7 of the best books and educational activities for kids

School is currently closed in many parts of the country due to the coronavirus, leaving many children uneducated for weeks. In some areas, students will not be going back to school at all this year. Kansas schools are closed until the end of the year and California Governor Gavin Newsom has strongly suggested that his state will do the same.

This leaves parents across the country with a major question: what now? If your child is home for the foreseeable future, it’s understandable that you are worried about their brain turning to mush. Some school districts are considering implementing e-learning, but this has yet to happen in most parts of the country. So it’s up to parents to teach their children.

It can be difficult to do this on the fly, given that you probably don’t have an education degree. So here are some books and educational activities for kids to help keep young minds active.

ABC Expedition Magnetic Game Box

It’s a perfect way to mix lessons for preschoolers and elementary-aged kids. ABC Expedition Magnetic Game Box features magnetized letters and work boards where kids can spell words. Preschoolers can use the tool to learn their ABCs, while older children can hone their spelling skills. Magnetic letters feature means it’s easy to change misspellings. The nature of the box makes it all feel like a game, not a learning time.

Good Grades First Grade Educational Workbooks

Home schooling for the foreseeable future? Good grades educational notebooks have a little bit of everything to get your child thinking. The set includes eight different workbooks: one for letters and writing, reading, numbers and counting, colors and shapes, addition, subtraction, phonetics and spelling. All pages are colorful and illustrated to help keep your child engaged. They also contain fun activities to mix up learning styles.

Comprehension Written by Kenny Kangaroo Series

Kenny Kangaroo’s Reading Comprehension Books help your child develop their reading skills and make sure they actually understand what they just read. The books, which have been developed by teachers and administrators, are available to students in grades one through five and are designed to help reinforce foundational learning skills based on grade level.

Multiplication facts made easy

Multiplication can be a difficult concept to grasp, but the Multiplication Facts Made Easy Workbook helps break it all down for your child. The book gives step-by-step multiplication examples and uses fun activities like riddles and puzzles to help your child learn.

School zone cursive writing

It takes a lot of practice to write in cursive which is why School Zone Cursive Writing workbook is so useful. The book, designed for third and fourth graders, covers all areas of cursive, including letter recognition, handwriting, fine motor skills, and hand-eye coordination.

Priddy Learning Wipe Clean: Learning Sight Words

Want to save on paper? The Priddy Learning Wipe Clean: Learning Sight Words workbook works like a cleaning board, allowing your child to write, erase and rewrite as much as they want. The book contains 50 different visual words and detachable flashcards for your child to use. It also features fun illustrations so that learning sight words isn’t too much of a job.

AfterWORDS Educational Insights board game

This is a good option for those days when it is difficult to try to get your child to sit down and learn. The Educational Insights AfterWORDS board game is recommended for ages 8 and up, and players try to find a word that begins with the last letter of the previous player’s answer and matches a category card. It requires some thought and helps develop critical thinking skills.