11 things to do at home this week in Pittsburgh (4/21-26)

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!

Earth Week

Wednesday is Earth Day, and the Carnegie Science Center is celebrating all week long! There will be daily online activities, starting with the center’s Three Things at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, followed by a Facebook live at 10 a.m. that focuses on the day’s theme.

You can find out more about each day’s theme on the Carnegie Science Center’s website or Instagram page.

Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy’s Virtual Earth Day

To celebrate Earth Day from the safety and comfort of your own home, the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy will be hosting virtual events all day long on Wednesday. The schedule includes a Q&A with a Parks Conservancy Naturalist at 11 a.m., story time at 1 p.m., nature in your neighborhood activities at 2:30 p.m., and another Q&A at 4 p.m. You can get more information on the Conservancy’s website, and make sure to register here if you’re interested!

Pittsburgh Earth Day

The 6th Annual Pittsburgh Earth Day celebration has been delayed until August do to COVID-19, but the organization is still planning a few nifty activities for the next few weeks. In addition to virtual tours, activities, and films, there will be a Recycled Design Challenge for all of the fashionistas out there. You can also join the Share Your Best Plant-Based Recipe Challenge and Share Your Garden Memory Challenge. All three challenges will be available to participate in through May 4th.

Virtual NFL Draft / Inside The Draft

The virtual NFL Draft begins on Thursday, April 23rd at 8 p.m. and will be livestreamed as well as televised. Before it all begins, make sure to go Inside The Draft with Alby Oxenreiter, Jenna Harner, DK Pittsburgh Sports’ Dale Lolley and Christ Carter, and Dorin Dickerson. Catch the half hour insider talk show on WPXI or WPXI Now at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday.

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 troup is putting on Giles Andrea’s Giraffes Can’t Dance! The PBT recommends throwing a jungle party for this dance-off extravaganza. You’ll also get to learn about the animals in this story with friends from the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium.

CatVideoFest At Home

By popular demand, CatVideoFest has been made available for your home viewing pleasure. We’ve told you about this zany video festival on 11 Things before. Now, festival curator Will Braden has put together a 45 minute “best-of” reel that features highlights from CatVideoFest’s historic backlog. The creators are asking you to pay what you feel like paying here to get access to this “treat”.

Shubrew Virtual Trivia!

Up in Butler County, fan-favorite brewery Shubrew in Zelienople hosts a virtual trivia night for those who miss meeting up with friends at the bar. 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.

CyBIRD Learning

The National Aviary knows it isn’t easy to keep your children entertain 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.

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 will include a talk about Earth Day, before diving into a reading of On The Day You Were Born by Debra Frasier. Make sure to register for either reading before hand.

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.

Pittsburgh Shakespeare In The Park’s Week Of Will

Celebrate all things William Shakespeare during the 6th Annual Week of Will! The famous bard was born in April of 1564, and while an exact date is not known, his birth is usually celebrated around the 23rd. You can join in on Shakespeare themed events all week, including an online presentation by the New Renaissance Theatre Company discussing cue scripts and Shakespeare on Wednesday at 7 p.m. You can join that presentation on Zoom through the Britsburgh website. That is followed by Mrs. Shakespeare’s annual tribute on Thursday at 11 a.m. on Facebook Live. There will also be a day long trivia contest on that Facebook page on Friday. The big show is on Saturday, when Steel City Shakespeare Center will perform As You Like It live on Facebook at 7 p.m. The week of festivities ends on Sunday when Pittsburgh Shakespeare In The Park holds video auditions for their upcoming production of Cymbeline. You can find out more about each of these events on PSIP’s website.