Running out of things to do? Take yourself on a virtual voyage to the zoo, a world-class museums and even Mars!
Zoos & Aquariums
Swim along with the African penguins and visit the Safari Park to see tigers and baboons. The world-famous San Diego Zoo has over 3,500 rare and endangered animals. Their website offers live video streams of the zoo animals, as well as educational activities, read-along stories and games. There’s also a section that explains all the jobs at the zoo, including the roles of the zookeepers, veterinarians, nutritionists and horticulturists in caring for the zoo animals.
The Cincinnati Zoo hosted daily “home safaris” on Facebook during the months of March and April. You will find those home safaris on Facebook as well as on the zoo’s website, along with activities and quizzes for kids.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium has guided activities and online courses for kids of all ages and grades to learn at home, and they are constantly adding new material. Kids can also learn about kelp forests as they build their own by playing a game on an app (Apple or Google Play) or desktop browser.
What’s more therapeutic than watching animals at play? Check out the sea otters play at the Vancouver Aquarium via the Sea Otter Cam. Don’t forget to buy them lunch!
The National Geographic is offering a variety of educational activities and resources in their Explorer Classroom. There are various upcoming broadcasts and events by scientists and researchers in the field. You can join live to ask questions, or watch recorded sessions. Hear from Julia DeMarines who uses giant radio telescopes to search for intelligent life in the universe, and seabird biologist, Annette Fayet, who studies Atlantic puffins and their the fantastic migration journeys.
Science & Exploration
Visit the Kennedy Space Center or one of the NASA Visitor Centers located across the United States to learn about the various space missions. The next generation of astronauts can contribute to NASA’s endeavors in exploration and discovery through mission-driven activities at Next Gen STEM, or participate in interactive YouTube videos, that demonstrate how to train like an astronaut and how astronauts prepare for the launch. NASA is always airing a variety of programming on their NASA TV. Viewers may see the Earth from the International Space Station; replays of mission operations or news conferences; or produced programs. For the next live program, see their schedule.
Discovery Education is a digital resource for virtual learning. The have various online field trips, including a visit to the Tech Interactive Centre in San Jose, California. Parents check out Daily DE which contains learning activities for children.
Take a virtual tour with NASA’s Curiosity Rover and tour the surface of Mars while learning all about Mars and the Mars space program. Also, experience curiosity by taking a virtual ride.
Art & Anthropology
Tour the Louvre in Paris from the comfort of your home. The museum has four virtual tours where you can discover the artwork of Delacroix, Rembrandt and Tintoretto, tour the collection of Egyptians Antiques, explore the renowned Galerie d’Apollon, and survey the remains of the Louvre’s moat, was built in 1190 on order of the French king Philippe Auguste to reinforce the defenses of Paris from attack via the Seine. The museum also has two videos about the artwork in the museum intended for children.
Explore the British Museum’s collection via the interactive application, The Museum of the World, that provides a look at some of the museum’s eight million works. The application presents you with the date, geographical area and theme. When you click on a dot representing a topic, a window pops up with description. If you don’t want to read it, you can listen to an audio by a curator.
History & Travel
Explore the Great Wall of China – which spans nearly five thousand kilometres – from this virtual tour without all the crowds. You will visit the Juyongguan Great Wall, which crosses three mountainous areas, and the Mutianyu Great Wall, which has impressive views of the other sections of the wall.
The American Museum of Natural History in New York City has many videos on their Facebook page that take you on a virtual tour of the Hall of African Mammals, the Hall of Meteorites, and much more. You will also find plenty of other videos that engage and answer those burning questions like “What lives in moss?”, “Are dinosaurs still alive today?” and “Are we alone in the universe?”.
The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia is offering free lectures on the Constitution that students across America can access online. The lectures are intended for middle and high school children. Students will hear from Constitutional scholars and are encouraged to join in the discussion.
Travel back in time to Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, VA with their “Explore from Home” series including a virtual tour of the governor’s palace. Also join in on their LIVE interactions and Electronic Field Trips every weekday at 11 am on Facebook.
The Winchester Mystery House is offering access to the world’s most bizarre mansion with their Immersive 360° Tour. This virtual experience allows you to explore each level of the mansion, from the basement to the rarely seen fourth floor.
