GBBR staff have created a running list of activity ideas and online resources designed for kids and families to complete at home. These are fun, engaging, and educational for everyone.
On this page you’ll find:
- Kids Activity Sheets – crafted by GBBR for backyard fun through the seasons
- Learning Naturally Photo Album – local students share their art and findings as they learn at home and outside!
- Additional Resources – we’ve rounded up a collection of other websites to help teach kids at home and provide dozens of project ideas
We will continue to add links, activity sheets, and other information as we see it, so please check back weekly! And be sure to follow GBBR on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for more ideas and information.
Are you aware of something great for families that isn’t listed here but perhaps should be? Email Delaina Arnold with your suggestions!
Bonus! Kids in the Biosphere Blog
Are you a kid in the Biosphere? If yes, then you will want to check this out! This is where you will find information about the awesome plants, animals and natural wonder we can find in the Biosphere, cool pictures, ways to help nature, activity ideas, and much much more!
Read the Kids in the Biosphere Blog
Kids Activity Sheets
The Complete Summer Scavenger Hunt
This scavenger hunt has it all: wildlife, plants, rocks, weather, animal signs, and much more! It will keep the young, and young at heart, busy all summer long.
Snap a picture of each item in this scavenger hunt, print the card and check the boxes, or record what you see in a notebook. There are 25 items listed, how many can you find over the summer?
Download The Complete Summer Scavenger Hunt
Kids Can Grow
Spring – Summer
Rocking & Rolling
Spring – Fall
Solar Energy
Spring – Fall
Mad About Maps
Any Season
Ice is Nice
Any Season
Wonders of Water
Spring – Fall
Weather
Spring – Fall
Root for Trees
Spring – Fall
Seeds of Life
Summer – Fall
Buzz About Bees
Spring – Fall
Invasive Species
Summer – Fall
Pollination Power
Summer-Fall
Amphibian Alert
Spring – Summer
Citizen Science
Year Round
Biosphere Birds
Spring – Fall
Insects at Night
Summer – Fall
Learning Naturally Photo Album
Are you a student at home who has a piece of artwork or an awesome discovery in nature you want to share? Ask your parent/guardian to email it to Delaina and we can share it here.
Additional Resources
Nuhop‘s meaningful, fun, and indoor activities with a healthy dose of the outdoors: https://sites.google.com/nuhop.org/at-home-outdoor-education/home
Turning Green Classroom offers thirty days of eco learning for students and families with simple, fun, impactful daily activities. Become informed, inspired and mobilized: www.turninggreenclassroom.org
80+ science activities: elementalscience.com/blogs/news/80-free-science-activities
Everyday Earth’s GeoGarage lists many experiments you can try at home. The website is loaded with other neat learning opportunities too: everyday-earth.com/courses/experiments
Science projects with or without Internet access: sciencespot.net/Pages/classhome.html
The Experiment Library contains tons of science experiments: stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments
Science podcasts to listen to with your kids: medium.com/kidslisten/19-great-science-podcasts-you-can-listen-to-with-kids-6fe46ac506b8
National Geographic for Kids holds a ton of different learning options for kids of all ages: kids.nationalgeographic.com
Forests Ontario‘s collection for kids: https://lnk.bio/ForestsOntario
Skype a Scientist! This is a Q&A, not a lecture, so be prepared with your science questions! skypeascientist.com/for-families.html
Space science for youth Earthlings: nasa.gov/kidsclub
NASA initiative covers weather, climate, water, energy, plants, and animals: climatekids.nasa.gov
Meteorologist Crystal Wicker breaks down the fascinating world of weather: weatherwizkids.com
Ask Dr. Universe! Kids can send Dr. Universe any question they have about plants, animals, technology, math, and more: askdruniverse.wsu.edu
Explore dozens of Live Cams featuring species all over the word. There are links to related lesson plans as well to further the learning: explore.org/livecams
Live videos, see everything from the National Zoo to the Smithsonian Learning Lab: si.edu/kids
The Canadian Wildlife Federation’s activity bank of wildlife resources. Check them out for offline learning opportunities to provide your children: cwf-fcf.org/en/resources/for-educators
The National Wildlife Federation’s lesson plans are designed to introduce students to ecology, wildlife biology, and observation. Find one for your children to work through: nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Educator-Tools/Lesson-Plans-and-Webinars
Earth Rangers free app has kids accept missions, protect wildlife, explore and discover: www.earthrangers.com
TVO FishHeads video on Ontario’s fish species: www.tvokids.com/school-age/leos-fishheads
Ontario Invading Species Awareness Program Kid’s Corner holds games, videos, information about invasive species, and more: www.kids.invadingspecies.com
Guide to sketch a chickadee: www.facebook.com/358787267539963/posts/2812417078843624/?d=n
TVO mPower interactive K-6 math skills: www.tvompower.com
Pearson School Canada works with educators and learners to stimulate curiosity and foster education. They’re now providing the opportunity to continue the learning experience at home with no cost, K-12 resources: www.pearsoncanadaschool.com/index.cfm?locator=PS3eZw
Math practice from counting to algebra and geometry K-8: www.mathscore.com
Math as a fun part of your daily family routine: www.bedtimemath.org
Videos with lessons, real life uses of math, famous actors: www.hmhco.com/math-at-work
National Geographic Young Explorers magazine is designed specifically for kindergarten and first grade students. Children can listen to the magazine being read to them as they follow along with the highlighted text: ngexplorer.cengage.com/ngyoungexplorer
Printable at-home activity packs provide students with self-directed exercises and practice during absences from school (math and reading, multiple grade levels): curriculumassociates.com/supporting-students-away-from-school
Kid’s books read by famous people: www.storylineonline.net
Astronauts reading stories: www.storytimefromspace.com
Children’s Authors Doing Online Read-Alouds & Activities: www.weareteachers.com/virtual-author-activities
Illustrated recipes designed to help kids age 2-12 cook with their family. Recipes encourage culinary skills, literacy, math, and science: nomsterchef.com/nomster-recipe-library
Kid friendly recipes, activities to promote culinary skills, and more: kidfoodnation.ytv.com
Kids Cook Monday encourages families to set aside time for cooking and eating together. Find family friendly recipes and video demonstrations: thekidscookmonday.org
The Royal Botanical Garden is offering learning opportunities for all ages: www.rbg.ca/athome
Guide to gardening for kids, activities, project ideas, and more: planetnatural.com/gardening-kids
Easy parent and child gardening activities, lesson plan on gardening, growing ideas and a resourceful blog: kidsgardening.org
The Family Gardening Guide lists everything from seed starting to harvest, how to get your kids to love veggies to in-garden activities. Everything a family needs to get started: www.familyfoodgarden.com/family-gardening-veggie-garden
Kid-friendly workouts — choose from pre designed workouts or create your own custom workout: app.sworkit.com/collections/kids-workouts
Free at-home kids yoga lesson plans https://littletwistersyoga.com/online-store/
Movement and mindfulness videos by child development experts: gonoodle.com
Energy burning games with objects already around the house: www.whatmomslove.com/kids/active-indoor-games-activities-for-kids-to-burn-energy
Minecraft Yoga, and more by Cosmic Kids Yoga: www.youtube.com/watch?v=02E1468SdHg&t=82s
Chrome Music Lab makes learning music accessible through fun, hands-on experiments: musiclab.chromeexperiments.com
Virtual Musical Instruments lets kids play instruments online – guitar, piano, pan flute, drums, and bongos: virtualmusicalinstruments.com
The Arkells are offering free daily music classes on their Instagram account: instagram.com/arkellsmusic
Art with Mo Willems: www.kennedy-center.org/education/mo-willems
Stoneridge Art Studios turtle colouring pages: www.mpattersonart.com
National Film Board Indigenous Cinema: nfb.ca/indigenous-cinema
The Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival showcases inspiring outdoor films. Check out some of audience favorites films for free: https://digg.com/2020/here-are-some-great-short-films-about-the-outdoors-you-can-watch-for-free-as-featured-at-the-banff-film-festival
TVO Kids games, activities and learning for multiple age groups: www.tvokids.com
CBC Parent’s Spring Scavenger Hunt – sights and smells: www.cbc.ca/parents/content/pdf/springscavengerhunt_cbcparents.pdf
March – May calendar of virtual field trips: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qpFAQz_QJt0ZTVTixAyuGRjsKGYI23CjlaO9eLBkThE/preview
30 Virtual Field Trips: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SvIdgTx9djKO6SjyvPDsoGlkgE3iExmi3qh2KRRku
Day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing, K-9: https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html
The Farmer’s Almanac for kids: almanac.com/kids
Maker Stations keep your children creating at home for three weeks! Each challenge uses materials around the house, has QR code video resources, and a student recording sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1T4CZCt8hJqYLVT5ZVYpR7SgHLWDWaaUO/view
Daily lessons and educational activities that kids can do on their own: superchargedschool.com
