At-Home Things to Do
As we shelter in place, we can always stream the latest releases in movies and TV series’ while we wait for the cloud of COVID-19 to pass. But if at some point, sitting around in your sweats watching escape drama, comedy and reality shows gets old, here are a few different ways to pass the time! Like watching impromptu performances by your favorite artists on social media, feeding your brain with Ivy League classes (for free!), or trying a few educational options to keep the kids engaged!
Virtual Concerts to Enjoy during Shelter in Place
NPR reported that musicians Josh Groban; Ben Gibbard, the lead singer of the band Death Cab for Cutie; rapper Fat Tony; and the Indigo Girls performed virtually for fans via their social media platforms.
Chris Martin of Coldplay, Neil Young, Steve Martin and Keith Urban all put on or promised online performances, after concerts and other gigs were cancelled until at least after the summer. Martin played a 30-minute set on Instagram Live for fans while using the #TogetherAtHome hashtag and has encouraged peers to do the same. Neil Young will be streaming gigs called Fireside Sessions that will be available on Neil Young Archives. Watch for more artists like these to follow suit in the coming weeks with this link to Billboard Magazine’s updates regarding online performances.
And from the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, this very cool Zoom concert to entertain you at home!
Feed Your Brain, Hone a Skill
Class Central has suspended its paywall so you can take Ivy League classes online during the pandemic from universities like Harvard, Yale, and the University of Pennsylvania – free and in the comfort of your home. Choose from among 500 classes – whether you’re interests are in digital photography, modern poetry, justice, classical music, sustainability, financial accounting, or robotics!
Last week, renowned playwright Lauren Gunderson began helping aspiring artists confined to their homes explore their dream careers by offering a writing tutorial. It began with the course Playwriting Class Part 1, Beginnings and Endings, which she broadcast via Facebook from her home in San Francisco.
Historical Performances and Games
New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art/Metropolitan Opera (The Met) canceled upcoming live performances because of recent COVID-19 mandates, but last week began streaming free encore presentations of its Live in HD series.
The National Hockey League started making all games played during the suspended 2019-2020 regular season available to stream on demand. Plus, its NHL Pause Binge on the NHL website and YouTube channel, allows fans to view documentaries and “full-length classic NHL games dating from the 1950s to present day.”
The NBA and NFL are offering similar classic match-ups through NBA League Pass and NFL Game Pass, and PBS announced that it is making the 1994 Ken Burns documentary Baseball available to stream for free.
For the Littles, Tweens and Teens
There are only so many times anyone – even the wee ones — can watch Frozen and Frozen II. So, if the kids are stuck at home, here are some fun, free and educational websites to keep them busy.
From pre-K through eighth grade, the editors of Teachables have created a free collection of worksheets and activities for your kids. From Rhyming Flashcards and STEM Nursery Rhymes, to math skills sheets, story-writing prompts, grammar practice and problem-solving exercises.
ScienceFlix offers videos to watch, articles to read, questions to answer and quizzes to test kids’ knowledge on topics ranging from earth science, space science, life science, health and the human body and tech/math and engineering. Amazon Future Engineer through Edhesive offers free online computer science classes for any student affected by the COVID-19 in the U.S.
At Home Colliers Hill
The master-planned community of Colliers Hill is an amazing place to live where neighbors watch out for each other and connect via Facebook and Next Door to keep in touch. Set up a private appointment to tour the model homes during the next few weeks through Colorado’s top home builders: Meritage Homes, Richmond American Homes, and Century Communities. Floor plans include ranch-style or two-story designs — priced from the high $300s.
