50+ Videos to watch for science when you can't get to the library
A few weeks ago we shared 80+ completely free science activities that you can use to entertain your kiddos when you are stuck inside. But what about if you can't get to the library?
These videos will help you share information about science from the comforts of your living room couch!
Some of the videos on this list require a subscription to the service, like Disney+. Some of the videos are completely free to enjoy. All are available for streaming at the time of writing this post in April of 2020. If this has changed, please let us know by commenting below or by sending us an email using address above.
Before I share the list, we have not watched each and every one of these videos. Don't assume that because it's on this list, it's okay for your kiddos to watch. Please screen these before you share them with your students!
Let's get to the list...
50+ Videos to watch for science when you can't get to the library
The videos on this list are informational ones. There are lots of science experiment videos out there, too. And one day, we might create a list of those as well. But for now, the focus of this list was to give you a resource of videos to watch that contain scientific information for when you can't get books from the library.
To help you decide if the video is a good option for what you are studying, we have put designations on them for the subjects it covers. Here is the key code:
- B - Biology
- E - Earth Science and Astronomy
- C - Chemistry
- P - Physics
- A - All subjects
If there is a " * " before the title, this means that the providers of the videos deem them to be for older children and adults.
YouTube
YouTube is a huge repository of information! You can search for the topic you want a video for and add "+kids" and you'll get lots of options. Or you can check out the following channels.
- Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens - They have a series called Home Safari where you can learn all the different animals at the zoo. At the time of writing this post, they are doing a daily Facebook Live at 3pm ET along with resources to go with the videos. (B)
- Mark Rober - He's a former NASA engineer who now shares about science on YouTube. At the time of writing this post, he is doing 15-minute live physics classes on MWF at 1pm PT. (A)
- Brave Wilderness - There are lots of animal videos on this channel. (B)
- NASA - They have live streams from the space stations and interviews with astronauts. (E)
- Periodic Table Videos - This channel has videos for every element! (C)
- *ACS Reactions - This is my favorite channel for chemistry videos, but don't let your kids loose on it because they do have some titles that are only appropriate for adults. (C)
- TedEd - There are tons of educational videos on this channel, so you'll have to dig through them to get to the science ones, but it's worth it. (A).
- FreeSchool - Again, there are lots of educational videos on this channel, including ones for science. (A)
- SciShow Kids - These are cutesy videos for the younger crowd on a range of science topics. (A)
- CrashCourse Kids - She explains scientific concepts at the level of kids. (A)
- Brain Pop - Another channel with lots of educational videos, including ones for science. (A)
Netflix
Movies
- *Chasing Coral (B,E)
- Disney Nature: Oceans (B,E)
- Dream Big: Engineering our World (P)
- The Mars Generation (E)
- *Waterschool (E)
- *Pandemic (B)
- *Building Chernobyl's MegaTomb (C)
- *The Last Man on the Moon (E)
- Dancing with the Birds (B)
- Untamed Romania (B,E)
- Disney Nature: Growing Up Wild (B)
Series
- The Magic School Bus and the new Netflix Series: The Magic School Bus Rides Again (A)
- The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That (A)
- Netflix Series: Our Planet (B,E)
- Netflix Series: Night on Earth (B,E)
Disney+
Movies
- Disney Nature: Monkey Kingdom (B)
- Disney Nature: Chimpanzee (B)
- *Jane (B)
- Giants of the Deep Blue (B)
- Sharks of Lost Island (B)
- Secrets of the King Cobra (B)
- Earth Live (E)
- Planet of Birds (B)
- Expedition Mars (E)
- Apollo Missions to the Moon (E)
- Into the Grand Canyon (E)
- Science Fair (A)
Series
- Hostile Planet (B,E)
- The Imagineering Story (P)
- Unlikely Animal Friends (B)
- America's National Parks (E)
- Great Migrations (B)
- Out There with Jack Randall (B)
- Supercar Megabuild (P)
- Kingdom of the White Wolf (B,E)
Amazon Prime
Movies
- Grizzly Man (B)
- The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About Space (E)
- The Living Sea (E)
Series
- Wild Kratts (A)
- Hard Hat Harry (P)
- Sid the Science Kid (A)
Other Websites
- Explore.org - They have tons of links to webcams around the world where you can observe animals! (B)
- U.S. Space & Rocket Center - They did a set of live streams as part of science never stops. (E)
Wrapping it Up
We hope that you enjoy these videos from the streaming services we have access to. If you know of other videos from these services, or others, please let us know in the comments below and we'll update the list!
And if you need help with teaching science, check out the following playlists we have on our YouTube channel:
Also in Elemental Science Blog
All About Experiment Variables for Hands-on Science and Science Fair Projects
What variables are found in an experiment? And how can you know which is which? Click "Read More" to get the answers.
4 Easy Steps to Add Current Events into your Homeschool Science Plan
Adding a current events study to a subject can increase the student’s interest as well as inform him or her of the latest advances in the field. Having a student read a relevant article or two each month will enhance what he or she is learning in a subject.
This month, I wanted to share with you all how to incorporate the latest scientific news into your studies.
Notebooking Doesn't Have to Be Scary! Here's 3 Easy Steps To Get Started...
Notebooking seems daunting, but it doesn't have to be scary. Click "Read More" to see three easy steps to get started!