Category: Creativity

There are thousands of different career options for students but one of the most popular and fastest-growing in the area of web design. Not only are students encouraged through this field to learn technical coding and design skills but they’re also able to develop their creativity by putting together sites that are aesthetically pleasing and functional.

Students that are interested in web design can check out several different apps and sites along with other web design articles like this one that will allow them to start to hone these important skills even before they hit a major study area in college. Learning to do the basics is as easy as signing up and getting started!

We’ve featured apps that are educational kids.  Here, we explore some of the best web design apps and sites for students so they can start learning and growing in the web design field!

Codemoji

If you’re looking for something that will engage students of any age, even as young as the second grade, Codemoji is a great place to start. As the teacher, you can guide students through the main coding technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript that are prevalent in today’s world.

Students can work collaboratively or independently and experiment to learn the ins and outs of each system. The teacher dashboard can help track lessons and progress so each student is shown to grow and mature as they work through the program.

The design elements that you can tinker with are limited to images, videos, and sounds that are inside the program already. But each lesson is taught sequentially and follows along with the traditional core web technologies that run and design our world.

Weebly

This is a great place to get started coding and designing websites with students in mind! There are both paid and free versions of Weebly available so however, you want to invest is up to you.

Weebly is designed for students aged 6^th-12^th grade and is a drop-and-click based platform. Students will be able to design and create websites that can be monitored and receive feedback from the teacher or other instructor.

The sites themselves are easy to direct and manage and help teach students the ins and outs of being part of a bigger community. They can safely design and manage their sites through Weebly.

Codecademy

Get any upper-level students coding with Codecademy! The courses and classes offered on Codecademy allow you to start working on technical computer science information, application development, and many other related topics.

Each of the projects offered by Codecademy is a simulated version of a computer engineer’s work environment that will quickly introduce any students to this fast-growing career path with an eyes wide open approach to the work.

Teachers and students can both jump right in and not need to install or download anything with all of the lessons and feedback happening on the interface. There’s both a free to try and a paid version of the site so you can test the waters before investing in the program for your classroom needs.

Adobe Express

Adobe has consistently turned out programs that have made a mark on society and continue to influence the next generation of designers and collaborators. Adobe Express is a flexible design tool that allows you to create and design images, videos, and websites starting in 6^th grade!

This is an in-depth design site and app that teachers and students alike can use to create stunning images, videos and sites. The interface is easy to use and teachers can follow along as students design and create. One of the biggest drawbacks is access as your school will need to have the Adobe Suite subscription to access the interface and content therein.

CodeHS

Each of the video lessons in CodeHS is easy to follow so your students and anyone who chooses to use the program will get guided information from real tutors. The video tutor lessons can be accessed by a premium subscription and the tutors are completely accessible with the subscription as well.

All of the aspects of CodeHS are great to teach kids the ins and outs of coding and programming but to access all of the features, you’ll need to get a subscription which can cost you some cash in the long run. The individual aspect of the program is such that students can effectively teach themselves without as much oversight from the instructor or teacher.

Treehouse

The programming on Treehouse is more applicable to high school students or those that have a basis of coding and programming already. Each lesson is self-directed and self-paced so students will be able to work through the issues themselves without as much oversight from the instructor.

The overall program is one of clear instruction, directed by a clean interface that offers focused and clear goals for students. It does require them to be self-motivated when it comes to finishing lessons. If your students are self-starters and motivated to do projects on their own, this is a great site that is hands-off for teachers but effective for students.

Takeaway

When you’re on the lookout for web design apps and sites that are great for students, you want to choose a site that offers great benefits without breaking the bank. If you’re planning to have lots of students use the program, you’d be better off finding money in your budget to go with the full subscriptions so you can access all of the features on whatever site you choose.

Entering into the world of web design and coding is a gateway to a passionate career that will benefit society at large as well as engage the minds of the most curious students. They can search job sites with vacancies to see the types of companies they may be working for.  Starting small with web design apps and sites like these can help students learn the basics of coding before launching on to bigger projects.

Choosing a web design app or site is a great way to add quality skills to your student’s repertoire at an early age without recreating your entire lesson plan or overwhelming students. Get started and engage their curious minds with a whole new way of thinking, as well as helping them discover what they may to choose as a career after they graduate.

Parents of this generation have now accepted the fact that digital games are an inevitable part of their kids’ lives. Be it a toddler or a kid in preteen age, children love to play games. Also, game development’s evolving advancement is leaving no stone unturned to provide kids with a massive number of diverse games with every passing day.

Wordle is a recent game that has taken the internet by storm and focuses on spelling and discovering the word of the day.  This simple and brief word game is a great way to get kids started at educational games that are fun and easy.  Still, our list of the seven games that benefit children dig deeper into games that are more involved.

How Do Games Benefit Children?

When we talk about online games, we cannot deny that they play a huge role in the cognitive development of today’s young generation. They are not just boredom busters. Depending upon which category they fall into, games provide an excellent source of improving creativity, hand–eye coordination, and multitasking. They also help with reading skills and boosts social development.

Games enhance children’s learning by keeping them motivated and equipping them with logical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills. Certain games are proven to bring an improvement in memory and attention span. To sum up, online games are the perfect medium to teach kids a variety of skills just the way they like it.

With such an extensive number of games available online, it is tough for parents to pick the ones that are truly the most beneficial for children of all ages. Don’t worry, as we have got you covered with a list compiled just for you. We will suggest you seven games that will develop their brains and prove to be a significant source of infotainment.

1. Prodigy

Prodigy, a mathematics game for children aged three and up, busts the notion that maths is boring and difficult. Developers who have designed the game have done a brilliant job by making the subject fun to learn for kids.

A remarkable feature of the game is that the content is tailored according to the player’s strengths and weaknesses. This gives a customized learning experience and helps the child get improvement where needed.

Prodigy allows parents to create an account so that they can keep track of their child’s development and reward him for the progress. The game is available to play online, on iOS, and Android.

2. Minecraft

Kids with a penchant for constructive games now have their virtual freedom to build whatever they want with the highly popular game Minecraft. The popularity of this game isn’t perplexing, as the gameplay is extremely fun. It provides the children unlimited resources and challenges to fulfill their desire to explore and create whatever they wish.

You can build homes, castles, and even weapons to fend off monstrous enemies.

Minecraft helps develop strong emotional and social skills by evolving the sense of self-direction, collaboration, and withstanding pressures. Children above six years of age can easily play this game. As the game is multiplayer, parents are recommended to monitor children’s online activity by watching them play to keep them safe among the online community.

3. Dungeon Sweep

Adventure games like the Dungeon Sweep by Unlimited Gamez Mo, help in improving quick problem solving and logical reasoning in children. They provide a dose of fun while the analytical skills are developing alongside.

Set up in Catacombs’ gameplay, the player has to unlock special powers by finding the way through various challenges. These powers will eventually help him defeat the Master Wizard, with whom the final battle has to be fought. Dungeon Sweep is an action-packed game that will keep the kids on their toes, challenging their brains to overcome hurdles.

4. Endless Alphabet

The latest educational games are a fun online activity for kids designed to keep them entertained while imparting learning. Among a huge variety of learning games, Endless Alphabet is one such game that is suitable for children aged three and up.

With the animated monsters teaching the children how to read, speak, and write, the game is visually appealing as well as interactive. It is a great way to teach letters, words, and sentences to children in an engaging way so that they won’t get bored. The good thing about Endless Alphabet is that there are no failures, high scores, or stress in it, making it a happy and calm space to learn the language.

The game is available on Android, iOS, and online.

5. Scrabble Go

Scrabble has since long been a source to strengthen vocabulary in a fun way. Now, the virtual version of this game, Scrabble Go, is available for kids to play. The classic word challenge is a highly beneficial game to play as it will help children learn new words by encouraging them to find their meaning and use. It also develops analytical thinking, which is usually improved by puzzles and crosswords.

You can download this game from the Google Play store or the Apple App Store.

6. Sight Words

Teaching kids how to read is a challenging task for teachers and parents. But not when you do it through a fun game!

Sight Words app is a very helpful app that teaches the concept of learning words by recognizing them. Reading with sight words is very easy for kids as they learn them without memorizing their phonics and spellings. It builds the foundation for reading.

Although the game is designed keeping preschoolers in mind, it can be played by children up to 12 years of age who struggle with reading. The colorful, engaging game will definitely help your child with his/her reading skills.

7. Super Quiz by National Geographic Kids

Children have a special interest in wildlife and everything about it. Their thirst for knowledge can be quenched by the interesting Super Quiz by the National Geographic Kids. The quiz will open doors of imagination and provide them with knowledge about geography, animals, and a lot more.

Kids as young as six can play this game, or you can play with younger ones by asking them the questions that come up on the quiz. It will be a fun yet knowledgeable experience for the children and help them learn about biodiversity.

Summing Up

Several studies have proven that kids who play online games are adept at critical thinking. They are better performers and more creative. An informed choice of games for children will help them develop an enhanced cognition in a fun way.

All of the games mentioned above have their upsides in terms of developing multiple skills in children. You can check the satisfying reviews of these games by parents and teachers on various platforms. This will give you an idea of how advantageous these games can be for your kids or whether they are safe enough to let them play.

Author Bio:
About Michelle Joe: Michelle Joe is a blogger by choice. She loves to discover the world around her. She likes to share her discoveries, experiences, and express herself through her blogs. You can find her on Twitter.

Whether you live in a city, a small town or the country, there are always fun things to do with kids if you just put your mind to it. There are places to explore and activities to take part in that are ideal during the summer holidays. It just takes a little thought and some planning to take advantage of the beautiful summer weather.

Here are eight great things to do with your kids this summer for before starts up again, no matter where you live. We’re talking about simple inexpensive and mostly free things families with kids can enjoy while staying safe.

1. Interact with nature

The summer months have the best weather to explore the outdoors with kids. Why not go on a bird hike with a bird watching book or wander in the wetland to see what is hiding in the vegetation. Go on a geocaching pirate treasure hunt and collect plant species. If the holiday season is around the corner, consider taking the exploration outdoors with beach tours for some fun in the sun!

Kids also enjoy forest walks and nature play with their parents. Teach your kids how to press flowers, find a pet rock to decorate or create a nature collage from their explorations.

2. A star gazing party

Have you ever heard of a scavenger hunt in the sky? Download a star finder app and have a star party. The best thing about these apps is that you can find the locations of stars even during the day. Point it to the ground and you will see the exact location of stars you’ve never seen on the other side of the world. Of course, going out at night is even more exciting when kids can see the names highlighted of visible stars in the night sky. A star locator also helps you to find and follow the directions of constellations in the sky.

3. Camping in the backyard

Camping is what you make of it. You don’t have to go to a campground to have fun. Gather up some sleeping bags, a tent, and some flashlights. Bring out blankets and pillows from your bedroom. The kids will enjoy sleeping outside with you and there will be no complaints that there is nothing fun to do at home. It can also be inexpensive to buy a portable backyard fire pit and purchase a small bundle of firewood at a local store. If you don’t have a backyard, you can pitch a tent in your living room or basement.

4. Go for a walk

How far can you walk as a family within an hour? If you have a toddler, how far can he/she walk before getting tired? Challenge your kids to experiment on that. Kids love it when you take ordinary activities and give them a fun twist. Make a loop while you’re at it, or take a new route home just to spice things up. Go for a self-guided walking tour around your neighborhood.

If you are close to where you grew up, drive to the town or neighborhood and take the kids on a walking tour. This is your chance to talk about your children with real memories connected to where you used to play.

5. Teach them how to swim

Whether you go to a local pool or a local or faraway beach, teaching kids how to swim is also a great way to cool off while learning something new. If you cannot make it to a beach or a pool it may be worth looking into buying a small above ground backyard pool. It doesn’t take much water to teach kids the basics, including how to tread water, which is a basic survival skill all kids are taught while taking swimming lessons. Swimming is also a chance to bond as a family on more personal level while having fun. Swimming lessons in a formal settings are also something all kids should take for their own personal safety through life.

6. Hold a dance party

Teach your kids how to find a rhythm when dancing to a song. Share with them some fun dance moves that you learned when you were young. They will love experiencing your earlier life. Take turns as a family choosing each person’s favorite song to dance to. Or just sit in your living room and discover the music while each family member shares why each song is one of their favorites.

7. Teach them to cook

Cooking is an essential life skill that your young ones should possess. Download cooking tutorials or watch YouTube videos to learn recipes for different meals. If you have traveled outside the country and learned to cook a foreign meal, teach that to the kids. It’s also a great opportunity to teach kitchen safety. Who knows, maybe it will develop a routine of everyone taking turns helping with weekly meals.

8.   Plant a flower

Kids generally think that working in the yard is hard and boring. So why not start with teaching them how to plant a flower or plant. It can be an enjoyable positive experience learning how to dig a hole, fertilize the ground and plant a flower they can take care of. They will be able to watch it grow throughout the summer. It can also be a good segue into teaching your child how to pick weeds to keep all the plants healthy.

Next Steps

May this be a fun and creative summer that will build lasting memories for both your and your kids. Who knows, maybe it will inspired everyone in the family to come up with new ideas for great summer fun.

• Staying home?  Share these online summer safety tips with your child.
• Discover other ways to have fun on holidays throughout the year.

With so much access to technology as compared with human interaction and physical activity, it easy for to begin to feel run down and get bored. We may feel unchallenged mentally and soon realize that watching TV is not as fun as it seems.

If you want to challenge yourself and have fun, it’s important to realign your goals and seek more knowledge. Learn something new, try a challenge you consider undoable, change your life’s path if you can, or stretch your limits and imaginations beyond what you previously thought was humanly impossible.

To start you off, here are productive activities and fun ideas to help you beat boredom.

1. Learn a new language

Learning a new language, local or international, is a good way to remain mentally active and improve your life while at it. Set a goal now to work at it a little each day to learn Spanish or Mandarin, for example. This is your chance to learn an extra local lingo if you come from a multilingual country, or even learn the American Sign Language. All you need to learn a new language these days is a language app or an online class that teachers a new language. 

2.  Have a campfire in the backyard

This is simple: Make a fire pit and share quality time with your family around the fire. You can even roast marshmallows or steak to bring out the real camping experience. If you live alone, reading a book around the campfire could also be fun. Try anything, conventional or unconventional. Normal is boring, after all!

Note: This is illegal in some regions, so you need to confirm with your neighbors or local authorities first.

3. Learn a skill online

Take an online dance class and practice with a family member. Try a pottery class and do pottery with your kids in the backyard. If you are a business executive, hone your listening or management skills. If you are into art, learn how to write movie scripts, draw, or even how to write interesting children storybooks.  Anything you are interested in has a free tutorial online.

4. Cook

Does one person in the home do most of the cooking? Why not lend a hand while learning how to cook? This is your chance to try out the recipe you brought back from your trip abroad. Try making varied dishes from all the trips you have made, or from the TV shows you’ve watched. With a little creativity, innovation, and improvisation in your cooking techniques, you will be surprised by how many “secret” recipes you will invent in the next month or so- recipes that will remain “family secret” for tens of your future generations.

5. Learn How to Code

While many parents are getting their kids to take online coding classes there are plenty of games that teach you how to learn how to create the games while you play.  Computer coding is the unique language that computer programmers use to create software, make websites work and invent games.

6. Play games

Your parents may have been trying to get you to reduce your time looking at screens. You know what it’s like to play your Switch, Xbox, PS4, and iPads until you can’t focus anymore. Now get the old board games and play Trivial Pursuit or poker with your family. Learn how to play chess or see how good you still are at the epic game of Monopoly. We are talking about the long versions here. After all, you have all the time to push your limit.

7. Make a DIY clock

Someone made a clock using Chrome running in Kiosk mode, a Raspberry Pi, and a spare touch screen. The clock is basically a JavaScript-based web display on a Raspberry Pi 4, with the display being a local website whose textual representation is minutes, hours, and days. If technology or coding is your thing, this is a good idea for making something mechanical for yourself, in an artistic approach.

8. Plan a Comedy Show

Choose a night when the entire family can get together. Create and print free tickets that you can give each family member. Rehearse these funny jokes for kids and then tell them from a makeshift stage in your family room.  It’s your own comedy show.  Many of the world’s famous comedians started at home telling jokes to their mom, dad, brothers and sisters.

9. Exercise

There are tons of exercise and fitness apps/online platforms. If you love hitting the gym, look for trainer videos, and keep the momentum going. If you are new to this, you don’t have to jump directly to full-blown workouts; start with the calming Yin Yoga, short sprints in the backyard, or jumping rope for 10-20 minutes.

10. Paint By Numbers

This activity is a great way for family members of any age to see if they like painting.  Even beginners who try painting by numbers are able to achieve satisfying results while learning how to paint with a steady hand.  For school aged children, it also helps them a develop a myriad of skills as they learn and grow in the pursuit of art and creativity.

11. Learn How to Play Cribbage

Cribbage is a card game that combines elements of strategy, arithmetic, and probability, where the objective is to be the first player to score 121 points through card combinations in hand and play. This game is particularly beneficial for kids as it encourages mathematical skills, critical thinking, and strategic planning, making it a fun and educational pastime. Learn how to play

Conclusion

If you feel like time is becoming rather blurry, that is a sign that whatever you are doing is becoming monotonous. Don’t let boredom dim your spirit. Move on to a tougher challenge and by all means, make sure you have loads of fun in the process.