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Best Brain Foods for Kids
Best Brain Foods for Kids 645 385 admin

Summer gives students a well deserved break. It’s a great time for them to play with friends, enjoy the warm weather, and stretch their legs after a year in the classroom.

With all that fresh air, be sure they’re eating healthy too. Don’t let your child’s brain grow hungry this summer by feeding them these seven brain boosting foods:

1. Eggs

The protein and nutrients in eggs help kids concentrate. Choline, found in egg yolks, also helps with memory development.

2. Greens

Spinach and kale make for great brain foods as they are linked to a decreased risk of developing dementia later in life due to the abundance of folate and vitamins. Kale is also a superfood packed with antioxidants, promoting the growth of brain cells.

3. Fish

Fish is a great source of vitamin D and omega-3s, which aid in preventing memory loss. The more omega-3s the brain receives, the better it functions and the better your child can focus.

4. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is an excellent source of energy for the brain in the morning that keeps the brain functioning at full potential throughout the day. Loaded with protein, fiber, and vitamins, oatmeal keeps heart and brain arteries clear.

5. Berries

Berries promote high levels of antioxidants, especially vitamin C. Studies have shown that the extracts of blueberries and strawberries have shown improved memory. Typically, the more intense the color, the more nutrition the berry has.

6. Milk & Yogurt

Dairy foods are rich in protein and B-vitamins which are essential for the growth of brain tissue, neurotransmitters, and enzymes. These brain foods also provide protein and carbohydrates – the preferred source of energy for the brain.

7. Summer Learning Programs

In addition to these superfoods, you can outsmart brain drain by enrolling your child in a summer learning program. Elementary students with high levels of attendance (at least five weeks) experience benefits in math and reading.

It may not be brain food, but the ThinkStretch Summer Learning Program will surely keep your child’s skills sharp. ThinkStretch is designed to encourage kids to maximize their education during their months off. Simple to start and easy to use, our workbook is equipped with everything you and your student need to make for a successful transition back to school in the fall. To kickstart your child’s summer curriculum, download a FREE info kit here.

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7 Educational Summer Activities for Kids
7 Educational Summer Activities for Kids 1000 667 admin

When kids finish up with school, summer can feel long and boring. If you don’t have a whole slew of educational activities to keep children occupied, their brains could fall into the clutches of summer learning loss! That’s why we’ve put together this list of seven educational summer activities for kids to keep their minds sharp all vacation long.

1. Visit a Local Museum

You don’t always have to travel far to find some history. Many different areas have a museum to celebrate the local history. Take the kids to check it out and learn about the interesting past of where you live! You can even turn your trip into a game of eye spy! Challenge the children to look for places or things they recognize from around town in the displays from the past!

2. Create an Outdoor Puppet Show Theatre

Sometimes a blanket over a table and some socks with googly eyes can be exactly what kids need to keep entertained. Ignite your kids’ arts and crafts skills by helping them assemble a makeshift theatre and cast of sock puppet actors. If their imagination isn’t enough to fuel a skit, give them a picture book or two and tell them to reenact the books with their puppets!

3. Visit a Petting Zoo

Often local farms or parks will hold petting zoos for children to come meet animals they may have never encountered otherwise. This is a great chance to learn about different types of animals, how they live, where they live, and how to take care of them! Before you leave, ask what their favorite animal was. Head to the local library to pick up a book on that animal, so you can learn even more about them!

4. Backyard Camping

Pitch a tent in the yard and enjoy the sounds of nature – or the city – for all their glory. Make s’mores in the oven or microwave, eat hot dogs and hamburgers, and don’t forget the bug spray! See if you can identify any plants or animals around your campsite. When night falls, take that time to look up at the night sky and see if you can spot any constellations! Camping is fun wherever you do it!

5. Visit a Farmer’s Market

Farmer’s Markets are filled with food and creations from local artists, farmers, and craftsmen. Explore all the different flowers, treats, and crafts that you can’t find at a regular store! Here, you have the opportunity to expose kids to different walks of life and cultures. If nothing else, you’ll get some tasty fruits and veggies out of it!

6. Dig for Fossils

This trip takes a little pre-prep. First, find a spot that kids will be able to dig around comfortably in, like a sandbox or playground. Next, bury various toy dinosaurs, gems, or other treasures for them to find. Give the kids shovels and paint brushes so they can unearth the fossils and clean them like real archeologists! This is a great way to teach them about what archeology is and how we use it to discover things about the past!

7. Check out the Library

As always, a great place to spend your summer is in your local library! Libraries have so many different books for all kinds of readers and interests. You can be an astronaut AND a cowboy in the same day with the help of a good book! Children can also log all of the time they spend reading for our Summer Reading Challenge for the chance to win a FREE Kindle!

Plan Your Educational Summer Activities!

With all of these educational summer activities, your kids won’t have any time to be bored! Constant engagement will not only keep them busy, but keep their brains working hard to stay sharp.

Year after year, summer learning loss tries to hold kids back from reaching their full potential in school. Use these educational summer activities along with our Summer Learning Program to keep the skills your student learned during the school year fresh all vacation long!

Order your child’s Summer Learning Program here.

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5 Tips to Motivate Your Child to Learn
5 Tips to Motivate Your Child to Learn 805 612 admin

Not all kids are excited to get in the classroom and participate in lessons. Inevitably, some children will need a little push to find their love of learning. Here are five tips to motivate your child to learn.

1. Explore Different Learning Styles

Children don’t all learn the exact same way. Some are more visual, while others need to work kinesthetically to understand a lesson. Help your child try out different styles of learning to see which best helps them understand concepts. Once you figure out what method helps your child learn best, put it into action. They will be able to grasp lessons better, and that success will motivate your child to keep trying.

2. Focus on their Interests

Everyone has their own unique interests, including kids. This is a great way to start building motivation to learn for students really struggling to find it. Ask them what subjects or topics they find exciting, then focus on developing their love for learning around those. Use this as a way to get children to motivate themselves, as well. Encourage them to explore their favorite subjects on their own outside of school.

3. Be Enthusiastic about Learning

Your child looks up to you, and if they see that you are enthusiastic to learn, they will develop their own enthusiasm for learning. Be authentic. If you personally love history, math, or reading, share that genuine interest with them. Your child will see the joy you get from discovering new information about subjects that thrill you. They will then absorb that joy from learning into their own life.

4. Celebrate Accomplishments

The trick here is not to celebrate based on grades or other performance benchmarks. Instead, focus on what they’ve learned, no matter how small. By focusing on the content and not the scores, you show your child that the act of learning is more important than the results of an assessment. This positive reinforcement is a great way to motivate your student to keep up the good work!

5. Empower Your Child

Provide your child with the materials they need to feel in control of their education. If they like to read, take them to the library to pick out a book for themselves. If they like science, ask them to choose some fun science activities to do. Some children will withdraw from learning if they feel pressured or controlled in their participation. By allowing them to have input and a choice in what and how they learn, your child will feel more motivated to engage.

Keep the Learning Going

Once you have found the best way to motivate your child, keep the learning going all year long!

You don’t want your student to lose all of the precious knowledge they worked so hard to learn at school over the summer. Provide your child with a Summer Learning Program to keep their minds sharp all vacation long. This way, they can start the next school year off on the right foot. 

Find your child’s Summer Learning Program here.

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The Importance of “What did you learn today?”
The Importance of “What did you learn today?” 1000 667 admin

When kids come home, many parents will ask, “How was school?”

While this is a great prompt to see how well children like school, most likely they will just reply, “Fine,” or, “Good.” Unfortunately, students do not benefit from “fine” and “good!” Students benefit from parents and guardians asking a more open ended “What did you learn today at school?”

The Magic of an Open-Ended Question

At first, students will probably reply with a list of the broader lessons. They might mention division or the solar system or the 13 original colonies. Soon, though, something magical might happen: they’ll find something at school that really excites them.

Perhaps, it will be the butterfly unit. This student loves butterflies and now they have the opportunity to learn about them in school! Without a doubt, this student will tell their parent every detail about what they learned about butterflies.

Do you know what just happened there? Not only did they get to relive that excitement twice, once at school and once at home, but this student also just solidified that lesson in their head. The enthusiasm a student has for their learning can act as an excellent catalyst to drive home key knowledge points. It all starts with asking “What did you learn today?”

Creating Good Habits for Students

That enthusiasm doesn’t have to stop at butterflies either. Once a student gets in the habit of providing the details of what they learned at school, they’ll do it with their other favorite subjects.

Ask follow up questions like “Can you show me how that works?” or “How did your teacher teach you how to do that?” Now, this student is not only sharing their knowledge, but showing it in action, while simultaneously sharing how they learn.

Continuing to Learn Outside the Classroom

The open-ended question “What did you learn today?” keeps students engaged after they leave the classroom. Learning shouldn’t end when students walk out the classroom door.

This doesn’t apply just to the school year either, it also applies to summer vacation. Students should remain active participants in their education, so as to not lose the important concepts teachers spend time on all year.

That’s why we also recommend starting a summer learning program at your school to keep students engaged year round. If students continuously practice their skills, teachers won’t need to spend time reteaching last year’s lessons at the beginning of the new year.

Subscribe to our Summer Newsletter to receive exciting enrichment activities to share with students from Memorial to Labor Day.

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Five Outdoor Learning Benefits
Five Outdoor Learning Benefits 1000 699 admin

As spring moves across the country and the weather begins to warm up, all this sunshine has us wanting to be out frolicking in a field somewhere. With longing eyes staring out the classroom window, the best course of action is to just take the learning where the students want to be: outside! Not only will students love the change of scenery, they will reap the many other outdoor learning benefits!

The Benefits of Outdoor Learning

So, what exactly are the benefits of outdoor learning?

1. Increased Motivation

According to a recent study, students who participate in outdoor education, particularly in science, reported they felt significantly more motivation to learn the material. The students also reported feeling more competent in the material they learned outside afterwards.

2. Decreased Stress

Cortisol is a stress hormone, and students who spend part of their school day learning outside report healthier daily cortisol levels than those who spend the entire school day inside. This means that students who have the opportunity to learn outside have the regular plateaus and dips of cortisol, while those who do not have a steady level of cortisol all day.

3. Better Grades

Multiple studies have documented that students who participate in outdoor education have increased performance in school. This includes better standardized test scores, better attitudes about school, better behavior in school, better attendance, and a general enhancement in student achievement.

4. Healthier Students

Outdoor learning supports healthy child development emotionally, intellectually, and behaviorally. Students feel more confident, independent, creative, empathetic, and improve their decision-making and problem-solving skills. This feeds into their increased school performance.

5. It’s More Fun!

We all need a change of scenery every now and then to keep things interesting. Taking a trip outside can increase student’s enthusiasm for whatever the lesson is. Bonus points if it’s a science lesson that directly relates to the outdoors (like planting an herb garden)!

Take Learning Outside

If you have the chance, bring those stir-crazy students outside for a little outdoor learning. They’ll be more focused, motivated, and enthusiastic, and you as a teacher can enjoy the academic benefits.

What happens when spring moves into summer, however, and students leave the classroom entirely for vacation? Then, you can send them home with an outcome-driven, incentivized summer learning program to keep all those skills they learned during the school year fresh for the next one! Subscribe to our Summer Newsletter to fill student’s summers with exciting enrichment activities from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

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10 Children’s Books to Look Forward to in Spring 2019
10 Children’s Books to Look Forward to in Spring 2019 1000 668 admin

 

March is reading month, but it’s also the beginning of spring 2019. With spring comes the promise of rainy days, blooming flowers, and, of course, new books! We’ve gone ahead and found ten super exciting children’s books to be released starting March or spring 2019. Who knows, one of these could be your student’s next favorite!

Hiya Moriah

By Victoria Nelson

Release Date: March 10, 2019
Ages 1-10

This is a rhythmic story about Moriah, a girl with special needs, written by preschool teacher and Moriah’s mother, Victoria. Kids will learn how to celebrate uniqueness with Moriah’s brave and silly attitude, and how to make new friends with different abilities. This is truly a children’s book about love and acceptance for all families.

 

We Are the Gardeners

By Joanna Gaines

Release Date: March 26, 2019
Ages 4-8

This is the first children’s book by HGTV’s “Fixer Upper” host Joanna Gaines. The story describes Gaines and her children’s first attempt at planting a garden together. They face many obstacles along the way –like hungry bunnies — but learn that while trying something new isn’t always easy, it is rewarding!

 

Rumple Buttercup: A Story of Bananas, Belonging, and Being Yourself

By Matthew Gray Gubler

Release Date: April 2, 2019
Age 4-8

This story by Criminal Minds actor/director teaches children to embrace their individuality, especially the “weird” parts! With green skin, three strands of hair, five crooked teeth, and uneven feet, Rumple Buttercup and his imaginary trash friend Candy Corn Carl learn the magic of belonging.

 

Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid: Rowley Jefferson’s Journal

By Jeff Kinney

Release Date: April 9, 2019
Ages 8-12

Fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid will enjoy this new perspective on the series from Greg’s best friend Rowley. Read along as Rowley accounts his experiences and acts as Greg’s biographer, even if it doesn’t exactly go to plan!

 

Spy School British Invasion

By Stuart Gibbs

Release Date: April 30, 2019
Ages 8-12

In the seventh installment of the New York Times best selling Spy School series, superspy middle schooler Ben Ripley will defeat SPYDER once and for all! In order to do that, though, he and his friends will have to go rogue from the CIA and join forces with agents from across the pond. Will they finally complete their mission? You’ll have to wait until spring 2019 to find out!

 

You’re Missing It!

By Brady Smith and Tiffani Thiessen

Release Date: April 30, 2019
Ages 3-5

This Hollywood couple uses this charming story as a cautionary tale to remind parents and children to enjoy the time they spend together. A trip to the park with all its sight and sounds has the kids completely enthralled, but the parents are too absorbed by their phones. Something big needs to happen to regain their attention!

 

Aru Shah and The Song of Death

By Roshani Chokshi

Release Date: April 30, 2019
Ages 8-12

The sequel to Aru Shah and The End of Time is almost here! In this book, Aru is framed when the God of Love’s bow and arrow go missing. To clear her name, she must find them before the next full moon, or else she’ll be kicked out of the Otherworld forever! Together with her friends, she must battle demons, traverse unknown realms, and face her enemies, even if they aren’t exactly who she expected!

 

Shouting at the Rain

By Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Release Date: May 7, 2019
Ages 10-12

The author of New York Times bestseller Fish in a Tree is back. In this story, readers will learn about the importance of perspective and loving the family they have along with main character Delsie. Weather tracking Delsie lives with her grandmother, but can’t help but feel like she wants a “normal” family lately. To make matters worse, a close friend then outgrows her, so Delsie leans on her neighbors and a new friend, Ronan, to help weather the storm.

 

Just Jaime

By Terri Libenson

Release Date: May 7, 2019
Ages 8-12

Back with another story of middle school drama, national bestselling author Terri Libenson’s latest character Jaime faces trouble when her friends start acting differently. Lately, it seems like Jaime is the odd one out of her group, and it doesn’t seem she can even rely on her best friend Maya anymore. How long will it be until Jaime has no friends at all? You’ll find out this spring 2019!

 

Jasper & Ollie

By Alex Williams

Release Date: May 28, 2019
Ages 3-7

Two unlikely friends, Jasper the fox and Ollie the sloth, decide to take a trip to the pool. One is go, go, go! While the other is slow, slow, slow. Students will learn to celebrate their differences, and the benefits to living life in the fast lane, but also taking some time to stop and smell the roses.

 

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How ThinkStretch Satisfies Title 1 Parent and Family Engagement Requirements
How ThinkStretch Satisfies Title 1 Parent and Family Engagement Requirements 1000 671 admin

Title 1 schools dedicate themselves to providing, “a fair, equitable, and high-quality education,” to all children, and closing the gaps in educational achievement. They create a more level playing field for students that normally sit on the academic sidelines. Often, the circumstances that put those students there in the first place are out of their control.

Parent and Family Engagement

One of the key pillars of the Title I, Part A federal program is Parent and Family Engagement (PFE). Family engagement requires the systematic inclusion of the family of the student in various activities. This includes the planning and evaluation of these programs and activities. The family involvement encourages the child’s positive development, academically and otherwise. 

Who Qualifies as Family?

Many different adults qualify as “family,” including any adult that could raise or care for a child. This could mean biological parents, or it could mean grandparents, adoptive parents, foster parents, legal guardians, informal guardians, and even adult siblings.

Why Include Family Engagement?

Family involvement in a child’s education better predicts their academic success than socioeconomic status does. Students with more family involvement adapt better to school, have better social skills, receive higher grades, have better attendance, learn to read quicker, and are more likely to graduate.

ThinkStretch and Title I’s Parent and Family Engagement Requirement

We at ThinkStretch realize the value of family engagement, and designed our various programs to empower students and adults alike.

Our summer learning program includes an educational parent night, medal ceremony, as well as a parent guide. These pieces of the program fulfill Title 1 schools’ parent and family engagement requirements, qualifying ThinkStretch for Title 1 funding. This makes our Summer Learning Program the perfect way to meet Title 1 expectations. It also ensures students retain all of their important knowledge and skills over the summer.

It’s not a summer workbook, it’s an entire turn-key summer program. All students start the year on the same foot, closing the achievement gap, and parents and teachers become meaningful partners in their child’s education.

You can find more information or download a sample of any of our three programs (Summer Learning, Brain Freeze, and Brain Gain) here.

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15 Black History Month Kids’ Books to Inspire You
15 Black History Month Kids’ Books to Inspire You 993 726 admin

February is Black History Month, and we’ve found 15 great books to celebrate with. These titles both educate and empower children with the tales of various important figures in African American history, as well as kids just like them. As a parent, guardian, teacher, or mentor, it’s time to share these important moments of the past with those who will inherit our future.

 

Those Shoes

By Maribeth Boelts

Ages 3-5

Jeremy desperately wants a pair of the new shoes all the kids at school are wearing. His grandma says he doesn’t need new shoes until his current pair falls apart, but he’s willing to do anything to get those new shoes. A wonderful tale about being thankful for what we have, children will no doubt be able to relate to Jeremy’s plight.

 

Dancing in the Wings

By Debbie Allen

Ages 4-8

Sassy worries her legs may be too long and her feet too big to be the ballerina she always wanted to be. Based loosely on her own experiences as a dancer, Debbie Allen uses the story of Sassy to show how persistence can overcome even the toughest of challenges.

 

Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut

By Derrick Barnes

Ages 3-8

Barnes’ first picture book, this rhythmic story is a celebration of self-esteem and confidence that young boys feel when they leave their barbershop. The poem will resonate with little boys and how they seem themselves, and approve of what they see, in the mirror.

 

A Kid’s Guide to African American History

By Nancy I. Sanders

Ages 7-9

With more than 70 activities, this interactive history book is the most engaging introduction to African American history we’ve seen in a long time! It includes songs, games, and hands-on activities to teach children about important African American historical figures.

 

Mae Among the Stars

By Roda Ahmed

Ages 4-8

Young Mae Jemison has big dreams, a loving family, and a dream to dance among the stars. This is a story of tenacity and belief that against all odds, Mae will become the first African American woman to travel in space. (Spoiler alert! She did!)

 

Jabari Jumps

By Gaia Cornwall

Ages 4-8

Jabari finished his swimming lessons and now he’s ready to jump off the pool’s diving board! Or is he? This refreshing tale of a determined little boy and his patient and encouraging father is the perfect story to show young ones how sweet it feels to overcome their fears.

 

Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History

By Vashti Harrison

Ages 6-12

A New York Times Bestseller and recipient of the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work in Children’s, this book features 40 amazing women of color who broke boundaries and paved the way for those to come after them. It features both iconic and lesser known trailblazing black women, including Mary Seacole, Shirley Bassey, and Katherine Johnson.

 

Dream Big, Little One

By Vashti Harrison

Ages 1-4

This is the illustrated board book version of Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History. It highlights 18 influential women of color in history, such as Raven Wilkinsin and Florence Joyner.

 

I am Rosa Parks

By Brad Meltzer

Ages 5-8

Part of his Ordinary People Change the World series, Meltzer uses this book to recount Rosa Parks’ quiet determination to change the way America viewed African American people. A prominent woman of black history, Rosa Parks’ desire for equality makes her an excellent role model for children to discover.

 

Last Stop on Market Street

By Matt de la Peña

Ages 3-5

CJ rides the bus with his grandma every Sunday after church. He begins to wonder why they don’t just take a car like his friends. He soon starts wondering about the rest of the things that other people have, but he does not. Luckily, his grandma is there to answer every question and help CJ see the beauty in their routine and the world around him.

 

Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13

By Helaine Becker

Ages 5-9

Katherine Johnson was the mathematical genius who made sure that Apollo 13, after landing on the moon, was able to return safely home. This story details how the mathematician began her journey as a child fascinated with counting, to become a groundbreaking American hero.

 

I am Martin Luther King, Jr.

By Brad Meltzer

Ages 5-8

Another addition to the Ordinary People Change the World series, the story of Martin Luther King, Jr. is even more understandable and engaging for young children. This book recounts Martin Luther King, Jr.’s peaceful, nonviolent methods of acquiring the rights that he, and all human beings, deserved.

 

The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist

By Cynthia Levinson

Ages 5-10

Nine-year-old Audrey Faye Hendricks is the youngest known child to be arrested during a civil rights protest in Birmingham, Alabama, in May of 1963. An outspoken young activist, Audrey listened to her preacher’s words and decided to march against injustice along with 3,000 to 4,000 other elementary and high school students. Hear her brave, bold, and remarkable Civil Rights story.

 

I Love My Hair

By Natasha Anastasia Tarpley

Ages 3-6

Kenya’s mother combs her hair every night before bed, but no matter how gently she pulls, it still hurts sometimes! She doesn’t feel very lucky to have the hair that she does, but Mama explains that she is. Mama says Kenya is lucky to have so many different, beautiful ways that she can wear her hair. Soon, Kenya learns to love her beautiful head of hair too.

 

The Other Side

By Jacqueline Woodson

Ages 3-6

Clover was told not to cross the fence to the white side of town where Anna lives, but she can’t help but be curious. So instead of crossing the fence, the two sit atop it and out of this bravery blossoms a beautiful friendship.

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7 Ways to Close your Classroom Achievement Gap
7 Ways to Close your Classroom Achievement Gap 1000 622 admin

With around 15-30 students in the same classroom listening to the same teacher explain the same subject, you’d think they would learn the same too. That’s not the case.

As teachers, you know the achievement gap exists on a large scale, moving and expanding from year to year. It also exists in a miniature form within classrooms. The performance disparity among students seems inescapable at times, but we have a few tips to close this small-scale achievement gap.

Track Student Progress

By keeping up to date on each student’s progress through the year, you’ll know exactly when one starts falling behind. Tracking data will show you exactly when you need to intervene. This could mean taking extra time to check in with that student and ensure your method of teaching addresses their best method of learning.

Set Goals with Students

Similar to tracking student progress, setting learning goals with students allows them to be active contributors to their learning. Knowing their own goals helps them better understand when they begin to fall behind. Then, they can alert you and work with you to find their way back on track.

Reflect on Lessons

Building a culture of self-reflection in the classroom gives students the chance to become aware of their mistakes so they can work to correct them. Self assessment is a powerful thing when it comes to remembering what exactly they learned and how. A great place to start is simply going over last night’s homework.

Get the Family Involved

The National Education Association recommends creating a relationship with students’ parents. This creates an environment where parents feel welcome to participate in their child’s education, and thus are more likely to do so. Depending on the local community, creating a partnership with parents could require picking up the basics of a new language in order to fully open the line of communication.

Make Learning Personal

Personalized learning ensures that every student can learn in the way that best suits them. Each student works at their own pace, with the right amount of challenge, towards a bigger academic goal. Independently or collaboratively, students each have their needs addressed in their education. Varied, effective strategies have a greater chance of reaching every learner.

Incorporate Students’ Cultures into the Classroom

Diversity is an asset. Create opportunities to learn about and embrace each student’s culture. With a little creativity, cultural education can mesh right into regular curriculum. Use books with characters that look and live like your students, or create writing prompts to learn more about students’ families.

Make Closing the Achievement Gap a Priority

By making it important to you, your students already benefit. Help other teachers learn how they can close the gap in their classrooms. Make it a school wide movement. This will make it easier to find and allocate resources for students falling behind, and keep every student on the same footing. This may involve creating extended learning opportunities before or after school, and into the summer with a summer learning program.

The classroom achievement gap, though smaller in scale, hurts each student just as much. It is a game of equity, not equality. Not every student needs the same instructions and materials to reach the same finish line. There are invisible obstacles at work — like race, gender, and socioeconomic status– that set students ahead or behind right at the starting line.

As their teacher, it is your responsibility to ensure children learn and grow under your advisement. Each student deserves the same shot at success. Give them the greatest gift: that chance.

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10 FREE Educational Apps with Value
10 FREE Educational Apps with Value 1100 733 admin

With little hands constantly grabbing for tablets and phones, it’s important to make sure their screen time has value. Apps for kids are a dime a dozen, but not all are created equal. We tracked down the best free educational apps so your young learner can make the most of their time with the touchscreen. All while having a blast, of course!

 

codeSpark Academy: Kids Coding (4-10, ESL friendly)

This app is a reading-free tool to teach children how to code. That’s right, there are no words, meaning reading level is not a factor in this learning interface. The app uses various interactive puzzles, games, projects, and game design to teach programming. The daily activities personalize to up to 3 children’s progress and allows them to use the concepts they’ve learned to code their own new games within the app. Enjoy a free week trial to test it out, but after that a subscription is required.

 

GoldieBlox and the Movie Machine (4-8)

Rated E for Engineers! Kids can learn the fundamentals of animation using drawing, coloring, photography, and stickers to create animations of their very own. Little directors will have a blast putting their creativity into action without interruptions from advertisements or in-app purchases. Colorful, well-drawn graphics and a wide selection of settings, characters, and props will surely satisfy the needs of any script.

Spelling Stage (4+, ESL friendly)

Character customization, fun narration, and engaging animation make this spelling app a must-have learning tool. The educational app is free to download and try out, but full access requires a subscription purchase. Based in spelling competitions from kindergarten to national champions, students at any level can hone their spelling skills. It features various difficulty levels with subcategories that include different aids such as audio hints, images, and definitions. This year’s spelling bee won’t know what hit it!

 

Todo Math (3-8, Dyslexic and ESL friendly)

Set off on a daily math adventure with this free app. Ten to fifteen minutes of practice a day and your student will be well on their way to mastering counting, geometry, mathematical reasoning, telling time, money, and more in no time! With a selection of over 700 different activities, players could select a different game every day for year and a half and STILL not run out. Also, for all you lefties out there, the app has a left-handed mode just for you!

Book Builder (0-5)

It’s a choose your own adventure book, app-style. Interactive and engaging, this storybook app features read-along text to help early readers navigate through multiple exciting scenarios. There may only be two stories, but there are over 30 different endings to discover. Kids can pick where they want to go and what they want to see in their story. Faraway islands, space, magic worlds, oceans: the options go on and on. Screen time here counts as an important step to improving literacy and fundamental reading skills.

Pet Bingo – by Duck Duck Moose (6-8, ESL Friendly)

Bingo with a twist! In this game, students must use their math skills in tandem with their strategy skills. You can choose between addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and mystery mode, as well as the level of difficulty. Once the game starts, math problems appear with their various answers on the bingo card. Kids must not only find the correct corresponding answer, but also choose the one that will put them in the best position to win a bingo! There are no free spaces here either!

DuoLingo (4+, ESL friendly)

About 300 million users across the world use this app to learn new languages completely free. The app offers 81 different courses over 37 different languages, including Japanese, Spanish, Navajo, and even Klingon! Don’t think they’ll just be using flashcards either. Listening, speaking, and reading are all creatively incorporated in various ways. The app is completely gamified with a daily streak, lives, and challenges. Just two lessons a day (about 5 minutes) keeps that streak and sets your student on the path to bilingualism.

Habitat the Game (6-8)

Time to welcome a new member to your family! That’s right, you just adopted a polar bear. In this app, kids take care of the endangered species by completing missions with real-life conservation efforts. Missions include actions like turning off unnecessary lights and the water as they brush their teeth. This earns them coins to spend on taking care of their bear. Students can play while making a real-world difference when it comes to the effects of climate change.

Prodigy Math Game (7-14)

Think math skill practice merged with an interactive adventure game. Over 15 million teachers use this completely free app to help their students learn math, and you can use it at home too! Students choose their grade and battle monsters by solving various math problems as they explore a virtual world of adorable graphics and characters. The app aligns with common core curriculum standards and uses an automatic in-game assessment system to gauge the skill level of the user and challenge them accordingly. With over 900 types of math problems, this app will challenge and delight any student. 


 

Real Scary Spiders (6+)

Not every kid is into cutesy graphics and animals. In this free app from Animal Planet, real-world species of exotic spiders combine with augmented reality to create a creepy crawler educational experience. Children learn about different types of arachnids, while taking care of one of their own. Spider facts and trivia are sprinkled throughout this easy going app. The graphics are realistic, but not so much so that you’ll actually think there’s a tarantula on the dinner table!

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