May Calendar of Events

Editor's Note: This month we're spotlighting virtual events offered online here in NJ and beyond. Enjoy!

VISIT THE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

The Smithsonian offers fantastic resources for families, including online tours of their museums. Sit down together and see the dinosaur bones, fossils, and other exciting exhibits. It's almost like being there.

Bonus: Choose your favorite exhibit and research everything you can about it. Give your family a report!

https://naturalhistory.si.edu/visit/virtual-tour

BECOME AN IMAGINEER!

Disney and the Khan Academy have teamed up to offer this free online course for budding Imagineers. Kids (or adults--this is serious fun for any age) can build their own theme park while learning about STEM topics.

Bonus: Plan your own theme park all about Madison!

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/hass-storytelling/ imagineering-in-a-box

DOODLE ALONG WITH AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR, MO WILLEMS

Kids love Mo Wilem's books, and now they can doodle with him every school day at 1pm EST.

Bonus: Draw along with Mo and share your art on social media.

https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/mo-willems/

LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE

Duolingo offers FREE online language courses for everything from Spanish to French to Klingon. Do it together as a family or strike out on your own.

Bonus: Plan an imaginary trip to the country whose language you're studying.

https://www.duolingo.com/

EXPLORE THE GREAT COURSES

Attention all library card holders, you can take programs offered by The Great Courses for free using the streaming service, Kanopy. Take better pictures, learn about history, literature, music, and more.

Bonus: Take a course together with the family.

https://madisonnjlibrary.kanopy.com/frontpage

PRACTICE HAPPINESS

Yale University is offering one of its most popular courses for free through Coursera. The Science of Well Being teaches students how to increase happiness and boost productivity.

Bonus: For a fee, you'll receive a formal certificate of completion.

https://www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being

IMMERSE YOURSELF IN ART

Google has teamed up with some of the world's best museums, bringing them right into your home via the internet.

Bonus: Recreate some of the world's greatest paintings in your home. It's silly, but why not?

https://artsandculture.google.com/

WRITE SOMETHING

Arts by the People has moved its programming online. Check out their website for opportunities to read and listen to your work and the work of other writers.

Bonus: Email your work to rbarry@bestversionmedia.com and we might print it in a future issue.

https://www.artsbythepeople.org/event-poss

KEEP MOVING WITH THE MADISON AREA YMCA

While the doors are closed the Y is still sharing workouts and daily encouragement on their social media channels.

Bonus: Make up your own fun fitness routine--soundtrack included.

https://www.madisonareaymca.org/