Amidst the stay-at-home orders and school closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic, many families have found themselves at home more than ever before. While this provides a wealth of opportunities for family bonding, it can also be difficult to keep kids occupied throughout the day. Of course, it’s not always enough to put on a TV show – you want to offer your children plenty of chances to learn and explore. Luckily, technology delivers the perfect combination of fun and education.
There are a variety of reasons to encourage your kids to explore technology. For example, it improves their concentration and multi-tasking abilities, teaches cooperation and teamwork, supports creativity and independent thinking, and more. Technology also offers a little something for everyone. Kids that enjoy general computer usage can partake in creative writing activities, web design and graphics, or coding projects. Or, they can use the computer as a tool to sharpen their skills in math, science, and engineering. No matter what their interests may be, there are many exciting tech activities to explore.
If you want to add more tech-related activities to your kids’ learning schedules, NerdsToGo is here to help. We’ve compiled a list of three kid-friendly tech projects to work on at home. Let’s take a look!
Help Your Kids Explore Technology at Home with These Three Activities
Fortunately, you no longer need to visit your local science museum to explore the latest in technology. There are plenty of digital resources and projects available for kids that they can work on at home. With the right technology, you can ensure your kids stay busy with fun, interactive, and educational activities.
Here are three of our favorite ideas to get you started:
1. Design a Website
Looking for an exciting project that will teach your kids about basic HTML coding? Have them design their very own website on the subject of their choice! Science Kids recommends using a program like Dreamweaver to build webpages and Photoshop or Paint to create custom graphics. Before they begin, provide them with a list of things to include on their site, such as:
- An introduction page that tells visitors the purpose of the website
- Images from a phone, camera, or the internet
- Blog that discusses topics related to the website theme
- Custom graphics
- Links to any resources used
Not only will this activity provide your kids with hands-on experience in web and graphic design, but it can also improve their research skills as they gather information to incorporate into their site’s pages and blog content.
2. Explore Your Retired Computer
Have an old laptop or desktop computer sitting in the attic? Instead of letting it gather dust, why not use it to teach your kids about electronics? Pull out a screwdriver and a few other basic tools, sit down at a workbench with your children, and deconstruct the computer to inspect the individual components. Once you’ve dismantled the device, talk about each part – the circuit board, memory sticks, hard drive, etc. – and what it does. Then, show them how to remove and re-insert each piece. Not only is this a great way to teach your kids about computers, but it also gives your old devices a second life.
3. Make a Stop Motion Film
If you want to put a creative spin on your kids’ tech activities, challenge them to create an original stop motion film. This project is ideal for older kids, who will enjoy planning their movie, taking photos, and editing them together to make it come to life. The best part? All you need is a camera or smartphone and a video editing app like iMovie or Windows Movie Maker. After the movies are complete, pop some popcorn and have a “premier” event with the whole family!
These are just a few of the many fun, educational activities you can introduce to your kids to help them tap into their curiosity and build their technology skills. From web design to robotics, science, and so much more, there are near-endless ways to use your home devices to help your kids grow as learners.
Keep Your Home Devices Running with Expert Computer Repair
Technology is essential in virtually every home, whether for paying bills or doing homework. Therefore, it’s crucial to ensure that your devices and network are up to par at all times. If you need computer support, our NerdsToGo team is here and ready to assist.
To learn how we can keep your technology in great shape, so you can occupy your kids with fun tech activities, contact us today!