Explore the Web archive

Below are previous “explore the web” suggestions.

Virtual birding

Check out the Cornell Lab bird cams including one for barred owl chicks. Cornell’s bird feeder cam is also great. Here’s the Falcon cam on the Clock Tower in downtown Boston where there are currently several chicks.

Coloring for adults

Crayola offers detailed coloring pages to print off and make your own.

A little bit of theater

Here is an article on chances to watch live theater.

Virtual Garden Tours

Visit Claude Monet’s garden in Giverny, France and Kew Gardens and Waddeson Manor in the United Kingdom. RHS Garden Wisley, Surrey, England is lovely. Closer to home (slightly) is Chicago Botanic Garden, Chicago, US.

A little bit of Youtube

Actor and Newton native John Krasinski has started a channel with Some Good News (virtual Prom episode). Here’s a dog video, funny for anyone but especially good for sports fans.

Author Talks

C-span’s Book TV has a video archive of fascinating, nonfiction author talks from book festivals around the country. Stream the audio of NPR author interviews. A list of online book events from the folks at Book Riot. Local bookstore Belmont Books has a calendar of upcoming (online) author talks as does Cambridge’s Porter Square Books. 

A List of 40

Rose Whaley and Elise Goodman put together this List of 40 Things to Do During the Quarantine and generously shared it with us.

Armchair Travel

Try these virtual tours of our National Parks. Look to PBS for 139 free travel progams, spanning the globe.

A little local history

Read about what happened today in Massachusetts’ history at Mass Moments.

Online Concerts

NPR is updating this list of streaming concerts with dates/times and locations. And Classic FM is updating a list of streaming classical music concerts. The Kennedy Center digital stage offers music and more. The Metropolitan Opera is offering free, live audio streamed over the web. Stream the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s recent Concert for our City, available for free through May 20. Club Passim is streaming its performances live. Club Passim concerts are free, but donations are requested. Listen to Yo Yo Ma’s oh-so-inspiring music project Songs of Comfort.

For Children

Try Mac Barnett’s Instagram live storytime and these coloring pages and activity kits for (local author) Josh Funk’s books. Have a look at KidlitTV for videos, podcasts, and activities. Watch HarperKids at 12pm daily for fun storytimes, read-alouds, and activities. Weekdays at 2pm, enjoy live storytime with Oliver Jeffers. You can draw everyday with author and illustrator Jarrett J Krosoczka. Scholastic Learn from home offers day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing. Check out Live Drawing with Tony DiTerlizzi, daily, 1:00 PM EST. (You can watch previous videos anytime). Watch educational animal programs at the Brookfield Zoo. Georgia Aquarium has animal webcams and educational programs. Try the Jbrary – the Youtube channel of Canadian librarians who perform songs, rhymes, and fingerplays. Do a Facebook Live Storytime with author Peter H. Reynolds – daily at 12 noon. Find singing, movement, and stories with children’s musician Emily Arrow – daily at 1pm.  Try some STEM lesson plans with Snoopy the dog. Actors are reading picture books at Storyline Online.  Mo Willems invites YOU into his studio, weekdays at 1pm, for his Lunch Doodle. Move to the rhythm of new songs and rhymes with Miss Nina – new videos every Tuesday. Check out Design Squad from PBSKids as a fun way to learn. Find out more about the natural world at National Geographic for kids. Make a piece of art every day with StoryMarch from the Greater Boston Illustrator’s Group. Check out some animal cams from around the globe at Explore.org.

Listen to Podcasts

  • Find podcasts by searching for your topic of interest

Take a Course

Visit Museums and Zoos

Sing Karaoke

Search the web for the “karaoke version” of your favorite songs, for example, “Hello by Adele karaoke version.” Youtube.com seems to have a lot of songs that you can belt out in the comfort of home.

Cooking

Try some Bon Appetit videos. (We recommend “Gourmet Makes”).

Gaming

Try a free-to-play online version of Magic the Gathering. This CNET article lists several free games (for example, Star Wars: Old Republic).

Space Exploration

Follow what’s happening with the Crew Dragon capsule at NASA.gov. Watch videos of previous missions. Check out Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. Read this article from CNET listing 18 cool sites and apps where you can learn more about space.

Cultural Exhibits

Explore Google Arts & Culture. Check out the Digital Public Library of America and Europe’s version, Europeana.