Since mid-March, I’ve been, like so many of you, working from home and home-schooling two children all while trying to manage my own emotions, our food supply and some sense of normalcy.
After the official announcement came that in-person schooling was done for the year, I knew that my kids and I needed a change of pace. I needed to find some more meaningful ways to interact with them—ways to promote curiosity, learning and a sense of community beyond the worksheets, zoom calls and neighborhood walks.

I also know that tracking down opportunities to create meaningful interactions while also balancing screen time is really hard when you’re trying to be all things to all people at the same time.

According to American Psychological Association, “caregivers should strive for a balance between digital and non-digital activities. For example, if a child spends time on a digital learning activity in the morning, they should take a break for  creative endeavor—like painting or baking cookies—or play a board game with the entire family.” (Read more)

So, with a little help from our friends around town, here are some daily suggestions for family-friendly activities—both digital and non—from some of our favorite places that just might get you out of your current rut. Many of these happen daily, so feel free to mix them up and customize for your family.

MONDAY

Columbia Museum of Art Zoom Backgrounds
Want to step up your kid’s virtual classroom game? Download one of these images to immerse them in works of art from the CMA’s collection or put them at the museum! They probably won’t even realize you’re essentially taking them on a gallery tour of sorts.

Select and download your backgrounds here.

🌟 Level Up: Inspired by the CMA’s collection? Try this Pulled String Painting activity from CreativeBug
Columbia Children’s Theatre
Tune in to Facebook Live every night at 7 p.m. to hear bedtime stories from your favorite performers, alums and more.

Night Night, y’all.

🌟 Level Up: This one’s for you parents. Pop in your earbuds and catch a few minutes of self-care by listening to a Podcast while your little one enjoys storytime. Here are some of our favorites.

TUESDAY

Riverbanks Zoo & Gardens e-Learning
Explore the zoo from home via Facebook Live each weekday at 10 a.m. or check out the videos on their website. Enjoy live features, inside peeks, too-cute-to-handles and an activity to do at home!

Start Learning

🌟 Level Up: Want to learn more about today’s featured animal? Head over to Britannica School Animal Facts to discover facts about animals by group, habitat, or name. Get started, here.

WEDNESDAY

Historic Columbia Walking Tour
Explore online tours of Columbia and Richland County neighborhoods and districts. Select one of the 19 neighborhoods to tour from your computer or turn it into a walking tour using your mobile device.

Start Walking

🌟 Level Up: Want a deeper glimpse into the past? Check out our digital photo archive, here.

THURSDAY

Columbia City Ballet Class
Try a virtual ballet class with the Columbia City Ballet. While you might not be taking the stage any time soon this will surely be a fun activity for the whole family.

Start Dancing

🌟 Level Up: Stream these top classical pieces from Freegal and create your own mini ballet inspired by what you learned from the Columbia City Ballet.

FRIDAY
EdVenture Eats
A new segment of Today’s Play, EdVenture Eats, At Home is a compilation of food history, recipes, cooking tips and tricks, and all sorts of information relating to healthy eating, brought to you by the talented EdVenture Cooking Lab Chefs! Join them on Fridays at 12:30 p.m. on Facebook Live for new EdVenture Eats, At Home episodes!

Start Cooking

🌟 Level Up: Hungry for more? Find recipes from around the world in the Kids Edition of Culture Grams, here.

SATURDAY

Richland Library Family Storytime
Tune in to Richland Library’s Facebook page at 10:30 a.m. every Saturday morning as we share books and build early literacy skills with fun for the whole family.

Join us here

🌟 Level Up: Don’t wait for Saturday! Conduct a screen-free storytime any day of the week with these fabulous tips from Ms. Leslie, here.

South Carolina State Museum Telescope Livestream
Join State Museum Boeing Observatory staff for a virtual look at the night sky from a telescope streamed on Facebook Live! Each Saturday night, weather permitting, staff will livestream a telescope feed from their home in accordance with social distancing guidelines. Have a question or comment? Staff will monitor the stream and respond as needed.

Watch Live

🌟 Level Up: Grab a couple of family members and try the Dance of the Eclipses experiment from the Gale in Context: Science resource.

SUNDAY

One Columbia Public Art Driving Tour

Pack a snack and hop in the car for a driving tour of public art thanks to One Columbia’s comprehensive directory. Select your neighborhood or venture out and explore another area of town.