Home learning resources
Useful resources for supporting children in their home learning, collected during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thanks to members of the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine (CMVM) and Scottish Public Engagement Network (ScotPEN) for their contributions to this collection of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) learning resources.
Health and safety
Please note that although these resources have all been recommended by science communication professionals and involve use of household items, we have not been able to perform health and safety screens for individual activities due to the large number of resources available. We strongly encourage adult supervision in all cases. Don't hesitate to get in touch if you would like to ask for advice about any of the activities listed.
The DadLab
Fun science experiences for youngsters using household items.
STEAM Experiments
Variety of creative science activities searchable by age range and subject area.
Maddie Moate
How things work and things to make, including outdoor activities. Live show at 11am every weekday.
The Maths Factor
Carol Vorderman presents National Curriculum-aligned maths teaching for ages 4-12.
Education.com
Science fair project ideas searchable by age range.
Science Kids
Online science games which cover chemistry, biology and physics concepts.
Ducksters
Home science experiments and information on other topics including geography and history.
DK FindOut!
Safe, search engine-like encyclopaedia covering a range of topics and questions.
Operation Ouch!
Episodes and online games which teach about the human body and medicine - hosted by three medics.
Medical Research Council
Activity packs introducing science concepts, including DNA, cells and viruses.
My Brain Robbie
Project looking at a range of brain health topics, suitable for 6-12 year olds.
Evidence Hunter
This activity pack for 11-14 year olds gives children the skills and confidence they need to critically assess stories and claims they see and hear.
"I'm a Scientist" Debate Kits
The kits develop students’ discussion skills around scientific issues.
EuroStemCell
Range of fact-checked resources on stem cells, searchable by age right up to adulthood.
British Science Week
Themed activity packs for under 5s, 5-11 years old, and 10-14 years old.
The STEM Centre
Resources for primary and secondary schools (biology, chemistry, physics, computing, D&T & maths) as well as activities for 16+ and family groups.
Science Connects
West of Scotland STEM Ambassadors online resources, typically delivered in schools.
STEM Glasgow
Resources for schools and homes, including Kitchen Science.
Royal Society of Chemistry
Chemistry-related articles, demonstrations and learning for a wide range of ages.
Maths Week Scotland
Maths learning resources which can be filtered by age group from 0 to 16+.
BBC Bitesize
The BBC's flagship learning site, including revision tools and daily lessons for all ages.
Royal Academy of Engineering
Engineering resources for teachers, STEM Ambassadors and After School Clubs.
Science Buddies
Hands-on science resources for school and at home.
National Informal STEM Education Network (NISE Net)
Home science activities searchable by kit or topic.
How to Smile
Science and maths activities which can be filtered by age, duration and materials cost.
Royal Society of Biology
A range of biology-related activity kits for school or at home.
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Activities for children and adults relating to materials, atomic physics, big data and telescopes amongst others.
Further learning
Zooniverse
Lots of real data projects to get involved with, including fighting antibiotic resistance in strains of tuberculosis (TB). Suitable for older children and adults.
H-unique
A citizen science project looking to document variation in hand anatomy.
Virtual COVID-19 friendly field trips around the world
A huge list of high-quality virtual tours including aquariums, farms, space stations, museums and galleries, zoos and aquariums, historical landmarks and more.
Thanks to Sophie, Ethan and Michelle for this contribution!
Edinburgh Zoo
Live camera feed from the panda enclosure.
Chester Zoo
Videos from the zoo and teaching children how to create wildlife-friendly spaces locally.
National Museums Scotland
Explore the NMS Collections online.
The World's Tallest Buildings
Virtually explore and learn about the 17 tallest structures in the world.
Thanks to Amelia for this contribution!
Interactive Historical VR Field Trips
Use virtual reality to visit a number of historical sites like the Great Wall of China , Machu Picchu, and the Colosseum.
Thanks to Amanda for this contribution!
Virtual Tours of Florida
A long list of virtual tours exploring the beautiful state of Florida, including the Botanical Gardens, live cameras at aquariums, and more!
Thanks to Brendan for this contribution!
The Conversation
Short online articles written by experts for a lay audience, often based on recently published research. Aimed at older readers.
Your local library
Check out your local library online. They have e-resources and e-books you can borrow for free.
Crash Course
A huge channel of explainer videos arranged by topic. Includes an excellent series about the immune system.
TED Talks
Recorded talks by experts on a vast range of topics, all 18 minutes or shorter.
TED-Ed
Channel of animated short videos on a large variety of topics, from philosophy to medicine.
The Royal Institution
Not just Christmas Lectures! Accessible lectures on a variety of topics.
Periodic Videos
A video about each element of the periodic table.
The Self-Isolating Bird Club
A Twitter account for all things ornithology. Livestreams daily at 9am.