Stop Summer Slide: Free Learning Tools for Kids

Help your child stay curious and confident this summer! This is a time for fun and relaxation — but it’s also a great opportunity to keep young minds growing! This list of free educational online sites is designed to help families support their child’s learning skills during the break and avoid the “summer slide.” These trusted resources are perfect for young learners and their families to explore together all summer long.

Reading 

  • Libby 
    Libby is the one-tap reading app to borrow & download books, audiobooks and magazines! Search for your favorite titles in our expansive collection representing diverse interests or explore your next read through catalog guides, subjects, featured titles and curated lists. 
  • Kanopy Kids 
    This video streaming service offers educational and entertaining videos for children including TV shows, movies, animated storybooks and more. Kanopy Kids offers unlimited viewing, meaning you can watch any video as many times as you want! You get free access with your BCLS Library card. 
  • LOTE4Kids 
    An online database of children's books in a wide range of languages, that allows kids to enjoy the magic of books in LOTE (Languages Other Than English). Each book comes with English translations to help kids learn language. Ideal for bilingual families reinforcing a native tongue or for anyone needing practice and exposure to a new language. 
  • Tumblebooks 
    Enjoy this unlimited collection of digital books specially curated for children. With over 1,200 animated and talking picture books, this is a great way to encourage children to enjoy reading. Books are also available in Spanish and French. Gain free access with your BCLS Library card. 
  • Half-Pint Kids 
    Leveled decodable books appropriate for grades K-2. Includes practice with sight words, vowel sounds, blends, digraphs and word endings. Each book builds upon literacy skills from the previous book presented in sequence. Provides corresponding activity pages. 

Math 

  • Scholastic Teachables 
    Unlimited access to printable materials such as worksheets, lesson plans, activity sheets, easy to follow mini-lessons and more. Ready-to-use resources for educators, parents and homeschool families. 
  • Cool Math 4 Kids 
    Specifically designed for students in grades K-5 to make math learning fun and engaging. Includes a variety of resources such as math games, lessons and other tools for math skill practice. 
  • Math Playground 
    Games for younger learners featuring addition and subtraction. Activities for upper elementary students with introductory multiplication, division and fraction practice. 

History

  • World Almanac for Kids 
    A kid-friendly database designed to help middle school students explore subjects and develop online research skills. A digital version of the familiar World Almanac but tailored for young learners! Provides a wide range of resources, including articles, videos, interactives and science projects, all in a fun and engaging format. 

Family Resources 

  • NoveList K-8 
    Novelist K-8 provides readers with curated lists of reading recommendations. Users can search by age range, genres, read-alikes, award winning titles and more. You will also find discussion questions, book reviews and other teaching tools to help promote literacy. 
  • Reading Rockets - Summer Reading and Learning 
    Summer is a welcome break from the pace of the school year, but it’s important to keep the learning going! Here are some ideas about how to make summer a great time for reading, writing, exploring, thinking, creating and learning with your kids.
  • Start With a Book 
    Free, downloadable toolkits and guides to enrich summer learning at home. Includes resources to help build children’s background knowledge while strengthening literacy, inquiry and problem-solving skills. Explore music, nature, space, civics, multicultural stories and more!

Learning through Play

  • Highlights Kids 
    A companion website to the classic children’s magazine. Includes a variety of games, puzzles, science questions, stories and more. Lots of ideas for crafts and recipes, too! 
  • Funbrain 
    Funbrain has created a unique landing page for each grade, Pre-K through 8, so kids can find the content that’s right for them. Each game, book and video are tagged with key subject areas and skills. 
  • Phonics & Stuff 
    A hub for learning and teaching phonics offering a variety of resources, including online mini games, tools, articles, worksheets, read-alongs and decodable readers.