Hudson Library - Fun Sites for School Age Kids

AUTHOR SITES
	Jan Brett - http://www.janbrett.com/ - Author Jan Brett has her own web page and it's as beautiful as her book illustrations. There are games and printouts, even e-mail postcards. Adults will enjoy this site, too.
	Eric Carle - http://www.eric-carle.com - Eric Carle is best known for The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Find out about his books, his life, and the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.
	Beverly Cleary - http://www.beverlycleary.com/index.html - Newbery Award winner, Beverly Cleary's site has biographical information, information about her books, and trivia games. Find out how much you know about Ramona, Henry, Ralph and others.
	Sharon Creech - http://www.sharoncreech.com - Sharon Creech grew up in South Euclid, Ohio. She won the Newbery Award for Walk Two Moons. Ms Creech writes children's novels and picture books. In addition to a biography, there is a summary of her books and what inspired her to write each one.
	Mem Fox - http://memfox.net - Mem Fox lives in Australia and has written many picture books, including Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge and Koala Lou. She loves books so much that even her website is created to resemble a book.
	Jean Craighead George - http://www.jeancraigheadgeorge.com Jean Craighead George won a Newbery Award for Julie of the Wolves. My Side of the Mountain is another of her 100 books. Find out about her life and view a short video of her with her dog, Quimmig.
	Lois Lowry - www.loislowry.com - Lois Lowry wrote the Newbery Award winners Number the Stars and The Giver , as well as the Anastasia Krupnik series. Her biography is like a family album with pictures of her life. Her answers to FAQs are funny as well as informative.
	Barbara Park - http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/junieb/ - This is really Junie B. Jones' site, but there's a biography of author Barbara Park, games to play, and an e-mail address here, too.
	Gary Paulsen - www.garypaulsen.com - Gary Paulsen is an adventurer as well as a dedicated writer. Find out how long he works each day when writing. You'll be amazed.
	Dav Pilkey's Site - http://www.davpilkey.com - Plenty of silly fun from the author of the Captain Underpants books. Dav Pilkey's "Extra Crunchy Website O' Fun" has games, coloring pages, the complete text of his book World War Won, and more.
	JK Rowling Website - http://www.jkrowling.com The official web site written by J. K. Rowling herself. Wander through this site for extra information about the Harry Potter book characters, facts vs. rumors about the books, and more.
	Cynthia Rylant - www.cynthiarylant.com "I wish for each of you a peaceful life, people who are good to you, and happy pets. May angels always watch over you," writes Cynthia Rylant on her welcome page. The former Kent, Ohio, resident shares her life growing up and now, her books and writing, and welcomes e-mail from readers.
	Shel Silverstein - http://www.shelsilverstein.com/indexSite.html - Famous for Where the Sidewalk Ends and Falling Up, Shel Silverstein is also a song writer, playwright and musician. This site offers a biography, some of his poetry, and fun things to print or download. Always ask for permission before downloading to your computer.
	Lemony Snicket - http://www.lemonysnicket.com - The front page of this site comes with a warning to "Please run for your life." It follows the tone of the books. There are games to play, a page devoted to Count Olaf, and print outs.
	Young Bookworm University - http://coe.west.asu.edu/students/dcorley/index.htm - For grades K-6, this site has information about 32 favorite children's authors, including a short biography, book list, activities, and additional links. Visit the Writing Workshop for ideas and advice on becoming a writer yourself.

BOOKS AND READING
	Book Hive - http://www.bookhive.org/ - Take a Harry Potter quiz, print out a bookplate, find some "hot" reads, and create your own list of favorite books at the Bookhive, a site for upper elementary kids.
	Chateau Meddybemps - http://www.meddybemps.com - Enter Chateau Meddybemps "where jelly beans ripen under tropical rainbows." Games and stories galore for younger elementary children on this original site. Includes an area for parents and for teachers with activities both online and off line to aid a child's development.
	Elementary Library - Public Library of Charlotte, North Carolina - http://www.storyplace.org/eel/eel.asp - Stories, activities and suggested reading lists for elementary aged kids. Links to the Bookhive and Preschool Storyplace.

FINE ARTS & LITERATURE
	The Art Zone - http://www.nga.gov/kids/zone/zone.htm Try making art online at this site sponsored by the National Gallery of Art. Draw with Pixelface, create a collage with Collage Machine, or try 3-D Twirler. Younger children can try River Run to experiment with shape and color.
	Classics for Kids: http://www.classicsforkids.com/music/music_view.asp?id=1 Listen to excerpts from classical music from Bach to Vivaldi, hear each instrument in the orchestra, click the musical dictionary for terms. Requires RealPlayer.
	Giggle Poetry - http://www.gigglepoetry.com - "Giggle Poetry," author Bruce Lansky's site, is full of fun with poetry. Fill-in-the-blank poetry let's you finish the lines, then compare them to Mr. Lansky's actual version. Read funny poems by other authors. Learn tips for writing your own poems and submit them to the site's contest.
	The Poetry Zone - http://www.poetryzone.ndirect.co.uk/index2.htm - The Poetry Zone by Roger Stevens, British poet, is full of fun poetry written for kids (and grown-ups) that will make you chuckle. There is also poetry by kids under age 18. Are you a poet? Submit some of your poetry for posting on the site. Also includes interviews with some real poets.
	The New York Philharmonic Kidzone - http://www.nyphilkids.org/main.phtml The New York Philharmonic Orchestra's Kidzone offers information about musicians, soloists and conductors. Find out about the instruments in the orchestra in the "Instrument Storage Room." The games area lets you compose your own music, create your own instrument and more. DSO Kids Music Room - http://www.dsokids.com/2001/rooms/musicroom.asp The Dallas Symphony Orchestra's kids' page has many music based games and activities related to the symphony orchestra, and a section called "Do at Home" that has instructions for making various "instruments." Helpful tips for musical practice, too.

GAMES
	Chateau Meddybemps - http://www.meddybemps.com - Enter Chateau Meddybemps "where jelly beans ripen under tropical rainbows." Games and stories galore for younger elementary children on this original site. Includes an area for parents and for teachers with activities both online and off line to aid a child's development.
	Discovery Kids - http://kids.discovery.com/ This site links to Discovery Kids TV. In addition to information about their shows, there are games and even some cool facts to discover. Recommended for upper elementary ages.
	I Spy - http://www.scholastic.com/ispy/play/noreturn.htm - Find the hidden objects and solve the riddles to play this game. Anyone who enjoys the I Spy books will have fun at this site. I Spy Index - http://www.scholastic.com/ispy/play/index.htm - More I Spy fun. Search for hidden objects in the online picture page.
	KiddoNet - http://www.kiddonet.com - Activities and games for all ages. Click "netgames" on the menu at the left to play games on line. Click "artzone" to create pictures on line. "KN Junior" offers early learning games, the studio (music and coloring pages) and an internet connection to other kid friendly pages for young children. Some activities require registration.
LITE BRITE	Lite Brite Site - http://www.sfpg.com/animation/liteBrite.html# - It's Lite Brite on your computer! Create your own designs by choosing colors and clicking on the dots.
	MSN Kids Zone - http://zone.msn.com/hub_kids.asp - Games for all ages. Younger children may need an adult to help navigate this extensive site.
	Ohio Kids - http://www.ohiokids.org - "Celebrate Ohio" at this site with games, puzzles, and interesting facts with an Ohio theme.
	Kidspace - http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace - Kid safe sites chosen by the Internet Public Library replacing OPLIN's OH! kids. There is also a link to variety of homework help sites.
	Seussville - http://www.seussville.com/seussville/games/ - Play games with those wacky Dr. Seuss characters that live in Seussville. Play online, or print out games to play with pencil and paper.
Spin&Spell	Spin & Spell - http://www.spinandspell.com/game.swf Click start and follow the directions. Choose a category such as animals kingdom, in and around home, or what we eat, then choose a word to spell. Click on letters on the wheel to spell the word. Play alone or with a friend.
	Up-to-Ten Kids - http://www.uptoten.com/home.phtml?v=2390923&w=816&x=245&y=33679501&z=69003124&cl=& Click on UpToTen Kids Options on the left hand side of the page to open a kid safe window to play games, color and send animated e-cards. Parents may have to help kids get to the game page the first time. For ages up to ten years.
	Zeeks - http://games.zeeks.com/games.php - Over 170 arcade games to play on line. Choose from arcade games, brain teasers, puzzles and mazes, sports games and more.

HOBBIES
	Smithsonian Kids Collecting page http://kids.si.edu/collecting/ Includes information on starting a collection, Smithsonian collections, some interesting things people collect, collecting rocks & minerals, stamps, and coins.
	Stamp Collecting American Philatelic Society http://www.stamps.org/kids/kid_FunFacts.htm Would you like to be to be a philatelist? That's a stamp collector. This site has information on starting your collection, activity pages, and fun facts about stamps and the postal service.
	Origami Think Quest: http://www.thinkquest.org/library/site_sum.html?tname=5402&url=5402/ Origami information, history, & objects to fold, created by a middle school class. Fold a Hawaiian shirt: http://art-smart.ci.manchester.ct.us/how_to/how_to_hi_shirt.html Print and glue T-Rex: http://papertoys.com/t-rex.htm Folded paper crane: http://www.sadako.org/foldingcranes.htm Origami by Al: http://www.draftsperson.net/origami/diagrams.php Fold a box, a plane, or a sailboat.
	Coin Collecting (Numismatics) U. S. Mint for Kids http://www.usmint.gov/kids/flashIndex.cfm Includes games, cartoons, and more about U. S. and foreign coins . Coin collectors lingo: http://www.pcgs.com/lingo.chtml A dictionary of words that deal with coin collecting. Introduction to collecting coins: http://www.pcgs.com/coinguide/guide.chtml Interesting information and a drop-down index to U. S. coins with pictures of the coins. For Beginners: http://www.coin-newbies.com/ Suggestions for starting a coin collection and links to coin sites. Check out the "Squished Pennies Image Gallery."
	Sports Card Collecting Baseball cards: http://www.sportscardfun.com/baseball-cards.asp Lots of information and tips on collecting baseball cards, storing your cards, trading your cards and even types of jobs in the baseball card industry. Click on "Blank Checklist" to print a numbered list to keep track of your collection. Football cards: http://www.sportscardfun.com/football_cards.asp Information and tips on football card collecting, storing, trading, etc.

MATH FUN

Aplusmath: http://www.aplusmath.com/Games/index.html Choose from MATHO (Bingo and math combined), Concentration, and Hidden Pictures. Games may be played using addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division. Have fun and sharpen your skills!

Count On - http://www.counton.org - Think math can't be fun? Think again. This site has games, quizzes and stories for all age levels. Answer the questions in Cartoon Maths and "Elvis" will sing for you.

Fun Brain - http://www.funbrain.com/kidscenter.html

Play games like "Math Baseball," "Stay Afloat," and "Dare to Be Square." You can choose your own level of difficulty. Play "Proton Don" to learn the Periodic Table of the Elements! Send an e-card to a friend to say "Job well done!" or "Have a nice day!"

Lemonade Stand Game - http://www.lemonadestandgame.com Set up a lemonade stand, buy your supplies and try to make a profit.

OUR WORLD
	America's Story - http://www.americaslibrary.gov/about/welcome.html - "Discover stories of America's past, meet amazing Americans, jump back in time, explore the states"...These are some of the things you can do at this kids' site sponsored by the Library of Congress.
	Kidland - http://www.kidland.org/meet_april4.htm Kidland is not a game site, but is a place where "kids from around the world work in teams to create web pages." Each month the Kidland site poses 2 questions and teams write and draw their answers. Archived pages go back to September 2001. Read about real kids from around the world.
	White House Kids - http://www.whitehouse.gov/kids/ - Tour the White House, learn about the U.S. Presidents, play games, and find out about the President's family pets.

Super SCIENCE
	Electrical Safety World - http://www.sce.com/site/index.html Find out about electricity and electrical safety. This site also has games that test your knowledge of electrical safety. Play "Tic Tac Toe" with a bolt of electrical current, spot the electrical dangers in the neighborhood, etc.
	Fun Brain - http://www.funbrain.com/kidscenter.html Play games like "Math Baseball," "Stay Afloat," and "Dare to Be Square." You can choose your own level of difficulty. Play "Proton Don" to learn the Periodic Table of the Elements! Send an e-card to a friend to say "Job well done!" or "Have a nice day!"
	Invention at Play - http://www.inventionatplay.org The Inventor's Playhouse is full of possibilities. Try making things from cloud shapes, solve shape puzzles, build a track for a ball, or play with words and add to a continuing story. There are also stories about real inventors, famous and not so famous.
	Kids Health - http://kidshealth.org/kid/index.jsp - KidsHealth offers the true facts about your body and your health. Want to be a doctor? Check out the "My Body" section and find out about the different body systems. There are sections about feelings, staying healthy, growing up, and personal safety, written or reviewed by real doctors.
	National Wildlife Federation - Kid Zone - http://www.nwf.org/kidzone/kzPage.cfm?siteId=3 If you're into nature you'll want to explore this site from the National Wildlife Federation and Ranger Rick magazine. Games, things to make and do, animals, and more.
	Oatmeal Box Pinhole Photography -http://users.rcn.com/stewoody/index.htm This site gives complete instructions for making and using a pinhole camera made from an oatmeal box and other inexpensive supplies. It really takes pictures!
	Shedd Aquarium - http://www.sheddaquarium.org/index.html The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago offers an index of aquatic animals ("Click on an Animal") with full color photographs and facts about each animal. Click the link for "on-line expeditions" and read about expedition teams in the Amazon and Antarctica.
	United State Patent and Trademark Office Kids Pages - http://www.uspto.gov/go/kids/index.html#jumps This site is sponsored by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Click on "Twinkle Lights" to go to a page for grades K-6. Learn about trademarks and patents, play games, or click on "events" then "patent, trademark and copyright time machine" to see what inventions or works were registered for every day of the year.

SPORTS

Kids Domain - http://www.kidsdomain.com/games/sports.html Sports games to play online for kids in kindergarten and up. Try Downhill Challenge, Kite Flight, Shooting Hoops, and more.

Major League Baseball's Kids Club - http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/kids/index.jsp - This Major League Baseball site lets kids play games, get tips from the pros, or just learn the basics of baseball. There are also links to each of the Major League teams for stats, schedules, etc..

Baseball Almanac - http://www.baseball-almanac.com/ - For grades K-12, this site is full of baseball facts, figures and trivia. There are even songs and poems about baseball. See if you can stump the baseball fan in your family with some of these statistics!

The Official NFL Site for Kids - http://www.playfootball.com/ - The Official NFL Site for Kids features games, football tips, an explanation of each position, even a link to "Ask the Expert" your football questions.

U. S. Soccer - http://www.ussoccer.com/ The official site of U. S. Soccer. Search the site to see what's happening with your favorite men's, women's, youth, and the U. S. Futsal teams.

OLYMPIC SITES

http://www.olympic.org The International Olympic Committee site has plenty of Olympic history and up to date articles on the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.

http://www.olympic.org/uk/passion/museum/index_uk.asp The Olympic Museum has information on Olympic history. Use the online database to search for records, or even look up a specific athlete and see what medals he or she won. Or take a virtual tour of the museum. Recommended for grades 4 and up.

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Olympics This site from Tufts University compares the differences between ancient and modern games, as well as the history of the ancient Olympics and Greece. Take a virtual tour of ancient Olympia today. Recommended for grades 4 and up.

WORD GAMES
	Wacky Tales: http://www.eduplace.com/tales/ Chose a story, fill in the list of words using parts of speech, then click to read your wacky tale. You can also write and submit your own wacky tale. For grades 3 and up.
	Whomp: http://www.familyeducation.com/entertainment/1,3350,28867,00.html Play monster-to-monster clicking letters to make as many words as you can before time runs out. Click help to learn the rules of the game.
	Scrabble Web: http://www.mattelscrabble.com/en/kids/games/index.html Play Scrabble Hangman, Scrabble Snake and Zap the Letters. Click "History" to learn how the game of Scrabble was invented.
	Vocabulary Fun: http://www.vocabulary.co.il Play Wordsearch, Hangman, Matchgame, or show what you know and fill in the blanks selecting from 11 different topics.

FOR BOYS
	Boys Life Magazine - http://www.boyslife.org/hi/index.html - Jokes, games, things to make, and excerpts from Boys Life Magazine.
	Games - http://www.scouting.org/nav/enter.jsp?s=cy - Play Pinewood Derby, Sailboat Challenge, Scout Skateboarding and more. Designed for Cub Scouts, but fun for anyone.

FOR GIRLS
	American Girl - http://www.americangirl.com/homepage2.html. Of interest to girls in particular, this site has games, ideas and things to do. It features Pleasant Company's American Girl Collection, Amelia and more.
	Girls Inc. - http://www.girlsinc.com/gc/page.php?id=4 Girls, Inc. is about "inspiring girls to be, strong, smart & bold." This site offers interviews with contemporary girls and women, facts about women in leadership roles, craft ideas, health tips, quizzes, and games.