It is
interesting indeed to consider the internet as we move further into Covid-19. Parents
who once viewed it mainly as the thief of their children’s energy have likely
changed their tune somewhat, if not a lot. Of course it remains a potentially
destructive tool, the greatest time suck ever known, a galaxy of wonder
alongside a swamp of awfulness, but without its positive attributes, how would
so many kids have continued their education, albeit in fits and starts? And their
teachers – how could they have kept doing their jobs? How could millions of
folks (me included) continue to work, enjoy performed music (or, like me,
perform it), and visit with friends and loved ones via Zoom, Google Hangout, et
al? The mind reels.
Aside from
standard education, during Covid-19, the internet has proven quite useful in
other, pleasantly unexpected ways, like the virtual field trip. Writing for
RealSimple.com, Lisa Milabrand points out some truly enriching and
fun activities you can make part of your child’s school day, or, in fact, any
day you would otherwise be going to a museum, or to see a natural wonder, or to
a show.
READ MORE: Find lots more virtual fun with our virtual calendar
Milabrand even
makes you realize the possible advantages of a virtual field trip over an old
fashioned on-site one, pointing out that, post-Covid-19, some virtual
alternatives will likely remain popular. As she puts it, “Pointing and clicking
may not be quite the same thing as seeing and experiencing science, arts,
culture, and history in person, but when your field trip can include viewing
artwork from the Louvre in the morning and then heading out on a leopard safari
in the afternoon, it might be a fair tradeoff.” Maybe.
The mother
lode is the Google Arts and Culture section, from which you can tour the Paris Opera
House, or the Discovery Space Shuttle, for starters. Interactive options are
available via AirBnB and various theaters offer
interactive tours. Those are just a handful of options.
It’s easy
to loathe many aspects of the internet, but opportunities like this go a long
way toward bringing some appreciation and gratitude into the equation. Now,
parents can describe their relationship with the internet not as “love/hate”
but “it’s complicated.”
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