There’s been no shortage of resources while the schools have been closed and we relish the new experiences that have arisen as a result. Starting the days doing PE with Joe Wicks quickly became the norm. Since then there’s been English with David Walliams, Home Festival Fun with Oti, Karen et al, maths with Carol Vorderman, wildlife with Steve Backshall and tales of adventure with Ben Fogle. Here are just a few of our favourites – do make sure you check them out if you haven’t already.
Table of Contents
Daily or weekdays
9am: PE with Joe Wicks (The Body Coach)
Everyone can join in with Joe Wicks’ PE sessions which are live on The Body Coach TV YouTube channel every weekday at 9am. The 30-minute #PEwithJoe sessions are varied, fun and positive. They make you feel full of energy and they’re a great way for families (adults and kids) to kick off the day. Joe began these sessions on the 23rd March and 9-year-old POD has only missed one so far. We’re attempting to join in as regularly as possible in an attempt to get our fitness levels up as well. Check out The Body Coach TV to see Joe’s videos and head over to his website to see his fitness plans.
10am/11:30am and various times: Home Festival Fun
Created by Oti Mabuse, Karen Hauer, Marius iepure and David Webb, Home Festival Fun is an online community bursting with activities such as dance, music, fitness, reading, baking and even makeup. Check out the community on Facebook or Instagram to find out what sessions are happening when and with whom. For example Karen Hauer runs #HauerPower workouts at 10am or on her YouTube Channel. Oti Mabuse teaches a Kids Dance Class live on Instagram, Facebook and Instagram at 11:30am. Head to Oti’s official YouTube channel if you miss any sessions.
10am: Myleene’s Music Klass
The super talented Myleene Klass has set up Myleen’s Music Klass on her YouTube channel which is an excellent way for kids to learn about and appreciate music. There’s no need for any instruments either as her equally talented daughters are helping out. Myleen has new classes Monday to Friday at 10am with lullabies every Wednesday at 6:30pm.
11am: English with David Walliams
We’re already huge fans of David Walliams’ books. In fact, POD is currently reading The Midnight Gang which she’s going to write a review of for school once she’s finished it. David is currently reading extracts from his stories at 11am every day which provides great relief from maths let me tell you! Head over to the World of David Walliams to find out more.
1.30pm: DDMIX dance with Darcey Bussell
Former ballerina and Strictly Come Dancing judge Darcey Bussell does dance workouts for kids with fun, energetic routines taking place at 1:30pm every day. Head over to the DDMIX Facebook page to join in with the daily shake-ups!
3pm/anytime: Maths with Carol Vorderman
Carol Vorderman recently launched The Maths Factor which is free to access while the schools are closed although usually just £2 a week. The Maths Factor has over a thousand maths topics with excellent videos and practice sessions which are engaging and fun. Nine-year-old POD is not a fan of maths in any form so homeschooling this subject has been particularly challenging. But she’s loving The Maths Factor so much – the daily sessions and the games! It really is excellent and by far the best maths resource we’ve found and we’ve been through a lot!
4pm: History with Dan Snow
Host of the History Hit podcast, Dan Snow is running History Hit Live on YouTube covering a wide range of topics. Ideal for history-loving children and running daily – currently free.
4pm: Ben Fogle’s Adventure Class
We always enjoy watching Ben Fogle’s documentaries and the Instagram Lives he’s running about various topics are fascinating, engaging and a joy to watch. These currently take place at 4pm during the week. Head over to Ben’s Instagram to keep up to speed with what’s happening or visit his website.
5:30pm: Food tech with Jamie Oliver
As well as keeping ourselves active and entertained, Jamie Oliver is running a Keep Cooking and Carry On series which is broadcast on Channel 4 at 5:30pm every weekday. There are plenty of easy to follow recipes, all of which are published on Jamie’s website – just what we need after a day of homeschooling! Jamie also has a whole host of excellent recipes to cook with the kids.
Weekly
The Show Must Go On
The Show Must Go On brings live theatre to YouTube with musicals by Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber shown every Friday evening. Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat was shown on the 3rd April and the next musical will be Jesus Christ Superstar. Musicals are available to watch for 48 hours after they’ve been premiered.
Julia Donaldson
Julia Donaldson has begun a weekly broadcast on Thursday afternoons at 4pm (Facebook). Designed for all the family, she’ll be sharing stories, songs, poems and much more. The first episode focused on A Squash and a Squeeze with Julia and her husband Malcolm singing followed by drawings from illustrator Axel Scheffler. Next week Julia will be reading her new book, What The Ladybird Heard at the Seaside.
Wildlife with Steve Backshall
Steve Backshall is running Live Lessons at 9:30am every Wednesday from 8th April on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Head over to his YouTube channel to watch the first two videos which are fascinating. Steve has set up live cameras too so they’re unmissable viewing.
Anytime
The Harry Potter at Home hub
If you’re looking to keep the kids occupied and bring some Harry Potter magic home, JK Rowling has launched the Harry Potter at Home hub. There you’ll find the latest magical treats to keep the family entertained with magical craft videos, fun articles, quizzes puzzles and much more, casting a spell on that boredom!
Audible
Audible has recently made hundreds of its books available for free while the schools are closed. Kids can currently stream stories on a desktop, phone, laptop or tablet which will help with their dreaming and learning. Head to Audible to find out more.
If you’re looking for more inspiration, check out this post with 22 indoor and outdoor activities. And this list of brilliant homeschooling resources.
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