Whether you need your kid to continue learning for a few minutes while the other ones finish their assignments, or you want to add a little extra content to what they’re supposed to be learning in school, YouTube has something for everyone.
You can learn how to make magnetic slime, why farts smell and see how pretzels are made.
These 10 cool YouTube channels have great programming for kids of varying ages and will serve as good fun and educational breaks when they need one.
If you’re looking for a specific subject, or want to sort by age range, YouTube has created Learn at Home with YouTube, a special page with curated list of educational channels to help you find what you’re looking for.
TED Talks for Kids
Kids and teens need inspiration to find their way in the world. TED Talks are a great way to pump up a kid who needs a little motivational nudge. Here’s a cool playlist of TED Talks for kids curated by the folks at TED. It includes a talk by a neuroscientist who encourages kids of all ages to get involved in science; a talk by an underwater explorer; one by teen Tavi Gevinson, who started her own web magazine for teen girls; and another by local Crownsville teen Jack Andraka, who developed a detection test for pancreatic cancer.
Skype a Scientist Live
Skype a Scientist Live is a series of interviews with scientists of all sorts. In the last few weeks they’ve interviewed an author of a book about farts, a dinosaur expert, and a tiger expert to expose the problems in the Tiger King series.
For Earth Day, the programming lineup includes a chat with a scientist in Antarctica, a COVID specialist, and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them with a sharks and rays specialist. You can also find past chats on their YouTube Channel here.
Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls
Between the Smart Girls website and its YouTube channel, there are a ton of ways to celebrate girls and women, from poignant articles on current topics like the coronavirus to fun science experiments to celebrating women in professional fields and activism.
Crash Course for Kids
These short, 3- to 5-minute videos are to-the-point, with cute with a mix of cute animations and real-life footage. They range from traditional STEM topics to nature and social studies topics, and would serve as great added content for kids who want to learn more about a topic or needs an extra explanation of a concept.
The Kids Should See This
This cool site has tons of learning tidbits videos, from the practical ‘How to make a Zine,’ and ‘Mindfulness,’ to math lessons like comparing decimals and fun science like LEGO Stop motion animation, and just about everything in between. It’s great for when kids need a little break from classroom learning but need to keep their mind engaged.
How It’s Made
From lacrosse sticks to frozen fish sticks, parachutes to pretzels, you and your kids can learn how just about everything is made…all in 5-minute clips.
Kid Science
These episodes range from 15 to 30 minutes, and feature real kids learning about the world through interesting experiments, interviewing professionals, and playing detective.
The Brain Scoop
Nature loving kids and history buffs will love this channel, which is hosted by the Chief Curiosity Correspondent for the Field Museum in Chicago. You can learn about weird and gross topics like coyote and wolf skinning to more mainstream science like how lasers work.
Amoeba Sisters
These two sisters on a mission to demystify science with humor and relevance with free videos, GIFs, handouts, resources, and comics. These adorably illustrated videos feature everything biology.
Random TV
You never know what you’re going to get on Random TV’s YouTube channel, but whatever it is, it’ll be cool. From How to Make Mozzarella sticks to making your own holograms, these how-to videos have no narration, just a little background music.