KIDS, whether you need help with a project at school or you just can’t get enough of learning new things - and you’ve asked your mum and dad and they know less than you - here are a few websites that you can turn to for help. Alternatively, these sites can be very useful for adults who get frustrated when they can’t answer children’s questions.
How does that work?

My favourite site of this type is www.howstuffworks.com - the answers to just about any question that you could possibly ask can be found here. For example: How does a hurricane work?, how do car engines work?, or how do mobile phones work? The site is well designed and easy to find your way around. It also contains ‘how things will work’, which explains the possibility of some future technologies such as teleportation and interstellar space travel.
Fun and games

Another great site is www.funology.com - ‘the science of having fun’. Choc-a-bloc with interesting trivia, discovery games and experiments that you can do at home, this site will keep you entertained for hours and hopefully teach you a few things as well.
Around the world in..

For any information related to the natural world, head on over to www.nationalgeographic.com/kids. This great site is packed full of articles, games and things to do. Explore other cultures, learn about different animals and discover the world.
Out of this world…

Do you think earth is boring but space is ace? If so, then check out http://kids.msfc.nasa.gov/ or www.kidsastronomy.com. Here, you’ll find everything from black holes to quasars and moon rockets to space stations. If that’s not enough, then try www.spacetoday.org for all the latest news from our solar system and beyond.
Calling all movie fanatics..

If films, film-making and behind-the-scenes grabs your attention, then mark your calendars for the Co-operative Young Film Makers Festival, at the National Museum of Photography, Film & Television in Bradford on October 8 and 9. Cumbrian film-makers Bryony, Cadi and Linnhe Catlow, aka 3 Bear Animations, www.3bears.co.uk have again joined forces with the Co-operative Group to organise the festival, which includes more than 30 events for children and young people aged five to 21, with additional events specifically aimed at film students. Visit www.film-makers.co-op.co.uk.
Spelling is for..

Do you worry about words and get stuck with spelling? If the answer is yes, then you need fear no more - as long as you’re near the web – www.dictionary.com will solve all of your problems. Just type in a word and the site will give you its definitions. For everything else, use www.encyclopedia.com. This huge site is the perfect learning resource for pretty much any topic that you can think of.

Tips for Surfing...

When searching for information for homework or just out of curiosity, always check more than one source to ensure it is correct. Use reputable sites – organisations’ sites like NASA – rather than an individual’s to ensure accuracy and a way of tracking down the source of the information. If you use a site for an assignment, put it in favourites so you can find it quickly if your teacher has any questions or you need to clarify information.