Books and Reading | Things to do | Trustworthy Information | Useful Research Sites
Things to do
Adventures at Home
Girlguiding have some great ideas to have an adventure at home.
https://www.girlguiding.org.uk/what-we-do/adventures-at-home/
BBC Bitesize
Great resources from the BBC for home schooling.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize
Carnegie Museums at Home
Your museums are here for you. Though our buildings are temporarily closed, we have so many creative resources you can access anytime, anywhere.
https://carnegiemuseums.org/things-to-do/museums-from-home/
Central Bedfordshire Healthwatch
Fabulous suggestions and links to things to do.
https://healthwatch-centralbedfordshire.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/HWCB_Self_Isolation_Advice_and_Guidance_for_Families.pdf
Discovering Children's Books from the British Library
Fabulous information, images and activities to do - learn how to draw the Gruffalo, make a miniature book and so much more.
https://www.bl.uk/childrens-books?fbclid=IwAR0iir8yLDCw1KW2cLpEceZ1vCYO02_Wr_JRJbEkrYoIjo0mFbbDojE_f8E
DK Stay Home Hub
Dorling Kindersley have created an amazing Stay Home Hub with fantastic home schooling resources and wonderful activities for adults as well.
https://www.dk.com/uk/information/stay-home-hub/
Family History
Researching your family tree is a great way to lose hours! There is lots of information and links on the Virtual Library, from how to start your research through to more specific forms of research. Plus the libraries subscribe to Ancestry a great resource for family history.
https://virtual-library.culturalservices.net/webingres/bedfordshire/vlib/0.local_studies/family_history.htm
Family Zone from The Literacy Trust
Family Zone is full of free activities and ideas to keep your child busy at home, whilst also benefiting their reading, writing and language development. Select an age group below to get the latest resources. Plus read The Book of Hopes: Words and Pictures to Comfort, Inspire and Entertain Children in Lockdown.
https://literacytrust.org.uk/family-zone/
Fun at Home with Authors and Illustrators
The Booktrust have brought together in one place all the amazing things that authors and illustrators are doing.
https://www.booktrust.org.uk/books-and-reading/have-some-fun/fun-at-home-with-authors-and-illustrators/
Once Upon an Adventure
Discover the wonder of Fairy Tales with The British Library. Activities include cut-out-and-keep masks, fairy tale mashups, foldable boats, comic strips and imaginary maps and aimed at children without access to screens.
https://www.bl.uk/childrens-books/activities/activity-pack
QuickLinks
Recommended links chosen by us for you - from school subjects through to fun things to do.
https://virtual-library.culturalservices.net/webingres/bedfordshire/vlib/0.childrens_gateway/subject_categories.htm
Save the Children
Excellent advice on how to talk to your kids about Covid-19 as well as tips on home schooling, reading with your child and more.
https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/what-we-do/coronavirus-information-advice/keeping-kids-entertained-during-lockdown
Tate UK
Check out all the fabulous crafts and activity ideas from the Tate.
https://www.tate.org.uk/kids
TeenLinks
Recommended websites chosen by us for you. From school subjects through the things to do online.
https://virtual-library.culturalservices.net/webingres/bedfordshire/vlib/0.teen_websites/subject_categories.htm
The Higgins Facebook Groups
Why not join one of The Higgins' fabulous Facebook groups to meet and share with like minded individuals; Knit and Knatter, gardening, sketching and more.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/TheHigginsBedford/groups/?ref=page_internal
Usborne Play and Learn at Home
Lots of resources in the Play and Learn at Home area to help you to keep your children entertained and engaged with topics they are already studying at school, with new ideas that will expand their minds.
https://usborne.com/gb/activities-for-kids/play-and-learn-at-home
Visit a Museum
Top10.com list their favourites, but there are lots more you can try.
https://www.top10.com/virtual-museum-tours
Welcome to the Great Outdoors
Fabulous ideas for 6 to 25 year olds from the Scouts.
https://www.scouts.org.uk/
What's On Stage
Stage shows, musicals and opera you can watch online now for free. The site is updating the list daily with all the latest shows you can stream.
https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/stage-shows-musicals-opera-free-stream-online_51198.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=20march2020