It is actually pretty crazy the amount of stuff that is available to teach kids ages 5- 9 to program (or to code if you prefer) once you really start to look. Since the topic is a little vast, we are going to try to break it down for you by finding the best languages for kids, fun websites, books, and interesting apps that will all help kids learn how to program.
For a Fun and Easy Intro to Coding try these Kid Friendly Platforms:
Kodu (ages 7 +) lets kids create games on the PC and XBox using a simple visual programming language. Young children who have no design or programming skills can use Kodu to make games. Before you get started make sure you watch the introductory videos and also check out the in game tutorials by going to ‘Lessons’ and start with the first tutorial and follow the prompts. There is also this official guide to Kodu that can help your kids work through site.
Scratch (ages 8+) is a programming language that makes it easy for kids to create their own interactive stories, animations, games, music, and art and then share what they have made on the web. It was created by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at MIT. The site has a great Getting Started pdf and also some video tutorials you can check out before you get going or check out this really good book to help your kids work through the site.
Robomind is a simple programming language designed to help kids learn the basics of computer science by programming their own robot. This gives kids an introduction to programming techniques, and helps them learn about logic and robotics.
Books to help Kids Learn Programming
Hello World! Computer Programming for Kids and Other Beginners is a great book to help teach kids how to program. This book introduces the basics of computer programming through Python, it is good for ages 9 +. This is probably the most popular and most recommended book for teaching kids to program. There are lots of great reviews around for it and it is highly recommended.
The next book we would recommend is a fiction story book called Lauren Ipsum that was written by an engineer who works for Facebook. It is a fairy tale that seeks to introduce children ages 5-12 to the concepts of computer science.
Apps that Teach Kids Programming
Move the Turtle. Programming for kids (ages 8+) teaches children the basics of programming including the notions of loops, procedures, variables and conditional instructions. Wired’s GeekDad reviewed this app and said of it “Move the Turtle is a bargain at $2.99, and is a great introduction to programming for kids (and adults who like turtles). I highly recommend it for all kids, whether or not they want to get into programming. The kind of thinking required to solve the tasks in the app is important for everyone to learn, for every field of study.”
Daisy the Dinosaur (ages 5-9) is a free iPad app that teaches the basics of computer programming like basics of objects, sequencing, loops and events.
Kodable is a free educational iPad game offering a kid-friendly introduction to programming concepts and problem solving. For kids ages 5 and up.
Cato’s Hike: A Programming and Logic Odyssey wants to teach kids and young children basic programming skills. The younger ones will obviously enjoy solving levels using simpler coding techniques but the hope is the older ones will pick up more advanced concepts like loops and branching as well as even more advanced concepts like a basic stack or memory.
There are so many good reasons to teach your kids Italian; they will have lots of people to talk to since more than 80 million in the world speak Italian, it is a beautiful language to be able to speak. If your kids learn Italian, then that will give you an excellent excuse to visit Italy and enjoy all the wonderful things that Italy has to offer. So with that in mind, we have collected lots of fun and accessible resources that parents can use to help teach their kids Italian.
The Best DVDs and Language Learning Systems to Teach Kids Italian
An easy way to help kids learn a new language is by watching a native speaker in a fun and straightforward manner on a DVD. Here are a few DVDs and DVD based language learning systems that can teach kids a bit of Italian.
Italian for Kids: Language Box Set (Vol. I) is the Little Pim DVD series that uses immersion and interaction techniques to create to help kids ages 0-5 learn Italian. Each DVD teaches more than 60 new words and phrases arranged in five-minute episodes.
Early Lingo Italian is a 6 DVD Series that gives children ages six months to 6 years a solid foundation in a second language through an animated and live-action adventure series. The topics include colors and shapes at the park, numbers, and counting at the farm, opposites at the beach, alphabet at school, at the market, and in the city. With approximately 210 minutes of total running time and over 450 words and phrases, the set will give your child a solid foundation in Italian.
Italian for Kids – Learning Italian for Children is the Dino Lingo’s DVD based learning system that includes CDs, books, posters, and flashcards for children who are learning Italian. It isn’t cheap ($100+), but it is generally very well-reviewed. You can see a preview of it here.
Ciao Bambolini is a DVD that teaches children the basic language, art, food, culture, and music of Italy. You can watch a short trailer for it here.
Bilingual Baby: Teach Baby Italian is a DVD for ages 1 to 5 that introduces over 60 words and phrases by completely immersing your child in Italian. The Bilingual Baby DVDs are reality-based, presenting everyday objects that any child can recognize and are a part of their world, such as puppies, toys, and lots of other children
Free Online Games to Help Teach Italian
An easy way to expose children to a new language in a fun way is through online games. There isn’t a vast selection of Italian -English games for kids, but here is a couple that we like:
• Purpose Games has a wide range of simple Italian games that are good for kids.
• Digital Dialects has lots of simple games that will help kids learn Italian basics.
Best Italian Apps for Kids
Apps are fantastic resources for helping kids learn a new language, and they are lots of fun as well. Here are a few Italian apps for kids that we recommend:
Learn Italian by MindSnacks has nine games designed to teach Italian vocabulary and conversation skills. You can download the first lesson for free, and if you like it, you can upgrade to access all 50 classes and 40+ hours of content.
Learn Italian Baby FlashCards is a free app that has over 450 high-quality images with text and voiceovers. There are additional real sounds where applicable (such as a lion’s roar or an ambulance siren) to enhance visual and auditory learning and memory simultaneously. Parents have the option to turn voiceovers off during parent-child learning sessions and turn voiceovers on when the child is self-learning. They can enable Question Mode to display four images and ask the child to click on the right answer. The complexity of words is perfect for ages 1 to 4. Categories include Food items, Animals, Alphabet, Transportation, Numbers, Colors & Shapes, Clothing, Household items, Body Parts, Outdoor items, Music Instruments/Arts & Learning.
Let’s Learn Italian Picture Dictionary introduces beginning language learners to more than 1,550 commonly taught essential Italian words displayed in 30 two-page spreads that illustrate the meanings of words. The images focus on scenes familiar to children aged three through eight, such as home life, the classroom, city life, sports, the zoo, etc. This picture Dictionary also includes an index and glossary of all the illustrated words in the book.
Italian for Children, Third Edition (Book & CDs) is a fun and effective way for your child to learn the Italian language and culture. This program has a full-color illustrated guidebook that features cartoons, characters, and fun facts. It also has two audio CDs that guide your child through the course and teach language through a combination of Italian-language songs, games, and activities as well as and activity book.
Italian Songs for Kids
Mama Lisa has a great list of Italian songs for kids.
If you have any useful resources to help teach kids, Italian, let us know in the comments below.
photo credit: Città di Modena via photopinc
Sewing is a fun and useful skill for kids to learn. There are a lot of great resources that parents can use to help teach their kids if they aren’t quite sure where to start. We have found the best websites with lessons, books for kids, free online videos, and even some recommendations for kids sewing machines.
To teach children, it would be helpful for parents to know a bit about the basics, like how to thread and use a sewing machine and how to fix things if there is a problem. If you aren’t quite sure or need a refresher on how to use a machine, check this out.
The Best Sewing Books for Kids
An excellent place to start is with a great instructional book, and there is no shortage of books written just for kids. Here are some of the best:
Simply Sewing (Kids Can Do It) by Judy Ann Sadler and Jane Kurisu has a good introduction to hand sewing basics, including all the stitches kids should know. It also has an easy to understand intro to machine basics. Then it moves on to simple but fun projects that kids will be able to complete. All of the projects are broken down into manageable steps with detailed illustrations.
My First Sewing Machine Book: Learn To Sew: Kids by Alison McNicol is an excellent choice if you are looking for a book with lots of information for kids who have a new machine. It has very clear illustrations that will help kids quickly learn to use and thread their machine. It also has fun projects for kids to try out.
My First Machine Sewing Book: Straight Stitchingby Winky Cherry is a smaller book, but it is still a good choice for a child who is just beginning to use a machine. This book goes over parts of the machine, how to take care of it, how the needle works, how the bobbin works, how to do different types of stitches, and then finishes with a simple star project that kids can work on. It is part of a series of books that includes My First Sewing Book: Hand Sewing, My First Embroidery Book, and My First Doll Book.
Sewing School by Andria Lisle and Amie Plumleyis great how-to book for kids ages five and up. The authors have a blog here that has some info about the book. A lot of the projects in this book can be done using just hand stitches. Each project features step-by-step instructions written at a second-grade reading level, a close-up photo of every step, and a picture of the finished project. The book includes a full-sized cut out patterns and instructions for how grown-ups can help. There is also Sewing School 2 if you love this book and want more projects.
Online Sewing Classes or Lessons for Kids
There are plenty of wonderful websites with free lessons that can help you teach your kids. Here are some sites that we like:
Kids Sewing Projects has fantastic information for parents who are looking to teach their kids. We especially like their pre-beginner lessons.
Kids Sewing is another excellent site that has great tips on how to get started, primarily in the form of free online videos that you can watch. They also have a DVD series to teach kids.
Skip to my Lou has a great series of posts that have easy projects that kids can do and some great activities that can help kids learn how to use a machine.
Sewing DVDs for Kids
If you are looking for a DVD to help kids here are a couple that we found:
Kids Sewing is the first DVD in a 7 part series that is made for kids to learn how to sew. You can see a preview of it here.
Yes, I Can Sew!: Hand Sewing is the companion to My First Sewing Book(the hand sewing one, not the machine sewing book) by Winky Cherry. It’s a short video with only 32 minutes of content, but it has some useful info for a beginner (check your local library for this DVD). Part one of the video teaches children about the tools and materials involved in sewing, how to thread needles, and the process of sewing and stuffing the felt bird. They watch as a book is being read to them with live-action of children sewing inserted where appropriate to hold attention. Part two features a young boy hand sewing his stuffed bird, and part three shows children how to make their very own patterns for future projects.
Best Sewing Machines for Kids
If you already have a machine that you are comfortable with your child using, then there is no need to buy another machine. If you don’t have a machine, or just don’t want your kids using your machine and would like to get something small that is affordable and easy for your child to use, there are lots of options. Whatever you do, DON’T buy a ‘toy’ sewing machine, they are terrible and generally don’t work. Some of the machines that are often mentioned as good choices for kids include:
Janome 11706 3/4 Size Hello Kitty Sewing Machine is a fun, 3/4 size, easy to use beginner machine for kids. It has eleven stitches and a four-step buttonhole. Its 12-lb weight and carry handle makes it okay for kids to move around, yet it is a good quality, sturdy, and very durable machine.
Janome Sew Mini 2-Stitch Sewing Machine is a good, affordable, and easy to use machine that is ideal for kids. One of the neat things about it is that it goes at a slow speed, so if you have ever tried to teach a child on a regular machine, you will know that speed control can be a bit of a problem. This is also a very easy machine to thread. The controls are basic and straightforward, and this is another machine that is light enough for kids to carry around themselves.
Brother LS2125i Easy-to-Use, Everyday Sewing Machine is another good quality machine for a low price that is so easy to use; it is perfect for kids. It is a full size, yet lightweight enough for kids to be able to move around.
This is an excellent time to be a kid who is interested in electronics and circuits or a parent who wants to help get their kids interested. Partly thanks to Kickstarter campaigns and the DIY/Maker Electronics movement there are some fantastic toys, online videos, and books that can give even very young kids a chance to learn about how things work and are wired up that didn’t exist a few years ago in a safe and fun way.
In the past, kids didn’t start to learn about electric circuits until middle school age, but because of toys like Snap Circuits and littleBits, this is changing very quickly. To help parents who are looking for some super fun electronic resources, we have rounded up all the best stuff that can help kids learn about simple electronics and circuitry.
Websites to Help Kids Learn about Electronics and Circuits
Here are some of our favorite sites that can show beginners how to get some hands-on experience:
Adafruit Industries is an excellent place for anyone to learn about electronics. There are videos, tutorials, forums, online question sessions, and kits you can buy to get started. It covers everything you need to know about DIY electronics. It is highly recommended.
EEME is a neat idea for kids ages 7-12 who are interested in learning about electronics. Your kids get sent a kit with an electronic project they have to put together in it each month while also following an online video curriculum.
SparkFun is another site that sells electronic kits that has an excellent tutorial section on their site.
Make you probably already know about this site, but it is still worth mentioning since they have a very extensive video section. Make can be a little overwhelming because of the amount of info that is available. If you are looking for a simple project that is okay for kids, try this video.
Electric Circuit Toys, Tools and Kits for Kids
There are some fantastic toys available that can help get kids excited about electronics, circuitry, and electrical engineering. If you are just starting and are looking for something very basic, you can try the insanely popular Snap Circuits. They are kits that have snap-together parts allowing kids to build electrical projects in a comfortable and safe way. They have a lot of different types of kits with a huge range of prices. Another good beginner toy that could help kids get interested in circuits is Roominate. Roominate is a dollhouse that lets kids experiment with wiring a room or a dollhouse.
Along the same lines as Snap Circuits, but slightly more complicated is littleBits. littleBits is an open-source library of electronic modules that snap together with magnets; it is often described as LEGO but with electronics.
If you are looking for something more challenging than the snap together type kits, you could try either the Elenco 130-in-1 Electronic Playground and Learning Center or the Electronic Playground 50-in-one, which are electronic learning kits. These are made by the same company that makes Snap Circuits.
The next step beyond the electronic learning kits would be the Arduino. The Arduino is a small circuit board that, combined with some software, can make electronics projects interactive. If you want to learn a bit about what the Arduino is all about, have a look at this video that gives a perfect introduction to the Arduino and what you can do with it. Arduino Sets are big with the maker movement, and so there are lots of different types of sets around available from places like Makershed.
Circuits and Electricity Videos for Kids
There are plenty of videos for beginner electronics and circuitry for kids or students that are available on YouTube. If you are looking for something a little different, you can try Adafruit’s Circuit Playground webisodes that explain circuit breakers, electrical currents, and amperes in episode 1 A is for Ampere and how batteries make electricity and how to make a lemon battery in episode 2 B is for Battery.
Another online show that is neat for kids is Sylvia’s Super Awesome Maker Show. This is an enjoyable web show that features the multi-talented Sylvia, who shows kids how to do maker projects at home, some of which involve circuitry and adding electrical elements.
Online Games
There are a few free fun online games for kids who are learning about electricity and circuits you can find a simple game here or check out Woodland Resources who have an extensive list of electricity and circuit games and activities.
Fun Books
There are lots of fun books that go step by step through experiments having to do with electricity and circuits. A few to look out for are:
Experiments with Electricity by Salvatore Tocci go over what electricity is, how to build an electric circuit, what are conductors and insulators, how to build a switch, and also how to make a magnet.
Young Discoverers: Batteries, Bulbs, and Wires by David Glover have lots of experiments or projects ranging from building a primary battery-connected circuit to a do-it-yourself burglar alarm, that will help kids learn about the principles of electricity.
Safe and Simple Electrical Experiments by Rudolf F. Graf has more than 100 projects and experiments that are a fast and reliable way of learning basic principles of electricity with a focus on static electricity, magnetism, and current electricity and electromagnetism. No unique or expensive materials are required, and this book has detailed instructions and illustrations.
Another option to help kids learn about electronics and circuitry is to have them read a fictional book with an exciting storyline. A couple of books to check out are:
Nick and Tesla’s High-Voltage Danger Labby Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith is a very cool book that has two children, fictional characters who love science and electronics. In the book, they have adventures where they build 9-volt burglar alarms, electromagnets, and mobile tracking devices. The neat part of the book is that it has instructions and blueprints for five different projects that the characters in the book do.
Arduino Adventures: Escape from Gemini Station (for ages 8+) by James Floyd Kelly and Harold Timmis is a fun introduction to the Arduino microcontroller. Using fictional storylines, kids can learn how to install and configure Arduino’s programming language and learn about LEDs, Resisters, and other essential components as well as build and test electronic circuits involving breadboarding and basic wiring.
If you have any great resources to help kids learn about simple electronics and circuitry please let us know in the comment
The violin is known as being one of the more difficult and expensive instruments to learn. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford lessons or has access to a teacher, so we thought why not look and see what resources parents can use at home to try and teach their own kids. There is actually a decent amount of learning resources available to teach beginning violin, mainly in the form of online video lessons. There are also some really good books, an app, and a few free online games that can help kids get started.
Best Websites and Free Online Videos
A number of music teachers have set up websites where they have uploaded video lessons that are a fantastic resource for parents. You have to pay for some of the content but compared to music lessons the cost is minimal.
Violin Lab is an interactive video-based website that has a HUGE number of video lessons ranging from beginner to advanced. You can watch some of the videos for free and if you want to watch more, you can become a member of the site for $19.99 for a month or $71.88 for a year to have access to all the videos.
Violin Stars is another site that has very helpful online video lessons for beginners. It is similar to Violin Lab in that it lets you watch the first ten videos for free and you can purchase a DVD if you would like to continue.
String Lessons has an amazing collection of free violin (and cello) video lessons by Todd Ehle that kids can watch to learn at home.
String Savvy is another good collection of violin lessons and good tips and advice for beginners starting out who are learning on their own.
Books
There are lots of violin books that are designed for beginners, but not many books that are specifically written for the very young learner or for parents who are trying to teach their own kids. When trying to figure out the best book for teaching violin to kids, we narrowed it down to these books/series:
The Violin Book by Eden Vaning-Rosen gets mentioned quite a bit by homeschoolers and parents who are teaching young kids at home. This book is set up in a way that parents do not need to have any musical background to be able to teach their kids. The website even says “The pictures and explanations are so simple, a child could actually teach a parent from this book! “If you look through the website you will be able to find a few examples of the writing style and illustrations from the book.
Early Start on the Violin Book published by Baerenreiter Verlag is a series of books that are helpful for beginner players to learn note reading. There are four books in the series and they are filled with colorful pictures and well-known songs for children. This book would be good for a parent who has some musical background.
String Explorer: Violin Book by Andrew Dabczynski is a two-book series where students are guided through the structured lessons by the characters Arco Dakota and Rosalyn Le Bow. The book is laid out in a step by step manner with challenges and trivia included helping keep students interested. The introduction has clear pictures on how to hold the violin and properly care for it. It teaches the use of the fourth finger as well as pizzicato. You can find more info on the book and the method here.
Apps
I couldn’t really find many violin apps for kids with good reviews that seemed worth mentioning. Let me know in the comments below if you have any app recommendations.
Learn Violin is one app that is well-reviewed and is appropriate for kids to use. It shows how you can tune your first notes, helps you learn simple techniques to remember violin fingering, shows you how to string your instrument, etc.
Free Online Games
Kid love online games, so here are a few that are somewhat violin related:
Violin Student has a few simple online games, puzzles, and word searches.
If you are buying a violin for a child, you need to make sure that you get the sizing right. With violins, you do get what you pay for, but obviously not everyone can afford $400+ for an instrument that their kids may or may not stick with. Luckily there are a few options under $100 that are decent enough for a kid who is interested in learning to play to get started with. Mendini has a number of sizing options and student starter packages that are an option for a beginner. Another slightly more expensive choice is Cremona, that also has student and beginner instruments between $100 and $200.
Hopefully, you found something you were looking for if you have any tips or great resources to help kids learn this great instrument, please let us know in the comments below.
