Ten Educational (and Fun) Web Sites for Kids

So, summer vacation is here for lots of families, and you know your kids will be spending time on the computer, but you want it to be time well spent, if possible. With that in mind, here are a few web sites where they can have fun and learn something, too.

Scratch - I wrote about this web site, created by the Life Long Kindergarten Group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab, in this post. Kids ages 8 and up can create interactive stories, games, animations, music, and art through a simple graphical interface that mimics building blocks to build unique programs. My kids have loved tinkering on this site; my oldest daughter created a volleyball game played by lobsters.

National Geographic maps -- For kids who like maps, this site is great for finding road maps, physical maps, satellite maps, and all kinds of theme maps (population, weather, trip planning).

Invention Dimension - This MIT site features an "inventor of the week," games, and trivia, including a monthly invention trivia challenge and Brain Drain, which allows kids to test their "invention IQ" against the computer or another friend.

Pestworld for Kids - For kids in grades 1 through 5 who love bugs. Kids can send "pestcards" to friends, and play games like Archibald's Adventure to help an animated ant find food and escape danger.

My Pop Studio --  A web site where girls can create their own images of a pop stars, produce TV shows, and publish magazines—while taking a critical look at how girls and women are portrayed in the shows and commercials they watch, and the magazines they read. 

GeeGuides - Mixes art history with art instruction in a well-designed online art program for kids. It's the only site on this list that's not free ($70), but it's more like an art school class.

Bananaboo - Something for younger ones, this site has stories, puzzles, cutouts, coloring, jokes, and recipes for kids ages 4 to 8.

Black Holes - Gravity's Relentless Pull - For older kids, grades 7 through 12, the site takes kids on a journey to a Black Hole and lets them explore the sky to find and learn about many hidden black holes.

Architect Studio 3D - Also for older kids (5^th through 9^th grades) this is a great site for budding architects. You can design a house "with" Frank Lloyd Wright.

Kidsites.com - To find more educational  and fun sites for kids of all ages, check out this comprehensive list. And please add your kids' favorites in the space below so we can share ideas.