With the availability of so many free online courses for kids, selecting the right one for your child can be difficult. Our comprehensive list of courses will make the task simple for you.
With online learning having become the 'new normal' it is possible to enrol your child into courses of her choice and make her learn from the comfort of your home. And, you'll be surprised that there are quite a few free online courses for kids.
In this article, we have curated some of the best free online courses that your child can take up. But before we go into the list, let's see how these online courses can benefit your child.
Why online courses are so effective
In case you are wondering whether your child would benefit from an online course, you need not worry. There are many reasons why an online course can turn out to be a fun learning experience for your child. Here are some:
- Free online classes for kids offer a variety of learning opportunities that include basic life skills as well as educational skills. Your child can opt to learn anything that interests her including coding, science, arts, music or a foreign language.
- Another reason for your child to benefit from online learning is that she will get to explore various interactive digital tools that make the learning process fun and engaging.
- Also, it will encourage her to make rapid progress as these courses visually depict the knowledge gained after the completion of each stage.
- Another major benefit is the flexibility that online courses offer. Apart from setting her own pace for studying, your child can also plan her learning schedule depending on her convenience.
Read the articles given below to know more about the benefits of learning online before you enrol your child in an online course:
Taking Online Classes: How To Help Your Child Learn From Home
Online Tutoring: How It Benefits Your Child
Does Remote Learning Offer A Different Learning Experience?
Free online courses for kids
Of the many websites that offer free online courses for kids, here are some of the most popular ones to educate, entertain and engage your kids.
Free online language courses for kids
From uttering unintelligible monosyllables as a toddler to conversing fluently in her mother tongue, your child has come a long way. As a parent, you would often wonder at her skilful use of language when she is engaged in a passionate debate with you. So, why not encourage her to learn a new language or languages?
Earlier this used to be 'easier said than done'. But with free online language courses, your child can actually learn to speak a new language easily. Here are some free online platforms for children to learn a language of their choice.
1. Duolingo (Ages 6 - 9, 10 - 12, 13+)
Key features
- Duolingo is a language learning website and app that provides free online courses for kids aged 6 and above.
- There are over 38 languages to learn. Your child can learn the language of her choice with the help of flashcards, listening exercises and multiple-choice questions. The entire process is not only easy and fun, but also interesting and engaging.
- One can access the Duolingo's free online course via Android app, iOS app, and web (mobile or desktop).
- If your child is a preschooler aged between 3 and 5, then use the Duolingo ABC app to help her learn the basics of a language.
2. Digital Dialects (Ages 6 - 9, 10 - 12, 13+)
Key features
- The Digital Dialects website is a great educational tool to help your child learn a foreign language online.
- There are numerous language learning activities, interactive exercises, and free language practice games for your child to try out.
- He will certainly love the games section which includes spelling and word games, vocabulary practice, fun online quizzes, and similar exercises.
- Also, he will be able to learn independently without much help from your side.
3. Babbel (Ages 10 - 12, 13+)
Key features
- In case your child is starting to learn a new language, Babbel is a good app to begin with. She will have a choice of 14 different languages to learn on this language learning app. Some of these are German, Spanish, Italian, Swedish and Norwegian.
- Using this free online language course, your child can learn new words, improve her conversation skills, and practise grammar and sentence creation.
- With free access to this user-friendly online course on the computer or mobile devices for the first 6 months after registration, why wait to get your child started on it? Go for it right away!
4. Busuu (Ages 6 - 9, 10 - 12, 13+)
Key features
- If you want to make language learning fun and easy for your child, you must try out the Busuu app.
- Based on your child's interest, he can choose from 12 languages available on this app, which include French, Spanish, German, Italian and Japanese.
- He can work on improving his speaking, writing, grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary through a series of effective exercises available on the app.
Free online STEM courses for kids
Almost every child is curious and keeps asking questions. To nurture this curiosity, wouldn't it be a good idea to introduce your child to STEM online courses. Here are some to choose from -
1. KidsAhead (Ages 6 - 9, 10 - 12, 13+)
Key features
- If your child is interested in exploring topics related to science, maths, engineering or technology, then the KidsAhead website should be your choice. This STEM website has some cool stuff for her to explore for free.
- She can browse through a wide range of science topics ranging from marine biology, space science, robotics, gaming and environment to biometrics and forensic science.
- As a parent, you will find the KidsAhead website to be a great resource to nurture your child's interest in science as it features many fun activities, quiz contests and science experiments.
2. Khan Academy (Ages 6 - 9, 10 - 12, 13+)
Key features
- When it comes to supporting your child's learning, Khan Academy is a good option. This is a very popular educational resource provider offering free online classes for kids of all ages starting from the pre-primary level up to class 12.
- If your child is in high school, then this is the go-to platform to study everything related to STEM. Also, there are interesting courses on Arts and Humanities, and Economics, and preparatory programs for SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test).
- The online courses are well-structured and delivered in a logical and systematic manner. All your child needs to do to get access to the video lessons and interactive classes is download the Khan Academy app on his learning device. It's that simple!
Free online arts & crafts courses for kids
Do you remember the time your child picked up your lipstick or eyebrow pencil and created his first piece of artwork on the bedroom wall? Well, there is an artist hidden in every child. Although your grown-up child now has a busy schedule, there is still scope for taking arts and crafts classes to bring out his creativity and imagination. Quite a few free online resources are available to help him hone his drawing and painting skills. Here are a few:
1. Drawing for Kids - Udemy (Ages 6 - 9)
Key features
- This free online arts class will put your budding young artist right on track to drawing some great cartoons.
- All your child would need is a sheet of paper, a pencil, crayon or a marker. And she can learn from the comfort of her study table!
- At the end of the course, she will be able to draw a range of cartoons, including funny farm animals, wild animals, butterflies, birds and ocean creatures.
2. Art for Young Kids: Drawing & Watercolor Painting (Ages 6 -9, 10 - 12, 13+)
Key features
- Is your child trying to paint with watercolors but unhappy with the results? This beginner's course on Udemy will be perfect to hone his drawing and watercolor painting skills.
- Your child will learn to draw six watercolor paintings by following the easy-to-understand instructions from the art instructor.
- This free online arts class will increase his confidence in his drawing skills and inspire him to create beautiful works of art.
3. FreeKidsCrafts (Ages 6 -9, 10 - 12, 13+)
Key features
- Perhaps, the most demanding part of being a parent is knowing how to keep your child creatively entertained while at home. Here is a website that proves to be a treasure trove of craft ideas to keep your little ones engaged in inspiring art and craft activities.
- Your child can learn how to create bags from recycled overalls, superhero masks, inspirational stones, printable colouring calendars, paper bag crafts, paper dolls and so on.
- These exciting craft activities on the FreeKidsCrafts website are bound to keep your kids glued to creating some awesome stuff while bringing out the best in them.
Free online music classes for kids
Singing is not everyone's cup of tea; however, haven't you wished that with a little bit of training you would be able to croon a melody or two? Things are different for our kids nowadays. There are plenty of quality training resources available in the online space for your child to learn music from home in his free time. Here are some popular websites and apps offering free online music classes for kids.
1. Octaves Online (Ages 6 -9, 10 - 12, 13+)
Key features
- Your child can get trained in both vocal and instrumental music using video lessons available on the website.
- Also, she can subscribe to The Octaves Online YouTube channel which has over 500+ free videos to learn music online.
- You can also avail the services of well-qualified and experienced teachers in case your child is interested in exploring the field of music beyond the basic level.
2. Sharda.org (Ages 6 -9, 10 - 12, 13+)
Key features
- Sharda.org is another great website to learn music online for free. Along with online vocal lessons, your child can learn to play the sitar, harmonium, keyboard or tabla. Her talent will truly blossom under the mentorship of passionate and highly knowledgeable teachers.
- Your child can try out the 30+ free online lessons on vocal music and the sitar on the website, after which you can decide on continuing with paid lessons.
3. VoxGuru (Ages 6 -9, 10 - 12, 13+)
Key features
- It is possible for your child to train in Carnatic music from the comfort of your home with this popular Carnatic music learning app.
- You only need to download the VoxGuru music training app for your child to access the pre-recorded lessons and live classes from anywhere.
- She can have a great learning experience as the systematic e-learning modules and progress-tracking feature make learning music easy and fun.
- Similar to most other free music learning apps, you will need to pay a monthly subscription fee for your child to access advanced classes.
Free online coding courses for kids
Learning to code is a skill that will give your child a competitive edge over others when it comes to career choices in this digital era. The ability to write programs to communicate with computers will not only develop logical thinking and problem-solving skills in your child but also foster creativity and imagination. If you are thinking of introducing your child to the world of programming, here are some free online coding courses to choose from.
1. Code Monster (Ages 6 - 9, 10 - 12)
Key features
- This free online interactive tutorial will help your child learn the basics of Javascript, the programming language commonly used for website development.
- From learning to build simple boxes of different shapes and colours, your child can quickly progress to experimenting with animation and other projects.
- An animated friendly monster gives step-by-step instructions which makes this free online coding course fun and easy to learn and master.
2. Scratch: Programming for Kids (Ages 10 - 12, 13+)
Key features
- Your child can learn to code using Scratch, a programming language designed and maintained by the MIT Media Lab.
- With this free online programming course, he will learn to program animation, stories and games on his own.
- ScratchJr, an introductory version of Scratch, is the perfect course to introduce your child to the world of coding if he is between 6 and 9 years of age.
3. CS First (Ages 10 - 12, 13+)
Key features
- CS First is Google's free online resource. It can introduce your child to the basic concepts of computer science using the programming language, Scratch.
- Although this is designed for computer science teachers, as a parent, you can also check out the CS First lessons and help your child learn the basics of programming.
- After completing this free online coding course, your child will be able to develop interactive stories, code a game, and create a music video or interactive visualisations on his own.
4. Code.org (Ages 10 - 12, 13+)
Key features
- Code.org is a very popular website that offers free online coding classes for kids of various age groups.
- The website will help your child to understand the basic concepts of coding by handholding him through each lesson.
- If your child is 13 years or older, he can learn to design a web page using HTML and CSS or an app using Javascript.
5. Tynker (Ages 6 -9, 10 - 12, 13+)
Key features
- Tynker is another great platform for your child to begin learning the basics of coding since there are many projects which will cater for her creative interests.
- With the free online coding class on Tynker, your children can create music videos, digital stories, animations, video games and more.
Free online data science courses for kids
With the significant role that data mining can play in future tech jobs, learning the basics of data science and AI (Artificial Intelligence) can be a good option for your child. Also, as data science is a combination of science, maths and coding, it will help your child develop logical thinking and reasoning capabilities. Here's a list of free online data science courses for kids.
1. Pathway - Data Science and AI for Kids (Ages 10 - 12, 13+)
Key features
- Children are natural problem solvers and pattern finders. The online data science courses from Pathway.AI will equip your child with the digital tools and knowledge to enhance this skill.
- This course will help her learn basic coding skills to analyse and visualise data to interpret the results, and extract knowledge from it.
- She will also get lessons on how to create a bar chart/column chart in Google Sheets, infographics and storyboarding.
2. Machine Learning for Kids (Ages 6 - 9, 10 - 12, 13+)
Key features
- Introduce your child to machine learning (computer programs that can access data and use it to self-learn) through games and interactive projects. Try this free online course from IBM that teaches machine learning to kids.
- With the activities in this course, each ranging between 1 and 4 hours, your child will understand the basic principles and use of machine learning and AI.
3. Introduction to Data Science using Python (Ages 13+)
Key features
- If your child is interested in learning data science, this free tutorial from Udemy is a great online course to begin with.
- With the help of 12 lectures that explain the fundamentals of data science/machine learning, he will learn how to use Python - a popular programming language.
The Internet is full of resources, both paid and free, to help children develop various skills. And, with learning shifting from books to online, you and your child can use the free online classes for kids to learn with fun. If you are interested in learning about some top educational apps or learning videos for kids, you can find more information on our platform.
Also read:
Maths Learning Apps And Videos For Kids
Best Educational Apps And Videos For Preschoolers
About the author:
Written by Dr Shyam Kumar on 29 October 2020
The author holds a degree in hom*oeopathy with an MBA in Hospital Management and has worked across multiple disciplines including healthcare and technology. As a nature lover, he attended the world's first underwater CEO's conference to combat marine pollution.
Looking for expert tips and interesting articles on parenting? Subscribe now to our magazine. Connect with us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Join our Circles to share, discuss and learn from fellow parents and experts!
