While schools and child care facilities are closed many parents are staying home with their children. Cooperative Extension would like to share a few ideas to keep your children entertained at home while social distancing.
Publications
Although our offices aren’t open, hundreds of our publications are free and remain available online. Publications that may be of interest to keep children entertained and included are “Paint, Paste, Play Dough, Puppets and Paper Maché” and “Cooking Around the Campfire with Kids.” The first publication contains recipes for finger paint and playdough and a number of ideas for creative activity. The second publication includes great fireside recipes, such as Biscuits in a Bag or Pocket Pizza. Search our publications database for other topics.
Kids activities
Our 4-H group has put together ideas for kids’ activities. The Learn By Doing at Home Series has with great ideas for kids activities including, making origami, baking cookies and creating a bird feeder.
This spring is all about 4-H Citizen Science in Alaska! There are lots of great opportunities to learn, get outside and be a part of something greater than ourselves. Please check out our website, alaska4h.org/citizen-science, to find projects to join, technology apps to play with outside, and books to read.
This month, 4-H would like to highlight two fantastic activities to keep you busy as you explore outside in our beautiful Alaska spring weather — NASA’s GLOBE program (globe.gov) and the GLOBE Observer app. (observer.globe.gov).
You can measure clouds, trees, mosquitoes and land cover from the comfort of your personal space. Then upload your data into a world-wide database for scientists, researchers and educators to use for predictions, teaching, and problem solving.
The University of Alaska Museum of the North also a variety of activities, including virtual “Amazing Earth” events during the month of May.
The virtual Early Explorers program hosts a virtual event every Friday in May with the month’s theme of “Amazing Earth.” New Early Explorers activities, which are designed for ages 5 and younger with an adult, will be posted online weekly at https://bit.ly/uamnhandson.
Virtual Family Day: Amazing Earth will be held on May 16, providing an opportunity to explore the things that make our planet an amazing place to live. Activities, which are for all ages, will be posted at https://bit.ly/uamnfamilydays.
The public is also invited to visit the museum from home at its Virtual Museum page at www.uaf.edu/museum/virtualmuseum. The website includes online exhibits, videos, activities and resources for all ages.
For more information about museum events, go to www.uaf.edu/museum or call 907-474-7505. For more events about museum activities, contact Jennifer Arseneau at 907-474-6948 or ua-museum@alaska.edu.
