Resource directory Β· New Zealand
Free homeschool resources
84 genuine resources we've checked, with honest cost labels. We don't accept payment for listings and we don't publish ratings or reviews β just clear descriptions so you can decide.
Printable worksheets
See all 6- FreeAges 5β14
Math-Drills
A large collection of free printable maths worksheets with answer keys, covering number facts, fractions, measurement, geometry and pre-algebra. Some worksheets use US conventions such as imperial units and US currency, so check before printing.
Visit math-drills.com β (opens in a new tab) - Free + paid optionsAges 4β12
K5 Learning free worksheets
Free printable maths, reading, grammar, vocabulary, spelling and early science worksheets arranged by grade, with answers on the second page and no login needed. Workbooks and an ad-free membership are sold separately.
Visit k5learning.com β (opens in a new tab) - Free + paid optionsAges 3β13
Twinkl New Zealand
Printable worksheets, planning overviews and activity packs organised by New Zealand year bands, including te reo MΔori material. A small free collection is available; most downloads need a paid membership.
Visit twinkl.co.nz β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 5β12
Te Papa free downloadable activity books
Free PDF activity books from Te Papa on topics such as Matariki, Waitangi Day, volcanoes and the colossal squid, plus te reo MΔori and Pacific language books. Most are written for ages 5β10 and come in A4 and A5 print versions.
Visit tepapa.govt.nz β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 4β13
Auckland Zoo education resources
Free lesson plans, activity booklets and printable games from Auckland Zoo's conservation learning team, grouped by suggested age. Topics include animal adaptations, classification and New Zealand native species.
Visit aucklandzoo.co.nz β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 5β14
NZTA road safety worksheets
Short printable road safety worksheets from NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, with sets for each year group from Years 1β2 upwards in English and te reo MΔori. A teacher support document and answer key are included.
Visit education.nzta.govt.nz β (opens in a new tab)
Learning games
See all 11- FreeAges 2β8
PBS KIDS Games
Free browser games from the US public broadcaster featuring characters from its children's shows, grouped by topic such as maths, science and pre-K skills. Some content reflects US contexts.
Visit pbskids.org β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 8β16
Scratch
A free block-based programming environment from the MIT Media Lab where children make their own games, stories and animations and can share them with an online community. A verified email is needed before projects can be shared publicly.
Visit scratch.mit.edu β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 5β18
Code.org
A non-profit offering free self-paced computer science and AI courses, including short Hour of Code activities and longer courses for primary and secondary students. The organisation now also uses the name CodeAI.
Visit code.org β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 3β18
NRICH
A University of Cambridge maths enrichment site with free open-ended problems, games and interactive tasks, plus notes for adults explaining how to use each task.
Visit nrich.maths.org β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 4β9
Toy Theater
Free online games for early primary learners covering counting, operations, telling time, letter recognition and spelling, along with simple art, music and logic games.
Visit toytheater.com β (opens in a new tab) - Free + paid optionsAges 6β14
Prodigy Math
A fantasy-style game in which children answer maths questions to progress, with a free parent account for tracking progress. The maths content is free; an optional paid membership adds in-game extras and reports.
Visit prodigygame.com β (opens in a new tab)
Reading activities
See all 11- FreeAges 8+
Project Gutenberg
A volunteer-run library of tens of thousands of free ebooks, mostly older works whose US copyright has expired, including many classic children's novels. Books can be read online or downloaded without registration; copyright status can differ outside the US.
Visit gutenberg.org β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges All ages
LibriVox
Free audiobooks of public domain texts recorded by volunteers, which can be streamed or downloaded. Useful for listening along with a printed or Project Gutenberg copy; some older texts contain outdated language and attitudes.
Visit librivox.org β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 4β10
Storyline Online
Free videos of picture books read aloud by actors, each with a suggested grade level and downloadable activity guide. Run by the SAG-AFTRA Foundation in the US.
Visit storylineonline.net β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 5β18
National Library Services to Schools
The National Library of New Zealand's reading engagement service, with book lists, reading-for-pleasure ideas and information for parents and whΔnau. Some services, such as lending, are set up for schools, so check eligibility for home educators.
Visit natlib.govt.nz β (opens in a new tab) - Free + paid optionsAges 8β13
Kiwi Kids News
A New Zealand news website written for children, publishing several short national, world and sport stories each school day. Quizzes and some feature content sit behind a school subscription.
Visit kiwikidsnews.co.nz β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 0β18
Storylines Children's Literature Charitable Trust
A charitable trust promoting New Zealand children's and young adult books. Its annual Notable Book lists, chosen by panels of authors, teachers and librarians, are a source of local titles in English and te reo MΔori.
Visit storylines.org.nz β (opens in a new tab)
Educational videos
See all 7- Free + paid optionsAges 4β18
Khan Academy
A non-profit site of video lessons and practice exercises in maths, science, computing and humanities from early primary to university level. Core learning is free; an AI tutor is offered as a separate paid option. Khan Academy Kids is a separate free app for ages 2β8.
Visit khanacademy.org β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 11+
TED-Ed
Short animated lessons on science, history, literature, maths and other topics, each paired with quiz questions, further reading and discussion prompts.
Visit ed.ted.com β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 10+
Crash Course
Free video series on subjects including biology, chemistry, physics, world history, literature and computer science, aimed mainly at secondary students. Crash Course Kids covers science for younger learners.
Visit thecrashcourse.com β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 6β12
National Geographic Kids
Videos, articles, quizzes and games about animals, science, geography and history from National Geographic's children's brand. The website is free; the magazine is sold separately.
Visit kids.nationalgeographic.com β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 10+
NZ On Screen
A free streaming archive of New Zealand film and television, including documentaries and historical National Film Unit shorts. Preview titles first, as the collection is not curated for children.
Visit nzonscreen.com β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 10+
NgΔ Taonga Sound & Vision
New Zealand's audiovisual archive, with tens of thousands of film, television and radio items that can be watched or listened to online for free. The search page can be filtered to show only items available online.
Visit ngataonga.org.nz β (opens in a new tab)
Science experiments
See all 7- FreeAges 8β12
NASA Space Place
NASA's site for upper primary children, with hands-on space and Earth science activities, printable instructions, short articles, games and videos.
Visit spaceplace.nasa.gov β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 8+
PhET Interactive Simulations
Free, open-source interactive simulations for physics, chemistry, biology, earth science and maths from the University of Colorado Boulder. They run in a browser and suit topics that are hard to demonstrate at home.
Visit phet.colorado.edu β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 6β18
Science Buddies
A searchable library of science projects and experiments that can be filtered by subject, difficulty, time and cost, each with background information and step-by-step instructions.
Visit sciencebuddies.org β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 8+
Exploratorium Science Snacks
Hundreds of low-cost science activities from the San Francisco Exploratorium museum, each with a materials list, instructions and an explanation of the science. Written mainly for secondary students, with a collection suited to younger children.
Visit exploratorium.edu β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 3β18
Science Learning Hub β PokapΕ« Akoranga PΕ«taiao
A government-funded science resource run by the University of Waikato, with articles, videos and hands-on activities based on New Zealand research. Its 'Learning science from home' pages group simple activities by age, from early childhood to secondary.
Visit sciencelearn.org.nz β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 7β14
Otago Museum Science Show Offs
Printable instructions for a set of short science demonstrations, such as a flying tea bag, a square bubble and a candle fire extinguisher, using household items. Several involve flames, so the guides call for adult supervision.
Visit otagomuseum.nz β (opens in a new tab)
Arts and crafts
See all 7- FreeAges 5β12
Tate Kids
The UK Tate galleries' children's site, with making activities sorted by medium, short videos about artists, colouring pages and a digital painting game.
Visit tate.org.uk β (opens in a new tab) - Free + paid optionsAges 4β12
Art for Kids Hub
A library of step-by-step drawing video lessons led by a family, sorted by topic and age, using basic supplies such as pencils and markers. Videos are free with ads; an ad-free paid option is available.
Visit artforkidshub.com β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 8+
Google Arts & Culture
High-resolution images of artworks and virtual tours from thousands of museums and archives worldwide, including Australian institutions, plus a Learn section with lesson ideas.
Visit artsandculture.google.com β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 3β12
Crayola free colouring pages and crafts
Free printable colouring pages, activity sheets and craft ideas organised by theme, including educational pages on letters, numbers and shapes. Seasonal pages follow northern-hemisphere seasons and US holidays.
Visit crayola.com β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 4β12
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TΔmaki: kids and whΔnau
Free weekend and school-holiday drop-in art-making sessions, a hands-on creative learning centre, and activity guides for ages 4 to 12, some in te reo MΔori. Children under 14 must be supervised in the gallery.
Visit aucklandartgallery.com β (opens in a new tab) - Free + paid optionsAges 2β16
Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o WaiwhetΕ«: education
Guided tours and hands-on art lessons grouped by age, from preschool upwards, plus holiday workshops and an after-school course for 8 to 12 year olds. Tours are free and lessons and workshops carry a small charge.
Visit christchurchartgallery.org.nz β (opens in a new tab)
Educational excursions
See all 7- Free + paid optionsAges All ages
Te Papa Tongarewa: learn
Information on curriculum-linked programmes, self-guided visits and online learning at the Museum of New Zealand in Wellington. General entry is free for New Zealanders and people living in New Zealand; some programmes and exhibitions charge.
Visit tepapa.govt.nz β (opens in a new tab) - Free + paid optionsAges 3β18
Auckland War Memorial Museum: AM Learn
Booking information for Auckland Museum's learning programmes, which are grouped by age from early childhood to high school and include self-guided visits and outreach. Programmes are set up for education groups, so contact the learning team about home-education bookings and costs.
Visit learn.aucklandmuseum.com β (opens in a new tab) - PaidAges 3β18
MOTAT learning programmes
Booked programmes at Auckland's Museum of Transport and Technology covering science, digital technologies, design thinking and history. Onsite bookings have a minimum group size, and the museum's borrowable tech kits accept a home educator ID.
Visit motat.nz β (opens in a new tab) - Free + paid optionsAges 4β18
Zealandia Te MΔra a TΔne: learn
Learning information from the Wellington ecosanctuary, including free downloadable family activity booklets and colouring pages, and educator-led sessions for groups. Facilitated sessions are priced per student and have minimum group sizes.
Visit visitzealandia.com β (opens in a new tab) - Free + paid optionsAges 4β18
TΕ«hura Otago Museum: learn
Hands-on education programmes in Dunedin during school terms, along with science outreach to schools and communities. Most programmes are free, while the science centre and planetarium carry a fee.
Visit otagomuseum.nz β (opens in a new tab) - PaidAges 5+
Space Place at Carter Observatory
A Wellington public observatory with a full-dome planetarium, interactive galleries and a historic telescope, run by Museums Wellington. Planetarium shows explore the southern night sky.
Visit museumswellington.org.nz β (opens in a new tab)
Outdoor learning
See all 6- FreeAges 5β18
DOC conservation education
Teaching resources and programme information from Te Papa Atawhai Department of Conservation for learning about nature and conservation outdoors. Resources cover topics such as native species, pest animals and marine protection.
Visit doc.govt.nz β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 6+
Marine Metre Squared (Mm2)
A citizen science project from the University of Otago's NZ Marine Studies Centre in which families, schools and groups survey one square metre of their local seashore and upload what they find. Registration is free and many resources are available in te reo MΔori.
Visit mm2.net.nz β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 8+
iNaturalist NZ β MΔtaki Taiao
The New Zealand branch of the iNaturalist network, run by a charitable trust, where people record and identify plants, animals and fungi they observe. Observations can be made through the website or the iNaturalist app.
Visit inaturalist.nz β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 5+
New Zealand Garden Bird Survey
An annual citizen science survey run by Manaaki Whenua β Landcare Research, in which participants count birds for one hour during a set week in winter. The site has tally sheets, identification guides and te reo MΔori resources.
Visit gardenbirdsurvey.nz β (opens in a new tab) - PaidAges 5β13
Kiwi Conservation Club
Forest & Bird's nature club for children, with a yearly membership that includes a quarterly Wild Things magazine. Volunteer coordinators run local outings in some areas, and members can enter nationwide challenges.
Visit kcc.org.nz β (opens in a new tab) - Free + paid optionsAges All ages
Auckland regional parks
Auckland Council's listing of its regional parks, with walking tracks, beaches, campgrounds and track closure information. Entry to the parks is free; campsites and some activities are booked and charged.
Visit aucklandcouncil.govt.nz β (opens in a new tab)
Life skills
See all 4- FreeAges 12+
Sorted
Free money guides and calculators from Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission, covering budgeting, saving, debt and KiwiSaver. The tools are useful for working through real budgeting examples with older children.
Visit sorted.org.nz β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 12β18
Sorted in Schools
A government-funded financial education programme with free activities, discussion starters and NCEA-linked resources for Years 9β13, plus implementation guides for younger years. Topics include budgeting, saving, debt and inflation.
Visit sortedinschools.org.nz β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 5β18
Netsafe: talking with your whΔnau about online safety
Age-based conversation prompts from Netsafe, New Zealand's online safety organisation, to help parents talk with children about life online. The site also has guidance on screen time, online bullying and how to get help.
Visit netsafe.org.nz β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges All ages
Water Safety New Zealand
The national water safety organisation, with the Water Safety Code, guidance on keeping young children safe around water and information on the Water Skills for Life aquatic education standard.
Visit watersafety.org.nz β (opens in a new tab)
Homeschool planning
See all 6- PaidAges All ages
Homeschool Planet
An online planner for scheduling lessons, tracking assignments and attendance, and producing reports for each child. It is a US product with a monthly or annual subscription and a free trial; prices are in US dollars.
Visit homeschoolplanet.com β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 5β16
Ministry of Education: home education
The Ministry of Education's official information on home education, which requires a certificate of exemption for each child before they stop attending school. Check this page and your regional Ministry office for current requirements, as policy changes have been proposed.
Visit education.govt.nz β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 5β18
The New Zealand Curriculum on TΔhΕ«rangi
The Ministry of Education's online home for The New Zealand Curriculum, including the refreshed learning areas and a section for learners and families. Some features need an education sector login, but curriculum documents can be read without one.
Visit newzealandcurriculum.tahurangi.education.govt.nz β (opens in a new tab) - Free + paid optionsAges 5+
Te Kura: who can enrol
Te Kura is New Zealand's state distance school. Government-funded enrolment depends on meeting a gateway in the Ministry's enrolment policy, such as being unable to attend a local school, so home-educated children are not automatically eligible; this page explains the criteria and fees.
Visit tekura.school.nz β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 14β19
NZQA: assessment of home-school students
NZQA guidance for home-educated students who want to gain NCEA credits or sit New Zealand Scholarship. Students must arrange a link with a registered school that has consent to assess, and schools are not obliged to agree.
Visit www2.nzqa.govt.nz β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges All ages
NCHENZ: record keeping ideas
Practical ideas from home educators for recording learning, from photo files to printed yearbooks. The same site has pages on home education approaches and on pathways to university entrance.
Visit nchenz.org.nz β (opens in a new tab)
Learning support
See all 6- FreeAges 3β12
Reading Rockets
A US public media literacy site explaining how children learn to read and why some struggle, with a guide for parents, self-paced modules on teaching reading and a children's book finder.
Visit readingrockets.org β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 5β18
Ministry of Education: extra help with learning
Ministry of Education guidance for parents who are worried about their child's learning, explaining who to talk to and how to contact the Ministry's regional learning support team.
Visit education.govt.nz β (opens in a new tab) - PaidAges 4+
SPELD NZ
A not-for-profit offering diagnostic assessments and one-to-one tuition for people with dyslexia and other specific learning differences, delivered by teachers with SPELD NZ training. Fees apply, with subsidies for Community Services Card holders or financial hardship.
Visit speld.org.nz β (opens in a new tab) - Free + paid optionsAges All ages
Autism New Zealand
The national autism organisation, with outreach coordinators working through branches around the country, courses for families and an education resource hub. Contact your local branch for individual information and support.
Visit autismnz.org.nz β (opens in a new tab) - Free + paid optionsAges All ages
ADHD New Zealand: family and whΔnau
Information for families living with ADHD from ADHD New Zealand, including government supports that may be available and links to regional groups and parent courses. The organisation does not give advice on individual situations.
Visit adhd.org.nz β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges All ages
Parent to Parent
A nationwide not-for-profit offering free, confidential support for families of disabled, neurodivergent and health-impaired children, including trained support parents, local groups and information on funding.
Visit parent2parent.org.nz β (opens in a new tab)
Parent support communities
See all 6- FreeAges All ages
NCHENZ local home education groups
A region-by-region list of local home education support groups compiled by the National Council of Home Educators of New Zealand, a volunteer-run national body. Contact details change, so confirm with each group directly.
Visit nchenz.org.nz β (opens in a new tab) - Free + paid optionsAges All ages
Home Education Foundation
A charitable trust that has supported home educating families in New Zealand since 1986, with a Christian perspective. It publishes articles and runs events for home educators.
Visit hef.org.nz β (opens in a new tab) - Free + paid optionsAges 0β18
Parenting Place
A New Zealand family charity offering parenting courses for different ages and stages, online self-guided courses and one-on-one coaching. Some content is free and courses and coaching usually carry a fee.
Visit parentingplace.nz β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 0β8
Brainwave Trust Aotearoa
A charitable trust that summarises research on early brain development for parents, with articles on play, reading together, emotions and screen use in the early years.
Visit brainwave.org.nz β (opens in a new tab) - Free + paid optionsAges 0β18
Parent Help
A non-profit running a free parenting helpline (0800 568 856), open 9am to 9pm every day, for parents, grandparents and caregivers. It also offers paid counselling in Wellington and Auckland and over Zoom.
Visit parenthelp.org.nz β (opens in a new tab) - FreeAges 0β5
PlunketLine
A free 24/7 phone line (0800 933 922) run by WhΔnau Δwhina Plunket, where registered nurses give advice on the health and parenting of children aged 0 to 5. Callers do not need to be enrolled with Plunket.
Visit plunket.org.nz β (opens in a new tab)
Links were last checked on the date recorded for each resource. External sites are run by their owners; please check suitability for your child. Spotted a broken link? Let us know through your dashboard.