audience" and subject.

The above-mentioned examples of the top free educational websites for elementary school students by no means present a complete list of such sources. Hopefully, they will be helpful to educators and parents, and can become a foundation of a useful collection of such links.