Your kids are home with you for at least another month. You can do this! Make a (loose) schedule, do schoolwork, get outside, play board games, make crafts and art, cook together…. and when you run out of ideas or need a break, go virtual with live streams for kids!
Instead of letting your kids watch mindless TV on this long break, let them learn and explore through on demand and virtual live streams for kids! There are all sorts of options popping up, so you can do something different every day!
Animals and Education
Columbus Zoo Virtual Fun
The Columbus Zoo has many ways to keep you in touch with the animals and the happenings at the Zoo until they can re-open.
- #ColumbusZooSchool: Check out the #ColumbusZooSchool social media posts on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 1 p.m. to find new and engaging ways to learn. The information will be posted after each new lesson for or check back here to find updated information that will be posted shortly after each new lesson.
- Columbus Zoo Virtual Adventures: Connect LIVE with the Columbus Zoo educators on Thursdays at 10 a.m. via Zoom, as they highlight habitats, animals and science concepts from all regions of the globe. The Zoom spots fill up, but you can watch the
- #ColumbusZoo2U updates on Facebook or Instagram straight from our keepers and vet staff who continue to provide the very best care to the animals while we are temporarily closed. Or tune in for live views of our bonobo habitat, Discovery Reef Aquarium and coming soon — the Heart of Africa’s savanna on our website!
- Columbus Zoo Live: Watch the live feeds of the Discovery Reef Aquarium and the bonobos in the Congo Expedition region.
BalletMet
BalletMet is adding fun content from its teachers to their YouTube channel as a playlist. Content ranges from dance moves to crafts and ballet history lessons, and more. They will continue to add more each week
Ohio History Connect Learn at Home
Ohio History Connection is such a fun and educational resource in our city, but the education doesn’t stop in the museum or at school! Kids can continue to explore with Learn at Home through Ohio History Connection. They’ve gathered resources and content to keep your kids engaged and interested in learning about Ohio History while at home.
The Learn at Home resources are organized by grade level, so you will find targeted content for your kids. There’s even content for adults, because there’s no age at which we should stop learning – especially about our great state history. Find the resources here.
ProMusica Family Concert
Before social distancing became a requirement, ProMusica recorded a Family Concert program with our string quartet to share virtually to keep us entertained at home. Check out all three segments on their website. Each segment explores fundamentals of music.
Online programs at all public libraries in Ohio
The State Library of Ohio has gathered a HUGE list of day-by-day virtual programs from public libraries all over Ohio. You’ll find Book Chats, tons of Story Times, music programs, trivia, makerspace, crafts, and so much more! Check out the list of activities to fill most hours of the day!
“EduHam at Home” virtual program for FREE from “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda
Through EduHam, students learn how Lin-Manuel Miranda used history to create the musical Hamilton, and how they can create their own original performance pieces based on the same material. Register as a parent of a K-12 students for free access to the Gilder Lehrman Institute and to EduHam at Home. You’ll get access to free materials, including videos clip from Hamilton and interviews with Lin-Manuel Miranda, selected cast members, and Ron Chernow, whose biography of Alexander Hamilton inspired the musical. EduHam at Home participants will be invited to submit their own Hamilton-inspired pieces (songs, raps, spoken-word poems, or scenes), and selected student performances will be shared on social media and this website.
Cincinnati Zoo Facebook Live
Home Safari Facebook Live each weekday at 3pm will highlight one of the amazing animals and include an activity you can do from home. Join them starting Monday, March 16 at 3pm for the first Home Safari- featuring Fiona!
A Week of Awesome Afternoon Adventures! with Chris Field – Serial Disrupter
Each day next week at 3pm EST you can log in for free and your kids can go on a LIVE and one of a kind adventure with some awesome people. Open to all ages but focused on kids ages 5-10.
All of these classes will be FREE and will stream live on the Facebook page. Each adventure will last between 30-45 minutes. Shows will be moved to the YouTube channel as well.
Science Mom Daily Shows
Two hour livestream show on Facebook and YouTube Monday-Friday at 11 am EST, featuring science and math lessons, crafts and games. Science and math lessons are aimed at kids age 7-12, but this is a family-friendly show that is for BOTH kids and parents (and any elderly people who are feeling isolated at home and would like to watch some science and math lessons and participate in a few crafts)
Atlantic White Shark Conservancy
Facebook Live every day this week at 10AM (EST) for Shark Story Hour. Each day they will read a new shark themed book followed by a shark Q/A session. Videos will be available on Facebook page after live show.
COSI Connects
Head to the COSI website every day for exciting and engaging science through COSI videos and hands-on science you can try with your family at home. Click to follow them on Facebook or IG to find out what the daily science activity is going to be, and sign up for an email for a weekly digest of the week’s activities.
You can also take a 360 degree tour the American Museum of Natural History Dinosaur Gallery at COSI!
Movement, Mindfulness, and Exercise for Kids
Remote Recreation with Worthington Parks and Recreation Department
Tune in everyday at 10:30 for a different activity for Family Fun & Fitness. Staff will be posting videos, crafts, games and much more to keep you active during this stressful time. Read through the discussion for more ideas and links to other recreation options.
Cosmic Kids Yoga
Fun themed yoga workouts for kids, including Frozen, Trolls, Star Wars, Animals, and dealing with life situations and more!
PE with Coach Wood
Coach Wood is live streaming gym class! Kids will love his personality and funny themes (toilet paper workout, costume yoga). Perfect for rainy or cold days when they can’t play outside!
Moe Jones Fitness Videos for All Ages
GoNoodle
Do kids need a break to get the wiggles our in between at-home school work or boredom? Turn on GoNoodle! The website and app provide movement and mindfulness videos created by child development experts to help get kids moving! You’ll find creative movement, Kids Bop videos, kids Zumba, Think about It lessons, and more. We use the app on roku to stream the videos on our TV.
Art, Books, and Music
Wonder Friends is a live, Monday- Friday, FREE drawing/motivational show from 2-3pm EST on Facebook with author/illustrator Jason Tharp. The themes as well as his kids books revolve around being kind to yourself and others, being true to yourself, and embracing your uniqueness.
You can also download a super cute and free Covid-19 time Capsule from the website, where you’ll find the collection of drawing shows, fund downloads and coloring pages. Check out the Shop button to purchase the affordable books, as well as apparel with amazing themes such as “Kindness is Cool” “Be a Good Human” “Believe in Yourself” and other relevant affirmations. Note: this is not a paid promotion – I just love the shirts and the themes.
Live Laurie Berkner Break
Join Laurie Berkner for a LIVE Laurie Berkner Break! She’ll be on at 10am most weekdays for singing, stories, moving our bodies, and more. Shows are available on the Facebook page for replays!
Facebook Live with Captain Captain of The Shazzbots!
Captain Captain will be taking requests for songs, stories, and more everyday at 10:30 am. Shows are available on the Facebook page for replays!
Singalong at Home with Emily Arrow
Join Emily Arrow Monday – Friday at 1pm ET for moments of music, stories, and mindfulness for all ages at YouTube.com/EmilyArrow
LUNCH DOODLES with Mo Willems!
Draw along with number one New York Times best-selling author and illustrator of the “Pigeon” books, Elephant & Piggie early reader series, and so much more!
NASA Storytime from Space
Listen to and watch astronauts reading books about space, from space. Kids will see the inside of the spacecraft
Storyline Online
Storyline Online, streams videos featuring celebrated actors reading children’s books alongside creatively produced illustrations. Readers include Viola Davis, Chris Pine, Lily Tomlin, Kevin Costner, Annette Bening, James Earl Jones, Betty White and dozens more.
You can watch the videos on your favorite video app, including Vimeo Ad-Free player, or on Storyline Online’s free app.
Virtual Field Trips
Multiple organizations offer virtual field trips so kids can explore without leaving home – or needing a permission slip!
- 360 degree tour of the American Museum of Natural History Dinosaur Gallery at COSI!
- Discovery Education Virtual Field Trips
- San Diego Zoo Kids Virtual Tours
- National Museum of Natural History Virtual Tour
- Yellowstone National Park Virtual Field Trip
- Online Tour of the Louvre
- Take a Virtual Walk on Mars
- NASA Videos
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Live Cams
- Tour the Pyramids online
- Virtual Tour of Buckingham Palace
- National Park Service Grand Canyon Tours and Live Cams
- Panda Cam at Zoo Atlanta
- Houston Zoo Animal Cams
- Georgia Aquarium
- Virtual Farm Tours
- Virtual Tour of the Great Wall of China
Upcoming Virtual Events for Kids
Other articles of interest
- Free Starbucks for frontline heath care workers and first responders
- Virtual Events Calendar
- Food freebies, delivery, and cheap eats in Columbus
- Looking for a job? These companies are hiring in Columbus
- Connect with friends and family in a Group Facetime Chat
- Have a FREE Netflix Party with friends in your own homes
- Community resources and activities in Columbus
- Spring Break: at home edition
- Free at home workout options for all
- Stuck at home? On demand and Virtual Events and Entertainment
- Virtual tours, on demand videos and live streams for kids
- Senior shopping hours in Columbus stores
- Skip the stores: Grocery pickup and delivery in Columbus
- The most beautiful public gardens in Columbus
- Free or cheap events this weekend in Columbus (will show available and cancelled events)
Virtual
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