Top 5 Best Science Sites for Kids

11/5/08 - By Anna Fader

MPsquared.gifWith the colder weather ahead it's time to start planning for how to pass the time indoors. If your kids are anything like mine, they love being on the computer and playing games on sites like Webkinz, Club Penguin, and Nick Jr. But I noticed they can be just as happy and have just as much fun if I put them on an educational site, it's just a matter of remembering about the good ones.

There are dozens of great, smart, fun sites where kids can play games and learn about science. I've rounded up some of the best educational science websites for kids to help keep those indoor activity times a little smarter:

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Peep and The Big Wide World is a great site for preschoolers. It has some simple games that teach science and math principles, but my favorite part is the Science Anywhere page which has dozens of ideas on how to turn any situation into a teachable moment with lots of activities, projects and fun facts you can do anywhere.

Science Toy Maker has lots of instructions for classic science toys you can make at home.

Ology is the American Museum of Natural History's kid site, loaded with fun and interesting stuff for kids. One good thing for NYC kids is that each page has an At The Museum section which follows up on what they saw during their visit.

PBS Kids is a great site for preschoolers on up with lots of educational games that kids love because they star their favorite characters, but I just learned about this new show and the corresponding website, called Dragonfly . Dragonfly is a science news show on PBS where kids investigate and report on their own scientific findings. You can watch the episodes online, but the site also has some cool science-based online games, experiments and activities and more.

Funology is full of science activity ideas, including indoor and outdoor games and has a page of science experiments that you can do at home with things you already have in your house. Sure to keep you busy for many hours any time of year.

This post is part of our Science Week series. See our first post with a Science Kits Giveaway or our Top Science Kits for Preschoolers post. Check back tomorrow for more in our series or subscribe to our free emails or rss.