Adventure: Atlas Obscura Virtual Reality Iceland Shipwreck SCUBA Tour

Atlas Obscura also published the bestselling Explorers Guide for the World’s Most Adventurous Kid which has lots of unique spots around the world to look up on Google Maps.

Science (EARTH): Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Virtual Tours

• Narrated Virtual Tours are a video experience guided by experts. They can help kids learn how to use the tools on their own.

• Virtual Tours Homepage let’s kids go right to the exhibits to explore and open information tabs and interactive features; Check out the Mastodon!

• Follow up your tour with a list of subjects to search for more (videos, photos, info) about online.

Science (SPACE): NASA’s Virtual Tours and Apps

A nice mix of 3D simulations, documentary and 360 degree videos of space exploration, space stations, astronaut training, and more — all from this one conveniently curated page.

Adventure: Search VR + Your Dream Experience

Try Searching for “Virtual Reality (VR) + _____” and see what you get… I searched “VR Space Walk” and found this: BBC’s Virtual Reality Space Walk!

Science (ANIMALS): Live Cams!

Monterey Bay Aquarium Live cams (10am-10pm EST)

San Diego Zoo Live Animal Cams

Cuomo Bridge Falcon Cam

Arts: 20 famous art museums

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC has a kids map that they can explore and open up exhibits to explore.

• The Louvre (the worlds largest museum in Paris, France) has a Kids Virtual Tour with embedded videos linked to pictures of artwork

Explore Google Earth

Google Earth (online or App) Designed for exploration and detailed viewing of the Earth’s surface.
Provides a 3D representation of Earth with high-resolution satellite and aerial imagery.

Explore any place you’ve ever heard of, or use a book you are reading, a story you’ve heard, or a guide like Atlas Obscura (above) to pick spots to explore!

Google Earth Special Features (different from Maps):

• 3D Imagery: Offers 3D views of terrain, buildings, and landmarks.

• Historical Imagery: Allows users to view changes over time with historical satellite imagery.

• Voyager: Provides guided tours and stories about various locations, created by scientists, documentarians, and other experts.

• KML Support: Allows users to create and view custom maps and data visualizations using KML (Keyhole Markup Language) files.

• Street View: Similar to Google Maps, but integrated with the 3D Earth view.

• Measurements: Provides tools to measure distances and areas.

Try this tour on Google Earth or Google Maps*:

Start at the Great Wall of China (search: Great Wall of China)

Zoom in/out, try 3D to get a side angle, use the Street View person to stand on and move through the wall. Look for links on the map to other people’s photos and videos. Then, search for somewhere else (like New York City) to take a flight from the Great Wall, to space, then down to NYC!

*Google Maps (similar experience to Google Earth with more navigation info, and its easier to load on your devices. Better for navigation and getting around, but still fun for tours if Earth isn’t working!

Balance: 1. A safe environment, 2. On/Offline Activities, 3 Media Literacy and Communicating about their Online Lives.

There are definitely things we can do, and ways we can approach media use with our kids that will help keep them informed, and safe online. However, we live in a world where people are connected to internet-connected devices 24/7. This comes with amazing benefits, but like everything else: too much of a good thing can be unhealthy, and there are precautions we take to keep our kids safe.

Along with setting up protection on our computers, tablets, gaming systems, etc. (which is compared to using seatbelts in a car), families need to teach, and model for kids, healthy habits, and create boundaries around their digital lives. This is part of being ‘media literate’ — able to navigate the digital world with their minds on, to use it for fun, and learning in healthy ways.

And finally, there is nothing better than keeping communication open with your kids about what they are doing online, participating with them when you can, and talking about the issues that come up.

THE KEY TO MEDIA LITERACY & THINKING ABOUT MEDIA

Ask the 5 key questions when using ANY media!

1. Who made it and why? (Are they trying to persuade me? Sell something? Keep me watching/playing/interacting?)

2. How are they trying to get my attention? (Is it good for me to follow along?)

3. What points of view are being shown? (Are they positive? Kind? Mean?)

4. What, and who is left out of the message? (Could there be more information that I didn’t see? Are they only telling one persons side of the story?)

5. How might different people feel about the message or see it differently than me?

HERE ARE SOME TRENDS TO KEEP IN MIND ABOUT THE DIGITAL WORLD IN 2024

Our attention is what is being bought and sold

Apps, websites, games, social media platforms, companies and organizations compete for our attention to promote themselves, products, services, or ideas. With our attention they can sell data about us to companies that will advertise to us. They can sell stock in their companies based on our being there to sell to.

Algorithms are working to hold our attention

Apps are learning about us based on the information we provide them in order to serve us up the content that a) they think will keep us spending time on their app, 2) they think we want…

Negative media is more popular than positive

“If it bleeds it leads” — negative stories get more attention and viewers than positive or neutral information. So, much of what we are served up by algorithms is negative, in an attempt to excite us and keep us on their apps.

Some are making connections between mental health in teens, smartphones and social media

A popular book right now called The Anxiety Generation is saying that the rise in teenage mental health issues is due to the rise of smart phone use by teens (9hrs a day), and all of the factors listed above. They recommend not giving kids smartphones until high school, no social media until age 16, and monitoring access to the internet, and giving kids more freedom in the real world.

Here are some tips and links for keeping our kids safe

Below are some hot topics and recommendations for us to discuss, followed by resources to help you get set up and keep thinking:

1. Balance time on devices with in-person activities: Not all screen time is equal. Some learning apps are good, homework can be on the computer, research, and even positive gaming and entertainment. Pay attention to what they are doing online, and no more than 1-2 hours per day for recreational use, with additional time allowed for educational purposes.

2. Age-Appropriate Content: Ensuring that all content, including games, videos, and websites, is age-appropriate and suitable for their developmental stage.

3. Supervised Internet Browsing, and use Safe Search Tools: Encouraging supervised internet browsing, especially for younger children, and using child-friendly search engines and filters to block inappropriate content.

4. Gaming Guidelines: Allowing gaming in moderation, with time limits and restrictions on violent or mature content. Encourage outdoor play and other non-screen activities as well.

5. Device-Free Zones: Designating certain areas of the home, such as the dinner table or bedrooms, as device-free zones to promote family interaction and better sleep hygiene.

6. Parental Controls: Utilizing parental control tools and settings on devices and apps to monitor usage, set time limits, and block inappropriate content.

7. Open Communication: Maintaining open communication with your child about their online activities, encouraging them to ask questions and report any concerning or uncomfortable experiences.

8. Modeling Behavior: Modeling healthy digital habits yourself, such as limiting your own screen time, engaging in offline activities, and prioritizing face-to-face interactions.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

GOOGLE’S BE INTERNET AWESOME

COMMON SENSE MEDIA: (Overview of parental controls, protecting devices from sexual content, how to talk to young kids about online sexual content)

PODCAST CONVERSATION ABOUT GAMING, LIMITS AND BENEFITS

Google Safe Search

Apple, iPad and iPhone Parental Controls

Google Play Parental Controls

HOMEWORK HELPERS

Khan Academy (FREE! No ads, #1 Choice!)

• Help kids find where they need practice — teachers can guide you with what to search for or practice, OR take titles from workbook (like ‘Adding with arrays’

• Kids can do activities without logging in

• Logging in will track their progress and make suggestions

• Help, feedback and solutions are there!

• Videos demonstrate everything right along with the skills.

• Online – quick game-like feedback, with built-in help (example: see how they solved things after you answer)

• NOT just for math, but all subjects

Khan Academy Kids (App for PreK-2)

• More academic than some other games, but fun, and with video characters

• NO ads!

• Free App for Apple and Android

IXL Math (paid subscription w/some free features)

• Games are free (with limits)

• Like online worksheets with built in help videos

• Free online practice sheets (with limits)

• Paid version ($10/month) gets you video support and tracking of progress.

ONLINE GAMES

Below are links to long-standing fun games where kids practice math skills. There are MANY more out there, but here are some that have been used in schools for years.

ABCya Math Games

• Grouped by math skills (search for skills)

• Ads on website. Not in app

• Paid & free version (to log in and remove ads/track progress)

CoolMathGames.com

Free account. (With ads)

Create playlists

Mathgames.com

Try: Math dash ninjas

PBS Kids Math

• Search by Skill

• Free

OFFLINE GAMES

The following are links to math games you can play at home without the computer.

• Obstacle course (movement game)

• Number jump (movement game)

• Games with deck of cards or dice (see Break the Ice!)

• Roll 2 (dice game)

• 28 math card games (see top it!)

MATH EXTENSION: CODE

When you do these activities, you practice thinking logically and solving problems, which are also important for math. So, even though it’s not exactly math, it helps you get better at thinking like a mathematician!

When you do these activities, you practice thinking logically and solving problems, which are also important for math. So, even though it’s not exactly math, it helps you get better at thinking like a mathematician!

Code.org

FREE Code.org helps you learn how to make computer programs by solving puzzles and doing activities. It’s like learning a new language for talking to computers!

When you do these activities, you practice thinking logically and solving problems, which are also important for math. So, even though it’s not exactly math, it helps you get better at thinking like a mathematician!

Scratch.mit.edu & Scratch Jr.

FREE Game design and animation. Watch this intro video.

Tynker.com

Tynker offers interactive coding lessons and activities designed specifically for kids. It covers various programming concepts through engaging puzzles, games, and projects.

MORE LINKS

Common sense best of lists by grade

Try Searching: “Best Math Games/Websites/Apps for kids”!