A Walk in the Woods website conveys information in simple and easy to follow steps that can be followed by even the youngest child. The Teachers' Guide can be used by parents and teachers as an opportunity to explore the environment.

The word is A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson is a wonderfully funny and engaging tale of Bryson's walk on the Appalachian Trail. Follow him on his walk and prepare to laugh out loud.

Ask for Kids combines human editorial judgment, age-appropriate feature content and filtering technology to enable kids to find both relevant and befitting information on the Web. Press Blue Button to explore Ask For Kids.

Inspired and funded by the John Templeton Foundation, Cogito is being developed through a collaborative effort by the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth and eight partners; all highly renowned organizations that serve gifted youth.

Parents' Choice Awards
Fall website 2009
Ages: 12 - 18 yrs
Publisher: Cogito, Center for Talented Youth, Johns Hopkins University

FirstGov for Kids is divided into educational subjects that you might have in your school. Within each subject, we have also divided the sites into these categories: Government, Organizations, Education, and Commercial. The Government sites could be Federal, State, or Military sites. Government sites generally do not sell anything. They are simply sharing information with visitors. Organization sites are developed by groups that have an interest in a special topic - sometimes these sites sell products. Education sites are developed by schools. They can be developed by colleges/universities or high, middle, or elementary schools. These sites usually do not have products to sell. Commercial sites are developed by businesses. Commercial sites share information, but they also have products to sell. Press Blue Button to explore Ask For Kids.

Each week, The Lunch Lab web site will release a new animated short video as well as a corresponding recipe for kids and parents to enjoy. Monthly food/nutrition themes will help guide the program's message, and the animated videos will reinforce concepts pertaining to the featured theme. This will make it easy for parents to extend the learning into the home.

KidsHealth is more than just the facts about health. As part of The Nemours Foundation's Center for Children's Health Media, KidsHealth also provides families with perspective, advice, and comfort about a wide range of physical, emotional, and behavioral issues that affect children and teens.

KidsHealth has received its share of recognition — among them, four Webby Awards, including for Best Family/Parenting Site and Best Health Site on the Web , the Parent's Choice Gold Award, the Teacher's Choice Award for Family, and the International Pirelli Award for best educational media for students.

With age-appropriate content in archaeology, astronomy, biodiversity, genetics, marine biology, paleontology, and physical science, OLogy makes science learning rich and engaging. Educators can find suggestions and tips on how to use the OLogy website in the Educator's Guides.

". . . BGC is a "first mover" in demonstrating how these two issues are intrinsically connected now and in the future. It is a holistic approach to children's media that reminds us that we're all connected, and that taking good care of ourselves and each other can lead to better care of our planet as a whole."

Parents' Choice Awards
Fall website 2009
Big Green Rabbit
Ages: 2 - 8 yrs.
Publisher: Slice of Lime

Playhouse Disney Preschool Time Online is a subscription service that supplements children's pre-kindergarten learning in a fun, safe, and personalized interactive environment that is secure and advertising-free.

The word is Advertising is displayed on the non-subscription sections of Disney Online.

One hundred years ago, children learned to read with one book. Today, they are exposed to a dizzying array of objects, toys, and games that purport to be educational. The only thing these products have in common is that they are confusing.

At the LiteracyCenter.Net, we believe that learning to read in a first language should be as natural as learning to speak. Learning becomes clear and concise. Our system offers alphabets, numbers, and words in clear and concise formats . . . Our lessons allow children to have fun, concentrate, and remember.

The word is Teach children how to read with this clear, concise, and easy to use online educational guide - provided with no ads.

Press Blue Button for hours of fun, entertainment, learning and enrichment for your child.

Learn about each instrument: The violin is the smallest member of the string family. Because its strings are the shortest, it produces the highest sound. There are more violins in the orchestra than any other single instrument. The violins play in two different groups, with the first violins playing the highest-pitched part and the second violins playing the second-highest. Learn how an may be held: Rest the violin on one shoulder and hold it in place using your chin and left hand. Hold the bow in your right hand and draws it across the strings. This changes the pitch in two ways: by drawing the bow across different strings, and by pressing on the strings with the fingers of your left hand. The shape of the violin has stayed pretty much the same ever since the 1500s. That's almost 500 years! The modern violin has four strings, but the earliest ones had only three.

At Playmusic.org you can also learn how to write your own music! Press Blue Button and enjoy.

Sesame Workshop provides information about children's activities and tips for parents. This site is helpful and informative - whether you're visiting with a child in search of educational fun or looking for resources to help guide a child through a particular challenge -See how Elmo is comforted when "Visiting the Doctor" or during the "First Day at School".

The Sesame Street website is rich in Games, Stories, Art, Music, Mail, Elmo's World and more. Take the time to explore and find your favorites sections. Play Dot-To-Dot or Letters Big Bird Gets a Letter, Keyboard-o-rama, Bumper Cars, Ernie's Window Box or Numbers Keyboard-o-rama, Cooking with Rosita, Walking the Dogs or Shapes Clouds, Make-a-Monster, Prairie Dawn in the Science Lab, Elmo's Road Trip or Sorting Zoe's Pet Shelter, Bert's Bottle Caps, Oscar's Trash Collection, Things in a Car or visit the Special Section Snuffy's Magic Garden, Zoe's Pet Shelter, Big Bird Gets a Letter, Limbo Elmo, Elmo's Mixed-Up Farm, Your Amazing Body, Footprints and more. See Pinky Dinky Doo designed for children ages 4 to 7, to encourage literacy through the power of storytelling.

For 35 years, Sesame Street has been embraced by millions of viewers through PBS in the U.S. and around the world. You may not know it, but Sesame Workshop is much more than Sesame Street. Sesame Workshop is guided by the conviction that all children deserve a chance to dream and discover, to understand the world and their place in it, to reach their highest potential.

If you're a parent, revisit Sesame Street with your child and watch their joy as they experience your childhood favorites: Bert, Big Bird, Ernie, Elmo, Oscar the Grouch, Grover, Cookie Monster, Zoe, Rosita and Count Von Count. Play along with Elmo at Elmo's World or visit Sesame Street's Music Zone. Go ahead - sing along!

Sesame Street has helped generations of children around the world to learn ABCs, to understand the meaing of letters and letter sounds, and to use these means to begin making sense of the world. "Press Blue Button to explore the website of Sesame Street - possibly the most wonderful and certainly the most innovative concept in children's education.

Through the use of innovative technologies to create musical instruments and compositional tools designed for an individual of any skill level, as well as weeklong workshops culminating in an integrated performance with children and professional musicians, Toy Symphony is designed as an utterly inclusive experience, one that will infuse the orchestra with youthful and enthusiastic collaborators, and the instruments, sounds, and ideas of the 21st century.

Press Blue Button and enjoy an exploration into the world of music.

Press Blue Button to explore this website. Learn all about our environment through interactive games and more. Learn how you can show your commitment to keeping our planet clean for everyone.

KidSmart answers many questions such as:

How can I use a computer to encourage early learning in our home?
How can I make the computer a part of our household routine?
How can I make sure that the computer serves my child?

KidSmart offers many helpful features including:

KidSmart Comics
Comic strips featuring parents discussing learning, computers, and kids


Things You Can Do
A list of useful ideas and suggestions to help you get the most out of your family's PC


School Link
Concrete teacher tips, overviews of classroom issues and other tools that your child's teacher may use. The text and audio features of this site will help you discover that the computer is just one of many rich, varied materials found in a good learning environment.

Games such as "Stop Light Green" help children to develop control over their bodies. Playing “stop and go” games helps them practice control, so that they may be more likely to have self-control and be able to stop in other situations.

Songs such as "It's Such a Good Feeling" or "Its You I Like" teach children that they are important, "not the things you wear or they way you do your hair" . . . Press Blue Button and listen to a few songs . . . be sure to watch the smile on your child's face as they hear:

It's you I like
It's not the things you wear
It's not the way you do your hair
But it's you I like.
The way you are right now
The way down deep inside you
Not the things that hide you
Not your toys
They're just beside you
. . . It's you I like.

MouthPower is an interactive learning experience about oral health. There are six modules within MouthPower, each focusing on a different aspect of oral health and dentistry. In each one, a character named Mouthie serves as guide . . . to help children explore and learn about oral health.

The Food Station introduces the Food Pyramid, explores combination foods, and demonstrates healthy portion sizes of common foods.

The Tobacco Experiment Station demonstrates some dangers of tobacco use in terms of oral health. Older children and teens can drag cigarettes or chew tobacco into Mouthie's mouth and see the dangerous consequences. Explore peer pressure and media influences.

The Cleaning Experiment Station examines the consequences of various levels of personal dental hygiene, revealing the long-term effects of poor hygiene.

Your Tooth Story shows typical development of teeth from birth to adulthood. This demonstration eases concerns kids have about losing teeth and engages them in a discussion of how their mouth develops with their body. Younger kids may enjoy a lesson about the tooth fairy and tooth traditions around the world.

The Dental Time Warp lets children compare dental instruments and practices from the 19th century and today to see how the focus has shifted from painful intervention to painless prevention. Discuss the types of instruments the students are looking at and what they might be used for.

The Creativity Corner lets children and teens design a poster or product packaging to share their new knowledge about the dangers of tobacco with their peers. Kids can use a simple drawing program to make a poster about peer pressure, or tobacco packaging that tells the true story about tobacco addiction.

Online Tours
Online Tours presents a collection of tours. Choose a tour by school or medium and explore the National Gallery's collections of painting, sculpture, works on paper, photographs, and decorative arts.

NGA Kids
An interactive area where fun and learning are combined in The Art Zone. Topics include: Collage Machine, Mobile, PixelFace, 3-D Twirler, Cubits, and more.


Faces and Places
Faces & Places encourage children of all ages to create portraits and landscape paintings in the style of American artists. By combining visual elements borrowed from more than 100 works in the National Gallery's permanent collection, this two-part interactive activity offers an overview of American folk art of the 18th and 19th centuries.

Photo Op
This interactive activity introduces you to digital photography and image editing. Use the virtual camera to snap photos, then edit the images or add special effects to create your own works of art.

Still Life
Still Life allows you to create an interactive Still Life that mirrors the paintings of the old masters. Children of all ages can learn about the world of "Still Life" art by creating their own masterpiece.

Meet famous composers at The Composer's Gallery or meet the musicians in the Musicians' Lounge. Learn about different categories of instruments in the Instrument Lab; you can even make your own instrument. Kids can also create their own music at the Composition Workshop.

The New York Philharmonic KidZone is a must for anyone interested in music. Press Blue Button to hear and see this unique website.

Looking for expert advice on the latest parenting issues? Check out the Expert Q & A blog on our Issues and Advice page. Post comments, ask questions, share stories — be part of the conversation.

PBS Parents is committed to providing valuable educational resources for parents and caregivers. Our Education section offers strategies for building literacy and math skills, tips for Going to School, and recommendations from children’s book experts in our Booklights blog.

"Visit Fun and Games for engaging, age-appropriate games from your child's favorite PBS KIDS programs. And, be sure to put a PBS KIDS character in a photo with your child with our Photo Factory. There's also a field guide with activities that encourage children to explore the wonder of the world around them. Our Parties page has fun party ideas and activities too.

To enhance your online experience, visit My PBS Parents, where you can customize the site to see TV schedules from your local PBS station and get activities from your child’s favorite PBS KIDS programs.

Parents' Choice Awards
Fall website 2009
PBS Parents
Infant - 12 yrs
Publisher: PBS Parents

Starfall includes a lot of ABC animations, animated interactive books and other reading exercises. There are also a lot of downloadable materials such as handouts for home or classroom use and print-outs for learning activities. This site can be used to teach both younger and older children to read. It teaches simple alphabets and sounds for the younger child and phonics based reading for an older child.

Awards & Acknowledgements

Chosen by the American Library Association as a Great Web Site for Kids.


Chosen by PBS Teacher Source as a recommended resource for teachers.


Selected as a featured site by Lightspan’s StudyWeb as one of the best educational resources on the Web.


Selected as a Best Bet on the USA TODAY Education Web Site for educational value.


A+ rating by Education World as an outstanding site for Pre-kindergarten through 2nd grade.


Net-mom approved as one of the best sites for families on the Net!


Selected as Web Site of the Month by School Library Journal for providing quality content appropriate for family viewing and participation.

Deep in the surrounding countryside, where the Great Western Railway main line climbs steadily uphill for 2 miles, a tank engine from Box station is steaming away, helping a heavy goods train up the hill. To the little boy tucked up in bed, listening to the engines struggling up the incline, it sounds very much like they are talking to each other.

The young boy is Wilbert Awdry - later to become the Reverend W. Awdry, the creator of Thomas. Listen to the story of how Thomas became "the most famous tank engine in the world".

Press Blue Button for wonderful stories that reinforce friendship, loyalty, and "being a useful engine". Thomas entertains your child with Games, Videos, Activities and more fun.

Watchknow makes it easier to find good educational videos for children by subject. You can easily access quality educational videos for kids by age, subject, and sub categories.Parents and Teachers may select videos for kids to learn from, by category and by rating. The best rated videos are sorted at the top of the page.

Videos for kids are categorized and easily found by subjects. Find videos by language arts, literature, math, science, history, social studies, and many more topics. Once you've selected your category, just drill down to sub-categories such as chemistry within science. Watchknow is excellent for children that need extra help or for gifted children that want to expand their learning experience in a particular subject.