The seven channels that customers have access to are Cartoon Network, Cartoonio, Boomerang, Nickelodeon, NickToons, Nick Jr, and Nick Jr Too – all channels that are usually only available on premium plans of Virgin. This promotion will be available until 3 March 2021. Virgin offered the same deal back in Spring 2020 during the first lockdown, and now its returned just before the February half-term break. Virgin will also be offering 22 other entertainment and lifestyle channels for free. Shows that people will be able to tune into include Blippi, Peppa Pig, PAW Patrol, Dora the Explorer, Masha and the Bear, Tom and Jerry, Looney Tunes, Adventure Time and more. In addition, if customers have the Virgin TV Go app (available on iOS and Android), they will be able to stream hundreds of free educational videos and kids box sets. Virgin has also extended its free promotion of Hopster, an educational app for pre-schoolers. Virgin isn’t the only resource available for children during lockdown. BBC Bitesize has pulled together hundreds of educational resources for kids, including dedicated kids programmes on BBC One and BBC Two, and curriculum-based online resources. In addition, mobile customers on EE, BT Mobile, and Plusnet Mobile plans will be able to access BBC Bitesize completely data-free, allowing for more flexibility for learning at home. You can read more about this on the BT website. Sky is also offering members of its VIP scheme a selection of movies – including kids ones – completely for free right now. It’s also making its Highbrow app free until March 31, which includes educational videos for children aged 1-11. If you’re a Sky customer and not part of the VIP scheme, you can sign up for free in the My Sky app. You can also check out other ways to get free data for home schooling during lockdown, and the best student deals available on technology this month. Hannah Cowton is a Senior Staff Writer at Tech Advisor and Macworld, working across entertainment, consumer technology and lifestyle. Her interests and specialities lie in streaming services, film and television reviews and rumours, gaming, wearables and smart home products. She’s also the creator of The London Geek, a geek culture and lifestyle blog.
