The idea behind this book is a simple one: to point parents, teachers, educators, children and young people to excellent learning resources that will enrich knowledge, critical thinking and understanding of key subjects children are currently learning at school or from home. The book is arranged alphabetically by subject and is suitable for 4 to 16 years old. It is hoped such a guide will aid navigation through the myriad of information available online, offering an alternative to searching via Google or using Wikipedia.

This book is about finding different methods of learning through activities, handson experiments and crafts or using archival materials, images and documents. It is about tapping into the wealth of information that experts, academics and curators have packaged and designed to support the next generation of scientists, teachers, writers, historians and curious minds. Their enthusiasm can be infectious and their materials inspiring. There are certainly lots of lesson plans and classroom presentations included, not just for use by teachers but for parents and educators too. They provide structure to subjects or topics, offering work plans and information as well as providing links with the curriculum. It can be so easy to miss these resources as it takes time to locate and evaluate them and that is a commodity many teachers, parents or educators often have in short supply. They have been researched and evaluated from hundreds of online sources that include museums, universities, libraries, charities and interest bodies from around the UK. Having a guide that takes the user directly to these rich sources may well help, not only with learning, but also by bringing some fun into that learning too.

Why Is Access To Such Resources Needed?

The unprecedented closure of schools during 2020/2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, left many children and young people learning online from home, supported by bewildered and often unprepared parents. The publication Coronavirus and Home Schooling in Great Britain: April to June 2020 – Analysis of Home Schooling in Great Britain During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic (Opinions and Lifestyle Survey, 22 July 2020, www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/ educationandchildcare/articles/coronavirusandhomeschoolingingreatbritain/apriltojune2020) found that in addition to children using the digital resources provided by their schools and accessed via online learning platforms, 55% had used digital online learning resources found by a parent for a child aged 5–10 years.