Sarmed Malik
As COVId-19 spreads many people have nothing to do. With schools, stores and even restaurants closed we need to find new ways to keep us busy. As money is going to be very strict spending time at home is going to be essential. Luckily, there is a lot of free stuff available online to get you motivated. These are free to use until the epidemic ends which is not happening sooner than later.
Free video
Amazon has made a huge content of kids tv shows free for all users. These shows are usually reserved for Amazon Prime customers but now you can watch them for free.
Other Free sites are Kanopy which offers independent movies, critically acclaimed documentaries, and a plethora of foreign films to watch. Internet Archive provides full-length movies from yesteryear and also has silent movies which you can watch at the comfort of your couch.
Other mentions include Plex, The Roku Channel, Vudu, and Tubi Tv
Free ebooks And Mags
These websites are offering a wealth of resources to entice your curiosity. Authorama emphasis a variety of books from several key authors. All books are categorized alphabetically so it would be easy to use.
Project Gutenberg is a library of over 60000 free ebooks. You can either read them online or download them for offline viewing. Most of the books here are published before 1924. On top of that, no fee or registration required
Manybooks offers more than 50000 ebooks for you to enjoy. Their collection is divided into genres that are easily viewed. All ebooks are free but signup is required in order to view classic best-sellers.
Goodreads is offering a collection of free ebooks as well. From critically acclaimed Life of Pi to Rot and Ruin.
The choices are limitless. And if you’re interested in technical learning thanÂ
Digilibraries is for you with a cast range of ebooks in digital format.
Free Video Conferencing tools
Social distancing has made social life non-existent. Working from home and not able to see friends or even family as put a dent in our social values. One way to stay connected with your loved ones and friends is to use one of these free video conferencing tools. I would not recommend using Zoom however as it has many security/privacy issues.
Facetime Apple foremost app that makes a normal call with video. Whatsapp and Skype both the best app for video conferencing.
Facebook messenger and Google Meet.
All of these apps are free to use and are encrypted so in no way they are listening to your call or monitoring your session. Most of them can allow up to 4 people to chat with. You can also try Discord. It enables more than 20 users are the same time however it has no video.
Free Music and Audiobooks
Till May 15 you can enjoy Sirius XM Â for free. Sirius XM is a satellite-based Radio station and is making its Premier Streaming plan which also includes the infamous Howard Stern Show absolutely free. The premium streaming plan usually costs around $13 a month. Sirius XM is popular amongst commuters.
Amazon Music HD is offering a (free 90-day trial) to enjoy HD Music video without any hassle. And then there is Spotify a playlist oriented sharing app that makes users listen to their friend’s playlists.
Audible a leading content platform for Audiobooks has made its whole collection to be streamed for free during this epidemic.
Free Learning Solutions and Resources
Since schools are closed across the globe and it is unclear when will they open. Many parents are relying on online resources to engage their children in productive activities. If you are a parent that wants your child, to be engaged more.
Here are some tools that will do the job
Khan Academy a mission-focused non-profit is doing its part to ensure students keep learning since school closures. Available in many languages Khan Academy provides parents with resources to keep students learning.
Scholastic Learn At Home provides parents with diversified learning tools for students. From day to day projects that help kind keeps reading, thinking, and growing.
Age of learning provides parents with best practices using the latest technology .it blends innovation and insight to offer a learning experience like no other.
Mystery Science helps educators and parents access to learning resources for their children. Being the creator of the most popular science lesson in the world.
If you want you can also add virtual field trips such as Google`s Art & Culture Collections through which parents and their kids can take tours of thousands of museums around the world.
