Looking for some smart, fun activities you can do with the kids while at-home? Thinkery’s got you covered!
While the museum is closed due to the coronavirus, your friends at Thinkery are still coming up with great ideas and activities parents and caregivers can do with kids at home, using materials you likely already have lying around (so you don’t have to make any extra trips to the store!).
We’ll be updating this page as often as possible with new videos and links to resources and activities from all over the web. Newest additions will appear at the top of the page. Keep checking back for more!
Update (April 5, 2020): We’ve created a new microsite to collect all of our activity videos, story times, printable activity guides and links. Check it out!
Story Time: “A Hundred Billion Trillion Stars”
Join Becca Drew to explore numbers and stars during this Thinkery At Home: Story Time! Today’s story is A Hundred Billion Trillion Stars by Sean Fishman and illustrated by Isabel Greenberg. This book is all about numbers, so before we read, let’s count to ten. Can you count with us?
Exquisite Creatures
Today, we’re learning how to create some exquisite creatures with the other people at home. Together, we’re going to draw some collaborative and silly art that we’ve never seen before! Let’s get started!
Supply List:
- One sheet of paper for every person who is making art
- Drawing supplies: pencils and some markers.
- A timer
Bilingual Story Time: “Mouse Paint”
One day three mice discover three jars of paint. Join us to find out what happens! This Thinkery At Home: Bilingual Storytime we’re reading Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh. This is a wonderful concept book to teach children about primary and secondary colors.
Thaumatrope
In today’s Thinkery At Home: STEAM activity, we will be making a thaumatrope: an optical toy that tricks your eyes into seeing two pictures as one! What kinds of pictures or patterns can you combine when you make your own “wonder-spinners”?
Perfect for: Artists and Animators ages 5+
Supply List:
- Paper
- Scissors
- Tape
- Something to color with
- Something Round to trace (like a tool of tape or a drinking glass)
- Drinking water
Story Time: “From Head to Toe“
Join us to get those wiggles out as we read From Head to Toe by Eric Carle. This colorful and energetic book will have young readers clapping their hands, stomping their feet, and wiggling their toes!
Never Ending Scarves!
Children are naturally curious, so let’s explore fabrics around the house! This Thinkery At Home is a fun investigation of colors and textures.
Story Time: “Germs Are Not for Sharing“
We’re reading Germs Are Not For Sharing by Elizabeth Verdick. This fun and helpful book is a great way to share the importance of good hygiene.
Musical Instruments
Music can be found anywhere! Build your own water glass musical instrument with items found in your kitchen. Reverse engineer, test, and practice recreating songs you already know, or add a spark of creativity and create brand new songs!
Perfect for: Mini Musicians ages 4+.
Supply List:
- Five drinking glasses
- One metal spoon
- Water
Bilingual Story Time: “Tip Tip Dig Dig“
Gather round and join us for a special Thinkery At Home bilingual storytime! We’re reading Tip Tip Dig Dig by Emma Garcia.
Marble Run!
How to build your own Marble Run using office and kitchen supplies you almost certainly have around the house. Can you create something that moves a marble as SLOWLY as possible from a starting point to a finish line?
Perfect for: Builders & Patient Tinkerers, ages 6+
Supply List:
- A round object: You could use a marble, a ping-pong ball, a bead, the head of a LEGO® person…
- Materials to build with: We used cardstock, cardboard tubes, and straws. What else can you build with?
- Tools to build with: Tape & scissors are very useful.
Story Time: “Not A Box“
Around the Web (3.13.2020)
Make sure you check out our earlier post highlighting 10 Great Hands-On Activities To Do At-Home.