This is a fabulous list of resources and ideas to inspire and keep you and your family active and entertained while social distancing.
Ideas include free online yoga classes, language learning resources, starting a virtual book club, hosting a virtual hangout or wine tasting with friends, making a family scrapbook or newsletter and SO much more.
Browse inspirational ideas and links to free online resources
“Can you complete an LED circuit using a graphite pencil? Learn about the conductive properties of graphite and draw your own design to see it light up! This is a super quick and easy science experiment that is entertaining for both kids and adults alike.”
Ages 9-16
"There are lots of muscles that help to move your arm in all the many ways it can move. The bicep and tricep muscles are two of the most noticeable, partly because of how big they get on some bodybuilders. These paired muscles flex and extend the elbow joint, allowing you to bring a fork to your mouth or throw a frisbee. When one flexes, the other relaxes.”
Ages 9-16
“Water squirters work by pressurizing reservoirs of water with air. As you pump the squirter, it gradually adds air to the reservoir, increasing the pressure. When you pull the trigger, the pressure is allowed to release and a stream of water shoots out!”
Ages 9-16
“We’re surrounded by waves! Sound and light travel as waves to our ears and eyes. Ocean waves crash onto the beach. Radio waves broadcast music to our cars. We even use waves to cook our food - in microwaves! Try making this wave machine to see how all different kinds of waves move!”
Ages 5-16
“Cold, lazy days are a perfect time to turn simple household objects into motor-powered toys. Here's a fun project that recycles bottle caps into little robots that dance and scoot in all kinds of surprising ways!”
Ages 5-16
“You don't need high-tech gadgets to make your own hovercraft! This balloon-powered toy is easy to make with household materials and is a ton of fun to send zooming around! We had so much fun passing the hovercraft across a long table. A light push sends it gliding along in a straight path. And, the balloon had enough air in it for a few pushes, which means you can involve a few friends. Keep blowing the balloon up for more and more fun!”
Ages 5-16
“Have you ever ridden a bicycle down a hill and felt the wind on your face? Air is all around you. To move through it, you have to push it out of the way. That means it's pushing back on you, too. That push is called air resistance. Imagine a parachutist jumping out of an airplane and falling to the ground. The opened parachute would use air resistance to slow down its descent. In this experiment, we create a parachute toy using a Ziploc® brand sandwich bag to learn about air resistance and see it in action.”
Ages 9-16
“Did you know that you can create a rainbow with clear nail polish? Try this quick experiment using clear nail polish and black paper to make a swirling mix of colors.”
Ages 9-16
“Make sure Dad's never bored with this DIY catapult that doubles as a desk toy! It's easy to build from common office supplies and fun to use at work or at home.”
Ages 9-16
“We have an engineer in our family... she's always playing with pulleys and levers and constructing things. This time we were playing with compression and tension. Let's see what we can learn...”
Ages 3-8
“A squirt gun is a a great example of what happens when you apply pressure to a liquid. In this quick, fun experiment, learn how to make your own miniature water squirter using just two cups, a straw, and some clay!”
Ages 5-16
“With your kitchen as your lab and baking supplies as your ingredients, create your own underwater firework spectacular! These underwater fireworks go off because of density. Density means how much something weighs for a given volume of it. Denser things like iron and stone sink. Less dense things like wood and rubber float.”
Ages 5-11
“Use a small-scale conveyor belt to create a cinematic experience! Download the printables here: background image & still image.”
Ages 9-16
“Learn about creating static electricity with this simple project. Explore more by using this technique to create a living birthday cake with candles, campfire, or wetland scene!”
Ages 5-8
“Is your slime feeling mucky and dense? Could your slime use a little pep in its step? Try mixing together this special concoction and make fluffy slime!”
Ages 5-16
“Make your own colorful, bubbling lamp with this fun science experiment about mixing up unmixable liquids!”
Ages 5-16
“Now that spring is finally here, we've been planting all sorts of seeds on our window sills. From tomatoes to cucumbers, our family has been watching our plants sprout and grow. When my kids wanted to get in on the action, we set up this easy CD garden using wheatgrass seeds. To their delight, the wheatgrass seeds have sprouted in a matter of days. They now take turns tracking and watering their growing garden every day.”
Ages 5-16
“When you have curious kids running around your house and a free afternoon, why not get a little messy and do some kitchen science? We did ours in the backyard and let the whole thing become a super sensory experience. When they inevitably try and find the remains of their apple in the mound of foam, be sure to ask them what it feels like.”
Ages 3-8
“Discover the magic of color mixing and capillary action with this easy and exciting science project!”
Ages 3-8
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