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Library cardholders can access online databases for articles on specific subjects!
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Web Sites by Subject.
See also the library's Connect the Tots! page and our Homework links.



Arts and Crafts

Brain Builders
  • Balloon Ride
    There's a hot air balloon tied down with ropes. To win a ride, play your computer or another player, and be the one to cut the last rope.

  • Brain Explorer
    These puzzles, riddles and illusions are especially for kids ages 9-12.

  • Math Cats
    Some cool cats want to play games with you. It's so much fun, you'll hardly even know you're doing math!

  • FunBrain.com
    Entertaining sites which also offer a review of basic skills in math and grammar. What a fun way to learn!

  • GeoSpy
    How well do you know your way around the globe? Become a GeoSpy agent by identifying countries, continents, states and provinces.

  • Invention Playhouse
    Build a track to route a moving ball into a cup, assemble some block puzzles, or design and view your own clouds.

  • JigZone
    Try your hand at putting together all kinds of jigsaw puzzles online! Lots of pictures and styles are broken into anywhere from six to over two hundred pieces.



Cartoons and Comics
  • Cartoon Network.com
    Visit the world of cartoons. See old favorites and newcomers, look at animations and play games.

  • Comics.com
    Big Nate and Peanuts can be found here.

  • Disney Fairies
    Want to learn more about the Never Fairies while exploring Pixie Hollow? Join Tinkerbell as she introduces you to her friends and home!

  • King Features
    The Amazing Spiderman, Curtis and Mutts are a few of the comics featured here.

  • uComics
    Includes Calvin & Hobbes and Garfield. Comics Sherpa lets you take a look at undiscovered talent and rate it.



Creatures
  • Animals

    • The Adventures of Herman the Worm
      Find out all about worms and play worm games in English or Spanish.

    • The BoomerWolf Website
      Be sure to read the story and solve the case. Then visit the zoo to see lots of animals in photos and videos.

    • The Froggy Page
      Virtual frogginess and amphibian fun.

    • Hampster Dance
      Make "hampsters" dance, or have them dance for you on this zany site. (Yes, hamster is misspelled on purpose.)

    • Kids Farm
      Visit a farm with loads of animals and never leave your home. If your computer is set up so that it can play sounds, you can even hear the quacking and mooing!

    • Kids' Planet
      Get printable fact sheets about endangered animals from around the world. You can also play games, read stories, print out animal coloring pages and find out what you can do to help animals.

    • National Zoo

      • Animal Cams
        Want to get up close and personal with some of the animals at the National Zoo? You can! Enjoy watching and reading about various animals through the zoo's live animal cams. Among the animals on view are tigers, gorillas, elephants and even an octopus!

      • Panda Cam
        Watch Tai Shan, the National Zoo's most famous panda cub, as he plays, eats and sleeps within the giant panda habitat with his mother. Also, read about Tai Shan and his progress.

  • Dinosaurs

    • The Age of the Dinosaurs
      Lots of information on dinosaurs.

    • Dinosphere
      Meet the dinosaurs that live at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis! Learn through interactive articles, activities and games about how the dinosaurs, like Bucky the Teenage T-Rex, lived. You will need sound for some of the games/activities.

    • ZoomDinosaurs.com
      Dinosaur information, trivia and topics galore! Learn the real story behind dinosaur myths, and find out which dinosaurs were the biggest, fastest, smallest, smartest or other "record breakers."

  • Insects

  • Pets

    • Animaland
      Play games, learn about favorite pets, meet animal heroes, find information on animals of all kinds and read about animals in the news.

    • Hamsterific!
      Everything you ever wanted to know about hamsters and hamster care, plus some fun links.

    • How to Love Your Dog: A Kid's Guide to Dog Care
      Learn how to train your dog and care for your pet. Video clips show how to teach your dog tricks and obedience. You can even add pictures and stories about your own dog to this Web site! Riddles and games add to the fun.

    • Pet Planet
      Solve pet puzzles, send pet e-cards to your friends and find advice about caring for all kinds of pets on this Web site from Animal Planet.

  • Microbes

    • The Microbe Zoo
      How small does life get? What lives in humans? Do microbes help make human food? Take a look! — a close look!

  • Sharks



Games

  • 20 Questions
    2Q is a computerized version of the game 20 questions. Think of something animal, vegetable or mineral, and challenge artificial intelligence to figure out what it is in 20 questions or less.

  • Checkers Online
    Learn new ways and strategies for the old game of checkers. Nifty moves — and the computer doesn't always win.

  • Chess is Fun
    Learn to play or learn super strategies to try later on your friends. The split screen offers a chess board on the right side and how to play on the left. It's so easy, even an adult can learn from this site!

  • Funschool Games
    Games for preschool through 6th graders. Choose by grade or type of game.

  • Game Goo
    Turn up the volume, and have fun playing these colorful, interactive reading and language arts games for kindergartners through 2nd graders.

  • Games for Kids
    Simon says, magic boxes and popit are just a few of the fun and challenging games to be played at Kidsnewsroom.org.

  • Games Kids Play
    Listing all kinds of games for kids to play inside and outside, on the computer and off.

  • Keyboarding

    • Beginner Typing Games
      Choose from many different games that teach basic typing skills.

    • Harder Typing Games
      Ready for a challenge? Try zapping Star Wars fighter ships, ghosts or sharks using your typing skills.

  • Maze Works
    A variety of games and puzzles to challenge you, including a new chess problem every day.

  • Play Kids' Games
    Young kids will have fun playing video-style learning games at this site designed by parents.



Harry Potter

History
  • America's Story
    Fun facts and games await at this site made especially for kids by the library of Congress.

  • Ancient Egypt — Neferchichi’s Tomb
    Neferchichi, who looks suspiciously like a Chihuahua dog, hosts this Web site. Learn to write in hieroglyphics and look at 3-D, magic eye-style pictures. Find out about mummies, pharaohs and gods of ancient Egypt.

  • Archaeology

  • Pirates!
    Are you ready for high seas adventure? Join National Geographic and learn about real pirates through fictional tales based on historical fact.

  • Secrets of Lost Empires
    See real-life recreations of ancient technological wonders. Try making a Roman aqueduct or a medieval weapon.

  • Vikings
    Get a taste of life as a Viking. Check out the Multimedia Zone for animations, games and reconstructions.

  • Walk Through Time
    A cool interactive site with games too.



Hobbies
See also the library's links for Hobbies and Crafts.


The Human Body



Music
  • Guitar Lessons
    Free lessons in all kinds of styles, including rock, blues and jazz. Lots of photos and pictures to help you along.

  • PBS Kids Music
    Play games and make music with your favorite PBS characters such as Arthur, Barney and Caillou.

  • Play a Piano
    Play a piano or have the piano play for you! The piano even lets you see its "voice" as it makes music.

  • Playmusic.org — Your Orchestra Awaits!
    Take a seat in an orchestra, meet people there, play and create your own music. Great place for budding band members!

  • Science of Music
    Ready to mix your own music? There are several games to get you started on this site. Plus you can watch music movies and find out the answers to those burning questions, such as: "Why do some songs get stuck in my head?" (Hint: the answer has something to do with earworms.)



Nature
  • Backyard Nature
    Naturalist Jim Conrad will introduce you to the interesting plants, animals and ecology of your own backyard.

  • Endangered! American Museum of Natural History
    Take a tour of the museum's popular exhibit. Find out about endangered species all over the globe.

  • Guide to Snowflakes
    Take a look at some of the unbelievable shapes that snowflakes can take, and view three galleries full of amazing snowflake photos!

  • National Geographic Kids
    Games, activities, experiments and information on creatures from bats to warthogs.

  • Volcano World
    Cool photos and film clips. Lists of recent eruptions with hyperlinks.

  • Weather Wiz Kids
    Everything you ever wanted to know about all types of weather. You can even find out about weather-related optical illusions and have fun with weather games and weather jokes.

  • Wonders of the Seas
    Some really "deep" material! Underwater photos and drawings. A great way to dive and not get wet.



Preschool Fun
See also Computers and the Internet in the library's Family Life links.


Stories and More
See also the library's links to Children's Literature.
  • Children's Storybooks Online
    There's something for everyone here: books for the youngest readers through 6th graders. The online books include lots of pictures.

  • Giggle Poetry
    Read poems for kids, write your own poem, play with fill-in-the-blank poems and just have fun!

  • Goodnight Stories
    Activities and cute stories — lots with pictures.

  • Kids' Magazines

    • Highlights
      Can't put the magazine down? Want more of the Hidden Picture puzzles and other activities? Visit the Highlights Web site for an interactive version of the magazine filled with plenty of stories and activities!

    • National Geographic Kids
      Explore the world through articles and videos, and have fun learning with the activities and games!

    • Owlkids.com
      Fun games and activities broken down by age group to promote learning for all! There are links to Chirp for the very beginning readers, chickaDEE for the K-2 crowd, and Owl for the older kids. Click, read, enjoy!

    • Ranger Rick
      Like the Magazine? Want more? Explore the Web site! Has interactive articles, fun and games, crafts and experiments, book suggestions and more.

  • Learning to Read Made Fun!
    Starfall.com has fun games, stories and exercises to help you to learn to read and practice your skills. If you don't know what a word is, click on it and you will hear how the word sounds. (Turning speakers on is highly recommended.) For preschool through 2nd graders.

  • Peetnik Mysteries
    "So, you want to try solving a mystery or two? Welcome to Clutterbuck Valley — a quirky town full of oddballs and oddities. The strange and mysterious. Regular and irregular people."

  • Pilkey's Web Site O' Fun!
    Pilkey wants you to know: "This Web site contains scenes and material which may be considered too silly for grown-ups, small animals and many varieties of houseplants."

  • Star Wars Kids
    For Star Wars fans, here's information on episodes past and future, the Smithsonian's exhibit, how special effects are created and more.

  • Wacky Web Tales
    Fill in the blanks to create your own wacky stories. New tales are added every month!



Weird Science
  • "Bill Nye the Science Guy"
    Learn about science experiments you can do from home, send wacky e-cards and see Bill Nye's answer to the "question of the week."

  • Earth Viewer
    See a space-eye view of the Earth. Spin the globe to look down at the spot of your choice. Run animations to see day and nightfall, or to see seasonal changes.

  • Exploratorium
    There's plenty to explore at this online version of San Francisco's Museum of Science, Art and Human Perception.

  • KidsAstronomy.com
    A super site for budding astronomers — interactive with lots of excellent graphics.

  • Optical Illusions
    Feast your eyes on dozens of amazing optical illusions.

  • Periodic Table of Comic Books
    Click on an element, and choose from the full-page images of comics containing that element.

  • Science News for Kids
    Want to know about the latest dinosaur species to be discovered or see the newest photos of Mercury obtained by spacecraft? Here you will find the latest and greatest science news of interest to kids, plus games, puzzles and activities.

  • Science Optics
    Zoom in on Earth from 10 million light years beyond the Milky Way — then zoom into the subatomic universe of protons and electrons! Find out about activities you can do at home to investigate light, optics and color.

  • Strange Matter
    Crush stuff, zoom inside stuff, transform or improve stuff, and discover its secrets.

 

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Last Modified: Wednesday, April 30, 2008