Online Activities and Resources
Looking for activities to do this week? Here are some suggestions for children, youth and adults.
Activities listed below are online resources run by a variety of external providers. Please ensure activities are screened to assess their suitability for you or your child.
Books and Storytime
It’s storytime, anytime with Story Box Library! Story Box Library allows children to watch celebrated stories read aloud by well loved storytellers. Login is easy, all you need is your local library card.
Recommended for children 3-12 years
ABC Kids Listen
ABC Kids Listen is a free dedicated kids app and digital radio station providing preschool-aged children and their families with a safe space to hear trusted, educational and entertaining audio programs.
Download from the App Store or Google Play
Recommended for children 0 to 5 years
Videos, Movies and Live streams
Melbourne Zoo Live Cams, Keeper Talks and Virtual Updates
Bring the zoo to life from anywhere around the world with live cams, keeper talks and other virtual updates.
Recommended for the young and old
Guinness World Record Videos
There are plenty of amazing, jaw dropping and talented people and animals around the world who have unique skills they have mastered. Check out what makes a Guinness World Record.
Recommended for children of primary school age
TED Talks
There are over 3000 TED Talks available online to stir your curiosity, broaden your horizons and explore what’s possible. There is almost no topic not discussed. Jump online and learn something new.
Recommended for youth and adults
ABC ME
ABC ME is a place for school-aged children to watch the best stories, news and cartoons from Australia and around the world that reflect and celebrate the lives of young Aussies.
ABC ME can be viewed on free-to-air TV and on their free ABC ME app.
Recommended for children of primary and secondary school age
Podcasts
Fierce Girls
From skaters to singers, mountaineers to Mars mission-leaders. Australia is full of girls who dare to do things differently. Adventurous girls. Girls with guts and spirit. Girls who stand-up and say, “watch out world, here I come!”. Do you know what they are? They’re FIERCE.
Recommended for young people of secondary school age
Animal Sound Safari
Animal Sound Safari takes your ears around the world to explore the weird and wacky histories we humans have with animals. From camel beauty queens in Saudi Arabia to cooked roosters who save lives in Portugal. Each episode is jam-packed with cool stories, kooky facts and ‘pawsome’ puns.
Recommended for children of primary school age
The Fact Detectives Podcast
Join Anika and Dexter as they take their BIG questions to some very smart grown-ups. Like, are there really killer butterflies? Why do we fart? Did monster kangaroos once roam the land? What IS a fossil? And what happens when we flush the toilet?
Recommended for children of primary school age
Short and Curly
This fast-paced fun-filled ethics podcast for kids and their parents, poses questions and ideas to really get you thinking. It asks curly questions about animals, technology, school, pop culture and the future.
Recommended for family listening
Subscribe to the great podcasts above where ever you get your podcasts.
Apps (free)
Khan Academy for Kids
This fun, educational program hosts thousands of activities and books that will inspire learning and discovery.
Recommended for children aged 2 to 7 years
Words with Friends
Is an online version of Scrabble which is great for improving spelling and vocabulary. A great opportunity to play with the whole family or a group of friends, test your skills and look after your brain.
Recommend for primary school age plus
Night Sky
Night Sky is your guide to the stars above. Day or night this app is a planetarium in your pocket. Discover space wherever you go.
Recommend for the young and old
Colorfy
Sit down with this online colouring book and create your own masterpieces. This relaxing app allows you to paint mandalas, patterns and a variety of animals. It will have you occupied for hours.
Recommended for youth and adults
Go Noodle
Make screen time active with 300+ dance videos, yoga exercises and mindfulness activities for the kids.
Recommended for children aged 4 to 10 years
Art
Make your own Playdough
This homemade playdough recipe is simple, natural, and perfect for entertaining children. The kids will enjoy making it almost as much as they enjoy playing with it!
Recommended for children from 18months and above
Lunchtime art with Mo Willems
Mo Willems, a bestselling children’s author, is teaching kids how to draw on YouTube. Check out his channel to learn to draw like a pro.
Recommended for children of all ages
Make you own Paper Aeroplanes
What paper plane flies the furthest; the Classic Dart, Suzanne or Blunt-Nosed Glider?? Make your own to find out, all you need is a piece of paper.
Recommended for the young and old
Play School Craft
There are so many craft activities that you can do at home. Visit Play School Craft and you could learn how to make you own puppets, musical bottles, make your own camera and so much more. What are you going to make?
Recommended for children of preschool to early primary school age
How to make Fluffy Slime
Make your own fluffy slime at home with this simple to make recipe. If you get adventurous you can even try your own glow in the dark slime.
Recommended for children of primary school age
Draw with Scribbles and Ink
Get creative and make your own drawings online with Scribbles and Ink.
Recommend for children aged 3 years to early primary school age
Nature Play
When we can it is great to get outdoors and learn about what is around us. Find some great activities like how to press flowers, make mud cakes, learn about animal scratches on trees and creating art out of things from your garden.
Recommended for children of primary school age
Sport and Fitness
PE with Joe
Get your body moving everyday and join in on a 30 minute PE (physical education) class with teacher Joe. He has a variety of video workouts to choose from.
Recommended for children of primary school age
Saturday Sport Shorts
Join Andrew Daddo and a host of Australian celebrities including Abbey Holmes, Joel Thompson, Kyle Chalmers, Kyah Simon in 15 minute exercise sessions. Get active and exercise with the professionals!
Recommended for young people of primary school age and above
This Girl Can
The ladies at This Girl Can are all about us being active and feeling good. There are videos to get you moving at home including lessons on Bollywood dancing, stretch classes, yoga and much more.
Recommended for adults
Music
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra are Live
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra has broadcast a range of amazing performances from their archives. There are lots of performances that you won’t want to miss.
Recommended for people of all ages
Kinderling
Family-friendly kids radio for children and their grown-ups. There is music to entertain, distract and even help settle to sleep. No more thinking about what to listen to, Kinderling does it all for you.
Recommended for children and their parents
Virtual Choir
Join people from around the world in a virtual choir. An example of a choir currently operating include Sofa Singers.
Recommended for adults
Chrome Music Lab
Start experimenting with rhythm, chords, sound waves and more. As long as you have the web browser Chrome, you can use this awesome music lab.
Recommended for young people interested in making their own music
Chapel Off Chapel Life Performances
During Covid-19 the iconic Chapel Off Chapel played an array of exciting and diverse musical acts online – stripped back, up close and personal. Check out performances from artists like Taylor Henderson, Thando, Reece Mastin, Fem Belling and more.
Recommended for youth and adults
Games
PBS Kids
If your little one is looking for games and videos online then head over to PBS kids for hours of entertainment. They have everything from Curious George, Wild Kratts and other PBS KIDS shows.
Recommended for children of primary school age
Nat Geo Kids Games
Packed full of cool kids games that will test your skill and cunning, prepare for a challenge!
Recommended for children of primary school age
Play School
Play hide and seek, match the toys or head off on an adventure with our Play School friends. There are lots of games to keep little ones entertained for hours.
Recommended for children from 3 years to early primary school age
CBeebies by BBC
Play an array of games with your favourite TV characters. From Bluey, Hey Duggee, Charlie and Lola and more.
Recommended for children 3 years to early primary school age
Mindfulness
Smiling Mind
Smiling Mind provides a free app to practice daily meditation and mindful exercises for both Youth and Adults. Download the app and participate in one of their exercises for just 10 minutes and feel the difference that it can make.
Recommended for youth and adults
Relaxation techniques – Breathing exercises
Need to relax, calm down or manage your emotions? Sometimes it’s as simple as relaxing your breathing. Learning how to do breathing exercises is useful because many relaxation techniques include breathing exercises.
Recommended for youth and adults
Educational
ABC Education
Ever wondered how fireworks are created or why onions make you cry? Visit ABC Education to get the answers to all those questions that you are eager to find the answers to.
Recommended for young people 13 to 16 years of age
Fact Filled LOLtastic Tour of Melbourne Museum
Take a tour of Melbourne Museum with the hilarious The Listies. They will take you on a LOLtastic tour to see shark dentists, dinosaur salesmen and the insect Oscars.
Recommended for children of primary school age
Fun Science experiments
With over 150 science experiments that you can try at home there is no limit to what you can learn.
Recommended for children from primary school to early secondary school age
Scienceworks at HOME!
You can learn how lightning is formed and why a black hole is black all from the comfort of your own home. Check out the Scienceworks website for a whole lot of educational fun! With family activities, online puzzles, experiments and virtual tours.
Recommended for children of all ages
Behind the News
Aimed at 10-13 year olds BTN unpacks and explains news and current affairs to young people in a dynamic and creative way.
Recommended for young people 10 to 13 years old
BrainPOP
BrainPop is here to help you and your curious learners stay informed and on-track with free access to their website during school closures. With daily topics to keep young people engaged and covering everything from Maths to Social Studies to Engineering & Tech.
Recommended for children and youth
Great Websites with a bit of everything
Happiness Hub
The team at Camp Quality have just released their Happiness Hub to give us all a digital dose of positivity. Have a laugh with puppets Kylie, Dean and Mel, partake in fun camp games or why not have a look at the ORANGES Toolkit and grab a glass of wellbeing, resilience and optimism
Recommended for children of primary school age and adults
National Geographic Kids
Learn all about Animals, Science, History and Geography with lots of random facts, quiz’s, games and more. Your one stop shop for keeping the kids entertained for hours.
Recommended for children of primary school age
ABC Kids
Watch your favourite tv shows, play fun online games, get great recipe ideas and so much more.
Recommended for children 2 years and above
Funbrain
Funbrain offers hundreds of games, books, comics, and videos that develop skills in math, reading, problem-solving and literacy.
Recommended for children from four years to 14 years of age
