YouTube is one of my most favorite interactive resources to enhance my classroom instruction! Here are my Top 10 YouTube Channels for Special Education Classrooms (in no particular order!). I have also linked some of my favorite videos from each channel.
10. National Geographic Kids
I love this channel for learning about animals AND cultures. They have playlists of videos about animal types (wild cats, birds, etc.), longer documentary-style videos about specific animals, and really a amazing video series called “Are We There Yet?” that feature kids visiting different countries around the world.
9.) Art for Kids Hub
This is probably the most visited YouTube channel in my classroom! I love the drawing tutorials that are featured, you can find one for almost everything! What’s awesome is the artist almost always has one of his children featured in the video, drawing beside him, which is encouraging because their drawings aren’t perfect and are very relatable. I love using the videos as an anticipatory set before learning a new concept, or as a free time choice.
8.) Numberock Math Songs
Numberock has the BEST math songs across the spectrum from addition through 4-5 grade math! I love how age appropriate they are while still targeting very specific math skills. My students always look forward to them.
7.) Mystery Doug
This has been such a fun find for our classroom. We love watching Mystery Doug videos during our snack time before the bus arrives! Doug answers a phone call from a child who asks him a question, usually science focused, like “Why is the sky blue?” or “Why are tornadoes hard to predict?” He answers them thoroughly but in really kid-friendly terms.
6.) Mindful Kids
This YouTube channel is perfect for when students enter the classroom, during work times, or a rest/mindful time. The video features calming nature scenes that are still engaging, with quiet, relaxing music.
5.) Harry Kindergarten
This is a channel you probably already know, it’s so popular! Harry Kindergarten has a video for EVERYTHING, and they’re always super engaging. I love his sight word videos and his character focused videos. They’re great for brain breaks or enhancing a lesson.
4.) Scratch Garden
Like Harry Kindergarten, Scratch Garden has videos for everything! I like how they’re silly yet still academic, and that kids across grade levels will engage with them because they’re not overly babyish.
3.) Pancake Manor
This was my FAVORITE YouTube channel when I taught K-2 life skills. My students LOVED using their music choice boards to make a choice for the video they watched, and we used the one linked above almost every day as a movement break. The characters are super cute and engaging.
2.) HaveFunTeaching
This is a great channel for phonics instruction! Sometimes we have students above K-1 grade working on letters and letter sounds, and these videos are so age appropriate though it’s a lower level skill. They have a letter song for every letter that incorporates movement, perfect for our kids!
1.) Howard B Wigglebottom
Howard has his own line of books and a website (wedolisten.org), and his own YouTube channel! I love Howard B Wigglebottom videos to reinforce social skills and behavior topics. So cute and engaging for all of our learners.
What YouTube channels for special education classrooms would you add? Happy watching!
