Fun for Young Kids, British Style
This article originally appeared in SLJ's Extra Helping. Sign up now!
Gail Junion-Metz -- School Library Journal, 9/30/2009 8:57:00 AM
www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/
This site was designed to enhance the BBC's children’s television programming, but kids don’t have to be familiar with any of the TV shows to have a blast discovering its hundreds of entertaining and educational online games, stories, and activities.
Start exploring by clicking on “Fun and Games,” then sort them by “Theme”—it’s a great way to find fun activities for specific holidays or for kids with special interests or needs. A unique and valuable feature of this section is the “Mouse or Keyboard” sort tab. It will display games that will help young children (or special ed. older kids) master mouse and computer keyboard skills.
The “Stories and Rhymes” section contains hundreds of highly entertaining online stories. One of my favorites is “Blue Cow Goes to the Olympic Games”—very cute! The “Read, Watch, or Print” tab lets you locate stories to read, print and color, watch online and listen to, watch online and read along with, or sing along with—use it to help you find an online story for storytime at your library. The “Print and Colour,” “Make and Do,” and “Music and Songs” sections also contains hundreds of high-quality activities. Now that the weather is cooler and kids are looking for more things to do indoors, CBeebies may be just the site you’re looking for.
