Cool Things During Covid-19
Many of us are now in our fourth, fifth, or possibly sixth week of sheltering in place and by now I’m guessing many of you are experiencing cabin fever. You may have started your quarantine with some cleaning, organizing, and home improvement projects (I did a little painting) or you binge-watched that show you never found the time to watch, but now what?
I am blessed to be able to work from home and it is currently my busiest season, so I’m still in quarantine phase 1. Along the way I’ve been saving links for all of the cool things I’ve noticed on my brief social media breaks. I thought I’d put them together for you so if you are in phase 2 and looking to take advantage of Covid Creativity you can find many options in one place.
The resources below are by no means comprehensive, but it is a good start to entertain yourself or your kids (and don’t tell them, but they just might learn something too!). There’s something for everyone:
For Animal Lovers
San Diego Zoo
Follow the lives of animals like penguins, koala bears, polar bears, condors, tigers, elephants, and even butterflies at the San Diego Zoo. They also have recorded footage of panda bears.
Houston Zoo
If you like bugs check out the Leafcutter Ant cam at the Houston Zoo; if you prefer typical zoo animals, they also have live webcams for Rhinos, Chimps, Elephants, Giraffes, and Gorillas.
Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
Enjoy live web cams of Naked Mole Rats, Elephants, Lions, and Panda Bears. The Smithsonian also prepared at home activity resources you can download.
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
Join Ohio’s Cincinnati Zoo for a Home Safari live on Facebook daily at 3 pm ET featuring a different resident of the zoo, including the famous Fiona the hippo.
Elmwood Park Zoo
Not sure what to do with your kids while they are stuck at home? Enroll them in Pennsylvania’s Elmwood Park Zoo’s “Zoo School” weekdays at 11 am ET via Facebook Live.
Wild Earth
Have you ever wanted to go on safari in South Africa? Join live streams from South Africa at sunrise or sunset to learn from expert guides as they answer your questions and guide you on foot, in safari vehicles, and even by drones or balloons.
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
Head Down Under to Brisbane, Australia to watch one of 15 different live stream cameras following those cute and cuddly resident koalas. Just remember that koalas sleep 18 to 20 hours a day. If sleeping koalas isn’t your thing, you’re in luck; they also have live streams of bearded dragons, birds, and dingoes.
The Less Exotic Animals
Warrior Canine Connection’s Puppy Cam
Sometimes nothing is better than watching a puppy. Enjoy one of four streams hosted by the Warrior Canine Connection, an organization that aids service members as they return to civilian life by training service dogs for fellow veterans.
Kitten Rescue Sanctuary’s Kitten Cam
And not to offend cat lovers, there’s also a kitten cam where you can watch Los Angeles-based kittens in a rescue sanctuary.
Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary’s Senior Dog Gathering Room
Not to be outdone by young puppies and kittens, senior dogs can be fun to watch too, especially when they are in a senior dog paradise like Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee.
Kentucky Equine Adoption Center’s Live Cam
With the Run for the Roses postponed, horse lovers can get their fix via the Kentucky Equine Adoption Center’s live cam. The facility cares for and rehabilitates rescue horses. Enjoy watching these magnificent animals wander in their pastures.
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Check out a wide array of aquatic life at California’s Monterey Bay Aquarium. Enjoy live webcams of Abbi the sea otter, a kelp forest, sharks, jelly fish and more.
Georgia Aquarium
Join the largest aquarium in the nation for a series of live streams and daily shows. Check out the African penguins and the inhabitants of the aquarium’s 6.3 million gallon tank that includes whale sharks, manta rays, and sea turtles.
Aquarium of the Pacific
If you’re like me and you love penguins, stop by the world-renowned Aquarium of the Pacific. One camera shows what’s going on above the water; the other shows what’s going on below. Other webcams feature sharks, jellyfish, and a beautiful coal reef.
Seattle Aquarium
Who doesn’t love seals and sea otters? The Seattle Aquarium has live streams featuring both. Check out the aquarium’s YouTube channel for additional videos including sea otter training and octopi.
Vancouver Aquarium
Looking for something relaxing? Spend some time in the deep blue water of the Vancouver Aquarium with the jellyfish.
National Aquarium’s Coral Reef Cam
Explore a coral reef at the aquarium’s Blacktip Reef cam where you are likely to spot many colorful fish…and an occasional shark.
Explore.org Live Nature Cams
If the above animal experiences are not enough for you check out Explore.org, the world’s largest live nature cam network. Here you can literally find the world of animals and nature at your fingertips.
The Arts
Boy do I miss live theater! I had tickets to see a production of the Lion King when the CDC began putting limitations on the size of gatherings permitted. While I’m very disappointed that I’ll be missing that show, I’m thankful the performance of Waitress was moved to next year.
Theater
This post would not be complete without a special shout out to the amazing Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. Each weekend on the YouTube channel The Shows Must Go On one of his shows is available for 24 to 48 hours. Last weekend it was Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and this weekend features a spectacular performance of Phantom of the Opera (watch to the very end – like a Marvel movie, the best part is at the end!!!!).
Metropolitan Opera
Give opera a chance or enjoy an encore performance with the Nightly Met Opera Stream featuring some of opera’s greatest stars in performances from the past 14 years. Each performance is available for a 23 hour period beginning at 7:30 pm EDT.
Symphony Orchestras
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra has tons of music on demand from prior seasons and it’s organized!
Every Thursday and Sunday the London Symphony Orchestra is broadcasting a previous performance on YouTube.
Museums
As a kid, I loved going on field trips to museums. As an adult, I’ve enjoyed a career that affords me the opportunity to travel extensively visiting several museums and historic homes. Here are a few links to explore some amazing museums, gardens, and historic homes.
Biltmore Estate
My passion for historic homes began after watching an episode of America’s Castles on the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina. The estate is the largest private residence in the U.S. and was once home to the Vanderbilts. This is an absolute must see in-person when you have the chance, but for now enjoy a walk through the gardens and a quick look at the house.
The Winchester Mystery House
Located in San Jose, CA, this sprawling home that might be haunted, has opened its doors to you virtually. Pay a small fee to rent or purchase the tour and you can learn more about this never-ending home renovation project. The house has 2,000 doors, 160 rooms, 13 bathrooms, and 6 kitchens in its 24,000 square feet.
Frank Lloyd Wright Masterpieces
See how the world-renowned architect blended his buildings with their natural surroundings through virtual visits on social media. Participating sites will share videos on their social media channels on Thursdays at noon CT. #wrightvirtualvisits
Castles Rebuilt
Watch as seven castles throughout Europe were virtually reconstructed to their former glory.
The Smithsonian
Americans are incredibly fortunate to have the amazing museum system of The Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. Just because the museums are closed doesn’t mean you can’t explore the secrets of the museum. From story time to webinars and classroom enrichment, the museum is offering daily online events. Stop by the Museum of Natural History to visit permanent, current, and even past exhibits. Explore all of the online exhibits.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
You don’t have to be a kid to enjoy the #metkids exploration of the famous art gallery.
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
If you love visiting an art gallery and contemplating the meaning of the paintings, check out the discussion questions prepared for dozens of pieces at the MOMA. This could be a great supplement to art class.
Google Art
Google is not just for finding an answer to your question. The Google Arts & Culture site has partnered with museums around the world, including the Uffizi in Florence, Italy and The British Museum to provide access to thousands of priceless works of art. One incredibly cool feature is the 360 degree video tours! Below is an example of Queen Victoria’s house. I think I could spend all of quarantine on the Google Arts & Culture site and still not see everything!
Theme Parks
Sad about missing your spring break trip to Florida? Bring a little of that theme park magic to your home.
Disney World
Bring the happiest place on earth to your home through this Youtube channel where you can virtually experience rides, attractions, and even the monorail. When you’re ready for a little break, there’s even a virtual ride on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority People Mover! And best yet, there are some rides that no longer exist like the Great Movie Ride. Want to treat it like a real day in the park (without the lines of course)? Each park has a playlist: Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios.
Disneyland
Not as robust as the Disney World collection, there are some virtual experiences for those of you who prefer Disneyland.
Universal Studios
Universal Studios in Orlando also has a YouTube channel featuring attractions. Playlists are organized by events and parks, including The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and CityWalk.
Sea World
Explore Orlando’s Sea World though a virtual tour and then check out the YouTube channel for videos of the animals in action.
Science-related Activities
Feeling trapped at home? Contemplating your place in the universe?
The universe is revealed in this presentation of “Galactic Archaeology: Unraveling the History of the Stars, our Galaxy, and the Early Universe” by the Department of Physics at the University of Notre Dame.
Want something a little more hands on? NASA has created a plethora of resources to keep kids engaged with science while schools are closed due to Covid-19. “NASA at Home” features e-books, virtual tours, podcasts, do-it-yourself science experiments, and there’s even an app where you can take control of a NASA aircraft!
Sports
Sorry sports fan, without live sports, the best I can offer is broadcasts of old events. Nothing reminds us that we are all in this together and joins the world better than the Olympics. You can watch hundreds of videos of past events reliving all of the drama and stories of triumph.
And if that’s not enough for you, enjoy the work of a bored BBC Sportscaster
E-Learning Resources
Parents looking for some support for teaching your kids at home, check out this compilation of resources from the Emmerson Collective.
I don’t know about you, but there’s more than enough to keep me busy for a very long time. While I’m staying home to do my part to flatten the cure, I’ll also be able to explore the world in ways that I may not have known about before Covid-19.
Do what you can to make the most of social distancing.
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