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HVP Virtual Events and Activities



In-person events may be canceled but kids can have fun with at-home activities, online performances and virtual shows

kid friendly virtual events

Explore, create and learn from your computer, tablet or smartphone with any or all of these kid-friendly and family-friendly virtual programs. Come back often because we are always updating this list.

ANIMALS

The Catskill Animal Sanctuary (CAS) has partnered with Goat 2 Meeting, a Sweet Farm Sanctuary program that brings sanctuaries and rescued animals into online meetings using Zoom, Google Hangouts, BlueJeans, and GoToMeeting.  CAS also offers its digital experiences through VirtualSanctuary, live broadcasts via YouTube on Tuesdays and Thursdays, plus custom online visits with founder and executive director Kathy Stevens. 

Join the Catskill Animal Sanctuary for Virtual Sanctuary, a live-streaming program of Michael Turkey’s mischief updates, “nose boops” from the sheep, up close goat shenanigans, species lessons, Breakin’ the Rules with Kathy, cooking demos, and so much more! Enjoy an interactive safari experience from where you are by traveling on the back of a virtual safari vehicle with WildEarth.

The American Dairy Association offers three virtual farm tours via YouTube. Dutch Hollow Farm is recommended for ages 4 to 9. Will-O-Crest Farm for ages 10 to 13, and JoBo Holsteins Farm for high schoolers. Each video is about 45 to 60 minutes and is filled with lots of fun facts and information about life on a dairy farm, both for the cows and the people!

Smithsonian’s National Zoo in D.C. has four different web cams. You might have to view each one to see which animals are moving around, including naked mole rats, lions, giant panda, and elephants.

There are currently nine African elephants living at the San Diego Zoo. This video has some movement, unlike most of the other stationary cameras, as it follows elephants around their enclosure to play, eat and sleep.

Remember April the Giraffe and her baby Tajiri who was born in 2017? Now you can watch them all day. They live at the Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville, N.Y.
Maryland Zoo in Baltimore has separate feeds for penguins, lions, giraffes, flamingo and the goat corral.

Monterey Bay Aquarium offers live cams set up throughout the aquarium including a sea otter cam, coral reef cam, penguin cam and kelp forest cam.

The Center for Wildlife is hosting Morning Meeting with Wildlife Ambassadors on Facebook Live, daily at 10 a.m. through March 31.

Conserve Wildlife presents an osprey video in Long Beach Island, New Jersey, which is located high on a pole overlooking a nest.

A small herd of bison live in the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in northeast Illinois. This bison webcam shows the herd as they graze and wander the prairie.

The Cincinnati Zoo is closed for now, but kids can join its Home Safari Facebook Lives weekdays at 3pm for an animal highlight and a home-based activity. For those that can’t make the live presentation, all videos and activities will be posted.

See dolphins in their watery habitat at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.


ARTS, MUSIC AND PERFORMANCE

Get cooking with Jacobowitz and Gubits, LLP, who's prepared a recipe book with favorite by the firm's partners, attorneys and staff. Enjoy! 

Have fun recreating pieces of art from the World Awareness Children's Museum’s collection using anything you have at home! Reply to the museum’s FaceBook post with a picture of your re-creation or tag the museum in your social media post on social media with #RecreateArt! All the submissions will be shared on Friday, May 8, with favorites winning four free passes to the museum in Glens Falls for when it re-opens!

Join Lex Feldheim of Kingston Ceramics Studio in a weekend-long online pottery workshop, May 1-3, that people can participate in for as little as $10.

The New Windsor Music Academy offers online music lessons via Zoom, which have been used to  successfully transition more than 80 percent of its students.  

4th Wall Theater Camp presents Home is Where the ART Is! A special edition (at-home) camp program, including a virtual musical, ‘The Show Must Go Online' with virtual rehearsals, classes and coaching. 
 
The Art Effect in Poughkeepsie is offering two 10-day intensive workforce development programs to Dutchess County youth, May 11 - 22. Paid “Bootcamps” for Screenwriting and 3D Design will take place remotely via Zoom Monday through Friday, 3 pm.- 5 p.m. for youth ages 14-19 and will pay participating youth minimum wage for their time.

Fall Kill Creative Works’ Remote Open Studio offers a variety of clay, print and textile sessions, exhibits and more via Zoom.  

Emily Music for Kids! in Beacon is offering virtual 40-minute interactive educational music romp for kids ages 0-10 and their caregivers.   

Join the Ashokan Online Rollick, April 24, 5 p.m. and April 26, 2 p.m. Online musical performances, teacher-led music jams, plus tech-talks, dining hall chats, and tea time! With Debra Clifford • Becca Wintle • Emily Schaad • Jake Blount • Val Mindel • Rachel Eddy, WV fiddler • Maggie Shar • Joseph DeJarnette • A’yen Tran • Jay Ungar and Molly Mason • Max Rainwater • Nicole Ball • Monica-Lisa Mills • Michael J Merenda Jr • Ruth Ungar • Karen Loving
Historic Huguenot Street in New Paltz has launched online programming, including engaging videos, hands-on activities, special deals from the museum shop available for delivery, and new ways to participate and explore its exhibitions, archives, and collection, #MuseumsFromHome. The museum’s free Walking Tour App allows visitors to learn all about the history of Huguenot Street, #ViewFromHuguenot, and its collections are available 24/7 through New York Heritage Digital Collections, including manuscripts and photographs, and objects such as textiles, kitchenware, and more.

Bethel Woods Center for the Arts has produced free virtual programming (#BWatHome) to keep the local community connected and engaged while practicing social distancing - free of charge. Among the programs—which are being updated with additional activities—are Feel Good Fridays that includes a guided craft tutorial activity, a free printable coloring book featuring parts of the site and other activities. As well, The Museum at Bethel Woods also offers a mini-series of virtual tours of center’s Main Exhibit and Special Exhibits.  


Tune into the Ashokan Center’s Quiet Room, Wednesdays at 8 p.m., for at-home, intimate concerts with Jay Ungar and Molly Mason. Take a moment to unwind and enjoy the music that unites and inspires us.    

The Getty Museum is challenging art fans to post photos of themselves recreating their favorite works of art from the safety of their homes. So. Much. Fun. 

Google has partnered with over 2,500 museums worldwide to offer virtual tours. From the Anne Frank Museum in the Netherlands, to the Acropolis Museum in Greece to Maryland's own Walter's Art Museum in Baltimore you can explore the galleries with no need for a passport or better yet - no gift shop!

Get creative with bestselling children's author Mo Willems and explore ways of writing and making together, weekdays at 1 p.m.

Children’s author/illustrator Jarrett J. Krosoczka is hosting free webcasts every weekday at 2 pm to offer a daily art lesson.

Broadway Theatre Project (BTP) is a summer musical theatre intensive led by Broadway's biggest stars of the present and past. This is a FREE opportunity for all young musical theatre students to receive feedback on video recordings of their performances. Upload your video and a panel of BTP faculty and guest artists will schedule an online video conference with you to discuss constructive feedback. 
The National Gallery of Art’s NGAkids Art Zone app offers eight interactive activities inspired by works in the collection of the National Gallery of Art for kids ages 9 through 11. There’s also a sketchbook for freehand drawing and a personal exhibition space to save with and display art created with the program.

Color, draw and paint on virtual canvases with ABCya.com.

Find lots of online coloring pages with PBSKids. 


EDUCATION

The Hudson River Maritime Museum has expanded its online offerings through its history blog and Museum At Home program, where members of the public can browse online exhibits, articles, oral histories, images, and more, completely free of charge. 
Visit the Smithsonian for tons of Fun Stuff for Kids and Teens. With these great sections, Art, History, and Culture: Activities and Games, Science and Nature: Activities and Games, Art Meets Science in the Collections, Art, History, and Culture in the Collections, your kids are sure to be entertained for hours. 

From Hidden to Modern Figures, NASA offers videos, biographies and other education resources about the women behind the missions, keeping their legacy alive for generations to come.

Find kid-friendly online games, videos, explorations and more on National Geographic Kids. 

A wide variety of fun, printable worksheets are available through Education.com.


GAMES FOR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS (ONLINE) 

- Playingcards.io: Virtual card and board games
- My Free Bingo Cards: Free and paid versions of the popular number-matching game
- Scattergories: Online version of the fun, fast-paced word game
- Tabletopia: Hundreds of virtual board games
- Pogo: Free online board games
- GamesGames: Math, puzzle, card and board games
- Scratch: Free programming language and online community where people can create their own interactive stories, games, and animations

HOLISTIC HEALTH

PermaJam’s Spring Regeneration event will be held as a virtual gathering, May 16-17, including a fun-filled infusion of learning, community prayers, movement, music and fireside chants. Registration is required for the Zoom-hosted event. A suggested donation of $10-$108 can be paid through PayPal.

While the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies has postponed programs on its Rhinebeck campus until 2021, the institute’s online offerings are aimed at uplifting the human spirit and providing strength and inspiration include conversations with top teachers, online courses, a podcast, the Omega Online Community, and more.

The Middle Way School is offering Zoom-style meditation sessions and talks plus videos through Middle Way Education, including a kid-focused video, Just Breathe. 


SCIENCE AND STUDY

Looking for an exploratory STEAM activity that siblings and parents can do together? Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook’s Family Data Jam allows siblings of different ages to work with each other on a single project. A special award will be granted to our top Family project.
 
Chat with marine biologists from Oceans Initiative about killer whales/orcas, dolphins, salmon, or any other topic every Monday and Thursday 11am PST. We have a great team of biologists at Oceans Initiative who are all working on interesting projects. We’ll be live on Facebook and Instagram. No ticket or registration necessary. 

Learn about the Money Museum's spectacular rarities, explore a wide range of historical subjects and expand your collecting knowledge and interests. These virtual exhibits allow you to view high resolution images and detailed information about fascinating numismatic objects. 

40 Science Websites for Teachers and Parents from Bored Teachers makes it a fun and easy subject area for kids to dive into while at home. Parents don’t need chemistry or biology degrees to help their kids learn science. Here’s a list of online science resources to help kids learn and have fun while at home – divided by age groups!


TEENS 

SUNY Ulster is hosting ‘My Pandemic Response’ showcase, where high school teachers (teens, tell your teachers!) can invite their students to create art based on the current pandemic. Work can be submitted in any media including painting, drawing, photography, video, sculpture, etc. Teachers can submit up to 10 entries by May 20; with the event held on Facebook and Instagram, May 28-June 28.

The Newburgh Free Library has video offerings of creative projects from the library’s staff, including sewing a tote/grocery bag, knitting a gauge swatch and four-part series on making a woven bracelet.

E-library services are available from the Poughkeepsie Public Library District, including Teen Book Cloud, online collection of ebooks, enhanced novels, graphic novels, videos and audio books, along with to magazines, streaming video and more.

Contact the East Fishkill Community Library for at-home community service projects for high schoolers, including art projects, book reviews, poem and story-writing  

New Paltz State University of New York's Young Writers Programs include online summer camps, Writing & Role-Playing Dungeons and Dragons, Teen Writers Institute, Writing the College Essay and more. 

HVP Pinterest, Home with the Teens, including how-to meal and snack recipes, DIY crafts, unplugged activities and more.


Broadway Arts Collective is giving performance students a chance to be heard and flood its social media with their voices. Students can submit a short video of themselves singing their favorite song, which will be posted for all to see, BroadwayArtsCollective@gmail.com.


The Art Effect:  Two 10-day intensive workforce development programs for Dutchess County youth, May 11 - 22. The paid “Bootcamps” for Screenwriting and 3D Design will happen remotely via Zoom Monday through Friday, ages 14-19.

North East Community Center in Millerton has moved its Teen Team meetings on recreational and restorative topics to remote sessions via a “Zoom Council” format, Tuesdays and Thursdays 4 pm-5 pm. For information, email teenprograms@neccmillerton.org, text or call 518-407-7279, or message on Instagram @teenteam_necc.


TRAVEL, SIGHTSEEING AND PARKS (VIRTUAL)

Celebrate National Park Week, April 18 - 26, with fun and innovative digital experiences. While parked at home, journey to national parks through online activities, including virtual tours, scavenger hunts, trivia contests and junior ranger programs. Join the National Park Service and National Park Foundation preview event on Twitter, April 16 at 1 p.m., #FindYourPark and #NationalParkWeek. A special limited-time park ranger emoji will appear with the use of these hashtags, in addition to #FindYourVirtualPark and #EncuentraTuParque on Twitter.

 

Use the Find Your Virtual Park page for the sights and sounds of parks, games, videos, webcams and kid-friendly activities. See the National Park Foundation’s series of virtual escapes and suggestions for home-based park experiences.


Take virtual tours all over planet Earth with 360 Cities! This site allows you to enter a location and see 360° videos that will captivate and inspire kids of all ages.

Free online course about Ancient Rome from Future Learn immerses you in 3D models of all kinds of Roman architecture and shares stories of aspects of life in Rome from entertainment to worship.

Take the Anne Frank House Virtual Tour and step inside the secret annex where Anne Frank hid with her family for more than two years during WWII and where she wrote her diary. Video helps round out the story.

Yes, you can tour Buckingham Palace. Take as much time as you like. Please don’t sit on the thrones.

7 Great Virtual Reality Travel Experiences, from Lifewire, allows you to see tours from the Grand Canyon or into the vast reaches of outer space. The tours are rated with pros and cons.

Go on virtual field trips with Freedom Home Schooling.


YOUNGSTERS

Sign up for fun at the Highland Public Library including its virtual story hour with Miss Holly and family-friendly virtual games for all ages.

Balance books on your head, do jumping jacks! The American Heart Association has 25 fun-tastic ways for you and your kids to move around at home. 

Newburgh Free Library offers many resources free to cardholders, including e-books and digital books for kids and many databases for exploration of hobbies, research and interests, including early learning activities for pre-school children through the Early Childhood Literacy Guide.

Visit the NewburghFree Library’s Youth Services Parent Resource page for a of online and at-home activities for youngsters, including the library’s "Imagine a Garden" videos for kids 3-5, toddler hand-washing video, homeschooling printables, fun pretend at-home ideas and more.  

Having trouble coming up with new ways to keep your kids entertained while at home? Here’s a thought: Fly Away! Play pilot and pretend to go on a flying adventure! Or Go Camping! Pretend to go on a camping adventure, inside! Check out The Behavior Place in Middletown for more great ideas. 

Take a break at weekday mornings at 10am with Mornings with Matt Online Sing Along. Join Matt Heaton and the Outside Toys and sing, dance, watch, chat and hang out with your little ones.
Yoga, mindfulness, and relaxation videos with Cosmic Kids Yoga on YouTube for the littles! A great resource to keep everyone from going stir crazy while off school. Dozens of videos to choose from, all geared towards pre-school and early elementary age children.

For all you folks stuck at home in the coming weeks, you can listen to Oliver Jeffers read from one of his books and talk about some of the things that went into making it. He is an Irish author who lives in Brooklyn. His style is very chatty. He has written at least 14 books and Illustrated many more. Daily at 2pm EST.

Join the Brooklyn Public Library for their virtual story time on Facebook Live with books, songs, and tips for your child to acquire early literacy, fine motor, and language developmental skills.
Mr. Jon and Friends have an entertaining YouTube Channel with fun videos and stomping music. Great for young kids to get them moving with jumping, finger motions and tickling laughter.

We just learned about Tinkergarten, a company that offers classes. They have launched Tinkergarden At Home with a great list of outdoor activities you can do at home. I choose Take a Listening Walk to share with you but there are many other activities to use.  This is a free service.

Audible, which is owned by Amazon, is suspending subscription fees for children’s audio books while schools are closed. 

Assemblyman Colin J. Schmitt (R,C,I-New Windsor) has made available a free downloadable New York State coloring book for families to use during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Two moms are the publishers Barefoot Books. They created fun, purposeful and FREE At-Home Activity Kits! But we really enjoy their collection of singalongs for kids who love to listen to music with cheerful movement. With 19 YouTube musical videos we are sure you will find some that your kids will love.