Cultivating Curiosity with Documentaries: Hands-On Learning Stations

While watching the TV is by definition, not a hands-on experience, documentaries offer a different way to experience the world around them from the comfort of your home. Each day I have opportunities for my kids to have a snack break and play outside. Even though we live in Texas and most days are good for outside play, there will be an occasional day that is excessively windy or rainy that will keep the kids indoors.

While they need to stay indoors, they still need a bit of a break from the book learning. Documentaries or science educational videos can offer great inspiration for further learning. They'll be a quick 30 minute break, but the education keeps on going in an enjoyable way.

Documentaries on YouTube

I always like to look on YouTube first. It's free and easy to access. However, leaving the kids alone with YouTube is a bit iffy, so they might need a little supervision. Here are some great channels to check out that offer safe resources for kids:

National Geographic Kids
Free School
Whiz Kid Science
Make Me Genuis
Royal Institution is great for older kids who want meatier information. Check out this short video below. It's fascinating!

Educational Programming on Netflix

Netflix is also a great place to seek educational programming. Here are some great options currently on Netflix:

Magic School Bus
Bill Nye the Science Guy
Sid the Science Kid
Brain Games
Baby Animals in the Wild
72 Cutest Animals
Street Genius
Wildest Latin America
Showdown of the Unbeatables
Rocket Men
and many more

Amazon Prime Resources

I love my Amazon Prime subscription for the shipping benefits alone. However, sometimes I forget to utilize the other benefits that come with it like Prime Video. There are dozens of free science resources that you can watch with your prime membership. Here are some of the most interesting:

Strictly Scientific Inspiration

It's nice to know that your kids are learning quality information even while they are watching TV. While I'm not going to replace the hands-on learning elements of my day with videos, I may add one every now and then when going outside is limited.

What are some of your favorite scientific programs?

Check out more hands-on learning stations inspiration in my 31+ Days of Hands-On Learning series! Here are some more hands-on learning stations that feature science concepts.

Science Stations

Check out the rest of the series for stations featuring other subjects:

Betsy

Betsy Strauss is an unexpected homeschooler, mother of three, who is in a relationship with a sweet man for life. She loves reading books, drinking coffee, and learning anything with her kids.