Exploring the Arts at Home, Together: A Roundup of Free Cultural Resources for Families

This is a strange chapter of the world's history we've suddenly found ourselves inhabiting.

The social distancing measures now in place to avoid the spread of COVID-19 have changed everything. Businesses are closed, the majority of schools are not open, and thousands of parents are beginning to navigate the world of educating at home for the first time.

It isn't easy, but if we've learned one thing in the past few weeks, it's that we all need as many resources as possible for making social distancing sustainable.

Our team at The Columbusite put together a roundup of arts & culture resources for you and your family. It's our hope that by having access to so many wonderful activities and digital experiences, you'll be able to continue to provide ways for your children and family to enjoy the benefits of engaging with the arts during this time.

Don't worry - we're working on a list of local resources too. We just thought you'd enjoy a big list of things from all over the world to enjoy in the meantime.

Here's a list of some of our favorite resources for exploring the arts with children at home.

View our Pinterest Board for this section of activities here.

ART ACTIVITIES

Free Art History Coloring Pages (7 Free Masterpieces to Color)

Make a Mini Rothko! Color Play on Cardboard for Littles

Matisse Color By Number Activity

Learning the Color Wheel (Free Printable!)

DIY Sidewalk Chalk Paint

Rolled Paper Sculptures

Meet Georgia O'Keefe: Artist Study with Kids!

STEAM Challenge: Make DIY Paintbrushes to Explore Textures in Art

Rainbow Leaf Prints with Toddlers

Intro to Pop Art! Warhol: Campbell's Soup Color by Number

BOOKS!

Mini Masters

Goodnight, Starry Night

13 Artists Children Should Know

The Story of Paintings: A History of Art for Children

So Many Stars - Andy Warhol

Beautiful Oops!

VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES WITH FINE ART

Google Arts & Culture

Leonardo de Vinci 2019 Louvre Paris Museum Exhibit - Virtual Tour

MOMA Conservation Stories: Rousseau's Sleeping Gypsy

This Mondrian Painting is Actually a Jazz Score | Jason Moran

Vincent van Gogh art ALIVE - Atelier des Lumières (Paris, France)

Gustav Klimt Exposición Imersiva

The Met: Conserving Michelangelo

ACTIVITIES

The Instruments of the Orchestra Song

Color the Orchestra!

Sesame Street - Brass instruments

Music Instruments Song for Children (27 Instruments)

BOOKS

The Bear and The Piano

Who Was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart?

Allegro: A Musical Journey Through 11 Musical Masterpieces

Becoming Bach

Ludwig van Beethoven: (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers)

George Handel: (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers)

The Music in George's Head: Gershwin Creates Rhapsody in Blue

David Bowie (Little People, Big Dreams)

Aretha Franklin (Little People, Big Dreams)

What a Wonderful World

ONLINE PERFORMANCES

The Berlin Philharmoniker's Digital Concert Hall

'Lachrimae' by John Dowland performed on lute by Christopher Morrongiello

Carnegie Hall in 360: Featuring the Philadelphia Orchestra

The Magic Flute: Diana Damrau sings the Queen of the Night aria

Delibes: Lakmé - Duo des fleurs (Flower Duet)

Leonard Bernstein on Conducting

Bernstein Presents 7-year-old Yo-Yo Ma's high-profile debut for JFK

Bobby McFerrin - LIVE Improvisation at The Kennedy Center

PLAYLISTS

Mozart for Kids

Intense Studying

Family Time - Ziggy Marley

Calming Music Ages 0-3

Cafecito

Opera Classics

VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES IN ARCHITECTURE

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT: CONSERVING ST. MARK'S TOWER (MOMA)

La Sagrada Familia: Virtual Visit - Interior

Versailles: Palace Virtual Tour

Virtual Tour of Notre Dame's Storied Architecture

Architecture Tour: Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

The Met 360 Project: The Great Hall

BOOKS

13 Buildings Children Should Know

Who Was Frank Lloyd Wright?

Cool Architecture: Filled with Fantastic Facts for Kids of All Ages

Iggy Peck Architect

Architecture for Babies

VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES/PERFORMANCES

On Ballet: American Ballet Theatre Virtual Exhibit

Swan Lake – Black Swan Pas de Deux (The Royal Ballet)

Swan Lake - Pas de Quatre (Dance of the Small Swans) rehearsal

Atlanta Ballet Centre For Dance Education - Behind the Scenes Atlanta Ballet

'Good Mornin' - Singin' in the Rain (1952)

Summer Stock - Get Happy _ Judy Garland (1950)

55th Tony Awards Performance : 42nd Street

Don Quixote Rehearsal with Akane Takada

BOOKS

A Stage Full of Shakespeare Stories

Where is Broadway?

Poetry by Heart: Poems for Learning and Reciting

On Stage: Theatre Games and Activities for Kids

Ilustrated Stories from Shakespeare

I am Someone Else: Poems About Pretending

VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES/PERFORMANCES

Center for Puppetry Arts - Live Shows Costumes: Today in Theatre History with Birmingham Children's Theatre

Columbus Children's Theatre: Three Little Pigs

Yale Children's Theatre: Puppet Pioneers Highlights

Bay Area Children's Theatre: Challenges from Creativity Corner