We’ve all been stuck at home as we social distance and help flatten the curve during the COVID-19 pandemic. That doesn’t mean there isn’t anything fun to do!

Whether you are looking to entertain your children or blow of some steam and relax, we’ve got 11 things you can do this week without leaving your neighborhood!

Mother’s Day Plant Garden Design Webinar

If you haven’t yet bought the mothers in your life a special bouquet for Mother’s Day, then Phipps Conservatory has just the event for you. This Thursday there will be a special webinar on designing a Mother’s Day plant garden. Learn to create a personalized garden or indoor, outdoor, and perennial plants in your choice of unique containers. Once you register, you will be sent a list of suggested containers and supplies that you can get from your local garden center. The webinar is on Thursday from 1-3 p.m. and costs $20 for members and $25 for non-members. You can find other classes that are available as well on their website.

Musings with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre

Join the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre for an online experience presented by the Frick Museum that explores the Maker & Muse art jewelry exhibition and George Balanchine’s famous three-act ballet Jewels. The program includes a brief overview of the exhibition, an introduction to Balanchine’s life as the pre-eminent American choreographer of the 20th century, and a peek behind the scenes, discussing the creation of costumes for the ballet. This free event will be held on Wednesday at 7 p.m., and you must register in advance.

Dance The Story At Home!

Join the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater on Tuesday or Thursday at 10 a.m. on Facebook Live for an up-on-your-feet story time for the kids! This week the troupe is putting on Where The Wild Things Are, an adaptation of the acclaimed children’s book by Maurice Sendak! The PBT has included a children’s activity guide as well as a general audience guide that includes details on the origins of the story and a break down of the costumes and sets. You can view it directly on the PBT’s Facebook page.

Heinz History Center Story Share

The staff at Heinz History Center say they miss hearing your stories. To remedy this, they are hosting a virtual story share, which will work just like a show and tell. This Thursday, a History Center archivist will kick off the event by sharing a personal note from Fred Rogers. The Zoom conference will be held from 1-2 p.m. on Thursday, and space is limited so make sure to register if you’d like to join!

Shubrew Virtual Trivia

Up in Butler County, fan-favorite brewery Shubrew in Zelienople hosts a virtual trivia night for those who are looking for a more traditional bar trivia night. Enjoy trivia, laughs, and beer talk every Wednesday at 7 p.m. on the brewery’s twitch page. The top two teams win gift cards.

Aviary Education

The National Aviary knows it isn’t easy to keep your children entertained and educated at the same time, so they are providing a number of educational programs on their website. CyBIRD Learning is an online platform to help your family learn all about birds from the experts at the Aviary. Learn about topics ranging from birds and their habitats, the rain forest, and penguins. The 30-40 minute programs are available daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can find more information on how to sign up here.

Farm To Table PA: Warm Weather Planting

If you are looking to up your gardening game and get outside as the weather breaks, Farm To Table PA is hosting a gardening webinar. Join Doug Oster, the host of The Organic Gardener Radio Show and learn “How to Grow Your Own Vegetable Garden”. This week he’ll be teaching you tips and tricks on the early planting of warm weather plants. You can sign up for this webinar for $20 or the entire series for $120. Once you sign up you’ll receive an invite to join the webinar.

Carnegie Science Center’s Daily Activities

Even though the Carnegie Science Center is closed right now, they are providing great resources to keep your family educated and entertained! Each day they list a daily roundup of science-y things to read, watch, and do on their Facebook and Twitter pages. You can also find simple science experiments you can do from home on their Instagram page every day!

Phipps Virtual Story Time

If you are looking for a fun story time experience for your children, look no further than Phipps! Every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. the Conservatory will host a 15 minute story book reading. This week is a celebration ahead of Mother’s Day! The group will be reading the poem “Happy Birthday, Mother Dearest”, from the book Something BIG Has Been Here by Jack Prelutsky. The event also includes a lesson on reading from left to right, and then the book The Everything Machine by Matt Novak. If you’re not already tired of singing it endlessly with your children, you can stick around for a group singing of “Old MacDonald.” Make sure to register for either reading before hand.

Fire Safety Coloring Contest

Residents in Cranberry Township can show their support and raise awareness on the responsibilities of firefighters and first responders by joining in on this coloring contest! The CTVFC is hosting the contest, and entries will be accepted until May 19th. All you have to do to enter is follow Cranberry Township’s Facebook page, and submit your artwork via Facebook Messenger. Winners will be chosen by popular vote (likes).

The Frick Museum Virtual Experience

Did you know you can explore the entire Frick Museum online right now? Now you do! The museum has posted a number of kids’ activities for children from early childhood through high school, including at home art projects. There are also some virtual events you can attend, such as Maker & Muse Curator’s Lecture on Wednesday, April 22nd at 7 p.m. The events are free, but make sure to register in advance if you plan to attend.

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