This is one of my all time favorite websites. The State of Washington has live wildlife cams set up so that you can watch nesting eagles, herons, owls, even salmon (they are not nesting...they are swimming). This is a great resource for homeschoolers who want to learn more about wildlife. Previously I watched a clutch of eaglets hatch which was very cool. Cams are seasonal, of course, but when spring is approaching there should be lots to see. Of course, the fish never sleep (there is a salmon cam).
A Parents Guide to Internet Safety (for kids) This is also a great website for activities, vegetarian recipes for kids, etc. This site was created for and about kids from India, but there is lots of info any parent can use. Also gives you child a change to learn something about kids in another culture.
Origami for Kids The word origami is Japanese: oru means "to fold", and kami means "paper". Origami is an ancient art where sometimes simple, sometimes intricate paperfolding is used to make 3-dimentional objects. Origami can be an activity for younger kids using simple patterns or older kids using more intricate patterns and skills. It can also be a great learning tool because of the geometry of the folds, angles and building of a 3-dimensional object from a flat piece of paper. And it can be done anywhere there is a sheet of paper available (great activity for a plane or long car ride.) Another great origami site is Origami USA which is a national organization for the enjoyment of origami.
Killer Freebies for Kids This site has loads of free stuff kids (and big people) can order/win/earn. When I was a kid, I belonged to the Around the World club and each month I got something from another country. Stamps from all over, an ink block and brush from Japan, a book mark with the Eiffel Tower from France, it was all pretty cool to a 10 year old. Still sounds pretty cool to me now and I am way more than ten. Only warning about this one is that you might want to look at it with your kids. There are some offers there that are not completely "free" (magazines with 1 issue free, stuff like that). You might find something cool, too.
Youth on Line Pen Pals Did you have a pen pal when you were growing up? This is a great way for kids to learn and get to know someone from another city, country, culture, or simply with something in common. The main site for Youth on Line is pretty good, too. From what I can tell from this site, it is pretty safe for kids to use online. Of course, be your own judge and read for yourself, but check it out.
HOME MADE TOYS!!!
The following websites have instructions and plans for making homemade toys with your kids. HAVE FUN!!
Super Sock Monkey on the Web
The intro to this site says it is "A fun and safe Web site devoted to all things related to sock monkeys. If you're a longtime fan of sock monkeys or a new comer, this site will fulfill all your sock monkey dreams."
Okay, I admit it, this one is a little weird. Personally, I think sock monkeys are a bit strange, but I also think real monkeys are too, so it is probably just me. Many people love monkeys, sock or not, so if you are a monkey lover, here you go. All kidding aside, the history and other info about this piece of American nostalgia is kind of interesting, even to a non-monkey lover.
Homemade Toys from Recycleables A couple of the toys on this website don't seem to be completely safe to me in an unsupervised setting but I put it here any way so that you can see how simple your plan can be and still make a pretty cool toy.
