8 Ideas to Keep the Family Entertained In The Age of Coronavirus Social Distancing
We are experiencing unprecedented, life-altering events in Colorado (and across the world) with the coronavirus pandemic. We have been told to stay home. To social distance. Everything is closed. It is a scary time to be a child and perhaps even scarier to be an adult.
At Frontgate we are hunkered down at home with our families, riding out this storm. But we are still here for our clients and friends. If you are worried about the markets, about buying or selling, we will answer your questions as best we can. Please don’t hesitate to give us a ring.
In the meantime, we wanted to help with some home enrichment ideas. From kid specific museum tours to free yoga classes you can do at home, check out our list of 8 healthy and educational ways to keep the family entertained in this age of coronavirus and social distancing.
1. Virtual Denver Attractions
Denver museums are currently closed, but that doesn’t mean you can’t pay them a virtual visit. Check out these links for local museums and other local attractions hosting online tours and video series:
Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art's 360-degree tour
Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum's "Behind the Wings" video series
Colorado's Most Significant Artifacts from History Colorado Center
Videos of Red Rocks Amphitheatre's popular concerts
Especially for kids:
2. Learn A New Skill Coursera
Take this extra time at home to learn a new skill or brush up your knowledge on a topic that interests you. Check out Coursera (link here) for classes in collaboration with more than 190 top universities and companies including Google and Stanford. There are all sorts of topics.
Credit Spencer Steward, Sharks4Kids
3. Take A Shark Seminar
Another easy and affordable flight from Denver is Cabo San Lucas at the far southern end of Mexico’s Baja If you or the kids like sharks, then check out Sharks4Kids. The education nonprofit based out of Bimini in the Bahamas is creating the next generation of shark advocates through education, outreach and adventure.
For the next 4-6 weeks they will be offering live shark webinars with guests from around the world. Guests will include shark scientists, divers, photographers, videographers, conservationists and more. Check out the link here. You can also dive in with their free online resources which include lesson plans, curriculum, teaching guides, activities, crafts and more here.
4. Free Yoga With Corepower Yoga
Corepower Yoga is offering its On Demand yoga classes for free to anyone who wants to learn or needs to practice at home. Just follow this link here for complimentary access to a collection of C1, C2, Yoga Sculpt, and Hot Power Fusion classes (varying 30-minutes to a full hour) and guided meditations. Content will be updated weekly during the crisis in hopes of bringing peace of mind to those who need it.
Credit Pedro Szekely_Flickr
5. Explore Museums Across The Globe
Museums around the world are offering virtual access to their collections. At the Louvre in Paris, virtual visitors can tour the Egyptian Antiquities collection among two other video tours. Click this link to visit.
The Louvre is just one of many cultural organizations offering these style of tours. At The Vatican in Rome you can explore its collection of classical sculptures in a 360 degree tour (link here). The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery also offers virtual access to its 23,000 works of art here.
6. Challenge Yourself to Study A Language
Download an app like Duolingo and challenge yourself to study a new language while you are sheltering in place for the coronavirus outbreak. If you have kids, this is something you can do together as a family. It is likely your children will pick up the language faster than you! Regardless it is a bonding experience.
7. Watch Wildlife Web Cams
Keep an eye out for baby bears emerging from hibernation in Alaska or go on a virtual African safari from your computer screen. There are dozens of wildlife web cams set up all over the world these day, streaming animal movements in real time (sometimes you won’t see anything, sometimes you’ll see a lot). For more on the best wildlife web cams to check out see this article by Lonely Planet, which rounds up their favorite nine.
8. Armchair Travel
You can also pay Lonely Planet a visit to travel virtually. Check out their video collection of walking tours and other adventures from around the world. Stream it on a big enough screen and you will almost feel like you are on the road again.