Putting the “T” in STEM! 60+ Resources for Teaching Children with Technology!

“Yes, kids love technology, but they also love Legos, scented markers, handstands, books, and mud puddles. It’s all about balance.”
K.G., 1st Grade Teacher

One of the best things about teaching very young learners is that they are super excited to learn! They also love technology, but we must ensure that children learn early on balance and digital safety. When a child begins to use technology, especially technology connected to the Internet, they must also learn how to protect themselves and learn wellness. For the past 20 years, I have used technology to teach children all over the world! Currently, I am the Computer and Technology Teacher for over 450 elementary students at a STEM Charter School. I also have an energetic and enthusiastic 2 year-old daughter who loves technology, but enjoys playing and exploring more. Below I am sharing my tips and resources that I feel are especially enjoyable and safe for young learners (toddlers to 6th grade). For a quick view of my top tips download my slide presentation free, Teaching the “T” in STEM! Using Technology with Young Learners (opens in new tab). All resources mentioned have a free version or trial for educators and many are registration and ad free so that students don’t have to give their private information. Remember to ask parent permission and have a Digital Use Policy signed by parents (opens in new tab) and students when integrating technology.

Top Tools and Apps

Buncee (opens in new tab) to create digital stories, digital posters, and more! COPPA Compliant! Students enter codes given by the teacher. Find over 20 activities and examples here (opens in new tab).
My Story Book (opens in new tab) is an easy to use web tool for students to create digital story books, no registration required and ad free.
Make Beliefs Comix is a website and app to create comics, no registration required.
TinyTap is a wonderful iOS app for even preschool children to create their own games and quizzes. You can click the website to play vocabulary games designed by others.
ZimmerTwins (opens in new tab) is a fun way to animate a movie, no registration required.
ABCYA animator (opens in new tab) to create a movie or gif, no registration required.
Sketch.io (opens in new tab) is to create a digital poster with gifs and paint tools, no registration required.
Voki (opens in new tab) is a website for creating talking avatars. The free version only provides limited options.
Bubbl.us (opens in new tab) is a website for creating colorful concept maps, no registration required.
Class Dojo (opens in new tab) and Seesaw are my favorite web tools and apps for communicating with parents and creating student digital portfolios.
Read, Write, Think has several interactives for children of various ages to learn to read and write.
Brain Pop (opens in new tab) has awesome videos, learning games, and other resources.
National Geographic for Kids (opens in new tab) is a great website to research countries and animals.
Common Sense (opens in new tab) has a digital citizenship curriculum for K-2 and 3rd-5th with videos, printables, and engaging activities.
GSUITE Edu tools and apps offer children and teachers so many awesome ways to create, design, and learn!
Edublogs is a safe way for students to create blogs.

STEAM Tools and Apps

Find typing tips for children in this post (opens in new tab) I wrote for ESL Library which includes awesome websites, such as Typetastic (opens in new tab), Keyboard Climber 1 (opens in new tab) and Keyboard Climber 2 (opens in new tab), Dance Mat Typing, (opens in new tab)Typing Town (opens in new tab), and Mouse Practice (opens in new tab).
Teaching coding? 1st to 5th graders at my school enjoy Kodable (opens in new tab), Tynker (opens in new tab), and Lightbot (opens in new tab). Upper elementary and older enjoy Code.org and Made With Code. Find more coding apps and web tools (opens in new tab) for any age group here!
3D printing with elementary students? TinkerCad (opens in new tab) has 5 minute super easy tutorials and designs children can easily edit to design rings, figurines, name tags, and more!
The Draw and Tell iOS app (opens in new tab) is a wonderful design and blueprint tool. Children draw on different paper, including graph paper and add stickers. Students also get to record themselves. Discover more ideas in the Teach Outside the Box blog (opens in new tab).
Conduct safe web searches with Duckster, Kiddle, Fact Monster, and KidzSearch.
Art For Kids Hub is a website where students learn art and how to draw from listening to instructions from a video. My students love the videos. I love that the artist reinforces literacy and math. His instructions include steps like draw an oval or a backwards letter U.
Quiver Vision combines coloring and augmented reality. I use this for children to see vocabulary come to life.

Literacy Websites

I highly recommend Wordsmyth’s Children’s Dictionary (opens in new tab) and Picture Dictionary (opens in new tab)!
Alphabetimals is a website and app (iOS, Android) to learn the alphabet in fun ways.
Starfall (opens in new tab) has interactive stories and games.
Learn English Kids (opens in new tab) is full of interactive games, songs, stories, and videos.
Storyline Online (opens in new tab) is a website with videos of celebrities reading children’s books.
My students love John Spencer’s Video Writing Prompts!
Novel Effect (opens in new tab) is an iOS app that uses voice recognition technology to add sound effects, character voices, and music while you read aloud popular books.

Putting the “T” in STEM! 60+ Resources for Teaching Children with Technology!

Top Tools and Apps

STEAM Tools and Apps

Literacy Websites

Slide Presentations

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