Click on any of the underlined headings/links below to find out more. (last updated - 08/01/2021)

Hello everyone!

I just wanted to say THANK YOU for all of your messages, emails, and comments. It means the world to me to know how many people from all over the world are benefitting from this resource list.

ChatterPack is run on a voluntary basis in my *spare* (!) time to help share information and resources to those who need it. Have fun, explore the world from the safety of your home, and please stay safe.

Huge love to you all.

Claire Ryan 

P.s. You can find my book, ADHD and Me - a guide for children and young people, at the end of this list - please do share the link with others who might be interested, and/or get in touch if you have any questions :) 

 Alternative lists of free resources including support, advice, and information for families. Please do share the links for these with others/family/friends

    1. School closures: Resources, information, and activities for families to support Home Learning
    2. Support, advice, and resources for families of children with: speech, language, and communication needs & special educational needs and disabilities
Notices

        Virtual tours, and live webcams

        • Future Learn - Explore the architecture and history of Rome, walking around a 3D digital model of the ancient city, with this free online course.
            Museums and galleries

              Animals

              Explore the oceans (underwater cameras)

                • Aquarium – Otters, sea lions, pirana, jellyfish, and many others. 

                Birds

                  Online learning

                  • Open Culture - learn 48 different languages online - FREE
                  • 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. 
                  • Royal institute - Christmas lectures. A series of lectures presenting scientific subjects to a general audience in an entertaining manner.
                  • iDEA - An international programme that helps you develop/demonstrate your digital, enterprise and employability skills for free
                  • U3A - Online courses for mature students
                  • Blocky games - Games to help beginners learn computer programming skills
                  • Scratch - Beginners computer programming games/projects
                  • T.K.S.S.T - Smart videos for curious minds of all ages

                  Geography, nature, and history

                  • Tutorful - Top Geography websites, YouTube videos, and resources 
                  • Project Noah – Global site where you can view and share wildlife
                  • Seterra - Free world geography, online quizzes 
                  • UK parliament  - Politics, history, citizenship, etc. Written for children and young people, but lots of very interesting information, including how laws are made. 

                   Music 

                  *Check the location/time zones of live-streamed concerts to calculate the UK start time. Time Zone calculator

                  • Free Opera  - Dates confirmed until the end of March. Check the website via the link for future dates to be added

                  Arts and culture

                  • Parlia - The encyclopedia of opinion - mapping the worlds thinking
                  • Walter's Museum - houses the highest artistic achievements from nearly every corner of the world. View some of the past, present, and future exhibitions
                  • Teaching history - 100 objects from museums across the UK with resources, information and teaching ideas to inspire your students’ interest in history
                  • Black history - Telling the story of the black British experience

                   Literature online

                  • Gutenburg - Download free books, e.g. Shakespear, Edgar Allen Poe, Frankenstein, etc. 
                  • 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
                  • 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
                  • Tai-Chi - the moves and the method - BrightEducation
                  • Craft projects - Sew, Knit, Crotchet, quilt, and fun for the family too!

                  Miscellaneous & entertainment

                  • BBC Sport - Shares the greatest sporting moments
                  • Radio 4 - Comedy podcast, 'Now Wash Your Hands' featuring guest comedians
                  • Zooniverse - Digital volunteering opportunities 
                  • Life Story Hub - Inspiring creative communication with the young and old using the arts
                  • Expeditions App- Free virtual Reality Augmentation app for all ages, to take virtual trips around the world to hundreds of destinations.
                  • Roll20 - Build your own game - or play games with others online
                  • Latest free stuff - UK site (if you are outside of the UK, google 'latest free stuff' and add your location)
                  • Staying Put: 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)

                  Anxiety/Mental health/loneliness

                  • WeMeditate - Live streamed, guided meditation sessions
                  • Get Sober - Free, online support for anyone struggling with alcohol addiction and staying sober during this period

                  Image with ideas to help with wellbeing - things I can and cannot control

                  CBT image about managing emotions

                  Board split into sections with activity ideas to cope with isolation

                  Prayer resources

                  *Check the location/time zones of live-streamed masses to calculate the UK start time. Time Zone calculator

                    ADHD and Me, by Claire Ryan, ChatterPack. Find out More

                    A handbook designed to help children and young people figure out what ADHD means to them as a unique individual.

                    Written in an ADHD-friendly format, the book includes tips and strategies to help children, young people and the adults in their lives to better understand their ADHD.

                    ADHD and Me is now available as a digital download! Find out more

                      Alternative lists of free resources, support, advice, and information for families - please do share the links for these with others/family/friends

                        Written by ChatterPack

                        Comments

                        Marci, what extensive, diverse collection of activities, readings, things to do and experiences to have that you compiled in this time of pandemic during which we are asked to shelter at home. We look forward to gatherings when the coronavirus 19 is history.

                        Carl McDaniel on Mar 27, 2020

                        FABULOUS resource! Thank you.

                        K Uhlir on Mar 22, 2020

                        Thank you very much for putting this together. Much appreciated.

                        Cheryl Anne Graham on Mar 22, 2020

                        This was nice! Thank u for sharing

                        Rosalyn Johnson on Mar 22, 2020

                        Thank YOU!

                        R.Brown on Mar 22, 2020

                        Thank YOU!

                        R.Brown on Mar 22, 2020

                        This is the most remarkable website. I couldn’t be more delighted to have been forwarded access to it. To begin with, I shall be looking at all the world wide art galleries – what a treat! In fact time is going to float by even though I am self-isolating.

                        Teresa Bircher on Mar 22, 2020

                        I want to learn

                        Salma Hussien Mohammed on Mar 22, 2020

                        I want to learn.

                        Salma Hussien Mohammed on Mar 22, 2020

                        You can also do a lot of family history research online at home (without having to subscribe to Ancestry or similar sites). Astonishing what you can find out.

                        Sandra Beckett on Mar 22, 2020

                        What a wonderful way to allow people who are isolated to explore things they have never done before.

                        Susan Gascoigne on Mar 22, 2020

                        Sounds very helpful. Will definitely follow

                        Olga Krautschek on Mar 22, 2020

                        Great info. Thanks.

                        Emmy on Mar 22, 2020

                        Sounds brilliant

                        Lydia Wenden on Mar 22, 2020

                        I’m teaching free online classes in ceramics and other classes on my Facebook page Gilda’s Crafts with Class

                        Gilda Shepherd on Mar 22, 2020

                        great stuff

                        Bryan Croll on Mar 22, 2020

                        Amazing little package. This will keep us going for a while… Thank you 🙏

                        Caroline Leese on Mar 22, 2020

                        What a really wonderful collection of stimulating resources – and ALL FREE, As I am stuck at home with all my activities cancelled, you just can’t imagine the joy I feel, having just been sent this link. Great to have a reason to get up in the morning. Can’t wait to get started on this journey!
                        Thank you so much
                        Warmest regards
                        Rhonda

                        Rhonda ONeill on Mar 22, 2020

                        Congratulations on producing this informative guide

                        KathleenRuper on Mar 22, 2020

                        Congratulations on producing this informative guide

                        KathleenRuper on Mar 22, 2020

                        Fantastic idea. Thanks.

                        Carol on Mar 22, 2020

                        Hi, i would like to show our contribution to the italian emergency. We are a language school, providing free resourrces for schools and kids to lear English. All our video-lessons are here: https://www.open-minds.it/blog/didattica-scuola-primaria/didattica-a-distanza—inglese-alla-scuola-primaria-1376. We add new resources every day! I would be so grateful if you could add it to your list. Thanks

                        claudia on Mar 22, 2020

                        I’m self employed worker but also had cfs me, for many years but have come out the other side, I’ve just started a new job self employed work has dried up ,not eligible for any help from the government so it’s rubbish, frustrating and scary and husband is on low hours too, so what can I do

                        Alice on Mar 22, 2020

                        Thank you!

                        Ania Gębka-Suska on Mar 22, 2020

                        Brilliant list of Art, music, literature, culture etc…..All available on line…

                        BLESS YOU JO-ANNE…

                        moya on Mar 22, 2020

                        Thank you very much
                        G

                        C. Gally McKenzie on Mar 22, 2020

                        Thank you

                        Bernie on Mar 22, 2020

                        DEAR MS & MR.

                        I RECIEVED THIS INFORMATION. I HOPE TO SEND ME THIS ALL OF THE ONLINE LIST TO ME E MAIL … ESPECIALELY THE LIST ABOUT THE ART & CULTURE.
                        THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

                        SINCERELY YOURS,
                        FROM K.H KIM

                        Kwie-Hyun Kim on Mar 22, 2020

                        Gee whiz .. I thought this current stay home zone was going to provide a opportunity for me to do all the stuff I’ve been procrastinating over for ages. Now it looks like I’m going to to have to be careful otherwise this incredible range of wonderful distractions will totally fill that void.
                        I thank you for these terrific choices and will certainly make great use of them, (and hopefully still do the stuff I’ve been putting off of course.

                        William (Bill)Thomson on Mar 22, 2020

                        Hello.

                        Carolyn L Daniels on Mar 22, 2020

                        Leave a comment

                        More stories

                        Dark blue square with school closures written in green text and Home Learning list for schools and families written in white text

                        Home Learning Resources List for Schools and Families

                        We wanted to do something positive to ease the burden on schools and families during this undoubtedly worrying time. So, we asked the community to...

                        Blue square with dark blue text saying 'COVID-19 support speech and language occupational therapy and SEND A list of free, online resources' Dark blue arrow pointing downwards from the top towards the heading

                        FREE Speech and language, OT, and many other SEND resources for families and schools

                        Sign up for a FREE monthly SEND newsletter here This list was last updated - 04/05/2020 Announcements An inclusive skills/child-led curriculum...