As moms, we are used to the hustle and bustle of daily life with children. We are constantly on the go, taking our kids to school, sports, activities, play groups, and story hours.
Now, though, we are being forced to slow down. Schools are closed, all activities are cancelled, and we are home with our children day in and day out. As the hours have ticked by and turned into days, then weeks, we are being faced with the challenge of keeping our children active and stimulated.
Boston Moms has got boredom covered! We have compiled this list of activities and resources that can be done from the comfort of home! Do you know of any resources that should be added to this list? Contact us and let us know!Scholastic Learn at Home
edHelper Free Learning Workbooks
Become a Junior Wolf Biologist through the Wolf Conservation Center
Speech Buddies Speech Therapy Resources
Home-Speech-Home Speech Therapy Activities
Fun Brain Math and Reading Games
Project Explorer Videos From Around the World
All Kids Network Educational Worksheets, Crafts, and Resources
Turtle Diary Educational Games
Chemicool Learn About the Periodic Table
Learn About Gardening for Kids
Time Management Skills Using Analog Clocks
National Gallery of Art for Kids
Mission US Interactive History
Vivify STEM Resources and Activity Calendar
Learn to Play Musical Instruments Virtually
Ben’s Guide to the U.S. Government
Jigsaw Explorer Virtual Jigsaw Puzzles
Many companies are also offering free subscriptions during the time that schools are not in session. You can find a list of companies here.Even if you can’t get there in person, you can tour the Boston Children’s Museum online!
Art Museums
National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy
National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul, Korea
The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City
Zoos and Aquariums
Zoo Atlanta (direct link to their adorable Panda Cam!)
Smithsonian National Zoo, Washington D.C.
Reid Park Zoo Lion Cam, Tuscon, AZ
Ouwehand Park Polar Bear Cubs, Rhenen, Netherland
FarmFood 360 — Tours of Canadian Farms
Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey, California
National Aquarium, Baltimore, Maryland
Seattle Aquarium, Seattle, Washington
Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Clearwater, Florida
Destinations
Google Street View of Pompeii, Italy
Live view of Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Virginia
Petroglyph National Monument in New Mexico
360 Degree Tour of U.S. National Parks
You don’t even need to stay on Earth! Tour Mars or see the Saturn 5 Rocket!
Looking for more? Google Arts and Culture has teamed up with 2,500 museums from around the world to offer virtual tours. See the complete list here.
Aimed at Adults
YMCA 360 (no membership required)
Planet Fitness (no membership required)
Fight Camp (HIIT and kickboxing)
CityRow (rowing-inspired at-home workouts)
Aimed at Kids
Storyline Online (this one includes Betty White reading Harry the Dirty Dog!)
Grover, reading The Monster at the End of This Book
Atlantic White Shark Conservatory
Nightly Storytime by Texas Principals and Supervisors Association
Books to Enjoy… We Are One World
Read along with author Oliver Jeffers
Read along with author Sophie Blackall
Read along with author Mac Barnett
For a large list of online story times and read-alongs, visit here.Mo Willems Lunch Doodles
Free Online Art Classes with Paint Sip Fun
Free drawing classes with Carson Ellis
Free drawing classes with Wendy MacNaughton
Stop Motion Kids Camp with Trisha Zemp
Draw Every Day with JJK by children’s book illustrator Jarrett Krosoczka
Drawing With Toddlers by children’s book illustrator E. B. Goodale
Free drawing classes with children’s book illustrator Thyra Heder
Comic book illustration with Jarrett Lerner
Free online art classes with Anna Abramzon Studio
Free online art classes with The Hansen Art Studio
Free online art classes with The Creative Collective
Color Our Collections — Coloring content based on collection items from 113 art museumsFree book downloads from the New York Public Library
NASA has made their entire media library accessible and copyright free
Favorite children’s books translated into Spanish
Ames Free Library – Easton offering walk-up window services. Please call ahead to reserve your books.
Some great podcasts for kidsDebbie Allen offering an online dance class via her Instagram feed
Laurie Berkner Band offering free kids music performances most weekdays at 10 a.m.
Wayne Potash and the Music Fun Band offering free kids music performances
Metropolitan Opera Free Virtual Shows
15 Broadway Plays and Musicals You Can Watch On Stage From Home
All-Arts offering digital screening of films relating to music, dance, and theater
Grammy Museum releasing never before seen interviews with entertainers
Berlin Philharmonic offering a digital concert hall
Broadway World offering daily “living room concerts” with Broadway stars
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center offering daily releases of archived videos
Seattle Symphony streaming live videos of performances
Online activities and learning are wonderful, but we all need a technology break once in a while! Here is a list of ideas to keep your family active away from technology!
Read every picture book on your bookshelf.
Bake something from scratch.
Use electrical tape and make “roads” for your kids’ toy cars.
Write someone a letter, or draw them a picture!
Write a play with your family, and perform it for each other. That video will be priceless a decade from now!
Play balloon ping pong! Tape a popsicle stick or a paper towel roll to a paper plate to create your paddle, and bat that balloon back and forth!
Build a giant tower. Do you even need to use blocks? What about rocks, Matchbox cars, or even shoes?
Have a race! Run, hop, crab walk — any kind of race you can think of!
Make your own playdough!
Put a bar of soap in the microwave to create soap clouds!
Learn the names of the plants (and weeds!) in your yard. How many of each are there?
Make up a story together. Write it down and illustrate it!
Put water, oil, and drops of food coloring into a jar to create fireworks in a jar!
Learn how to make paper.
Have a board game marathon.
Have the little ones give all of their plastic toys a bath! Water play and clean toys, all at once!
Choreograph a dance routine with your kids.
Make a scrapbook. Or maybe make that baby book you never made when your kids were babies!
Plant a garden.
Make a blanket fort!
Bird watch. Research what kinds of birds you see in your yard!
Create a stuffed animal using your old clothing. Sock puppets count!
Play with cornstarch and water! Make Oobleck and slime!
Do a big puzzle as a family. Or, have a puzzle race with smaller puzzles: Put several puzzles (20+ piece puzzles) in a paper bag and shake it up. Pour pieces out and give each person the puzzle box they are to put together. Go! (Cooperation tends to be a result as pieces are traded.)
Create art using items you have found around the house.
Draw your whole family.
Clean out the car (this won’t be fun for the kids — but just think of how great it will be for you!).
Play with sidewalk chalk. Make sidewalk chalk paint! Create a masterpiece on your walkway or driveway!
Create your own Olympics! Who can be the sock-toss-into-the-laundry-basket champion?
Go for a hike!
Ride your bike!
Make your own bubble solution and bubble wands and have a big bubble contest!
