Calendar of Events - Family Friendly Events

All events were scheduled at the time of posting. Please confirm with event hosts before making plans.

Sarah's Family Friendly Event Picks

November

Through December 24

Christmas Village in Baltimore. Explore Baltimore's authentic German Christmas market! Christmas Village in Baltimore is a combination of an outdoor and indoor holiday market at West Shore Park at the Inner Harbor. The event is modeled after the traditional Christmas Markets in Germany, like the famous Christkindl Market in Nuremberg. From November 19 through Christmas Eve 2022, vendors in wooden booths will sell traditional European food, sweets and drinks. You will also find great shopping opportunities with a large variety of international holiday gifts, ornaments, jewelry as well as high-quality arts and crafts. The outdoor area around the Walter Sondheim Fountain and along the Inner Harbor Promenade will bring the original Christmas Village charm with its traditional German style wooden huts. In addition, a heated festival tent will create a christmas-y shopping atmosphere with more vendors, a food court and an event space. The unique atmosphere with thousands of lights, the big Gluhwine Pyramid, the delicious smell of waffles, gingerbread, bratwurst and mulled wine gets you and your family into the perfect Christmas spirit! FREE admission to outdoor areas; $5 admission to heated tent on weekends. Open Daily from 11AM-7PM (Closed 11/28-29; 12/5-6 and 12/12-13). 11AM-7PM. Inner Harbor, West Shore Park, 401 Light St., Baltimore. https://www.baltimore-christmas.com/index.html

Through January 1

Zoo Lights. A brilliant seasonal spectacle is coming to the Zoo again this winter! Walk through a festival of lights shaped like wildlife and your face might just light up too. Plus, get that warm glowing feeling inside knowing you are supporting the Zoo’s animal care and conservation work. NEW this year—Zoo Lights has moved to Main Valley, including Schaefer Plaza, the Farm Yard, and the train station! Zoo members save $5 on all ticket types. Event is open Friday through Sunday each week. One ticket required per person, including children under 2. $36; FREE for children under 2. 5PM-8PM. The Maryland Zoo, 1 Safari Pl., Baltimore. https://www.marylandzoo.org/special_events/zoo-lights/

Miracle on 34th Street in Hampden. Celebrate the holiday spirit that one small miracle of a block shines! It is best to see the lights on foot; the street will be blocked from traffic on busy nights. Lights go on at dark and go off around 10PM each night, except Friday & Saturday when they stay on until midnight. FREE. Dark-10PM (later on weekends). Hampden, 700 Block of W 34th St., between Chestnut & Keswick, Baltimore. https://www.christmasstreet.com/home

Through January 8

Holiday Train Garden. It’s the most wonderful time of the year at The Shops at Kenilworth! Stop by the Food Court from Saturday, November 19-Sunday, January 8 during all mall hours to see the annual Train Garden display. Please note the mall will be closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day and with limited hours on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Grab a character scavenger hunt by the display and return the completed find to The Mine for your chance to win $500! FREE admission. Monday-Saturday 10AM-8PM; Sunday 12PM-5PM. The Shops at Kenilworth, 800 Kenilworth Dr., Towson. https://www.theshopsatkenilworth.com/events/holiday-train-garden-3/

December

1

Monument Lighting. Illuminating the historic Washington Monument is a Baltimore holiday tradition that has been around for decades. The night includes caroling, food and good cheer. Fireworks cap the evening marking the official start of the holiday season. FREE. 5PM-8PM. Mount Vernon, Washington Pl at Mt. Vernon Pl., Baltimore. https://mountvernonplace.org/monument-lighting/

Highlandtown Holiday Night Market. Made In Baltimore is partnering with the Highlandtown Arts District to host a holiday night market. The market will take place at Creative Alliance and the brand new Creativity Center, directly across the street.The Holiday Night Market is taking place during the Highlandtown First Friday Art Walk, which draws hundreds of attendees monthly! This evening will also feature Highlandtown’s annual tree lighting and holiday celebration. FREE. 4PM-8PM. Creative Alliance Creativity Center, 3137 Eastern Ave., Baltimore. https://creativealliance.org/event/highlandtown-holiday-night-market/

Highlandtown First Friday Art Walk. Enjoy drink and food specials at restaurants and bars like Snake Hill, Sally O’s, and IndoViet while taking a self guided Art Walk through one of Baltimore's most charming neighborhoods. Check out the Art Walk Map for venue locations and details to plan your night! FREE. 5PM-9PM. Highlandtown locations along Eastern Ave., S Highland Ave., Gough St., Bank St. and S Conkling St., Baltimore. https://www.ihearthighlandtown.com/2022/01/31/first-friday-art-walks-2022/

3-16

Candy Lane. Candy Lane returns for its second year of fantastic holiday fun in Center Plaza! Lose yourself in the candy stick forest, frolic amongst 30ft ice cream cones, and dance your sugar-high off all night long. With two weeks of programming, Candy Lane has something for everyone. Programming ranges from trivia, live music, and karaoke nights, to family-friendly crafts and activities. Four-legged family members are also welcome to join in the holiday festivities as long as they remain leashed. Food and drink vendors will be available during each day of programming, offering a wide array of concessions, local treats, and hot and cold beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties). FREE admission. 5PM-7PM. The Park at Central Plaza, 100 N Charles St., Baltimore. https://baltimore.org/event/candy-lane-in-center-plaza/ or https://godowntownbaltimore.com/candy-lane/

3-4

East Coast Indoor Nationals Custom Car, Truck and Bike Show. The premiere indoor automotive exhibition iat the Maryland State Fairgrounds the first weekend of every December. See hundreds of vehicles (all makes and models), dozens of vendors, live entertainment and great food. Who says the car show season ever ends? $30 2-Day Adult Pass; $17 1-Day Adult Pass; $15 2-Day Child Pass (ages 11-15); $8 1-Day Child Pass (ages 11-15); FREE for kids 10 and under. 9AM-7PM Saturday; 9AM-4PM Sunday. Maryland State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Rd., Lutherville-Timonium. https://www.facebook.com/events/365981462413335/365981465746668/

3

Olde Tyme Christmas. Stroll along the cobblestone streets of Fells Point adorned with fragrant green garlands, red bows, and twinkling lights during the Olde Tyme Christmas celebration. Santa arrives by tugboat at 9am to kick off the festivities! Enjoy free photos with Santa at the Sagamore Pendry Hotel (9:30AM-12:30PM), kids craft table and letters to Santa on the Broadway Pier (9:30AM-12:30PM), mail your letter to Santa in the mailbox by the tree on the square, pet photos with Santa on the Broadway Square (1PM-4PM, $10), complimentary hot cocoa at the Sagamore Pendry (1PM-4PM). Snag that perfect gift as you peruse the many quaint shops while the kids take a photo with Santa. Grab a bite to eat and a responsible amount of eggnog before the Tree Lighting Ceremony in Fells Point Square at 5:30pm and the Parade of Boats at 6pm. FREE admission; some events have a fee. 9AM-6PM. Fells Point, Baltimore. https://www.facebook.com/events/457773699758950

The Uncle Devin Show. The Uncle Devin Show is an interactive musical experience for children that uses percussion instruments to cultivate their minds–a dynamic cross between DC’s Trouble Funk and Schoolhouse Rock. The entire family will experience the rhythm of Uncle Devin’s infectious blend of jazz, funk, and DC’s official music, Go Go! Uncle Devin is an award-winning drummer and percussionist who specializes in Family Funk. Known as “The Children’s Drumcussionist,” he is a national leader in the family music industry. $20 Family Ticket (4); $17 Members Family Ticket (4); $5 per additional child; $12 Adult Ticket (1); $9 Member Adult Ticket (1); $5 Virtual Ticket. 11AM. Creative Alliance at the Patterson, 3134 Eastern Ave., Baltimore. https://creativealliance.org/event/the-uncle-devin-show/

Kerplunk! Family Art Drop-in class is great for younger kids and families! Come Creative Alliance in the Creativity Center to create art projects based on current exhibitions and fun crafts! FREE. 12PM. Creative Alliance Creativity Center, 3137 Eastern Ave., Baltimore. https://creativealliance.org/event/kerplunk-free-family-art-drop-in/2022-12-03/

Bel Air Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting Ceremony. The Downtown Bel Air Christmas Parade is a tradition that has been going on for over 30 years! Come together as a community to celebrate the holiday season in Downtown Bel Air! Parade is at 3:30pm, followed by holiday music at 4:15pm in Shamrock Park with free cookies and hot chocolate by the bonfire and then the tree lighting takes place at 5pm. FREE. 3PM-6PM. Downtown Bel Air, Main St. to the end of Lee St., Bel Air. https://www.belairmd.org/226/Christmas-Parade

BxB Holiday Makers Market & Fashion Show. Grab a gift that’s crafted, produced, collected, constructed, or designed by local artisans and entrepreneurs. The BxB Holiday Makers Market features more than 25 vendors, toting vintage clothing, modern streetwear, home goods, self-care products, original art, skatewear, jewelry, and so much more! Learn how to style for the holidays with live fashion show curated by Regal Clothes and Tightfisted Fashion! See dozens of models wrapped in local-only fashion catwalk to low-key beats spun by DJ KeeBee. Snack & refreshments by Irie Watas and Chihuahua Brothers Tacos. FREE admission. 3PM-8PM (Fashion Show at 4PM). H&M, Light Street Pavillion, 201 E Pratt St., Inner Harbor. https://waterfrontpartnership.org/post/bxb-holiday-makers-market

Holiday Tree Lighting. Get into the holiday spirit at Sagamore Spirit Distillery in the Baltimore Peninsula neighborhood with live music, warm cider, hot chocolate, whiskey cocktails, and family-friendly activities including children's crafts. The tree lighting will happen at 7pm. Local vendors featuring Bmore Greek Grill, Top Nach, Urban Oyster, Fuzzies Burgers, Brookside Market, CAnE Collective, Suspended Brewing, Black Acres Coffee Roasters and more! This is a family-friendly and FREE event. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs for the waterfront lawn. A limited number of picnic tables and Adirondack chairs are available. No outside alcohol is permitted. Dogs are welcome but must be on a leash. FREE. 5PM. Sagamore Spirit Distillery, 301 E Cromwell St., Baltimore. https://sagamorespirit.com/holiday-tree-lighting/

Mayor's Christmas Parade. The 49th Annual Mayor's Christmas Parade is sponsored by community associations and businesses in North Baltimore's Hampden and Medfield neighborhoods. The attendance along the 2.5 mile route reached 25,000 people last year to view Santa Claus and about 160 marching units. The parade will feature floats, local TV and Radio personalities, over 100 Harley Davidson motorcycles, a steam calliope, great bands, Mummers of Philadelphia, Miss Yuletide and Jr. Miss Yuletide and of course Santa! Parade route runs down Falls Road, from Coldspring Lane and turns on to W 36th Street. FREE. 1PM. Medfiled & Hampden Neighborhoods, Falls Rd. between Coldspring Ln. & W 36th St., Baltimore. http://www.mayorschristmasparade.net/

Winter Lights at the Observatory. Join the Friends of Patterson Park for live music, food vendors and trucks, local gift vendors, Santa & holiday characters, toy drive and more! Festival starts 4:00 pm, Lighting of the Observatory is at 6:00 pm. Don't miss this fantastic community kick-off to the holiday season! Bring an unwrapped toy to donate for the Exchange Club of Highlandtown-Canton's ‘Fill the Square’ early toy drop. All toys collected at this event will be distributed locally by the SEPD. FREE. 4PM-6:30PM. Patterson Park Observatory, E Lombard St. at S Patterson Park Ave., Baltimore. https://pattersonpark.com/winterlights

11

Kerplunk! Family Art Drop-in class is great for younger kids and families! Come Creative Alliance in the Creativity Center to create art projects based on current exhibitions and fun crafts! FREE. 12PM. Creative Alliance Creativity Center, 3137 Eastern Ave., Baltimore. https://creativealliance.org/event/kerplunk-free-family-art-drop-in/2022-12-10/

37th Annual Union Square Cookie Tour of Historic Homes. A hallmark event that Union Square residents have participated in for the last 36 years is ready to welcome you! The famous Union Square Cookie Tour of Historic Homes began in 1985 as a fall house tour, where residents greeted scores of visitors from all over the Washington-Baltimore region. As the competition among house tours grew, the association moved the event closer to Christmastime and now consistently welcomes 500 guests to the neighborhood yearly (with the added bonus of homemade cookies!). Tickets are broken into two groups to allow for proper social distancing. The first group will have from 12pm-2pm to view the homes, and the second group will have from 2:30pm-4:30pm. $20. 12PM-2PM & 2:30PM-4:30PM (check in begins 30 minutes prior). Union Square Park, corner of Hollins & Stricker Sts., Baltimore. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/37th-annual-union-square-cookie-tour-of-historic-homes-tickets-387149533677

Cielo Presents la Posada. The word posada means “shelter” or “inn” in Spanish. The tradition of the Posada recreates the Bible story of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem and their search for a place to stay. The community is invited to join a singing candle-lit procession through the streets of Highlandtown starting at Creative Alliance and stopping by local businesses until arriving at Our Lady of Pompei Church (3600 Claremont St.). The night ends with a fiesta, traditional food, performances, raffles, and piñata breaking to celebrate that all of us are welcome here! FREE. 5PM-8PM. Creative Alliance at the Patterson, 3134 Eastern Ave., Baltimore. https://creativealliance.org/event/template-cielo-event/

NSAA African Creations Annual Kwanzaa Celebration. A Kwanzaa celebration and vendor marketplace for all ages. Come out and connect with the village. It doesn't matter if you are just learning about Kwanzaa or have been celebrating it for many years. Dr Oya Ma'at will expound on Kwanzaa and the importance of celebrating African holidays and culture. There will be African dance and drumming, DJ Chuck The Madd Ox and black owned business marketplace. This community event is free to the public and all are welcome. FREE. 1PM-5PM. St. Matthew Catholic Church, 5401 Loch Raven Blvd., Baltimore. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nsaa-african-creations-annual-kwanzaa-celebration-tickets-361194902677

Chanukah At The Avenue. Join Chabad of White Marsh for the 2nd annual Public Menorah Lighting and Chanukah Celebration. The lighting of the Menorah is a symbol and message of the triumph of freedom over oppression, of spirit over matter, of light over darkness. The evening will feature donuts, menorahs, latkes, ice skating, gelt drop and more! FREE admission. 5:30PM. The Avenue at White Marsh, 8125 Honeygo Blvd., White Marsh. https://www.jewishwhitemarsh.org/chanukah/

Ongoing Online and Virtual Enrichment Events

Miscellaneous and Just for Fun

LUNCH DOODLES with Mo Willems! Mo Willems, beloved children's author, invites you into his studio every day for his lunch doodle. Learners worldwide can draw, doodle and explore new ways of writing by visiting Mo’s studio virtually once a day for the next few weeks. Grab some paper and pencils, pens, or crayons and join Mo to explore ways of writing and making together. If you post your art to social media, be sure to hashtag it with #MoLunchDoodles! New episodes will be posted each weekday at 1PM and then remain online to be streamed afterwards. Check back each weekday for new lunch doodles! FREE. https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/mo-willems

Museums, National Parks and Gardens

Virtual Tour of The Waddesdon Manorm in Waddesdon, England. This Neo-Renaissance style château that has been a Rothschild family home since the late 1800s. The house, the grounds, and the majority of the collections seen throughout the home have been left to the National Trust, so that the public can visit and appreciate the home and gardens. The gardens were designed by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild with help from landscape architect Elie Lainé. The breathtakingly beautiful interiors of Waddesdon Manor can also be virtually toured using the link provided. FREE. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyYuxTfdtKo

Virtual Tour of Claude Monet’s Garden, Giverny, France. Claude Monet's garden inspired much of his painting. Royal Academy curator Ann Dumas introduces Claude Monet’s garden at Giverny in Normandy, which is open to the public between March and November and maintained by a team of gardeners led by James Priest. FREE. Garden tour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjWx2WNXFF4.

Virtual Tour of Chicago Botanic Garden, Chicago IL. With over 50,000 members, the Chicago Botanic Garden has the highest membership of any public garden in the United States. The Garden consists of 385 acres and has a grand total of 27 gardens and four natural areas. Some of the 27 gardens include the English Walled Garden, the Japanese Garden, and the Plant Science Center. Boyce Tankersley, director of plant documentation, takes you on a tour of what's in bloom this summer. FREE. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV0Ryaw0hGc

Virtual Tour of Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, Papaikou, HI. The Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden sits on 17 acres and it includes not only its own garden, but a nature preserve as well. With waterfalls, streams, and a boardwalk situated on the Pacific coast, this virtual tour is certainly a calming one, both visually and audibly. Expect to see more than 2,000 plant species, including over 80 species of heliconias and bromeliads, not to mention coconut and mango palm trees that have been around for over a century. FREE. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtZ0dcUzGX8

Virtual Tour of Kew Gardens, Richmond, England. Kew Gardens is part of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, which also includes Wakehurst, a historic house and garden located over an hour away, in West Sussex, England. Located on 326 acres and boasting its own palace, Kew Gardens is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This virtual tour of 10 of the top ten sites in the Kew Gardens, also includes Kew Palace, the main surviving structure is known as Dutch House, which was once the residence of King George III and his family. Kew Gardens and Wakehurst have a grand total of approximately 27,000 taxa of plants, over 8 million specimens of plants and fungal herbarium, and a seed bank that contains more than 40,000 species. FREE. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioG_Vfh0Kxw

Virtual Tour Five National Parks. If you want to escape to the great outdoors, you can virtually explore national parks. Google Arts & Culture teamed up with five national parks across the country to provide video tours led by rangers. From glaciers in Alaska to volcanoes in Hawaii, the tours will take you on incredible journeys. FREE. https://artsandculture.withgoogle.com/en-us/national-parks-service/parks

Museum Tours from Around the World. On Google Arts & Culture, you can take a virtual tour of thousands of museums around the world. According to Fast Company, the tech giant partnered with more than 2,500 museums and galleries, some of which include the Museum of Modern Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and London's National Gallery. FREE. https://artsandculture.google.com/partner?hl=en

Virtual Tour the Louvre. While the Louvre in France is closed, you can virtually tour their exhibits. Tours allow you to zoom in on certain pieces and descriptions for more information. FREE. https://www.louvre.fr/en/visites-en-ligne

Virtual Tour Buckingham Palace. An iconic building and official residence of The Queen, Buckingham Palace has been the focus of many moments of national celebration. It is also a busy working building welcoming tens of thousands of people through its gates each year for Investitures, Garden Parties, Audiences and other events. Explore this magnificent building via a virtual tour. FREE. https://www.royal.uk/virtual-tours-buckingham-palace

Virtual Tour of Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Miami, FL. Vizcaya is a Mediterranean Revival-style villa with Baroque elements that was once the home of businessman James Deering. The estate consists of 43 acres. It took eight years and $15 million to build the villa, and another year to complete the Italian Renaissance-style gardens and Vizcaya Village, which consists of 11 buildings across 12 acres, including greenhouses, fields, staff quarters, a garage, barns, and workshops. Explore the grounds and buildings in this virtual tour. FREE. https://vizcaya.org/virtualtour/

Virtual Tour of The Frick Collection, New York, NY. This Beaux Arts-style mansion located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan was once home to Henry Clay Frick, one of the most prominent industrialists during the Gilded Age. Take a virtual tour and see Old Masters paintings, decorative arts, and European sculptures in this former residence turned art museum, which includes Rembrandt, Gainsborough, Whistler, Bellini, Vermeer, and Goya, to name a few. FREE. https://www.frick.org/visit/virtual_tour

Virtual Tour of the Vatican Museums. Instilling a sense of wonder in everyone who enters, the 15th century Sistine Chapel is most renowned for Michelangelo's ceiling frescos. You'll have them (and the rest of the place) to yourself if you visit virtually, before making your way through a whole series of Vatican Museums—not least, Raphael’s Room and the New Wing. FREE. http://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en/collezioni/musei/tour-virtuali-elenco.1.html

The National Museum of Natural History. One of the world's most visited museums, and in our own backyard, this branch of the Smithsonian is magic at keeping kids of all ages entertained and learning. If your household could use some of that right now, head on in and start exploring the fossils, ocean life, even the insect zoo. And for pure eye candy, hit the Gems and Minerals Wing, or the Butterfly Pavilion. FREE. https://naturalhistory.si.edu/visit/virtual-tour

Volcanoes National Park. It may not be the best known of our national parks, but Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island is certainly one of the most unforgettable, as you'll experience on this ranger-led tour. You’ll see stunning images of the rippling black rock formations and the still-fiery lava flows that feed them. You’ll also stand inside a rainforest, go underground to tour a lava tube and take a helicopter flight over an active volcano—a vantage you’d be hard pressed to find on an actual visit. FREE. https://artsandculture.withgoogle.com/en-us/national-parks-service/hawaii-volcanoes/nahuku-lava-tube-tour

The British Museum. Home to no fewer than 8,000,000 works, this is one of the world's largest collectiosn. Even the tiniest objects hold their own on this virtual tour - you can view individual pieces, play audio to learn more, and search for related works. There's also a scrolling capability that lets you go back thousands of years. FREE. https://britishmuseum.withgoogle.com/

Tour the Taj Mahal. Built by a 17th-century Mughal emperor in memory of his favorite wife, who died during childbirth, the Taj Mahal is one of the most lavish architectural tributes on earth. For perspective on how the marble exterior shade-shifts throughout the day, from early-morning pinks to dusky blues, check out this video. The persistent thrum of tour groups makes the scene that much more realistic. FREE. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=665AHTNpf2o

Virtual Deep Dives. Immerse yourself in the deep blue sea. NOAA is willing to take you there gear and cost free: You can do a series of virtual dives through National Marine Sanctuaries, whether you want to peace out to the waters around American Samoa (don’t miss Big Momma), the Florida Keys (have a look at the Aquarius Reef Base research center) or any of several spots in between. FREE. https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/vr/

Street Art Tours. If you’ve ever turned a city corner to be stopped in your tracks by the Technicolor explosion of a mural, you know the impact of street art. You can explore the world’s best graffiti, from Buenos Aires to Bombay, in Google’s impressive Street Art collection. See dozens of collections of the world's street art including giant abstractions that transform no-nonsense industrial buildings in Moscow, portraits in the arrondissements of Paris, and in Berlin, relive the fall of the wall through its iconic graffiti. FREE. https://streetart.withgoogle.com/en/online-exhibitions

Northern Lights. The traditional version of Northern Lights chasing includes piling on layers of clothing, waddling into a gorgeous but bone chilling expanse, waiting, running inside to warm up and repeating this dance hoping that you don't miss your chance. One advantage of watching from home, which you can do thanks to Manitoba’s Churchill Northern Studies Center, is that you cut straight to nature’s most amazing light show. Late winter into early spring happens to be among the best times to tune in. FREE. https://explore.org/livecams/aurora-borealis-northern-lights/northern-lights-cam

The Great Wall of China. Of the Great Wall's 4,000 total miles, 3,000 or so are walkable. Visit this New Wonder of the World virtually and start doing reconnaissance for your own trek without wearing out the tread on your gym shoes. FREE. https://www.thechinaguide.com/destination/great-wall-of-china

Zoos and Aquariums

Smithsonian National Zoo Webcams. Aquariums and zoos across the country are live streaming their animals, so you can see what they're up to. Smithsonian's National Zoo has webcams of naked mole-rats, lions, giant pandas, and elephants. While the webcams will remain online, the animals might not be visible because volunteers won't be operating the webcams. FREE. https://nationalzoo.si.edu/webcams

Houston Zoo Webcams. Tune in to the Houston Zoo webcams to see giraffes, gorillas, elephants, chimps, rhinos, and and leafcutter ants. FREE. https://www.houstonzoo.org/explore/webcams/

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Webcams. Through 10 webcams, you can virtually visit sea otters, moon jellies, sharks, penguins and other see creatures. FREE. https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/live-cams

The National Aquarium Webcam. Tune into the National Aquarium's Blacktip Reef, Jellies Invasion and Pacific Coral Reef livestreams and enjoy a piece of the Aquarium from home. Cameras are only live streaming during business hours. After hours you can enjoy a previously recorded live stream segment. FREE. https://www.aqua.org/Experience/live#pcr

San Diego Zoo Webcams. The country’s most-visited zoo, with more than 3,500 animals in residence, was a pioneer in the world of open-air habitats and remains a leader in conservation science. You can catch a number of the most beloved inhabitants on live streams. Your virtual visit even has an edge over real life: Though mega-celebs Bai Yun Xiao Liwu were repatriated last year, you'll still find great archival footage of them on the Panda Cam. FREE. https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/live-cams

Safari Live. SafariLive comes very close to the experience and thrill of going on a safari. Track lions, leopards and hyenas as you make your way around herds of wildebeest and elephants, all while expert rangers school you on what you're seeing. Great inspiration to book your next safari, when we are all out of our social isolation, of course. https://www.facebook.com/WildEarthLIVE/ or https://www.facebook.com/WildEarthLIVE/videos/904091053345547/

Musical Performances

BroadwayHD. BroadwayHD, a streaming service for theater fans started in 2015, has long been bringing Broadway performances to people’s living rooms. On the platform, subscribers will find a combination of acquired performances including performances of Cats, The King and I, and Sound of Music, along with originals the platform filmed including performances of Kinky Boots and 42nd Street, from Broadway, The West End, and other elite venues around the world. The platform is currently offering a free seven-day trial, along with a wildly affordable $8.99 monthly plan. So go ahead and watch as many times as you want. You can even sing along if you please because you’re in your own house, who’s going to complain? $8.99/month or $99.99/year after the 7 day FREE trial. https://www.broadwayhd.com/

Digital Stage from The Kennedy Center. Watch extraordinary performances from the Kennedy Center's stages and beyond. They'll feature original works, new clips, and the best of their vast archive which you can also explore on your own. FREE. https://www.kennedy-center.org/digitalstage/

Sydney Opera House. Now is your chance to take a peek inside the Sydney Opera House. Accompanied by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, cellist Benjamin Schwartz and soprano Nicole Car, you'll wander through a day in the life of the site, from early morning, before the performers arrive, to stolen moments between acts. FREE. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hunddVoMjo

Educational Resources and Entertainment for Kids

Scholastic Education Courses. To help millions of students whose schools have closed continue to learn, Scholastic is offering free day-by-day projects. According to its website, “Every day includes four separate learning experiences, each built around a thrilling, meaningful story or video. Kids can do them on their own, with their families, or with their teachers.” The educational projects are categorized by grade levels, which range from pre-k and kindergarten to grades 6 plus. FREE. https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html

Science at Home. These science experiments, brought to you by the Maryland Science Center, will keep kids' minds learning and engaged. FREE. https://www.mdsci.org/learn/resources/science-at-home/

American Visionary Arts Museum Educational Resources. AVAM offers art workshops at the museum year-round that complement their collection and exhibitions. With these videos, they are coming to YOU with how to's of art projects you can do right at home with everyday household items. Enjoy, and have fun! FREE. http://www.avam.org/for-educators-and-educatees/educational-resources.shtml

Wilkening Consulting. A Seattle based parent and museum consultant has compiled a list of museums with online lesson plans and learning. Check back often for updates and additional links. FREE. http://www.wilkeningconsulting.com/parental-resources.html

Neil Gaiman Reads. English author, Neil Gaiman, is known for writing a vast array of books from graphic novels to children’s books, from short stories to collaborations with the late-great Terry Pratchett. Readers may also know Neil Gaiman for his soothing voice when he reads the likes of Lewis Carroll’s The Jabberwocky in no other than a tulgey wood for a charitable cause. Gaiman has shared free online readings of his works The Graveyard Book and Coraline. Head to his Mouse Circus website for younger readers to listen. FREE. http://www.mousecircus.com/videos/

Goodnight with Dolly. Beginning April 2nd, everyone’s favorite Book Lady, Dolly Parton, is bringing children and families everywhere just what they need during a time of unrest. Goodnight with Dolly is a 10-week special series of weekly videos featuring Dolly reading select Imagination Library books. It is the hope that this gift will further inspire a love of books and shared storytime during this important period. Dolly hopes this series of stories will provide comfort and reassurance to coping kids and families during the shelter-in-place mandates. There are also links for activity sheets on the site. FREE. https://imaginationlibrary.com/goodnight-with-dolly/