Boredom Busters
A free resource compiled by ChatterPack, a voluntary-run, special educational needs and disabilities hub
Virtual tours, and live webcams NASA Live: - Watch the earth from space Crystal Bay webcam - Lamai, Koh Samui, Thailand Fly over Italy's Explore Venice - through multiple webcams Arctic Travel Experts created 'virtual lights over Lapland' tourFuture Learn - Explore the architecture and history of Rome, walking around a 3D digital model of the ancient city, with this free online course.Explore a Roman fort<div><div>Museums from around the world - Virtual, online tours <div>Access to 500 Museums & Art Galleries - Free, online </div><div>How to explore London's top museums at home<div>How to explore London's top art galleries at homeAnimals
Puppy playroom / Puppy playground / Guide dog with puppies Kitten rescue / Kitten sanctuary African safari / Tau watering hole / African elephant park /Gorilla Webcam Alligators - Swamp camEdinburgh Zoo: Pandas / Tigers / Koalas /Penguins / Rock Hopper Penguin Cam Houston zoo: Rhino Chimps Flamingos Elephants Leaf-cutter ants Giraffes Choose from a range of alternative, live webcams
Explore the oceans (underwater cameras)
Sharks in the Atlantic / The Cayman Reef Anacapa Island - underwater nature talks Wild dolphins, Bahamas / Orcas, Hanson Island, CanadaWalrus Island / Sea Lions / Sea otters Aquarium – Otters, sea lions, pirana, jellyfish, and many others. Choose from a range of alternative, live webcamsBirds
Nests: Decorah Eagles / Giant flying fox / Hummingbird Falcons - Cliff view / Great Horned OwlsChoose from a range of alternative, live webcamsOnline learning
Introduction to Engineering - YouTube videos Open Learn - exploring children's literacy Open Culture - 1,500 free courses from top Universities 450 Ivy League courses - you can take online FREE! Open Culture - learn 48 different languages online University of Alabama - Free online archaeology and Egyptology Uni courses (create an account to log on) Open Learn - Free, online courses, Open university Future Learn - Free, online courses including languages, health, coding, wellbeing, creative arts, etc. BBC languages - Learn languages online free
Speak English fast! - 15 free ESL lessons in advanced English FrenchTeacher.Net - Free French study packs Sociology courses - Free online study Creative courses - Free online study A range of short, free online courses Cambridge University Press - ALL 700 textbooks are currently available FREE in HTML format Cambridge university - Higher education/Undergraduate courses and resourcesRoyal institute - Christmas lectures. A series of lectures presenting scientific subjects to a general audience in an entertaining manner. Learn 10 useful things to say in...French Portuguese German Italian Spanish<div>Milan Presse - French magazines available to download </div><div>Periodic videos - Science-related YouTube videos </div><div>Infobase databases and video streaming collections - Username: JCS_Distance and Password: learning to access: Modern World History Ancient and Medieval History Science Online Bloom’s Literature World Religions iDEA - An international programme that helps you develop/demonstrate your digital, enterprise and employability skills for free U3A - Online courses for mature students </div><div>Blocky games - Games to help beginners learn computer programming skills</div><div>Scratch - Beginners computer programming games/projects T.K.S.S.T - Smart videos for curious minds of all ages
Guidance, and Support for International Students during COVID-19
Geography, nature, and history National Geographic Tutorful - Top Geography websites, YouTube videos, and resources </div><div>Project Noah – Global site where you can view and share wildlife</div><div>Seterra - Free world geography, online quizzes </div><div>Online film festival - Resistance in the Rainforest</div><div>Kent Wildlife association - Simple ideas you can do in the garden to help wildlife </div><div>World games - Geography games Wild Science - Podcast </div><div>The relationship between humans and animals - podcast </div><div>UK parliament - Politics, history, citizenship, etc. Written for children and young people, but lots of very interesting information, including how laws are made. </div><div>Historical association - Learn about 20th Century history13.8 billion years of history, onlineMusic
*Check the location/time zones of live-streamed concerts to calculate the UK start time. Time Zone calculator
BBC Classical music content - Culture in lockdown Rotterdam Philharmonic musicians team up online to play Beethoven's 9th Concerts online - Various concerts held without audiences to stream online for people having to stay at home - list of live streaming concerts Free Opera - Dates confirmed until the end of March. Check the website via the link for future dates to be added Metropolitan Opera online, nightly streams Free classical orchestras - Live streaming performances Free Chamber music - Live streamingBerlin Philharmonic orchestra - Live streams and performance archive Announcements/lists - of worldwide performances being streamed Livestream concerts list - artists and bands Bands and artists - streaming performances Full-length concerts - watch online freeCelebrities performing on social mediaFacebook Virtual Choir - Duet with a choir online Chris Martin (Coldplay) streaming from his home - YouTube</div>Arts and culture
Parlia - The encyclopedia of opinion - mapping the worlds thinking
Adobe Summit - online Andrew Lloyd Webber's musicals - streaming free online P Brewer<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - View classic paintings online </span>Walter's Museum<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - houses the highest artistic achievements from nearly every corner of the world. View some of the past, present, and future exhibitions </span>Rob Biddulph<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> an artist posting draw-along videos via Twitter </span>here<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> </span>Google Arts and culture<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - Learn something new every day! </span>British Museum<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - Free videos </span>BBC Radio 4<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - The History of the world - podcasts </span>50 things that made modern economy
Marquee TV<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> streaming arts and culture </span>Teaching history<span style="font-size: 1rem;">100 objects from museums across the UK with resources, information and teaching ideas to inspire your students’ interest in history </span>Exploration of the day<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> Artistic website connecting people from around the world </span>Drama Online <span style="font-size: 1rem;">Online theatrical performances </span>Black history<span style="font-size: 1rem;">Telling the story of the black British experience Literature online </span>Mindful poetry moments
Kindle Unlimited<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> 2 months free access </span>
Gutenburg <span style="font-size: 1rem;">Download free books, e.g. Shakespear, Edgar Allen Poe, Frankenstein, etc. </span></span>
Listening books.org - For people with Parkinson's Disease, visual impairment, fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, mental health difficulty or learning difficulty such as Dyslexia, which impacts the ability to read or hold a book
Solomon Kingsnorth Books in PDF, Word and audiobook format - Alice in Wonderland / Wind in the Willows / The Railway Children / The Jungle Book / Peter Pan / Black Beauty
Read great literature online - Free Ebooks, poetry, classic literature
Read Free Literature- also includes study guides - arranged by genre
Open Library Access - Free
Audible - Free for this period - Available in 6 languages Learn a new skill or develop a current one!A tutorial resource guide to photography and editing - Adobe
Learn to play the piano - Free Apple App </span>
Teach yourself to draw - Advice Where to start? Drawing tricks! Sketching-basicsHow to get the proportions right - faces How to draw faces Free,
3 months lessons online - Guitar, Fender, Base, Ukulele
<span style="font-size: 1rem;">Teach yourself to sing - </span>14-day free trial<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> Music lessons with Myleen Klass - </span>YouTube<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> / </span>Instagram
<span style="font-size: 1rem;">Teach yourself to dance - </span>BBC ballet classes<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> / </span>Tap dance<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> / </span>Salsa dance<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> / </span>Dance Physique<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> (dance fitness) / </span>Take dance classes with Oti Mabuse<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - Facebook / </span>Learn to Body-Beat<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> with daily classes online</span>
Tai-Chi<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - the moves and the method - BrightEducation</span>
Craft projects<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - Sew, Knit, Crotchet, quilt, and fun for the family too!</span>
<span style="font-size: 1rem;">How to grow food at home from food scraps - </span>DIY and crafts Improve your memory<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - Click the link and scroll down for a few free videos in this series </span>Learn to touch-type<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - Free access</span>Get creative with Digital Making at Home<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - New videos each week for 3 levels of experience</span>
<span style="font-size: 1rem;">Miscellaneous & entertainment </span>Free Digital radio for over 70's<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> </span>Great British Singalong<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - Radio stations unite </span>Daily Kitchen Live<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - From the makers of the Saturday Kitchen show </span>BBC Sport<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - Shares the greatest sporting moments </span>A Question of Sport<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - on BBC Radio 5 live </span>Football on the BBC<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - updated regularly </span>Radio 4<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - Comedy podcast, 'Now Wash Your Hands' featuring guest comedians</span>
Free colouring/relaxation images<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - To download and print </span>Free Photography Challenge<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - YouTube</span>Take part in making a Coronavirus time capsule<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> / </span>Make your own Time Capsule<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - Available in other languages / </span>More ideas here
Zooniverse<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - Digital volunteering opportunities </span>Life Story Hub<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - Inspiring creative communication with the young and old using the arts </span>NASA's complete media library<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - now available online </span>Expeditions App<span style="font-size: 1rem;">- Free virtual Reality Augmentation app for all ages, to take virtual trips around the world to hundreds of destinations.</span>
Podcasts<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - Free to download </span>Geopolitics<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - podcast </span>
A HUGE list of fitness classes<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - taking place online Musicals, shows, and movies</span>10 best Broadway shows<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> to watch online free </span>76 free Musicals and theatre productions<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> streaming online</span>Wind in The Willows<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - How to stream the West End performance free </span>National Theatre<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - Streaming shows on YouTube every Thursday </span>Open culture<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - 1,150 Free movies to watch online</span>
Jamie Oliver<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - helps the nation with easy recipes, cooking tips, and ingenious hacks whilst many of us are staying at home. Jamie: </span>Keep Cooking and Carry On starts Monday at 5:30pm on Channel James Dyson foundation<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - Challenge cards - how many can you complete?</span>
Fun, accessible, activity and game Apps for people with disabilities Board Game arena<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - Play board games online free </span>Active bingo cards<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - ideas for movement breaks </span>Roll20<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - Build your own game - or play games with others online </span>Latest free stuff<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - UK site (if you are outside of the UK, google 'latest free stuff' and add your location) </span>Holiday Pirates<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - Updated Coronavirus information on travel </span>
Staying Put<span style="font-size: 1rem;">: A guide to planning for, arranging and funding care in your own home in old age including how new technology can help improve your lifestyle (£2.99) </span>
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<span style="font-size: 1rem;">Anxiety/Mental health/loneliness </span>WeMeditate<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - Live streamed, guided meditation sessions </span>Learn4MentalHealth<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - How to stay calm </span>10 minute mind<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - Free trial - mindfulness </span>Tips for coping at home<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - Professor Susan Young </span>Free guide for adults with ADHD<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - understand it to manage it. Develop daily strategies that enable you to live successfully and play to your strengths </span>How to reduce high anxiety now:<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> Thinking about past pleasant memories may help some people with immediate stress (article) </span>Free, daily meditation sessions online
WHO guidance to support mental health during this time
MIND coronavirus and your wellbeing
9 ways to stay positive during this period<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> </span>
Blog from Anna Mathur, Psychotherapist - dealing with Coronavirus anxiety
Sensory stuck at home - support group on Facebook for adults
Telephone befriending service for the elderly
Living life to the full - Free online course to change your life for the better
Autistic Health and Wellbeing<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - a space for autistic people to share the things that they have found helpful and healing</span>
Self-Help Resources for those with mental health conditions
Bereavement counseling<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> </span>
Get Sober<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - Free, online support for anyone struggling with alcohol addiction and staying sober during this period</span>
After Cancer<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - advice, and support</span>
Jan takes you into the woods<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> to connect with nature during this period and to help with wellbeing</span>