Homework Help for Kids
Kids in York Region have FREE access to many online research tools from home, 24/7. All you need is your RHPL library card number and your PIN.
Virtual Children's Reference Desk
With a quick Zoom call to your local children’s librarian, you can get book recommendations for your little one or get support with research related to your next report or assignment. You can also get help connecting with one of our many digital services! Connect with us online today.
Hours of operation:
Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays / 1-5 p.m.
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays / 1-6:30 p.m.
The Library is committed to your safety in both physical and digital spaces. For this reason, we require all customers participating in the Virtual Children’s Reference Desk to keep their videos on the entire time. Please note that only you and the Children’s librarian will be visible to one another. All interactions will be recorded for security assurance. View Zoom’s Privacy Policy
School Project Guides
Book lists, reference materials, online databases, and resources that can be used for elementary and middle school projects in social sciences, science, history, and geography.
Online Homework Help
Homework help has never been easier. Brainfuse offers live-tutoring to students (K-12) between 2 and 11 p.m. in math, science, reading, social studies, history, geography and language arts. Other services include writing labs, diagnostic testing and individualized flash card creation for studying.
STEAM Kits
Our STEAM Kits present a unique opportunity for hands-on learning with school-aged children. Use your RHPL card to check out a STEAM Kit from Central Library and discover topics like robotics, coding, optics, gravity, and more!
Ministry of Education Free Tutoring
Are you a student in Grade 7 to 10? The Ministry of Education provides access to free online math tutoring.
Online Resources for School Projects
Britannica Library for Children
Conduct research, complete school assignments, work on special projects, or explore your unique interests.
Canadian Points of View Reference Centre
Canadian Points of View Reference Centre covers over 200 topics, each with an overview (objective background / description), point (argument) and counterpoint (opposing argument). It is designed to meet the requirements of the Ontario School Curriculums for Grades K to 12. Each topic features a Guide to Critical Analysis which helps the reader evaluate the controversy and enhances students’ ability to read critically, develop their own perspective on the issues and write or debate an effective argument on the topic.
Explora Primary Search K-5
Contains biographies, historical essays, primary source documents, reference books, images, photos, maps and flags. For elementary school students.
Explora Canada Student Search 6-12
Explora makes it easy for students in Grades 6 to 12 to browse by topic or to search by keyword to find content from videos, magazines, encyclopedias and more. Results can be easily sorted by source type - magazines, reference books, news, photos, biographies, and primary source documents.
Elementary
Includes more than 100 full-text, age-appropriate magazines, and more than 2,500 searchable, indexed images.
Little Pim
An interactive online language learning program for children. Includes live action and animated videos to assist children in learning words and phrases from the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish.
Middle Search Plus
Contains thousands of biographies and historical essays, primary source documents, reference books, and an image collection of photos, maps, and flags.
National Geographic Kids
National Geographic Kids includes the complete run of the magazine from 2009 to the present, as well as books, videos, and images. High-quality informational texts are available for primary, upper elementary, and middle school English language arts, social studies, and science classrooms.
Scholastic BookFlix
Scholastic BookFlix is an online literacy resource that pairs classic video storybooks with related nonfiction eBooks from Scholastic to build a love of reading and learning. The engaging way to link fact and fiction, BookFlix reinforces early reading skills and introduces children to a world of knowledge and exploration.
Scholastic ScienceFlix
ScienceFlix is transforming the way students access science topics, acquire scientific knowledge, and build a lasting interest in science, technology, and engineering.
Curriculum-driven leveled content is integrated with interactive features and intuitive navigation in this highly engaging mobile-ready science resource. With its emphasis on the latest STEM thinking and the Next Generation Science Standards, ScienceFlix provides students with a better understanding of science concepts and ideas through hands-on projects, videos, multiple text types, and so much more.
Scholastic TrueFlix
Offering dozens of units to supplement social studies and science core curricula learning. TrueFlix is a highly-engaging multimedia resource that can be used in the library, the classroom, on mobile devices, or at home.
World Book Kids
An ideal learning resource for elementary-aged students designed to build confidence and encourage creativity with image-driven navigation and inquiry-based activities. The site features easy-to-read articles that can be read aloud or translated and a wealth of engaging games, science projects, and activities. Encourage self-direction with our visual navigation in Explore, independent learning with WebQuest and compare and contrast skills with Compare Animals and Compare Places. Additional teaching tools for educators and parents make this a complete solution for early learners. (Recommended for grades 2-4 or 7-9 years)
World Book Student
World Book’s beloved Encyclopedia comes to life in a digital format, perfect for elementary and middle school learners to access information from trusted sources. A one-stop shop for cross curricular learning, Student includes translations to 100+ languages, a Biography Center, current events, research guides, and seamless integrations with Google Classroom and Microsoft OneDrive. The My Research and Citation Builder features assist learners in organizing and analyzing their findings. (Recommended grades 5-high school, or ages 10+)