Great Web Sites for Kids

While searching for information to post on this blog I rediscovered an old favorite. When the Internet was much younger and not yet a part of everyday life for many families, I often recommended ALSC's Great Web Sites for Kids. (ALSC is the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association.) This list was originally created in 1997 (which is very long ago in "Internet years"). Many of the sites provide information for school assignments and others simply provide some online fun. They are divided into the following sections: animals, the arts, history & biography, literature & language, mathematics & computers, "reference desk," sciences, and social sciences. Kids can explore areas of interest such as dinosaurs or space or they can visit the Web Site of the Month.

This list is maintained and updated by the ALSC Great Web Sites Committee so not only are the sites worth visiting but the list is kept current. The appropriate age group or groups for each Web site is noted. For example, Cartoonster is appropriate for elementary and middle school age children and Storyline is appropriate for prekindergarten and elementary school age children. The list can be searched by intended audience as well as by keyword or URL so a parent can find all the Web sites suitable for each age group. Under "Selection Criteria" there is useful information for students and parents about evaluating Web sites. There is also a listing of "Sites for Parents, Caregivers, Teachers & Others."

Happy surfing!