Explore More at Home: Pet Party

Explore More is currently closed but that doesn’t mean we can’t help our museum friends discover, create, imagine and play! That’s why we’ve decided to stay connected and pass along fun ideas so you can EXPLORE MORE AT HOME! We’ll be sending out messages on social media each day and then posting everything here so you can check it out whenever you’d like.

We’d love to see how you are exploring at home! Just snap a pic and post it on our FB or Instagram accounts and tag #ExploreMoreAtHome. Be on the lookout for ongoing suggestions for D-I-Y creative play and plenty of parenting support, too.

Pets on Parade

Mr. Landon has two very large dogs named Hank and Bear. They are very fluffy and white. He takes good care of them and spends lots of time playing with them. We’d love to see some pictures of you with your pets--either real or pretend!

Meet Mr. Landon's furry friends, Hank and Bear! We have lots of fun pet themed activities for our human friends to check out today.

TOYS

Our pets need to play, just like we do.  Here are some toys that you can make at home that your pets will love!

POM-POM CAT TOY

WATER BOTTLE DOG TOY

TREATS

Keep your four legged friends happy with these recipes for homemade yummy, healthy, treats.

PUMPKIN OATMEAL DOG TREATS

CHICKEN FLAVORED CAT TREATS

WATCH AND LEARN

Listen and follow along with two of our favorite stories about growing vegetables!

What Pet Should I Get? by Dr. Seuss

Pet Show! by Ezra Jack Keats

SILLY PETS

If you don’t own a pet, that’s okay! You can make your own pretend pet to love and care for!  

PET ROCK CRAFT

HOMEMADE CHIA PET

CREATE

Make this DOG MASK and have fun pretending to be one of our four legged friends!


Check out the art of LAUREL BURCH, and then create this beautiful CAT inspired by her paintings.

Explore More at Home: Vegetable Gardening

Explore More is currently closed but that doesn’t mean we can’t help our museum friends discover, create, imagine and play! That’s why we’ve decided to stay connected and pass along fun ideas so you can EXPLORE MORE AT HOME! We’ll be sending out messages on social media each day and then posting everything here so you can check it out whenever you’d like.

We’d love to see how you are exploring at home! Just snap a pic and post it on our FB or Instagram accounts and tag #ExploreMoreAtHome. Be on the lookout for ongoing suggestions for D-I-Y creative play and plenty of parenting support, too.

Vegetable Gardening

Now more than ever, it’s a good time to think about growing your own food and luckily it’s a great activity for the whole family to enjoy together!  Below are activities chosen to get kids excited about both growing and eating their veggies!

Today we're exploring vegetable gardening! Join Ms. Melanie as she plants some seeds. Then check out all of our activities below.

SCIENCE

The first thing you need to do when planning a garden is to make sure you have healthy soil.  Composting is a great way to help that happen. Make this simple COUNTERTOP COMPOSTER to help you get started.


How does a seed turn into a plant?  Find out HERE, and then watch it all happen in real life with this homemade ROOT VIEWER, which will let you watch every stage of your plant’s growth!

WATCH AND LEARN

Listen and follow along with two of our favorite stories about growing vegetables!

Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens

Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert

SING AND MOVE

The Garden Song performed by David Mallet

In My Garden - Raffi

CREATE

Once your seeds are planted in the garden, you’ll need to label them so you can identify when they grow.  You can paint RECYCLED LIDS  or make GARDEN GNOMES to create fun row markers. 

You can also make these ROCKS and place them around your garden for decorations.

This fun CRAFT will help you learn which plants grow on, above, or below the ground!

GROW

Watch this video of  PLANTING HACKS to discover some unusual ways you could sprout some plants right from vegetables you have in your kitchen. 

If you don’t have space in your yard for a large garden, follow these instructions for creating an easy COUNTERTOP GARDEN.

If you can find even a small space in your yard, you might like to plant this PIZZA GARDEN.  When you harvest it you’ll have enough fresh ingredients to throw your very own pizza party.

Explore More at Home: Fort Building

Explore More is currently closed but that doesn’t mean we can’t help our museum friends discover, create, imagine and play! That’s why we’ve decided to stay connected and pass along fun ideas so you can EXPLORE MORE AT HOME! We’ll be sending out messages on social media each day and then posting everything here so you can check it out whenever you’d like.

We’d love to see how you are exploring at home! Just snap a pic and post it on our FB or Instagram accounts and tag #ExploreMoreAtHome. Be on the lookout for ongoing suggestions for D-I-Y creative play and plenty of parenting support, too.

BUILD A FORT

We know everyone is loving all the family togetherness we’ve had lately, but just in case some members of your family are looking for a little privacy, here are some ideas for creating an indoor or outdoor fort for some alone time--the kids might like them, too!

Miss Melanie shows us the fort she designed and built at home. You can make your own hiding place to relax and read a book using materials around your house!

THE BASICS

This SITE shows how to make some very simple blanket forts with just a few materials around your house.

If you want to make sure your fort has everything you need to ensure a cozy, relaxing and enjoyable experience you should check out these sites for some tips and pointers.

HOW TO MAKE AN EPIC BLANKET FORT

TIPS FOR INDOOR FORTS

OUTSIDE

Now that the weather is getting nicer, you might want to build your fort outside!  Here is an idea for making a waterproof CARDBOARD HOUSE for your yard, or a simple TENT using a clothesline and a sheet!

Cardboard House.jpeg
Clothesline+Tent.jpg

TAKE IT FURTHER

Once you have the basics down you can try some of these more complicated designs. Click on the pictures below to learn how to create each of these unique forts!

DOME FORT

DOME FORT

HULA HOOP FORT

HULA HOOP FORT

NEWSPAPER FORT

NEWSPAPER FORT

BACKYARD TEEPEE

BACKYARD TEEPEE

WATCH AND LEARN - SCIENCE

Learn all about the tension forces that help keep your blanket fort from collapsing.

Compression forces also play a role in making sure you have a sturdy fort to play in.

Explore More at Home: Woodworking

Explore More is currently closed but that doesn’t mean we can’t help our museum friends discover, create, imagine and play! That’s why we’ve decided to stay connected and pass along fun ideas so you can EXPLORE MORE AT HOME! We’ll be sending out messages on social media each day and then posting everything here so you can check it out whenever you’d like.

We’d love to see how you are exploring at home! Just snap a pic and post it on our FB or Instagram accounts and tag #ExploreMoreAtHome. Be on the lookout for ongoing suggestions for D-I-Y creative play and plenty of parenting support, too.

MASTERPIECE MONDAY - WOODWORKING

Not all masterpieces are created with paint.  Meet Landon Heavener! He is one of our museum educators but he is also a woodworking artisan. He works hard in his shop to make many beautiful things. You can take a quick tour of his shop and learn how to make a fun and easy woodworking project.

Mr. Landon takes us on a tour of the wood shop in his home!
Learn how to make a pencil holder with Mr. Landon!

SCIENCE

Science

How does sandpaper work? Are all sandpapers the same? Try this EXPERIMENT and find out!


Woodworkers and other makers need to be able to make their creations strong and sturdy. Find out which shapes are strongest through this scientific INVESTIGATION

ENGINEERING

Mr. Landon designed and built this lovely table for the museum! Check out all of his custom designed projects HERE. He made this table out of reclaimed wood, but can you make one out of just newspaper and tape? Find out HERE.

Mr. Landon designed and built this lovely table for the museum! Check out all of his custom designed projects HERE. He made this table out of reclaimed wood, but can you make one out of just newspaper and tape? Find out HERE.

How tall can you build a tower made of just spaghetti and tape? How much weight do you think it can hold? Follow these DIRECTIONS and give it a try!

MATH

Want to make learning geometry more fun? This simple woodworking PROJECT is simple for kids to make and will provide hours of mathematical fun!

WATCH AND LEARN

The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires

Froggy Builds a House by Jonathan London

CREATE

If you’d like to try some woodworking, here are some simple and fun projects to get you started!

CANDY DISPENSER
CATAPULT
MASON BEE HOUSE
PLANTER BOX
LEGO COAT RACK

If you think you are ready to dive a little deeper and work on developing some Master Carpenter skills, visit this PAGE for a list of creative and interesting projects!

Explore More at Home: Five Senses

School’s out, Explore More is closed and we miss helping our friends discover, create, imagine and play! That’s why we’ve decided to stay connected and pass along fun ideas so you can EXPLORE MORE AT HOME! We’ll be sending out messages on social media each day and then posting everything here so you can check it out whenever you’d like.

We’d love to see how you are exploring at home! Just snap a pic and post it on our FB or Instagram accounts and tag #ExploreMoreAtHome. Be on the lookout for ongoing suggestions for D-I-Y creative play and plenty of parenting support, too.

Preschool Pals…Home Edition!

Art, science, cooking, reading, playing, and even interacting with screens are all ways you can engage your five senses! Check out the links below for some fun and interactive ways to learn more about Hearing, Sight, Smell, Touch and Taste!

Join Ms. Mary Jane at her house as she helps us explore the five senses.

Watch this clip from Sesame Street and find out how you can use Grouchy Things to learn all about your five senses.

ALL FIVE SENSES

Listen to Eric Carle’s classic story “I SEE A SONG” and then create some art as you listen to your favorite music.


When life gives you lemons...play with them!! THIS ACTIVITY will engage all of your senses and provide hours of fun!

HEARING

Follow along with this reading of “THE LISTENING WALK” then head outside for some exercise.  What do you hear?

Loud or Soft, Jingly or Rattly?  Use your sense of hearing to play this sound matching GAME!

Pull out all the recycled materials you’ve been saving and follow this link to play in your own JUNK JAM band.

SIGHT

Follow this LINK to explore color mixing in a fun, not too messy way with a zip-lock bag, some shaving cream and food coloring.


Turn out the lights, grab a flashlight and do some simple experiments with LIGHT AND SHADOW.

SMELL

Create some art that engages your sense of smell as well as your sense of sight.  This homemade SCRATCH AND SNIFF PAINT will give your art a little something extra!

Have your parents save you a cup of coffee and some of their coffee grounds so you can mix up this great smelling COFFEE PLAYDOUGH.

Do some experimenting with flowers, leaves, and spices as you mix up some great smelling, kid safe and approved POTIONS.

TOUCH

Explore your sense of touch as you use materials found around the house to make this TEXTURE COLLAGE.


Can you identify different items with just your hands?  No peaking as you explore these MYSTERY BAGS

TASTE

Find a variety of foods to taste and then sort them into whether they taste sweet, salty, bitter, sour, or spicy using this TEMPLATE.


Combine a variety of flavors together and mix up your own sweet and salty TRAIL MIX.

Explore More at Home: Travel to Japan

Explore More is currently closed but that doesn’t mean we can’t help our museum friends discover, create, imagine and play! That’s why we’ve decided to stay connected and pass along fun ideas so you can EXPLORE MORE AT HOME! We’ll be sending out messages on social media each day and then posting everything here so you can check it out whenever you’d like.

We’d love to see how you are exploring at home! Just snap a pic and post it on our FB or Instagram accounts and tag #ExploreMoreAtHome. Be on the lookout for ongoing suggestions for D-I-Y creative play and plenty of parenting support, too.

CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL

It’s Spring and that means that lots of trees are starting to bloom!  One of the most beautiful of these is the Japanese Cherry Tree. Every spring people in Japan hold Cherry Blossom Festivals throughout the country! In 1912 Japan gave over 3,000 cherry trees to the United States to celebrate the friendship between the countries and now there is a Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington DC every spring, too! Unfortunately, due to social distancing, it’s difficult to take in the beauty first-hand. There are lots pictures so you can experience virtually.  

Did you know that Japan is a nation made up of nearly 4,000 islands? Learn more about that and other facts about the country here.

Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC.

Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC.

Cherry Blossom Festival in Japan

Cherry Blossom Festival in Japan

SCIENCE

Japan is located in what is known as the Pacific Ring of Fire, a horseshoe shaped area in the Pacific Ocean, where over 90% of the world’s earthquakes take place. This means that Japan is at a very high risk of having both earthquakes and tsunamis. Find out more about a tsunami that happened to Japan in 2011.

Explore how geologist’s measure earthquakes and make your own seismograph with some simple materials found around your house.

GET OUTSIDE

During Cherry Blossom Festivals in Japan, people sit under the blooming trees, have picnics, and enjoy each other’s company. You and your family can have a picnic in your own backyard and look for all the signs of spring you see. Do you have a tree in bloom in your yard? If so, take a picture and share it on our Facebook on Instagram pages!

WATCH AND LEARN

How My Parents Learned to Eat by Ina R Friedman, illustrated by Allen Say.

Suki’s Kimono by Chieri Uegaki, illustrated by Stéphane Jorisch

Learn Origami with this series of videos HERE

CREATE

Our elementary and middle school friends should join Mr. Jacob from Maker City and learn how to create a beautiful Cherry Blossom Painting.

Follow this link to learn about Japanese writing systems and try writing your name in Katakana.

Make this Japanese inspired koinobori or carp kite project to hang outside your home on May 5th to celebrate Japanese Children’s Day!

GET MOVING

Learn the history of Japan’s daily “Radio Exercises” and join along!

TAKE A TOUR

Explore the sights and sounds of a traditional Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival!

Explore More at Home: Cardboard Tubes

Parents, we know that you are working very hard to keep life as normal as possible during this uncharted time in our lives. You are parent, teacher, cook, entertainer, and “chief encourager” as your kids miss their school, their friends and their freedom. We’re here for you! Please let us know how we can help.

Today, we offer something pretty simple. Perhaps the schoolwork is done and you just need a few minutes to collect your thoughts, do a little work, etc.

If you have a few cardboard tubes in your recycling bin, and some art supplies, set them on the table along with some of the ideas below and let your kids create! This is pretty open-ended. From slippery snakes to marble mazes, this can be fun for all ages.

Have some cardboard tubes, tape, and a marble or pom pom? Try this!

Have some cardboard tubes, tape, and a marble or pom pom? Try this!

Ms. Melanie made a snake from her cardboard tube. What will you make?

Ms. Melanie made a snake from her cardboard tube. What will you make?

Check Out these resources:

Discover 79 Easy Toilet Paper Roll Crafts HERE.

Use a cardboard tube and make you own SPECTROSCOPE.

We could all use a little music right now. Make your own KAZOO or RAINSTICK instruments.

Have cardboard tubes and straws? You can build cool things HERE!

Butterflies, rocket ships and race cars, oh my! See these and other things you can make with your cardboard tubes HERE.

rocket-set-two-8.jpg
race cars.jpg
slinky snake.jpg

We’d love to see how you are exploring at home! Just snap a pic and post it on our FB or Instagram accounts and tag #ExploreMoreAtHome.

Explore More at Home: Kitchen Chemistry

Explore More is currently closed but that doesn’t mean we can’t help our museum friends discover, create, imagine and play! We’re passing along fun ideas so you can EXPLORE MORE AT HOME! We’ll be sending out messages on social media each day and then posting everything here so you can check it out whenever you’d like.

We’d love to see how you are exploring at home! Just snap a pic and post it on our FB or Instagram accounts and tag #ExploreMoreAtHome.

CHEMISTRY DEMONSTRATIONS

Ms. Melanie is helping us Explore More at Home today! Find demonstrations, experiments and more!

Join Ms. Melanie as she makes "elephant toothpaste" in this exciting chemistry demonstration.

SCIENCE

What does a chemist do?  If you want to learn more about this branch of science, make sure to check out this page from Britannica Kids!

If you are ready to become a Kitchen Chemist, here are a few experiments you can try!

Chemistry Cake Experiment

Baking Soda Balloon Blow Up

Penny Cleaning

Plastic Milk

GET OUTSIDE

Be ready to get messy when you create this Non Newtonian Fluid. It can be mixed up in the kitchen, but outdoors is the best place to explore!


Head outside to a spot with plenty of open space and watch a cool chemical reaction provide the fuel to blast this Bottle Rocket high into the sky!

WATCH AND LEARN

Curious about crystals and how they form? Watch this video and then try to make some yummy Sugar Rock Candy with an adult to help out.

Watch the colors flow in this video of a homemade lava lamp, then follow this link for directions to make your own!

CREATE

How can you get two different cups to mix together into a third cup without pouring the water? Try this Color Mixing Experiment and find out!


Using just a few ingredients from your cupboard, you can make a beautiful Column of Color, as you learn about and experiment with density.

COOK

Feeling thirsty? A fun chemical reaction will turn ordinary lemonade into a cool fizzy drink!

Use your scientific observation skills to investigate what happens as you mix the ingredients needed to make these scrumptious soft pretzels.

Explore More at Home: Masterpiece Monday

Explore More is currently closed but that doesn’t mean we can’t help our museum friends discover, create, imagine and play! That’s why we’ve decided to stay connected and pass along fun ideas so you can EXPLORE MORE AT HOME! We’ll be sending out messages on social media each day and then posting everything here so you can check it out whenever you’d like.

We’d love to see how you are exploring at home! Just snap a pic and post it on our FB or Instagram accounts and tag #ExploreMoreAtHome. Be on the lookout for ongoing suggestions for D-I-Y creative play and plenty of parenting support, too.

MASTERPIECE MONDAY - Meet the Artist

Claude Monet was born November 14, 1840.  He was a French painter and was one of the founders of  the French Impressionism and one of the best known and loved painters of his era. Use the activities and links below to Explore More at Home about Claude Monet!

Water Lilies and Japanese Bridge--1897-1899

Water Lilies and Japanese Bridge--1897-1899

Claude Monet Self Portrait--1886

Claude Monet Self Portrait--1886

SCIENCE

How was Monet kind of like a honeybee?  This video explores how his vision problems gave Monet a unique “eye” for art.

Monet once said, “I must have flowers, always, always, always!”  This project uses the science of chromatography to create beautiful paper flowers so you can also always have flowers!

GET OUTSIDE

Monet and other impressionists loved painting “En Plein Air”-- meaning painting outside to capture landscapes in their natural light.  Follow the directions here and head outside to paint!

WATCH AND LEARN

Join Katie as she enters the world of Monet’s paintings in this read aloud of “Katie and the Waterlily Pond.”

Take a leisurely stroll through Monet’s Gardens in Giverny, France as you follow along with this video tour of his property.

CREATE

Now it’s your turn to be an impressionist artist!  Try these projects.

Watercolor and Salt Lily Pond Painting

3D Water Lily Craft

Japanese Bridge Painting

Impermanent Art Project

Crayon Resist Art

TAKE A TOUR

The National Gallery located in Washington DC has many on-line resources so you can learn more about Claude Monet!

Explore Monet’s Water Lily murals housed at the Musee de l’Orangerie in Paris through this virtual exhibit and tour.

Explore More at Home: Farm Fun!

School’s out, Explore More is closed and we miss helping our friends discover, create, imagine and play! That’s why we’ve decided to stay connected and pass along fun ideas so you can EXPLORE MORE AT HOME! We’ll be sending out messages on social media each day and then posting everything here so you can check it out whenever you’d like.

We’d love to see how you are exploring at home! Just snap a pic and post it on our FB or Instagram accounts and tag #ExploreMoreAtHome. Be on the lookout for ongoing suggestions for D-I-Y creative play and plenty of parenting support, too.

PrescHool Pals…Home Edition!

Explore More at home with Ms. Mary Jane! She’ll share some of the farm toys her kids enjoyed when they were small and also teach you a poem.

Since we can’t be together for Preschool Pals this week, Ms. Mary Jane decided to come to you. Enjoy The Cow who Clucked, Denise Fleming!

Here is a read-along of The Cow who Clucked in case your child wants a closer look at the pictures and words.

SCIENCE

Some very unusual interactions take place when you mix a little milk, food coloring, and a drop of liquid soap! You can find everything you need this  Tie-Dye Milk Experiment in your kitchen

This week’s warmer temperatures might have you thinking about ice cream! You can explore the science of freezing while you make your own sweet treat HERE!

GET OUTSIDE

It’s not too early to go on an egg hunt! Family members can take turns hiding eggs around the yard and then race to find them and fill an egg carton. Then, you can pretend to deliver the eggs to the grocery store!

WATCH AND LEARN

So many animals live on a farm! You can see just a few of them on this video tour of a small animal farm!

CREATE

The pictures in The Cow who Clucked are very colorful and bright! This activity will allow you to recreate the colors in Ms. Fleming’s book without making a mess! 

Print, cut out and decorate this cow hat. When you wear it, you can pretend to be a cow who clucks!

DRAMATIC PLAY

Use the puppet printouts found HERE to put on a show for your family. You can retell the story Miss Mary Jane read or make up your own!

MOVE

Clear some space and get ready to become a farm animal as you move along with the music in the Farm Animal Yoga Song!

FINGERPLAYS

Five Spotted Cows
Five spotted cows standing in line.
The first one said, "I'm feeling fine!"(Point to self)
The second one said, "How do you do?"(Turn to third cow and hold out right hand.)
The third one said, "Moo! Moo! Moo!"(Take second cow's hand and shake it.)
The fourth one said, "I'm grazing in the grass."(Make chewing motion.)
The fifth one said, "I'm full at last!"(Pat tummy.)
So the cows stood together and said,"We're through! Let's take a bow and all say, "MOO!"

Five Cows all Black and White

(Tune: Five Green and Speckled Frogs)

Five cows all black and white,
Chewed their cud from day to night,
So they could give milk, sweet and pure.
Squirt! Squirt!
One left the barn one day, 
So she could find more hay.
Then there were 4 cows, black and white.
Moo! Moo!
Continue with 4,3,2,1

Explore More at Home: Birds

School’s out, Explore More is closed and we miss helping our friends discover, create, imagine and play! That’s why we’ve decided to stay connected and pass along fun ideas so you can EXPLORE MORE AT HOME! We’ll be sending out messages on social media each day and then posting everything here so you can check it out whenever you’d like.

We’d love to see how you are exploring at home! Just snap a pic and post it on our Facebook or Instagram accounts and tag #ExploreMoreAtHome. Be on the lookout for ongoing suggestions for D-I-Y creative play and plenty of parenting support, too.

EXPLORE MORE ABOUT BIRDS

The Museum isn’t open right now but you can still explore with us. Join Ms. Melanie, our Museum educator, at her home as we Explore More about birds. Do you have a bird feeder?

Learn how to make a nesting bag to help the birds in your neighborhood. Our Museum educator, Ms. Melanie, will share some tips on how you can use found objects to make something special.

Ms. Melanie would love for you to enjoy the spring classic, The Best Nest, read by one of our Museum teacher friends, Angie Briggs! Ms. Briggs teaches at Keister Elementary in Harrisonburg.

SCIENCE FUN

Did you know that there over 10,000 different species of birds? They come in so many sizes, shapes, and colors.Learn more about birds HERE.

Explore how the bodies of different bird species have adapted to help them live in different habitats HERE.

GET OUTSIDE

Go bird watching in your yard or neighborhood and use this journal to help you track the many different kinds of bird you see. There is also a fun Bird Bingo game included. LEARN MORE HERE.

ENGINEER IT

Design and build a bird feeder for your backyard using recycled materials from around your house. TRY IT HERE!

Can you create the perfect bird’s beak?  Check out this activity and then design your own beak! Get the details HERE.

WATCH + LEARN

Cornell University has a variety of high definition web cams. Check it out and go bird watching on line. Watch All About Birds HERE.

Create

  • Explore the art of Charlie Harper and then make your own bird masterpiece! Get the details HERE.

  • Have a paper bag and a little imagination? You can get creative and make your own nest. Find out what you need to know HERE.

  • Looking for a simple craft? Learn how to make a Rocking Bird HERE.

MOVE

Play along as these baby birds learn to fly!