With social distancing keeping everyone at home, South Florida's usually busy social calendar is empty. But there's still plenty going on in the virtual world, and these South Florida businesses are opening their doors online to keep families educated and entertained.
Published: March 25, 2020
By: Shannon Pease-Severance
Boca Raton Museum of Art
Being inspired and creative has not been canceled. The new, free Keep Kids Smart with ART program for all provides online art lessons, tips and activities for artists to express their creativity at home. Follow @BocaMuseum on Facebook and Instagram or visit http://www.bocamuseum.org.
Jungle Island
Children ages 5-12 can learn about animals, nature and the Everglades through free, daily, online lessons offered by Jungle Island. Visit the park’s Facebook or Instagram pages @jungleisland weekdays at 11 a.m. for fun-filled daily programming that include Everglades Exploration, Spread Your Wings, Primate Practices and more. Kids can win prizes with homework assignments from the videos, which are posted at http://www.jungleisland.com/education/homeschool/.
Museum of Discovery and Science
Kids can keep up with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics via the museum’s free virtual learning videos, available weekdays through the museum’s e-news emails and social media channels. The STEM videos range from reading and hands-on activities to science and animal demonstrations. Visit http://www.mods.org and click “Sign up for e-News” to sign up for the email or follow them @MODSFTL on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube to join the fun.
Nature Postings
Tune in to Nature Postings’ YouTube channel for nature-based Fun Fact Friday videos that include online visuals such as animal interactions, cool critters, tours and more. Visit http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0HlVXwrM9eXwE4zZVnIIhQ.
Pérez Art Museum Miami
PAMM brings the museum to you, with at-home art-making activities, guided online museum tours, artist tasks and more. Visit http://www.pamm.org or @PerezArtMuseumMiami on Facebook.
Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science
Explore Frost’s Science@Home digital learning platform at http://www.frostscience.org/athome for DIY science, at-home science activities, step-by-step videos and more that you can try with your family at home. Follow @FrostScience on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for regular updates and behind-the-scenes content and tag #FrostScienceAtHome.
Planet Fitness
You might not be able to work out at the gym, but you can “work in” at home. Planet Fitness offers daily classes taught by instructors and special guests via Facebook live stream every day at 7 p.m. The free classes are open to all – no membership or equipment needed. Visit http://www.facebook.com/planetfitness.
South Florida Science Center and Aquarium
The Science Center is taking its mission virtual. Follow them on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @SFScienceCenter for Facebook Live aquarium programs every Friday at 12 p.m., Live science lessons every Friday at 3 p.m.,
Virtual Science Shorts and DIY@Home science experiments every Thursday at 2 p.m., Future Scientist Storytime every Tuesday at 9 a.m., and weekly virtual exhibit tours. Learn more at http://www.sfsciencecenter.org/virtual.
Stranahan House
The historic home in downtown Fort Lauderdale is offering free story times, virtual museum tours and history show-and-tells via Facebook
Live at 11 a.m. weekdays. Visit http://www.facebook.com/StranahanHouse for a list of events each week.
Tinkergarten
Gather your little ones for Tuesdays with Tinkergarten activities streaming live on Facebook at 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays. You can join remotely for a 20-minute fun-filled class designed to keep kids active and engaged. Visit http://www.facebook.com/Tinkergarten.
Young At Art Museum
The YAA at Home program helps provide art relief for all and keep children artistically engaged with virtual tours of the museum’s interactive art galleries, downloadable art activities and creative prompts from special guest artists. The art activities are designed with common art supplies and recycled materials, and participants can win prizes. Follow @YoungAtArtMuseum on Instagram and Facebook or visit http://www.youngatartmuseum.org/yaaathome.php.