Great Online Communities for Kids and Teens

Stellar 3D design hub promotes innovation, collaboration, and creation

Bottom Line: This is a great design and creation tool that teachers and students can use to be innovative and share ideas with a vibrant community of makers.

Creative sandbox opens the door to coding in any subject area

Bottom Line: Scratch draws students of all types into coding and lays a foundation for future learning.

Real research powered by volunteers makes classroom content relevant

Bottom Line: Engage in meaningful, relevant research with citizen scientists from around the world.

Design, build, and share new things offline and online

Bottom Line: DIY motivates kids to tackle a wide range of problems with independent and scientific thinking.

Amazingly simple yet powerful online CAD tool turns kids into makers

Bottom Line: Full-featured site and app make iterative 3D design accessible, social, and relevant.

Kids learn together in well-rounded, collaborative global classroom

Bottom Line: A safe communication system and excellent learning materials help create a global youth community.

Engaging online community for relevant, hands-on science fieldwork

Bottom Line: Project Noah is a free and easy way to take part in biodiversity research with the support of a knowledgeable and global community.

Civic discussion site encourages media literacy and deep thinking

Bottom Line: This platform features excellent videos students will enjoy discussing, but teachers will need to prep students to make quality contributions.

Outstanding organization motivates kids to follow dreams, work hard

Bottom Line: Incredibly inspirational and helpful framework for building a sustainable, fulfilling future.

Teen-created social tool boosts lunchtime inclusion and community

Bottom Line: This app has the potential to help students make connections with other students they may not otherwise engage with.

Pop culture site promotes social justice critique, activism

Bottom Line: This site offers smart, fun resources for exploring the layers of meaning in media and finding causes to fight for.

Aging online community hosts authentic student writing

Bottom Line: With some patience and understanding, this could be a good space for supporting healthy student expression.

Collaborative tool lets users annotate songs, literature, web content

Bottom Line: Students can collaboratively engage in the process of annotation and analysis with various texts -- both within the forum and on the web.

Lively community for bookworms to share their love of lit

Bottom Line: Using Goodreads can enhance teens' reading experience and help them become thoughtful, enthusiastic readers.

Fuel creative makers with project ideas, reviews, and community

Bottom Line: Excellent DIY resource that empowers kids to learn by making and experimenting.

Global community helps young writers write, revise, think, and grow

Bottom Line: With interest-based writing prompts and thoughtful feedback from peers and pros, this is a great tool for writing for authentic audiences.

Simple and safe way to use Twitter with your students

Bottom Line: A great way to use social media in school without compromising student safety.

Comprehensive discussion platform develops critical-thinking skills

Bottom Line: A great tool in any subject or topic for teachers looking to make discussion a central part of their classroom.