Did you know you can do more with Google than look up information? Google has some hidden and not-so-hidden secrets. In fact, there are eight awesome things kids can do using Google that are fun, safe and creative!
These crazy add-ons are often known as Easter Eggs, and we’ve been on an Easter Egg hunt to find all of the best ones for you! We hope you have fun finding these Easter Eggs too!
Fun things kids can do with Google
1 Google Doodles
Google Doodles are the special features added to the Google logo. They are both fun and informative. You can see them on the Google home page on certain days, but you can also access the entire collection in the Google Doodle Archives. There you’ll find:
- a doodle for ‘this day in history’; and
- a featured Google Doodle.
Many Google Doodles have extra information or resources stored within the archive. For example, the interactive Google Doodle for Earth Day 2013 has a checklist of natural and seasonal features to find in the Doodle.
2 Google Tools
It seems that Google is the virtual Swiss army knife of online tools. There are so many things you can use the search engine for, and all you have to do is enter the right words.
Short of cash but need to choose between two options? Well, why not let Google flip a coin for you? Just type flip a coin, hit enter and see your result — head or tails!
Similarly, if you need a dice but don’t have one, Google has you covered. The command roll a dice or roll a die will generate a random dice roll every time. Great for playing games on the go!
Type in stopwatch or timer, and Google will pull up exactly what you need to time a two-minute teeth-brush or check how long it takes you to make your bed! There’s even a metronome, in case you want to do your music practice in time to the beat.
You can also easily access a simple calculator. Either type the word calculator into the search bar and hit enter, or even just type your sum directly into the search bar and the calculator will pop up with the answer all ready for you.
Finally, you can type in breathing exercise, and Google will give you a one-minute breathing exercise.
3 Google Gymnastics
Did you know that it’s easy and fun to make Google do gymnastics? Here are some crazy tricks to try:
Simply type askew to see the screen pitch sideways. This is a great trick to play on someone else’s computer, as they’ll wonder what has gone wrong with their search engine!
Type in do a barrel roll or z or r twice to see the screen roll over.
4 Mess Up Google
Google Mirror — everything is backwards. Try entering a backwards search — just for fun!
Underwater Google — everything is underwater and all the information sinks when you search.
Google Gravity — watch everything you search for come crashing down. The try to throw the fragments away!
5 Strange Searches
Type in <blink> and in all of the results, the word blink will literally blink at you!
Type in google in 1998 and kids of today can see what old-school Google looked like back in the Nineties.
If you type in zerg rush, you’ll have to hurry before loads of hungry little Google Os gobble up everything on the page.
Want to find out the answer to life the universe and everything? Ever wondered which is the loneliest number or the number of horns on a unicorn? Well, just ask Google and the answer will pop up!
6 Google Games
Google also has fun games for kids to play. Follow these links to play Pac Man or Snake on Google. Both of these games are actually interactive Google Doodles.
You can also play the hidden Google dinosaur game, T-Rex Run! It’s super simple but lots of fun.
Another hidden game in Google is Atari Breakout. To find this one, you have to type atari breakout in the search bar, then click on the Images tab. Then, as if by magic, the image results will disappear and the famous retro Breakout game will begin!
7 Have a Laugh
The people behind Google love to leave hidden geeky jokes for us to find. Here are a few that we’ve uncovered:
Type in anagram, and Google will cheekily ask you, ‘Did you mean: nag a ram?‘
Now try define anagram. The result? ‘Did you mean: nerd fame again?‘
Or type in recursion, which is when the definition of something is the thing itself. Google smartly asks, ‘Did you mean: recursion?‘ And when you click that, it asks that same question again and again.
If you try pluto, and you’ll see in the info section that it says, ‘Our favourite dwarf planet since 2006.’ Aww.
And funniest of all, if you type wubba lubba dub dub, Google asks, ‘Did you mean: i am in great pain please help me?‘
8 Play Music
With Google Guitar you can play your own tune or follow the instructions for Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, Happy Birthday or the theme from Harry Potter.
8. Google Chrome Fun
Get the kids to go to Chrome on your mobile phone and search for the term “Cha Cha Slide” then click on the sparkling microphone and see what happens. Fun!
If you have found something else cool to do with Google then let us know in comments below!
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