Free online Educational resources for children

Children learning

Schools are back and we are currently battling with getting the children out of bed and making sure they eat enough breakfast to get them through the day.

But as you already know it doesn’t stop there.  Being a parent is a full-time, full-on job.  So whilst I always want to ensure the children are well fed – I also want to feed their brains.

Now I would like to say straight from the start that Schools do a great job.  I’m really happy with the teachers and the effort that goes into educating my kids.

But sometimes it can really help your child by tapping into some useful resources online.

History online

Interested in the Great fire of London?  The site was created by the Museum of London, in partnership with The National Archives, London Fire Brigade Museum, National Portrait Gallery and London Metropolitan Archives. Lovely

Not list would be complete without the a reference to the Encyclopaedia Britannica.  With over 1 Million pages, this American resource has more information that you could ever really need.

The History of Scotland

Not on the School Curriculum but an interesting site nonetheless.  Scotland’s History cover 5000 years of Scottish history.

English

The Times Spelling Bee is a visual feast.  Developed by the Times newspaper it’s simple purpose is to improve spelling.

The Bitesize School Radio is excellent.  For this children, and as an adult I include myself in this category, who prefer to hear rather than read from a page, this resource is packed with audio files.

BBC Starship is aimed at year 2 student at primary school and covers areas of Maths and English

The Solar System

Once again the BBC gets top marks for it’s quite incredible resource into our solar system.  There are pages and pages of engaging information on the topic.

GCSE help

First stop has to be the BBC Bitesize.  It’s a secondary school revision resource for students studying their GCSEs.  It includes written content, interactive content, audio, video and games.

Skool, is an interest site.  Not as well laid out as Bitesize it still has heaps of resources for Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Physics, for Key Stage 3 & 4.

Its aims are to provide students and and teachers with an innovative and exciting solution to support the learning, teaching and understanding of  Science and Maths.

Carroll Diagrams

I never knew what Carroll Diagrams were before I bumped into this site – I think I was of school this day.  But this is a simple and superb site.

If I have not covered a particular subject that interests you then I would recommend that you visit Top Marks.  It’s a Google for Education.

To Wiki or not to Wiki

Wikipedia is a fabulous resource and is cram-packed with lots of information.  However, it is self-edited, in that it’s the users that can change the facts.  So if you do use it, take care to verify the information afterwards.

A quick note about the BBC.  When compiling this list it really was quite difficult not to include the BBC website within every entry.  In not mentioning the BBC I thought it was only fair to give some other sites a fair chance.

At Simply Stick we are dedicated to helping making life a little easier.

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Summer holiday books for children

Children's books

When it comes to Summer holidays I always make sure that my kids have a good supply of books.  Despite being out of school I always encourage my children to read.

In the UK I really believe that we have a terrific supply of great literature.  Whether it’s classics to award-winning, modern-day picture books and novels.  I love the Julia Donaldson books; The  Gruffalo, Stick Man and a Squash and a Squeeze – they are all so beautifully written and Axel’s illustrations and wonderful. – I could recite them all off by heart.

Another author that I have been following for some time now is Artemis Fowl.  Eoin Colfer has written 11 books, I think, about an Irish master criminal who tries to rebuild his family fortune following the disappearance of his father, Artemis Fowl I.

As you can imagine there are many Summer books for children lists available on the internet.  However, the list that appealed and excited me the most was the WHSmith list.

1-5) The top five books are the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer

6) Hetty Feather by Jacqueline Wilson

7) Zog, by Julia Donaldson, Axel Scheffler

8) Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) by Jeff Kinney

9) Fallen by Lauren Kate

10) Artemis Fowl and the Atlantis Complex by Artemis Fowl

There is no real definitive list of the top children’s book for the Summer.  So if the list above is not enough for your well read little darlins then the Daily Telegraphs top 100 books your children must read is an excellent resource.

100 books every child should read – the early years

100 books every child should read – the middle years

100 books every child should read – early teens years

At Simply Stuck the we are inspired by the daily challenges that out littles present. And we strive to bring you a few, not all of the answers.

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History for Kids

The Normans

If you are like me I want to keep my kids active both physically and mentally over the summer holidays.

At Simply Stuck we always try and keep kids active and come up with ideas that are easy and fun.

So on rainy days the family will sit down and try and learn something new. I recently stumbled across an excellent resource in the BBC website called “Have your Own Norman Adventure” as part of the Hands on History campaign.

Did you know that books were published to tell people how to behave at feasts and one warned diners not to pass wind, scratch flea bites, or pick their noses.

There are some fantastic resources available including;

• Downloadable Hand on History Activity pack
• Norman pull out timeline
• Photos and videos

If you are interested in other child friendly resources why not try Maths, learn about the vikings, or the children of World War 2.

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Kids Cooking – food ideas to make with your kids

Kids Cooking

Cooking is a popular activity at Holiday time. Children just love to roll up their sleeves and get stuck in whether it is reading the recipes, weighing the ingredients, washing and preparing the foods, there are so many varied jobs to do.

We have had a couple of cake afternoons when the weather hasn’t been that great and it’s a great way for kids to learn about weights and measurements – as well as get a little bit messy too!

You’ll need to be on hand to supervise the chopping and placing the food into the hot oven. There is nothing more pleasing than eager ears waiting to hear the oven buzzer go off and the automatic reply ‘It’s ready!!’

Here’s a couple of easy to follow recipes that you can make with your children.

The cheese scones are great for snack time and the sausage & bean pot makes a delicious main meal.

Cheese Scones ready in 30 minutes

The cheese scones can be served with the sausage & bean main course or are also ideal in a packed lunch.

Ingredients (makes 10 scones)

• 40g Butter
• 225g Self-raising flour
• 1 Level tsp baking powder
• Pinch salt
• Handful fresh herbs, chopped
• 125-150ml Milk
• 40g Cheddar cheese, grated

1. Grease a baking tray. Sieve the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the salt, herbs, milk and ¾ of the cheese.
2. Get the kids to knead the dough until it is smooth. Lightly pat the dough until it is approx 3cm thick.
3. Cut out the scones, this can be done using an up turned plastic cup dipped first in flour. Put the scones on the baking tray. Brush tops with a little milk and sprinkle over the remaining cheese. This will give the scones a nice crisp coating.
4. Cook in a preheated oven (220 oC/425 oF/Gas Mark 7) for 8 to 10 minutes until risen and golden. Adjust temperature for fan ovens.

Main meal – Sausage & bean pot ready in 40 minutes

Whilst the cheese scones are baking, you can start cooking the main meal.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• Olive oil
• 8 Sausages
• 6 Rindless bacon rashers, chopped
• 2 Garlic cloves, crushed
• 700ml Passata (or use 2x 400g tins chopped tomatoes)
• 400g Tin of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tbsp Smoked paprika (1/2 tbsp if you prefer mild flavours)
• 1 tbsp Dark brown sugar
• 1 Onion, roughly chopped

1. Heat a little oil in a large pan, add the sausages and gently cook for 10 minutes until evenly browned, then remove from the pan.
2. Add the chopped bacon and onion and cook for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
3. Pour in the passata, add the beans, paprika and sugar, then season and mix well. The paprika in this dish will add a sweet and smoky flavour that kids love.
4. Return the sausages to the pan, bring to a simmer and cook everything together for a further 15 minutes.

As with all recipes you can experiment a bit and substitute ingredients with other items or add extra vegetables to make a substantial meal.

Additional ideas and inspiration for kid and cooking can be found on BBC Good Food website,  and UK TV.

If your children often take a packed lunch to their friend’s house or off to Holiday Club / Summer Camp it’s a good idea to label items so they don’t get lost.

At Simply Stuck we have a great range of colourful personalised self-adhesive stickers, fun tags and shape stickers ideal for lunch boxes, drinks bottles and rucksacks.

Check our online site to see the fantastic designs and see how easy it is to order and customise these inexpensive personalised labels.

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Simply Stick to the World Cup

St George's England Sticker Flags

Stand on any street corner in England’s green and pleasant land and within 10 minutes you will see at least one car drive past with an England flag waving frenetically in the wind.

With the sight of those first flags, we know that the time is soon upon us to and the heartache and the joy that every World Cup bring will soon start with that first match.

Preparing for the England World Cup matches

At Simply Stick we know that kids love to decorate.  In readiness for that first England match we need to create the right mood.

Firstly, we need some flags of our own.  The Simply Stick England Bunting flags are great because you can stick them almost anywhere, the Car, the kids rooms or windows.  They come in pack of 12 and are 9cm’s high with the St George’s

St George's Letter Stickers

flag on them.

Next, there are St George’s Letter Stickers.  An utterly brilliant way to decorate your room with the flexibility of creating any word or phrase.  Simply type in the words you want and we will send you the St George’s patterned 15cm letters to you.

Bling the Bin

Now you can even brighten up your wheelie Bin with these England Wheelie Bin stickers.  This pack comes with 4 St George’s cross heart stickers and 2 sets of sticker letters ‘come on england’.

Preparations are now complete

Wheelie bin stickers

It’s been 44 years since England won their last World Cup, but we’ve been close on a number of times. At Simply Stick we are already beginning to feel the excitement and really want our boys to do well, so “Come on England”.

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#Grabthekids for Half Term week

Dread it and love it, Summer Half Term week is nearly upon us. Between the 31 May and 4 June can sometimes fill fear into the hearts of parents.

Will it rain? Do you need to work? Do you have child-care in place, will the kids been entertained? All questions that keep parents awake at night. To try and help, just a little, is our list of activities available this Half Term week.

A word to the wise

Children's durable ID bracelet

Wandering children is an occupational hazard. Even the most obedient of our little treasures can decide at a moments notice that there is something infinitely more interesting to do away from your immediate side.

So before you book your time away it’s worth making sure that you order some ID bracelets. Simply Stick has an excellent range of simple and durable children’s ID bracelets, which you can personalise. “If lost please call…” is usually enough.

The ID bracelet has room for up to 20 characters including spaces for the mobile number. The ID bracelet pack priced at £9.00 contains 10 stickers, 10 wrist bands and the stickers can be printed as pink or blue text on a white background.

Children’s centres across the UK

This Daily Telegraph article contains six of the best children’s centres across the UK. Try and pick the one that seems most relevant to the type of child you have. The Daily Telegraph

The Woodland Trust

What about some fresh air. The Woodland Trust website a an excellent search tool for find woodlands for you to explore in your area.

City walking tours

These are provided gratis by some cities: Bath, for example, offers free two-hour general tours each day, and a Jane Austen audio tour that you can freely download on to an MP3 player; see  Visit Bath website.

London

It’s easy to have a good day out in London as they is so much to do. Not accessible to everyone, but if you live close up it’s well worth the effort. There are a few resources to help you here.

Visit London website

The Evenings Standard newspaper

The weather’s terrible

If you are stuck inside this summer ½ term you could consider sprucing up the children’s bedroom.

The key to get this right is to understand what interests you child. There are lots of great themes available from Simply Stick

Toy soliders

Toy Soldier Stickers

The new toy soldier stickers are available from Simply Stick and come flat packed in A4 sheets in a cellophane bag toy. The soldier stickers are pre-saved in assorted poses and children can stick them in a scrap book, diaries or on the wall. You can inject a bit of nostalgia into your child’s room and set up a combat force army in two different colours and let them get creative.

There are 12 soldiers per set with an average height of 8cm. The available soldier set colours include Black, Army Green, Grey and – wait for it – even Pink!

The Soldier set is priced at £10.00 and also includes 2 flags.

Designer Letter Wall Stickers

Designer Letter Wall Stickers

Let your children be creative with Simply Sticks designer letters. The removable and repositionable letter stickers are 15cm in height in Arial style font and available in a range of bright designs for easy and fun decoration. They can be used to make a fashion statement in a bedroom or playroom or to personalise a door or toy box.

The letters are purchased individually and you can enjoy mixing and matching the different patterns – design styles include girl camouflage, boy camouflage, flowers, stars, stripes, stars n’ stripes and union jack.

You will be dazzled by the results!

The On the Road sticker pack is perfect for boys who love to get creative and construct their own traffic scene. Boys are best at building the road sections, laying out the straight, curved and zebra crossing components until they are happy with the results.

The vehicles including bus, pickup truck, bicycle and delivery van can then be added to complete the scene. The peelable scene stickers include 15 road section repositionable stickers and 6 cars, with straight road sections measuring 28cm x 8.3cm. The ‘On the road’ theme stickers are supplied on 6 x A4 sheets and priced at £20.00.

Educational Wall Borders

Educational Wall Borders

A new style of extra long Educational Wall Borders that are ideal for bedrooms, playrooms and classrooms.

Designed to be easily stuck to any wall, these borders can be wiped clean and repositioned if you need to.

Available in a range of graphics including Alphabet Border, Rain Forest and Frog Border, Big Bug Border (a persoanl favourite with our kids!) and Henry the Eighth and his six wives.

These 3-5m borders look absolutely fantastic when they are up.

Alternatively, you could cook up some wacky experiments at home care of the Planet Science website. Fun for under and over 11’s there are loads of activities to keep them amused for at least a few hours.

Whatever your choice of sticker Simply Stick has a wide variety of stick that will suit most needs.

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Boys are Best

10% Off

Our children acquire a lot of toys when they are young and finding space to store them can be a challenge. We have two boys and we still have their train set, cars and toy soldiers in storage boxes – you quickly run out of room and clearing up their toys can be a chore. Simply Stick have come up with a special promotion ‘Boys are Best’ to keep boys entertained, whilst saving on storage and freeing up mum and dad from tidy up duties afterwards – fun for all ages.

On the road

On the road

The On the Road sticker pack is perfect for boys who love to get creative and construct their own traffic scene. Boys are best at building the road sections, laying out the straight, curved and zebra crossing components until they are happy with the results.

The vehicles including bus, pickup truck, bicycle and delivery van can then be added to complete the scene. The peelable scene stickers include 15 road section repositionable stickers and 6 cars, with straight road sections measuring 28cm x 8.3cm. The ‘On the road’ theme stickers are supplied on 6 x A4 sheets and priced at £20.00.

Toy soldiers

Toy solider stickers

The new toy soldier stickers are pre-saved in assorted poses and children can stick them in a scrap book, skirting board or on the wall. You can inject a bit of action interest into your child’s room and set up a combat force army in two different colours and let them get creative.

There are 12 soldiers per set with an average height of 8cm and 2 flags. The available soldier set colours include Black, Army Green, Grey and – wait for it – even Pink! The Soldier set comes flat packed in A4 sheets and priced at £10.00.

Wheelie bin cricket

Wheelie Bin Cricket Stumps

The cricket season has started and with the warmer weather the boys are spending more time in the garden after school. To save sticking cricket stumps on the grass you can buy the Wheelie bin cricket sticker, simply peel off the 70cm high sticker and apply it to your refuse bin and get bowling!

The Wheelie bin cricket set comes rolled in a 20cm length tube and includes a blackboard sticker scoreboard with a vinyl gloss texture (permanent sticker) measuring 21cm x 30cm and chalk.

You can select from five colours black, red, white, green and pink and the set is priced at £15.

All the above stickers are sure to generate lively discussions about what goes where and Dads are bound to love them too.

10% Discount

Simply Stick are offering a special discount on the above stickers when ordered online or over the phone on 01264 350788. To receive a 10% reduction on the unit price all you need to do is enter the code ‘bab’ (short for boys are best!) at the checkout. Please note the discount does not apply to postage and packaging costs. Your order will be sent out first class, and will usually be with you within 3-5 working days, subject to availability.

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Spring – brighten up your dustbins

All around our gardens spring is casting its magical spell, buds are blooming, flowers are dancing and everywhere is beaming with colour. If you have been mesmerised by the new colour scheme in your garden, you may be pleased to hear that you can also add a splash of colour to an often hidden garden feature – your wheelie bin -  with our wheelie bin stickers.

Hot on the heels of the cricket stumps dustbin stickers here are some great ideas to add a splash of colour to this household essential.

Wheelie bin stickers – Stars

The star shaped wheelie bin stickers can be ordered in your favourite colour black, white, red, green, blue or pink to contrast with you wheelie bin colour.

Wheelie bin stickers – Daisy

If you prefer a floral design you can opt for the daisy shape and choose from six colours black, white, red, green, blue and pink.

Wheelie bin stickers – Butterfly

Or if you are looking for something a little more subtle why not try the Butterfly Wheelie Bin Stickers.

All three Dustbin Bin sticker packs contains 16 vinyl star stickers available in 6 large stars approx 28cm x 21cm, 10 small stars measuring 13cm x 9cm approx. The removable star stickers are supplied on A4 sheets, easy to apply and priced at £20 per pack.

So to transform that dour garden eyesore into the brightest trendiest bin on the street, order your sticker pack today.

Simply Stick supply a wide range of stickers for everyday use and the above packs are easy to customise and order online. They will be sent out first class, and will usually be with you within 3-5 working days, subject to availability.

Wheelie Bin Sticker Gallery

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New Toy Soldier Stickers

Toy Soldier Stickers

Toy soldiers have been collected since the time of the Pharaohs. They were first made from wood, stone, or clay and occasionally metal for the rich and royal. It wasn’t until the end of the 18th century that toy figures – or military miniatures – were first mass-produced using lead. 1966 marked a turning point in the history of toy soldiers when plastic toy soldiers began being mass produced and they were all the rage.

But if your kids are anything like mine, plastic toy solders often end up lost in the farthest hidden recess, or left silently in wait for that painful coming together with the softest part of your bare feet. Well now your kids can have all the fun of building battle scenes, without the clear up worries afterwards.

Simply Stick have introduced a new range of Toy Soldier stickers that are sure to fire your kids’ imagination.

The new toy soldier stickers are available from Simply Stick and come flat packed in A4 sheets in a cellophane bag toy. The soldier stickers are pre-saved in assorted poses and children can stick them in a scrap book, diaries or on the wall. You can inject a bit of nostalgia into your child’s room and set up a combat force army in two different colours and let them get creative.

There are 12 soldiers per set with an average height of 8cm. The available soldier set colours include Black, Army Green, Grey and – wait for it – even Pink!

The Soldier set is priced at £10.00 and also includes 2 flags.

Order your Toy Soldier Stickers online

The toy soldier stickers are easy to order online from Simply Stick as well as other personalised stickers. Your order will be sent out first class, and will usually be with you within 3-5 working days, subject to availability.

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Cricket Stump and Scoreboard Dustbin Stickers

Cricket Stump Wheelie Bin Stickers

Calling all cricket fans – if you are looking for a great way to keep your budding Kevin Pietersen entertained in the garden as well as decorating your dustbin take a look at the new Simply Stick Wheelie Bin Cricket Stumps and Scoreboard.

With the weather getting warmer our boys have been chomping at the bit to get out in the garden and emulate their cricket heroes, so these stickers are now a permanent fixture in the garden

Come on England !! We are a cricket mad family and have been watching England take on Bangladesh – so the wheelie bin has become the playground of the Bangldeshi crease.

The Cricket Stump Dustbin Sticker set comes complete with stumps, blackboard sticker and chalk – in fact all the things you need for your cricket pitch in the garden.

We supply the stickers with application paper and one blackboard sticker, the stumps are available in traditional gloss white vinyl or black, red, pink or green.

All we need now is this run of sunny weather to continue and the boys will be really happy – oh and of course England to beat Bangladesh!

Prices for the Cricket Stump Dustbin Stickers are £15.00

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