World Schooling in a Virtual World
Almost daily, my kids ask me why we can't go to the beach, or the park, or the zoo. We love outings, but as with many others, Covid-19 has turned us into homebodies. But just because we are stuck inside, doesn't mean we can't visit other places virtually. Many zoos have zoo cams or videos of animals available online, while museums are setting up virtual tours and lectures.
We started with the penguins on the loose in the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. Not to be outdone, Sue wandered around the Field Museum in Chicago and Abraham Lincoln found his portrait and rode a penny farthing in the Chicago History Museum. These mini tours were a lot of fun and inspired us to see what else is out there.
Google Art and Culture has hooked up with many museums to share their collections online. When it comes to art museums, my kids found this kind of disappointing. They love exploring through the Crocker Art Museum on their way to the play area, stopping by their favorite sculptures. The 3-D experience of the artwork makes it more exciting. We have an excellent art book at home, Vincent's Starry Night and Other Stories, that tells the story of some famous pieces and has inspired many a project, so the art museums didn't really excite them.
Zoo Cams are a great resource for any animal lover. My kids love the San Diego Zoo Cams and the Smithsonian Zoo Cams. The only problem with zoo cams is that they don't always guarantee animals in the footage, or that the animals won't just be sleeping the whole time you watch, just like a real visit to the zoo. If you want to ensure some time with animals, the Cincinnati Zoo has a Home Safari. Each video is available live on Facebook at 3 EDT, focusing on a different animal each day with an activity you can do at home as well. If you don't catch it on Facebook, the videos are then posted on You Tube.
There are a few map style tours, where you can click on points of interest and either see a picture or a video. Yellowstone shared some interesting tours, that both include information about the features like "What is a hot spring" and pictures from along the walk. For those interested in space, Langley Research Center has a virtual tour that includes videos from the wind tunnel and clean rooms. The British Museum has several different offerings, from virtual tours using Google Earth, which were really enjoyable, to the ability to search their collection online.
After the Google Earth Tour of the British Museum, my kids absolute favorite tour was the Smithsonian Natural History Museum. My kids are really into dinosaurs right now, and the ability to be dropped into the middle of the museum floor and navigate the room was great for them. They could zoom in on the dinosaurs and the information about them, clicking arrows to move from room to room. It was the most immersive tour they've found so far and they really enjoyed it.
Even while we are stuck at home, we can still explore the world. Try looking up some of your favorite museums and see if they have any virtual tours available. Most places are trying to stay connected and keep us entertained and educated while we are all stuck inside, so it definitely won't hurt to look.
We started with the penguins on the loose in the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. Not to be outdone, Sue wandered around the Field Museum in Chicago and Abraham Lincoln found his portrait and rode a penny farthing in the Chicago History Museum. These mini tours were a lot of fun and inspired us to see what else is out there.
Google Art and Culture has hooked up with many museums to share their collections online. When it comes to art museums, my kids found this kind of disappointing. They love exploring through the Crocker Art Museum on their way to the play area, stopping by their favorite sculptures. The 3-D experience of the artwork makes it more exciting. We have an excellent art book at home, Vincent's Starry Night and Other Stories, that tells the story of some famous pieces and has inspired many a project, so the art museums didn't really excite them.
Zoo Cams are a great resource for any animal lover. My kids love the San Diego Zoo Cams and the Smithsonian Zoo Cams. The only problem with zoo cams is that they don't always guarantee animals in the footage, or that the animals won't just be sleeping the whole time you watch, just like a real visit to the zoo. If you want to ensure some time with animals, the Cincinnati Zoo has a Home Safari. Each video is available live on Facebook at 3 EDT, focusing on a different animal each day with an activity you can do at home as well. If you don't catch it on Facebook, the videos are then posted on You Tube.
There are a few map style tours, where you can click on points of interest and either see a picture or a video. Yellowstone shared some interesting tours, that both include information about the features like "What is a hot spring" and pictures from along the walk. For those interested in space, Langley Research Center has a virtual tour that includes videos from the wind tunnel and clean rooms. The British Museum has several different offerings, from virtual tours using Google Earth, which were really enjoyable, to the ability to search their collection online.
After the Google Earth Tour of the British Museum, my kids absolute favorite tour was the Smithsonian Natural History Museum. My kids are really into dinosaurs right now, and the ability to be dropped into the middle of the museum floor and navigate the room was great for them. They could zoom in on the dinosaurs and the information about them, clicking arrows to move from room to room. It was the most immersive tour they've found so far and they really enjoyed it.
Even while we are stuck at home, we can still explore the world. Try looking up some of your favorite museums and see if they have any virtual tours available. Most places are trying to stay connected and keep us entertained and educated while we are all stuck inside, so it definitely won't hurt to look.
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