75+ MUST-HAVE ADVENTURES WHILE YOU’RE IN QUARANTINE
Quarantine, Schmorentine! This could be your GREATEST adventure so far!
While most of us have been forced into family isolation to avoid the deadly Coronavirus (COVID-19) and flatten the curve of transmission, this doesn’t have to be a sentence of boredom or weeks of lacking enthusiasm. While I am 100% on board with the government recommendations of self-isolating, there are SO MANY options to keep you and your family entertained. And not just entertained, but educated, enlightened, nurtured, and more well-rounded. In fact, I have compiled over 75 experiences and adventures. I would go so far as to say that if you adventure using any of the links listed below, you will have a brand-new perspective on your time in quarantine.
Are you feeling overwhelmed?
one of our favorite homeschool spots!!
Many of you have had to take on the role of teacher during these times. I have been homeschooling my children for a total of 16 years now and one of the things I know for sure is that what works for one child will likely not work for another. Incidentally, I cannot even count how many variations of curriculum that we have used. We have participated in co-ops, homeschool tutorials, P.E. classes, clubs, and tons of extra-curricular activities. I have four children, and therefore, we have tried almost every method/curricula available. And if you’ve never homeschooled your children, don’t worry – this isn’t a homeschool post. Instead, it is a rather large and encompassing list of things to see and do….mostly from the comfort of your own couch!
So, without further ado, here is my current list, by topic, for your at-home family adventures:
SPACE
NASA has made their entire media library publicly accessible and copyright free. You can spend the day studying stars and galaxies.
ZOOS/AQUARIUMS
Free Online Zoo/Aquarium Webcams:
National Zoo – Panda Cam
The Cincinnati Zoo – Home Safari Resources – every weekday at 3pm
The San Diego Zoo – scroll down to the section that says “Wildlife LIVE CAMS”
Monterey Bay Aquarium – Live Cams
Zoo Atlanta – Panda Cam
Georgia Aquarium – Live Cams
National Aquarium – Live Cams
EarthCam (meerkats, giraffes, otters, elephants, eagles, etc…) – Worldwide Animal Cam
THEME PARKS
Free Theme Park 4K POV rides:
Here’s a must-have adventure: put your child in a laundry basket and give them a virtual roller coaster ride! Show them that even through trying times, they matter, and laughter matters. I promise you will create a lifetime memory!
Here are a few of our favorites:
Pirates of the Caribbean – Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Florida
Peter Pan’s Flight – Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Florida
Slinky Dog Dash – Disney’s Hollywood Studio, Florida
Jurassic World – Universal Studios, Hollywood, California
The Seas with Nemo and Friends – Orlando, Florida
INDOOR/OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
- Set up a tent and camp inside
- Build a fort
- Go on a scavenger hunt
- Read an entire book series (like Lord of the Rings, or Narnia)
- Take turns reading a Chapter of the Bible each evening
- Watch an entire season of “Little House on the Prairie” or “Andy Griffith”
- Buy the Hasbro Family Fun Pack for the Playstation IV
- If you have a Wii system, try Wii Party
- Try origami (and create an origami frog – just because frogs are great)
- Sing Songs
- Take an online dance class (Hiphop, Ballet, or Clogging)
- Create home-made notecards
- Serve a family member breakfast in bed
- Write thank you notes for Christmas or birthday gifts
- Order a surprise craft box from Amazon
- Have a Disney karaoke competition
- Set up a large plastic tote full of rice and hide small object inside
- Have a laundry folding party, complete with song and dance
- Make paper airplanes
- Dance in the rain (or at least splash in the mud puddles)
- Make a banana split and eat it for dinner
- Dump all the legos and build an entire city – put face masks on all the characters
- Have a movie night, complete with popcorn and candy
- Research a hydroponic garden and start one in your kitchen
- Play flashlight tag
- Get up before the sun rises and watch it rise on a brand-new day
- Write encouraging messages at the end of your driveway (ours says HOPE!)
- Go on a family bike ride
- Create a list of places that each member of your family would like to visit
- Make a hopscotch game on the sidewalk
- Try to pogo stick or Ripstik (helmets please)
- Play a game of Go Fish
- Create a charcuterie tray for a special dinner
- Get out your “Pocket Guides” and research rocks, trees, birds, or weather
- Play home movies from when you were younger (or when your kids were babies)
- Run through the sprinkler
- Play musical chairs, and change up the style of music (country, classical, opera, contemporary Christian)
- Teach your kids to sew a button on a shirt
- Play “Minute to Win It” cup games
- Bake Nestle Toll House chocolate chip cookies
- Make a Coronavirus 2020 time capsule and put special items inside (bury this in the backyard) Here is a great one created by cloudinary. This is one of my favorite must-have adventures!
HOME EDUCATION
For homeschool learning
If you have been thrust into the world of homeschooling, first of all, I’d like to say “Welcome.” This just might be the greatest adventure of your lifetime. Additionally, I’d also like to tell you that there is no right or wrong way. Lastly, I can assure you that you will not “mess up” your kids. Learning should be a lifelong adventure and should involve a whole lot more than reading, writing, and math! That being said, here are a few resources to get you through the summer. If you plan on homeschooling for an entire year, you’ll need more options. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions you may have.
A few of our favorite resources
Scholastic – Day-by-Day projects to keep kids reading, thinking and growing!
Science Spin for Grades 3-6
Khan Academy – Math – all grade levels
VidCode – Computer Science/Coding
Discovery K12 – Curriculum by Grade Level
ABCmouse.com – Ages 2-8
Tinkergarten @HOME
And here’s a great option for learning all about the upcoming election.
Learn Our History – Free Election Guide
ART
Free Online Art Galleries
The Uffizi Gallery – Florence, Italy
British Museum – London, England
Guggenheim Museum – New York, NY
National Gallery of Art – Washington, D.C.
Musee d’Orsay – Paris, France
National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art – Seoul, Korea
Pergamon Museum – Berlin, Germany
Van Gogh Museum – Amsterdam
J. Paul Getty Museum – Los Angeles, California
MASP – Sao Paulo, Brazil
The Louvre – Paris, France
OPERA
Free Access to Nightly Streaming at the Metropolitan Opera
AVIATION/TRAVEL
For all those aviation geeks (like me), there are several options.
One of the best is the National Air & Space Museum in Washington, D.C. I was literally there just four short weeks ago, and if you get the chance to travel to our nation’s capital, be sure to do so. I’ll be doing another post all about our three-day get-away. Because I was born in D.C., and raised just 30 minutes away, we were able to hone-in on the most critical must-see museums and attractions.
Delta Flight Museum has an online collection database as well.
Seattle Museum of Flight, in Seattle, Washington, has a virtual online museum where you can see the very first presidential jet plane.
And finally, The Wings over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, in Denver, Colorado has a “Behind the Wings” Video series that has aired on PBS. Clicker beware – you might be on this YouTube Channel ALL DAY LONG! It’s incredible!! (Be sure to scroll through and look at all the options).
And a fun surprise…
One of my favorite countries on the planet is Australia. While we were able to visit Sydney, Brisbane, and Beerwah, on the Sunshine Coast, there was so much that we didn’t get to see. Consequently – we’ll be going back….for sure! My son, Braden, really wanted to visit the “Red Center,” where Uluru is located. Here is a virtual tour, with commentary and 360° views. As a result, I’m thrilled to include this on the list!
Last, but NOT least!
My favorite share of all, thanks to AirPano, the largest virtual travel site in the world, you can take an online journey literally all around the globe. Consequently, you’re going to want to set aside a whole lot of time. So, go pop that popcorn, grab your Vanilla Coke Zero and take your family on the most amazing virtual adventure.
LET’S GET TO THE POINT
reality…not just a dream!
If you are a points collector, like my family, you’ll be able to plan your next grand vacation right from the comfort of your own home. Conversely, if you’re not a points collector, or you would like to know what that means (hint: our family of six took a 12-day all expense paid trip to Hawaii….all on points), feel free to message me here. In addition, you can also sign up for my newsletter on the right side of my blog, and/or follow along on my social media channels, on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Never been a better time!
NOW is the very best time to begin accumulating credit card points so that when we are free to travel around the world again, you’ll be ready to do so without spending exorbitant amounts of money. To see a comparison of our two favorite cards, especially for beginners, click here!
In addition, if you find a link to an at-home adventure that you’d like to share, please drop it in the comments below. I can’t wait to check it out!!
*This post contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission, or a referral bonus, for recommendations – at no cost to you. We only recommend products that we personally use, trust, and enjoy.
This is a fantastic resource! There are so many great ideas and links to keep us busy during the quarantine and beyond. Thank you for putting this together. I’m bookmarking so I can always have it!!
Rhonda, thanks for stopping by. I’m so glad that you have found it to be helpful! Be safe and go have an adventure!!
I didn’t know NASA had opened up their library. That’s so cool! I will definitely check that out, and I love the Coronavirus time capsule idea too.
Jordan, thanks for stopping by. There are some AMAZING shots on the NASA website for sure. Blessings!
What a great resource, there are a lot of fun ideas here. We are just waiting for the weather to warm up to add some to our list, but we’ve been doing our best to enjoy this unexpected downtime.
Pam! Thanks so much. We’ve had to be a little clever! But I’m really enjoying all of our family time together! We haven’t been able to open the pool yet, as we’re in Nashville, and it’s still in the mid 50’s, but it won’t be too much longer!! Woo Hoo!
Thanks for putting together this great resource!
You’re so welcome Cathy!!
These are all really great adventures when we need a little ‘escape’ from the regular days around here. If we can’t travel, the travel can come to us through these virtual programs. Thank you for sharing!
Tara, thanks for stopping by!! Enjoy your virtual travels, and all the precious little animals too!
This is a fantastic list. I wish I were able to get to some of the virtual tours. With work from home, homeschooling, and regular chores I never seem to have time.
Cindy, I completely understand. I’m grateful that I can still work too, and my kids are just two weeks away from finishing their homeschool curriculum!!! Woo Hoo! Feel free to bookmark this list for later, and blessings to you.
We’ve been having lots of fun with the zoo cams. Watching the animals play in their enclosures has been entertaining for sure. We’ve also rediscovered a bunch of games we haven’t played in a while.
Leeanne, we absolutely LOVE the animal cams too! Have a wonderful time adventuring at home, and be safe!
I’m definitely going to check out some of those museums! What a great list of things to do at this time!
Lori, thanks for stopping by! There are so many fun museums on the list!! And thank you for your kind words!!
I love the enthusiasm! Great ideas here!
Thank you Jen!!
Love this post, loads of helpful information! Thank you for sharing the links to live cameras. Hopefully the pandas will be up & about next time we take a peek. So nice of you to offer homeschooling guidance. I will think of you when I need to.
Ethel, glad you found it to be helpful. I promise if you keep checking back, the panda’s will be on the Panda Cam. And if you ever have any questions about homeschooling, or travel, or points, feel free to reach out!! Blessings.
What a great list of ideas! We’ve been to a few museums and zoos virtually in the past month. Now we have some more things to check out. Cool!
Stacey, thanks for stopping by. We too love the museums and art galleries, and AirPano!! Now I’ve added a lot more to our “when we can travel” bucket list!!!!!
OH my I think I just found my new vice for quarantine. AirPano, How have I not heard of this before?!! incredible!
Casandra, I know, right!!!! AirPano is incredible. It makes getting my work done quite difficult!! And it’s caused me to add several places to our bucket list! But what a great resource!! Blessings.
Some good ideas to do while staying at home
Thank you for your kind words, Jennifer! Blessings.
Wow…this is such a comprehensive list! I’m not one to get bored easily as I can always find something entertaining and educational to do…will definitely be checking out several of these options.
Thank you, Karen, for stopping by, and for your kind words. I’m with you – never time to be bored!! Blessings!
Such a fantastic resource–thank you! Pinned and shared!
Awesome Amanda!! Thanks so much. And thank you for your kind words!!
It must’ve taken you a while to compile this list! What a lot of great resources to take advantage of during this time at home. Thanks for sharing. I have 4 kids (age 3-11) and it’s hard to find things that are enjoyable for everyone in that age range. I think there’s definitely something on this list for all of them.
Sara, thank you for those super encouraging words!! Enjoy your virtual adventuring! Blessings.
Amazing list to bust that quarantine boredom! Today is rainy and gloomy, these come at the perfect time!
Jordin, I’m so glad you found this on a rainy day! Enjoy making memories with your family! Blessings.
What a great resource! This is the most complete list I’ve seen of resources and things to do while at home. Great post!
Wow Eva! Thank you so much. Enjoy your virtual adventure! Blessings.
Wow These are great ideas! I have not heard of airpano . I better check this out!
Lisa, I hadn’t heard of AirPano either, but I’m sure glad I found it. Although I could spend WAY too much time researching my next destination!! Blessings!
What an extensive list! I can’t wait to get started!
Tricia, thanks for stopping by. Happy virtual adventuring! Blessings.
That is a great list. So much to do.
Missy, glad you stopped by. Blessings!
Great idea here! I think it’s important to focus on all the things we can do instead of the things we can’t. It’s not forever.
I couldn’t agree more Taci! Such a great attitude! Blessings!
Great tips! LOVE IT!
Melissa, so glad you’re loving it! Enjoy your virtual adventuring! Blessings.
This is a great list! I’m definitely going to be taking advantage of those Panda Cams!
Jill, the Panda Cams are one of our favorites too!! Enjoy! Blessings.
What a great resource! Thanks for putting it together and sharing it with us.
Shirley, you are so welcome! I hope you find some useful tips! Blessings.
Lots of great activities!
Heather, thanks so much!! Blessings.
I agree – there is a lot to do during this quarantine! You just have to get a little more creative than usual. Thank you for sharing your list; I got some new ideas from it!
Tara, I’m so glad that you found it helpful. Blessings!
WOW! I had no idea about some of these virtually tours or the NASA library. How cool. There are several of these I plan on showing to our little.
Wendy, some of the photos on the NASA website are incredible too! Enjoy! Blessings.
It’s so cool that there are so many resources right now for virtual get aways. This is a great list. I know it’s not quite the same as actually being there but it’s also not quite the same as actually being there. lol Like in DC I love the space museum but it’s usually so crowded and depending on my mood for the day I can either love to be around people or don’t want to fight a crowd. This is a great way to see things and take my time without fighting to see it or worry that I stood to long a t a spot and stopping someone else from seeing it. lol
Agreed Karie! Viewing life with a different perspective right now can be so helpful. We’ll be back at the museums before long, and I believe that we’ll look back on this time with grateful hearts. Thanks for stopping by. Blessings.
Wow you have a lot of great info here! I’ll have to share this with my sister who has 2 kiddos at home, she’s been struggling with activities for them. I love the webcams with zoos I think my nieces would get a kick out of that. Thank you for the informative post!
Alyssa, thanks for sharing my blog post. I hope your sister finds lots of fun things to do with her two. Blessings to you.
Wow! This is quite the comprehensive list. Thanks so much for sharing.
Adrienne, thanks for stopping by. Enjoy your virtual adventuring!!
This is an awesome and detailed list of some great things to do. I’m going to pin this and get my kiddos going on some of these things tomorrow. We used points to fly all 6 of us to Hawaii last fall to visit my sister, we love using points for flights.
Stephanie, agreed! We did the very same! We went to Oahu for four days, Kauai for four days, and then Maui for four days. Hopefully we’ll be going back to the big island in September or October. Points changed our lives forever!!
Great ideas for things to do to make staying home an adventure. It almost makes me wish I had little guys home again. I may have to try a few of these with my college student sons. Thanks.
Kim, thanks for stopping by. Some of these things should be great for all ages. Mine are almost all college age too! Blessings!
Airpano is just the coolest discovery for me! I’ll be spending lots of my quarantine checking it out!
Casandra, I agree 100%! So very excited to have found this little gem. Enjoy your virtual travels, and start making that bucket list!! Blessings.
Wow! I am going to have to do some of these with my preschooler. A lot of great information.
Michelle, thanks so much. There should be plenty to keep your preschooler busy! The meerkats might be fun! Blessings.
A great resource during this difficult time! I don’t have small children at home, but I will do some of these things myself! Thanks
Cathy, thank you for your kind words. Enjoy exploring virtually!! Blessings.
These are great resources! I didn’t realize how many free online options there were right now, thank you.
Elaina, there really are SO many. I keep finding more every day too. Thanks for stopping by. Blessings.
What great ideas!!! Thank you for coming up with such a comprehensive list, Erin! Great work!!!
Chandler, Thank you! I hope you find this list useful! Enjoy your virtual adventure! Blessings to you.
Awesome info! I may have to send this over to my students who are getting bored at home!
Jaci, that would be awesome! Thank you for the shout out! Blessings.
I love the live zoo feed idea. I’m a huge animal person. 😊
Santana, I agree! We are huge animal people too. We especially love all the live cams like the meerkats and the pandas! Thanks for stopping by. Blessings.
My children and I have been enjoying all of the zoo live sessions. The Cincinnati Zoo is one of our favorites!
Trisha, thank you for your kind words. We have been enjoying all of the animals as well. I think I’m going to have to actually see the Cincinnati Zoo in person though. Just another fun thing to add to the bucket list!! Blessings.
This is a great resource for adventures while you’re in quarantine! Thanks for putting it all together.
Amanda, you’re welcome. Thanks for stopping by. Blessings.
Great ideas! Thanks!
Michele, you’re welcome! Have fun on your virtual adventure!! Blessings!