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Follow a descending trail that leads to a deep, ancient gorge carved by prehistoric glacial meltwater to falls that plunge 45 feet into a basin.

What makes Royalston Falls a special place?
We think it's the remote location of the waterfalls - well worth the 0.8-mile descent to the edge a half-hidden ravine! Carved over the ages by Falls Brook, the boisterous cascade plunges 45 feet into an icy pool, sending up a misty spray through the thick forest hugging the gorge. A shelter on the trail offers a great resting spot.

As you make your way into the ravine, the dramatic falls remain hidden within an emerald cloak of dense forest and ferns. The flume appears suddenly, as if to offer a sensory reward for your exertions. In winter, freezing spray creates a fantastic landscape of ice.

Please note: The trek is not an easy one - and can be very wet in places, so you should use extreme caution when walking here.

The Forest's Comeback
From the time of the first wave of European settlers in the 17th century, much of the Massachusetts forest was cut down for agricultural fields and pastures, firewood, and timber. Such wholesale land clearing continued into the 19th century until New England farmers abandoned their fields and headed west in search of richer, less rocky soil.

Today, the resurgent forest continues to slowly erase all remnants of human activity from more than a century ago.

But at this reservation, the forces of nature manifest themselves in ways other than just flora reclaiming its own; Falls Brook not only carved the flume but also fashioned a series of natural bridges through the bedrock just upstream.

A large group shelter, which overlooks Falls Brook, is available for overnight hikers. The shelter is located on the reservation near the intersection where the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail diverges from the Tully Trail.

A Tale of Two Trails
The primary access route to the falls is along a short stretch of the Tully Trail, a 22-mile loop encircling the scenic Tully Valley. But this 0.8-mile pathway down to Falls Brook is also part of the much longer Metacomet-Monadnock Trail. The M-M Trail extends for 117 miles from the border with Connecticut near Springfield to Mount Monadnock in southwest New Hampshire.

Trails
1.5 miles of trails. Moderate hiking, strenuous in places. The trail is rugged and wet in places, so use extreme caution when hiking.

The reservation is a link in the Tully Trail and the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail.

When to Visit
Year-round, daily, sunrise to sunset. Allow a minimum of 1 hour.

Facilities
Interested in camping near Royalston Falls? Check out the Tully Lake Campground, also in Royalston.

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Royalston Falls | Royalston, MA | The Trustees

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Follow a descending trail that leads to a deep, ancient gorge carved by prehistoric glacial meltwater to falls that plunge 45 feet into a basin. What makes Royalston Falls a special place? We think it's the remote location of the waterfalls - well worth the 0.8-mile descent to the edge a half-hidden ravine!

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With the holiday weekend around the corner, we decided to create a set of patriotic star shapes to create a festive garland. Learn how to use a basic string art technique to create a set of 3D shapes. What other shapes can you make?

1. Pinterest

2. Email

Ages:

7 - 16

Est. Time:

<30 mins

How we did it:

1. twine

2. cardboard box - or styrofoam box

3. toothpicks

4. school glue

5. ribbon or string

6. wax paper

1. Cover the cardboard box with a layer of wax paper. This helps prevent the string from sticking to the box. (If you're using styrofoam, you can skip this step!) Draw a star on the surface of your box or styrofoam block. This will be the base to create the shape of your stars.

Stick a toothpick into each point of the star. For any larger stars, stick a toothpick into each point and corner, so that you're using 10 total toothpicks.

Cut a long length of twine or string, about 15 times the width of your star. If your star is 3" wide, cut about 45" of string. Dip the string into a mixture of 50% glue and 50% water. Make sure the string is fully soaked in the glue mixture!

Begin wrapping a string around the toothpicks to create the star shape. Keep going until the whole length of string is wrapped around the toothpicks. Repeat the steps to make a bunch of stars in different colors. The more layers you wrap, the sturdier the star!

Let the string dry, and then, carefully remove the toothpicks from the stars to reveal your string art shapes! String them up to create a unique star garland!

For extra fun, try adding additional toothpicks in each star to create a randomized pattern!

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Gifts for young scientists, artists and makers

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With the holiday weekend around the corner, we decided to create a set of patriotic star shapes to create a festive garland. Learn how to use a basic string art technique to create a set of 3D shapes. What other shapes can you make?

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Craft a Nature Sailboat | Crafts for Kids | PBS KIDS for Parents

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Let's catch the wind! Wind is air in motion: it can keep a kite in high in the sky and push a boat right across the water. Help your child explore the concept of wind with their very own DIY sailboat.

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PLAY

**REMINDER: Teachers, have students take a screenshot of their certificate at the end of the game and send it to you as proof of game completion. **

In Responsibility Launcher, students can help remind citizens that their civic duties aren't just responsibilities, they help get things done!

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Describe ways an individual can contribute to a school or community

Identify ways that responsible community members exercise their rights, responsibilities, and roles

Distinguish civic virtue, common courtesy, respect for person/property, civic and personal responsibility, and honesty as important characteristics for citizens to effectively participate in public life

Evaluate how civic and social duties address community needs and serve the public good

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PLAY **REMINDER: Teachers, have students take a screenshot of their certificate at the end of the game and send it to you as proof of game completion. ** In Responsibility Launcher, students can help remind citizens that their civic duties aren't just responsibilities, they help get things done!

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“lagoda”–largest ship model in existence

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New Bedford Whaling Museum from 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA 02740, USA

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New Bedford Whaling Museum in 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA 02740, USA created by DESeaGrant: Peek inside the New Bedford Whaling Museum on this virtual tour! The Museum shares the story of human interaction with whales in the world's oceans, the science of whales today, and the history and culture of SouthCoast Massachusetts.

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An educational resource for anyone who wants to learn more about the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

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Celebrated children's book author Jan Brett shares a reading of Berlioz The Bear

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If your family hike suggestions are met with a lack of enthusiasm, or if your little hikers like to be kept busy during nature time, then introduce the journey stick on your next hike.

When Aboriginal people of Australia went on journeys, they collected objects along the way, tying them to the stick in chronological order. When they returned home, they used the stick to remember their journeys and relay the story of their journey to friends and family.

A journey stick is a great activity to do with kids as it helps them focus on their surroundings, learn about nature, keeps them busy, and results in a wonderful handmade (free), customized souvenir from their trip.

Making journey sticks is a wonderful new habit for your child to adopt. They can create one each time their hike or have an outdoor adventure, keeping them to remember what they saw and felt along the way. Perhaps they watched a Heron wade as they found a shiny rock at the water's edge. Or else spotted a double acorn as they watched squirrels dig up their winter cache. The object will serve as a connection to your child's experience and the natural world.

To make journey sticks, you don't need to bring much along. Just take some string or ribbons (precut or with a pair of scissors) or else rubber bands to attach objects to the stick.

Tell your child what a journey stick is, how it was used by Aboriginal people and how they can use it and make it. Then let them set out to find their perfect journey stick. The size they choose is up to them. I've had children make large hiking stick sizes, small pocket size sticks and everything in between.

The natural objects should be gathered naturally along the hike. The stick is not the objective of the hike. It's a beautiful souvenir but the point is still the experience. Your child should focus on being present for the hike, deeply tuning into their surroundings, noticing what's around. This will help them develop their observation skills, detail-noticing abilities, and curiosity.

If your child has a hard time making choices of what to attach to their journey stick, tell them to think of all of their senses. What colors did they see along the hike? Which objects in nature can they find that represent those colors? What smells did they notice? Can they find natural objects that represent different textures they felt? Can they find anything that reminds them of the balance they needed along the hike? Or of times they felt shade versus direct sunlight?

With all nature activities, tell your child to be mindful of protecting the natural environment. They should only collect things that have fallen to the ground rather than pick flowers, dig up moss or pluck leaves from trees. Also, they should steer clear of trash, glass, poisonous plants or other dangerous items.

As they gather their objects, help them attach them to the stick from the top of the stick down so you can read the story of the journey from top to bottom.

Once their journey and journey stick is complete, have them retell the story of their adventure, using the natural objects as prompts. Ask them to share their reason for choosing these objects as well as what the object is used for, and where it's found in nature. They can also talk about how different their stick might look in different seasons. Better yet, head out on a hike to this area in a different season to maker a journey stick and then compare the sticks made in different seasons.

Happy journeying!

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How to Make a Journey Stick | Childhood By Nature

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When Aboriginal people of Australia went on journeys, they collected objects along the way, tying them to the stick in chronological order. When they returned home, they used the stick to remember their journeys and relay the story of their journey to friends and family.

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Summer Guide for Families

Cultural institutions are finding creative ways to engage young visitors virtually this summer, and many of the offerings are free.

"Memories" (2020) by Amber Ren, one of 21 children's illustrators featured in a virtual exhibition presented by the Eric Carle museum in Amherst, Mass. Credit... Amber Ren

Museums have become extraordinarily creative in throwing open their virtual doors to young people still on lockdown. Educators are providing at-home opportunities to emulate renowned artists, go on odysseys to the stars, collaboratively create a picture book on women's history and even chill out with a skink. Here's a selection of offerings, many of them free.

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Students working on art projects at the Children's Museum of the Arts before it shuttered. The museum's virtual offerings include free video art lessons, craft projects and storybook readings. Credit... Children's Museum of the Arts

"We're showing the world to children every day - different ways of cooking or dancing or talking," said Leslie Bushara, the museum's deputy director for education and exhibitions. The CMOM at Home on June 28 will celebrate Pride with the band Queer Kids and a rainbow-wand art project. A later episode will focus on the artist Delano Dunn. "It will be an activity where children can explore racial identity," Ms. Bushara said.

The Sugar Hill Children's Museum of Art & Storytelling also plans to raise young people's social consciousness. On July 28, this Manhattan institution will commemorate the anniversary of one of the earliest civil rights marches, the Silent Protest Parade of 1917 (in response to deadly attacks on black residents by white mobs in Illinois), with the virtual "Children's Art Exhibition for Justice." The event will incorporate a video history of the march, works by children, spoken-word pieces and art collaborations by preteens, teenagers and the artist Dionis Ortiz.

Parents can find more ways to help their children understand the efforts to end inequality in the Online Resources for Families Regarding Racial Injustice, posted by the Children's Museum of the Arts. This New York museum, which still has spaces in its weeklong Online Summer Art Colony Camps, also offers free video art lessons, craft projects and storybook readings. Next Thursday it will host a low-cost virtual tour of the artist Rico Gatson's studio.

And don't forget web pages of activities like Recipes for Play at Home, from the Chicago Children's Museum; At Home With SICM, from the Staten Island Children's Museum; and BCM + You, from the Brooklyn Children's Museum.

An installation view of "Liberty (Liberté)," by Puppies Puppies. The performance piece, featured in the 2017 Whitney Biennial, is among the works children can engage with in the Whitney Kids Art Challenge. Credit... Matthew Carasella

However old the art fan, virtual galleries await.On June 29, the Museum of Modern Art will initiate the Samuel and Ronnie Heyman Family Art Lab at Home, a series of creative videos and prompts based on MoMA's collection. The Whitney Museum of American Art's Kids Art Challenge, which began in April, continues to add six projects every two weeks: Click on a Whitney work and discover ways to explore its themes.

"We tried for a mix of old favorites, like Calder's 'Circus,' as well as newer works," like "Liberty (Liberté)," a Statue of Liberty riff by the performance artist Puppies Puppies, said Heather Maxson, the Whitney's director of school, youth and family programs. The museum also offers downloadable images of Edward Hopper's art to color; his "Early Sunday Morning" (1930) has inspired both an art challenge and a coloring page.

On July 6, Ms. Maxson will introduce Whitney Summer Studio, a six-week program of free 40-minute Zoom art classes, with a family session on Saturdays. "We're going to work on ways to connect families that are separated by distance," she said, "so you can work with your grandma in Florida."

The Guggenheim Museum created its interactive Family Tours at Home, on select summer Saturdays, with a similar goal in mind. It has also turned " A Year With Children 2020," its annual show of New York City student artwork, into an e-book.

Little bookworms will especially appreciate virtual visits to the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, Mass. Fans of Carle's titles like "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" will devour this museum's offerings, among them a virtual exhibition featuring 21 children's book illustrators.

Finicky adolescents will find programs, too, including collage workshops next month at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, followed by a Career Lab. And the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens offers a summer-long bonanza: media camps, Town Halls for Teen Media Makers and a Teen Film Festival. Both tweens and teens will enjoy the museum's continuing series "Jim Henson's World," which presents an online conversation with four puppeteer-filmmakers on Saturday.

The Museum of Jewish Heritage - a Living Memorial to the Holocaust has online materials that include the HBO documentary "The Number on Great-Grandpa's Arm," about the relationship between a child and a Holocaust survivor. Credit... HBO

The Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture, in Washington, and its National Museum of the American Indian, in Manhattan and Washington, offer multimedia digital materials illuminating the country's reckoning with racism. The African-American museum's new web portal, Talking About Race, is especially helpful in starting difficult conversations. "We talk a lot about the danger of silence," said Candra Flanagan, the museum's director of teaching and learning. "When we're silent, it forces kids to figure things out on their own."

This museum's online programs include a Juneteenth celebration, marking the end of slavery in the United States, on Friday and Saturday, and a virtual student documentary showcase, which runs through Wednesday. From Aug. 3 to 7, the museum will host Young Historians Institute: The Virtual Remix. A selective program for high school students that requires applications and tuition, it will explore the African-American experience in the Revolutionary era.

In New York, the Museum of Jewish Heritage - a Living Memorial to the Holocaust presents its own online resources to introduce children gently to a devastating history. One highlight, the HBO documentary " The Number on Great-Grandpa's Arm," offers an uplifting look at a relationship between a child and a Holocaust survivor.

More virtual avenues beckon at the New-York Historical Society, whose free Reading Into History @ Home book club on June 28 hosts Phil Bildner, author of "A High Five for Glenn Burke," about the first professional baseball player to come out as gay. The society, which will continue its Living History Zoom sessions with costumed interpreters, also offers Camp History @ Home from July 20 to Aug. 13. It will center on the suffragist exhibition " Women March " and the book "Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History," by Vashti Harrison. Participants will collaborate on a picture e-book of women's rights activists (and receive a physical copy later).

The Tenement Museumoffersanother window onto New York history. Known for using actors to portray real immigrants on its historical properties, it is continuing the practice virtually. Twice this summer, children can visit 1916 with Victoria Confino, a Sephardic Jewish teenager who immigrated from Kastoria, a city that today is part of Greece. Another program, Building a Community, uses video and oral history to introduce the Puerto Rican Saez Velez family in the 1950s and later.

Green and orange Sharpshooters included in the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County's online exhibition "Spiky, Hairy, Shiny: Insects of L.A." Credit... Lisa Gonzalez/BioSCAN, via Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County

A Torymid wasp is also included in the online exhibition, which has 360-degree views. Credit... Lisa Gonzalez/BioSCAN, via Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County

"I truly believe one silver lining that will come out of this crisis will be an entire generation of children with an increased interest in science and innovation," Crystal Bowyer, the president and chief executive of the new science-oriented National Children's Museum in Washington, said about the Covid-19 pandemic in an email. "Children are home right now thinking about what they can do."

This museum has just started STEAM Daydream, a monthly podcast whose first episode, " Health Science Heroes," focuses on global disease and the anxiety it causes. Viruses and Us, from the Exploratorium in San Francisco, is a compilation of online videos and activities. The New York Hall of Science'smany web resources includea virtual coronavirus exhibition in English and Spanish, as well as " Transmissions: Gone Viral," an engrossing interactive graphic novel inspired by the 1999 West Nile outbreak.

Although not virus-related, the " Live From Surgery" Facebook streams from the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City are just as compelling. Those who aren't squeamish can check the center's website for archived videos of a heart transplant and a robotic procedure on a kidney.

Have outer space or wildlife enthusiasts at home? The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum presents Virtual Astronomy Live every month - with opportunities to meet astronauts - and multiple aviation- and space-themed programs. At theAmerican Museum of Natural History, virtual adventures include live YouTube watch parties like Field Trip: Mapping the Universe, on Friday, and an exploration of bat biodiversity on June 26. The museum's website and app for children, OLogy, also has enough games, projects and videos to keep the young and the restless busy all summer. Check out its zoology section to play the role of a queen wasp or learn what a tardigrade is.

Speaking of funky creatures, on Monday the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County will begin offering a 360-degree tour of its online show " Spiky, Hairy, Shiny: Insects of L.A.," whose bugs appear in colorful close-ups. And don't miss the museum's " Walk on the Wild Side" videos, in which children can meet that skink. Her name is Tallulah, and she's surprisingly sociable.

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Digital Field Trips: Museum Adventures Abound for Kids

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Summer Guide for Families Cultural institutions are finding creative ways to engage young visitors virtually this summer, and many of the offerings are free. Museums have become extraordinarily creative in throwing open their virtual doors to young people still on lockdown.

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Historic time period: 1870-1900

For hundreds of years, seacoasts, rivers, lakes, and canals have had a big impact on the ways America has changed as a country. Even Americans who have never seen an ocean are still very connected to water. Eating fish for dinner, playing at the beach, ordering goods made overseas, and other water-related activities continue to play an important role in our lives.

The National Museum of American History has a wide variety of maritime objects, from cruise ship furniture to lighthouse lenses and ship models to the trunks brought to American from Europe. For more information, explore the On the Water online exhibition.

Keep the Lighthouse Burning, Abbie tells the story of a teenage girl who becomes a hero by running her father's lighthouse during a storm. Abbie's adventure brings details of maritime history to life from the perspective of a young person. You can learn more about the lighthouses and life on the water by reading Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie and by checking out some of the related activities.
Read more about lighthouses "
Read This Book

Recommended Book

Read Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie

Meet Abbie Burgess, the young heroine who runs her family's lighthouse during a fierce storm. Make reading together even more exciting by using our easy strategies.

Download the PDF "

Activities

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In this OurStory module from the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History entitled Life on the Water, students will learn about maritime history in America . The module includes hands-on activities and a list of recommended related readings .

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Fallingwater - Frank Lloyd Wright - Tour the house today - Pennsylvania

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Fallingwater - Frank Lloyd Wright - Tour the house today - Pennsylvania

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America's most famous architect, designed Fallingwater for his clients, the Kaufmann family. It instantly became famous, and today it is a National Historic Landmark. The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy is entrusted to preserve Fallingwater for generations to come.

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Discover Our Southern Sea Otters

Checkout fun and fascinating facts about sea otters like why they call resting groups of them a "raft".

Dive Into More Aquarium Experiences

Set Sail on a Virtual Field Trip

Georgia Aquarium offers educational virtual programs for grades K-12. Educators can immerse their classrooms in the Aquarium today.

Learn More

Color the Oceans With This Free Download

Download the Aquarium coloring book and watch the pages swim with life. Perfect for all ages.

Download Now

Enjoy Virtual Yoga by the Water

Channel the energy of the ocean in Atlanta's most unique yoga class. Beginner to intermediate yogis can tune in virtually for stunning views.

Try It Now

Support Georgia Aquarium

Please consider supporting the Aquarium today so we can continue delivering amazing animal experiences for everyone.

Buy Tickets

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Sea Otter Webcam | Live from Georgia Aquarium | Visit Today

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Checkout fun and fascinating facts about sea otters like why they call resting groups of them a "raft". Dive Into More Aquarium Experiences Georgia Aquarium offers educational virtual programs for grades K-12. Educators can immerse their classrooms in the Aquarium today. Learn More Download the Aquarium coloring book and watch the pages swim with life.

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We invite you and your family to participate in these activities, inspired by the collections, programs, and expertise of the Library of Congress.

Author Programs

Activity Kits

The activities below require just a few simple items you can find easily around the house and items from the Library's website. Kids are encouraged to use their creativity to enhance, adapt, or recreate anything we share. Check back often for new activities and opportunities with engage with us!

All Ages

Ages 7-10

Ages 10-12

Printables

More Online Resources for Kids and Families

Imagination Library

View bedtime stories from Goodnight with Dolly External and Imagination Library story times at the Library of Congress. Imagination Library is a 2014 Library of Congress Literacy Awards Program Best Practice Honoree.

Stay in Touch!

We'd love to hear from you!

Find activity ideas and connect with us on our blog for families, Minerva's Kaleidoscope.

Share your feedback on these resources or others you'd like to see at learn@loc.gov.

Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, and sign up for email updates for new resources as they become available.

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Resources for Family Engagement from the Library of Congress | Library of Congress

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We invite you and your family to participate in these activities, inspired by the collections, programs, and expertise of the Library of Congress.

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This website is actively under construction and available for review & feedback only. It is set to launch in late summer 2020. Find updates at LC Labs. Click here to send feedback.

This is a project by at the Brian Foo as part of the 2020 Innovator-in-Residence Program Library of Congress.

Explore free-to-use sounds from the Library of Congress

Remix and combine with beats right in your browser

Download and use sounds with your favorite software

Select a collection to start

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This website is actively under construction and available for review & feedback only. It is set to launch in late summer 2020. Find updates at LC Labs. Click here to send feedback. This is a project by at the Brian Foo as part of the 2020 Innovator-in-Residence Program Library of Congress.

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The holidays are upon us and most will be together to celebrate them. There will a lot of downtime and this will give families a chance to catch up on movies or simply relax and listen to some great music. For families interested in enjoying an opera together, the following is a list of works that family and holiday friendly and will definitely not ruin the mood of the holiday season.
Mozart's "The Magic Flute"
Witches, magic and fantastical journeys are some of the elements in Mozart's mystical work. The opera features some of Mozart's most popular arias and duets and the lightness of the opera has allowed companies to adopt children's versions. It has even been translated numerous times into English.

Recommended Recordings: The Metropolitan Opera has an abridged version in English in Julie Taymor's beautiful production. It is family-friendly as it cuts a number of parts making for a brief but fulfilling experience. It also features a stellar cast that includes Matthew Polenzani, Rene Pape and Nathan Gunn.
Puccini's "La Boheme"
So this one might dampen the holiday mood, but if you sit through Acts 1 and 2 and avoid the final two, then you will get your share of smiles.

Of course you could sit through the entire thing as everyone loves a great romance and Puccini's timeless classic is the most popular opera in the repertoire. The work's rich music features some of the most unforgettable arias and duets and is a great gateway into Puccini's more dramatic work. It also doesn't hurt that it is set during the Holidays so it helps set the spirit of the holidays.

Recommended Recordings: For those interested in listening to the work, Victoria de Los Angeles and Jussi Bjorling's recording is the definitive version and it beautifully captures the composer's intentions. But for those who want a definitive viewing experience look to Neil Shicoff and Ileana Cortrubas' recording from the Royal Opera House.
Humperdinck's 'Hansel and Gretel"
What better work for children than an opera about children getting captured by a witch and having to escape? Humperdinck's opera is a classic for the holiday season and it is also one that has been translated to many languages to be more accessible for families.

Recommended Recordings: Two recordings stick out. The first is from the Royal Opera House with Diana Damrau, who eats up the stage and really creates the illusion of being a young girl. The DVD is conducted by the late Colin Davis. The second DVD comes from the Metropolitan Opera with Federica Von Stade and Judith Blegen. This classic recording features one of the most beautiful sets created at the Met and of course some great singing.
Strauss' "Die Fledermaus"
What a better way to celebrate the holiday season than with waltzes and a hilarious comedy? Like many of the aforementioned works, this operetta has been translated into various languages and its texts have been changed to suit modern audiences. But what makes this operetta so worthwhile is the catchy melodies and the lightning speed plot that is always taking unexpected twists and turns and keeping the audience entertained.

Recommended recordings: The Royal Opera House has a classic performance with Kiri Te Kanawa and Herman Prey conducted by Placido Domingo. The recording messes with all expectations as singers improvise arias from other works and there are even special guests that light up the recording. More interesting is that it was a New year's Eve gala so it is apparent why the cast is having such a great time.
Rossini's "Il Barbiere di Siviglia"
It's hard to go wrong Rossini's classic featuring the famous "Largo al Factotum." Not only does it include some opera's most famous tunes but it also features an incredibly hilarious libretto that will have families laughing out loud as they watch.

Recommended Recordings: Juan Diego Florez has three recordings of this piece. One on CD with legendary soprano Edita Gruberova. This is a gem which features vocal fireworks everywhere. The other two are DVD recordings. Depending on what production you prefer, there is a modernistic and minimalist production from the Royal Opera House and another more classic production from the Teatro Real. Both recordings are undeniably unique experiences. The Royal Opera House recording features Joyce DiDonato in a wheelchair while the other features Maria Bayo in her prime. Juan Diego is fantastic in both.

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5 Family-Friendly Operas to Watch Over the Holiday Break - Opera Wire

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The holidays are upon us and most will be together to celebrate them. There will a lot of downtime and this will give families a chance to catch up on movies or simply relax and listen to some great music.

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Hundreds of classes, concerts, discussions, and documents, all in one place. Explore lessons on music, life, and much more!

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Kelp forest exploration | Learn at home | Grades 3-5 | Monterey Bay Aquarium

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Use this four-day guided activity plan to help your child learn about the interdependence of natural ecosystems, with a specific focus on the kelp forest.

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coffee can drums recycled earth day music duct tape arts and crafts ideas for kids

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Gifts for young scientists, artists and makers

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With just a few everyday materials, turn your recycled coffee cans into music!

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If you've been with us for some time now, you will know we love using natural materials to craft with. We love to do so because a) it's inexpensive or free b) using natural materials helps us learn about the world around us and c) nature crafts are environmentally friendly.

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scroll way down into the activities for this

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Download & Print

Web Exclusive

Learn more about the sun by trying these three fun experiments- including instructions for making your own solar cooker!

Activity 1: Energy from the Sun

Why do we tend to wear lighter-colored clothing in the summer when it's hot outside? When solar energy from the sun hits an object, some of the energy is reflected and some is absorbed and changed into heat. Some colors absorb more solar energy than others. You can test this!

You'll Need:

Three thermometers

One sheet of white paper

One sheet of black paper

A sunny day

Instructions:

1. Place the three thermometers in a sunny spot.

2. Cover the bulb of one thermometer with black paper and cover the bulb of a different on with white paper. Leave the third uncovered.

3. Make a prediction-Which thermometer do you think will get the hottest? Which do you think will be the coolest? Make a note of your prediction.

4. Wait 5-10 minutes, then record the temperature of all three thermometers.

5. How close was your prediction? Are you surprised by the results? What did this experiment teach you?

Activity 2: Heat Absorption

This activity is similar to the first one, but you only need one thermometer, plus some clear drinking glasses or jars and water.

You'll Need:

2 identical drinking glasses or jars

Water

Thermometer

2 rubber bands or tape

A sheet of white paper

A sheet of black paper

A sunny day

Instructions:

1. Wrap the white paper around one of the glasses and secure it using a rubber band or tape. Do the same with the black paper and the second glass.

2. Fill the glasses with the exact same amount of water.

3. Leave the glasses sitting in a spot with direct sunlight for a couple of hours.

4. After a few hours, measure the temperature of the water in each glass.

5. How close was your prediction? Are you surprised by the results? What did this experiment teach you?

What's Happening Here?

Darker surfaces absorb more energy (light and heat) than light surfaces, so the water in the glass wrapped in black paper should be hotter than the one with white paper, because the light bounces off the white paper and is absorbed and changed into heat by the black paper.

So that's why we don't often wear black-colored clothing in the summer!

Activity 3: Make a Solar Cooker

Have you ever noticed how hot it gets inside a parked car with the windows rolled up in the summer? Sometimes it can feel as hot as an oven! As it turns out, you can use the same science that makes cars heat up to heat your food by building a homemade Solar Cooker. Here's how!

You'll Need:

A sunny day

1 empty pizza box

Black construction paper

Aluminum foil

Plastic wrap, a sheet of clear plastic laminate, or a heavy-duty, clear 1-gallon freezer bag

Non-toxic glue

Tape

Scissors

Magic marker

1 wooden dowel rod or ruler

Instructions:

1. Draw a large square on the top of the pizza box, leaving a little space between the edges of the square and the edges of the box. With help from an adult, carefully cut three sides of the square, leaving one side attached so you can fold the square back.

2. Glue a couple of pieces of foil to the inside of the flap you just cut in Step 1 and smooth out any wrinkles as best you can. When the flap is opened, light will reflect off the foil into the box below.

3. Open the box and tape a piece of plastic to the underside of the opening you gut in the lid to create a window. Make sure the plastic is tightly sealed around the edges so no air can get in and out.

4. Glue more sheets of foil to cover the bottom of the inside of the box, then cover the foil with sheets of black paper, gluing them in place.

5. You're ready to get cooking! Place your food to be cooked inside the box. Close the lid and prop open the window lid using the dowel rod or ruler. Position your oven outside in the sun, so that sunlight passes through the plastic and also so that the foil lid reflects sunlight into the window.

Tips
→ The best time of day to use your solar cooker is between 11:00 am and 3:00 pm, when the sun is most directly overhead and hottest.
→ Try heating up hot dogs or marshmallows for s'mores, or melt some cheese over chips for nachos. You could try toasting a slice of bread or warming up leftovers-use your imagination!
→ To keep the inside of the box clean, make sure to place your food on a plate, pie plate, or small dish.
→ Use an oven thermometer to test your oven temperature. Make a chart and write down how long it takes to reach different temperatures and how long each item takes to cook.
→ Keep the box closed while your food is warming. Opening the box will let all the heat out.
→ See if you can increase the temperature inside the box by "insulating" it, or sealing up the edges where air and heat can escape. You could try rolling up newspaper or kitchen towels and lining the inside edges of the box with them (just make sure you can still close the lid all the way!).

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Learn more about the sun by trying these three fun experiments- including instructions for making your own solar cooker! Why do we tend to wear lighter-colored clothing in the summer when it's hot outside? When solar energy from the sun hits an object, some of the energy is reflected and some is absorbed and changed into heat.

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Home › Shop Now › Whale Hand Stitching Kit

Threadfollower Kits

Beneath the sky, below the waves I imagine my whale and I, we swim in the sea, afloat and adrift like birds in the vast blue sky.

The Whale kit is a level 1 kit.
This kit is designed for beginner stitchers (8 and up, and up and up), but will delight stitchers of all levels!

Finished Whale measures about 3 1/2 inches high.
Finished toy is not intended for children younger than 3.

Contents: Wool felt, wool stuffing, cotton pipe cleaners, embroidery needle, embroidery thread, directions, illustrations and pattern.

To create these animals with as small a footprint as possible, threadfollower use local and recycled materials wherever they can. The merino wool stuffing is produced on Martha's Vineyard by a small family farm and the wool felt is manufactured in Massachusetts. They use recycled boxes, eco papers and vegetable-based inks.

More Threadfollower Kits
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Whale Hand Stitching Kit | gather here online

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Beneath the sky, below the waves I imagine my whale and I, we swim in the sea, afloat and adrift like birds in the vast blue sky. The Whale kit is a level 1 kit.This kit is designed for beginner stitchers (8 and up, and up and up), but will delight stitchers of all levels!

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Melted Crayon Stained Glass

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Melted crayon art is one of our favorite kids' art activities! Try it with a cookie sheet or a thrift-store warming tray!

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Crazy Hair Day?
Rainbow Day?
Hero Day?
Pajama Day?
Dress and act like someone else in our family day?

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These simple crafts and activities are made with the power of good old-fashioned sunshine.

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Anchors aweigh, and it's ships ahoy!

This boat takes only a short time to put together before it's ready to sail into uncharted waters in any weather. A great DIY activity for young and old alike! The boat consists of compressed cork granules and is thus virtually unsinkable. Ideal for a weekend trip to the water or a family holiday on the beach. Young boat builders can upgrade this cork vessel with elements they find lying around in nature. There are some great suggestions for this in the enclosed instructions.

Materials: Cork, sisal (cord), wood and steel

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Anchors aweigh, and it's ships ahoy! This boat takes only a short time to put together before it's ready to sail into uncharted waters in any weather. A great DIY activity for young and old alike! The boat consists of compressed cork granules and is thus virtually unsinkable.