Six Online Activities For The Kids While Social Distancing
Instead of bingeing on Netflix or playing mindless computer games at home, why not get the kids to go on a virtual museum tour, read a good book, learn a language or attend a symphony orchestral?There are hundreds of virtual activities that children can participate in while social distancing. Many of these activities are culturally-enriching and educational.
We’ve done some homework and have created a list of kids-appropriate activities that are meaningful and intellectually stimulating.
Here’s what we’ve come up with:
Visit Museum at Home
Museum at Home is a Museums Victoria initiative. It allows participants (of any age) to engage in a virtual tour of Melbourne Museums, Scienceworks, and the Immigration Museum.
The project has plenty of educational content including virtual tours (hosted by kidult comedy group, the Listies) and STEM workshops for children of all ages.
Kids at home can Visit Museum Victoria YouTube to watch videos on subjects like dinosaurs, insects, forests, the human body, and many other topics. Older kids can listen to inspirational music on Spotify or Explore @MuseumsVictoria on Instagram.
Take a Virtual Art Tour at NGV
Art galleries are closed for now but the kids can still visit the NGV exhibitions via NGV Online. Current exhibitions include The Kaws: Companionship in the Age of Loneliness by American artists Brian Donnelly. KAWS which addresses isolation and loneliness is a timely exhibition in the turbulent world we are living in today. Donnelly’s sculptures are larger-than-life, playful and toy-like which kids will love.
NGV Kids has a range of activities for children under 8 years old you can download for free. Don’t forget to share their creations using #NGVEveryDay and tag @ngvmelbourne to have it featured. Also don’t forget to tag us @topkidz.com.au
Learn about Classical Music at the Sydney Opera House
Learn the instruments and the music with a series of kid-friendly classes. Follow 3-year old George as he meets the musicians from the Sydney Youth Orchestra (suitable for viewers aged 2 to 3 years old) or join Karen as she visits the Australian Chamber Orchestra (suitable for viewers aged 5 years and older).
Sydney Opera House has a dedicated website with a range of activities for children of all ages. Activities range from printable colouring templates to interactive storytelling, to circus tricks and art classes.
Download a Free Book on Audible
Audible has just released hundreds of free books for children you can download at home. Books include Beatrix Potter and Winnie the Pooh. For older children, there are classics like Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Moby Dick and even Romeo & Juliet.
All you need to do is head to the Audible website from your web browser to start.
Watch the Animals at Melbourne Zoo
You can’t take the kids to the zoo so the zoo’s coming to you instead. Melbourne Zoo is live-streaming their animals to your living room. The children will love watching the penguins, lions, giraffes, monkeys, and leopards.
Stream a Favourite Movie
The best kids shows are available for streaming now. A movie can be a lifesaver if you need some time off from looking after your toddler. ABC Kids and Netflix have a range of kids’ cartoons and animated movies like Bluey (ABC Kids), The Magic School Bus Rides Again (Netflix) and Noddy (Netflix/ABC Kids) that will keep the kids entertained while you take a much-deserved breather from parent-teacher duties.
Need inspiration on what to stream? Check out Timeout’s suggestions here.
It could be a while before social distancing ends and life can return to normal so why not make the most of it by encouraging the kids to participate in some online activities that are fun, engaging and educational at the same time. To enrol in a class or request a trial session, contact our friendly enrolment team here.
SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE PAPER CRAFT
All you need:
3 paper plates
Scissors
Stapler or glue
A3 Cardboard or paper
Water colour or crayons
Stickers
First, cut the plates in half. You will need five halves. Next cut along the flat side of the halves so they resemble a slight crescent. Arrange the crescents together to look like the Opera House. Staple or glue together.
The first step is to cut the plates in half. You only need five halves for this particular craft, so you can put one aside for another project.
If finished, share with us on Facebook, Instagram or both! @topkidz.com.au
Paint a blue background on a piece of A4 cardboard or thick paper. Draw a rainbow. Paint some butterflies. Place some stickers. Glue the opera house to the paper. Share it on #sydneyoperahouse.