VDM @ Home
Bringing the Discovery Home
The Virginia Discovery Museum may be closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, but that doesn’t mean the fun has to stop! Bring VDM home with free activity ideas and walkthroughs from our education staff. Plus, don’t miss our special activity kits and our collection of links to recommended free online content and tools to keep kids of all ages learning through play. If you enjoy VDM @ Home, please consider making a donation to support our vital nonprofit community resource. Your generosity will allow us to survive this challenging time, continue to share resources through VDM @ Home, and reopen to the public as soon as it’s safe.
This Week | Archive | Kits | Recommended Resources | Donate | Contact Us
Alphabet Week
Activity Archive
Activity Kits
Discovery Detectives
$5 Donation Each
Printable Cooperative Storytelling Mystery Kits
Print-At-Home Kits
$5 Donation Each
Printable Activity Kits with Templates & Activity Instructions
Box Kits
$20 Each (Include All Activity Materials)
Pre-Order Required. Available for Contactless Pickup or Delivery (City of Charlottesville Only).
Recommended Resources
Local Resources
Jefferson-Madison Regional Library
A collection of online services available through JMRL, including eBooks, films, at-home learning resources, and more.
My Music Starts Here’s “Free Spring Program”
A free music program for children 2-7 with video playlists containing fingerplays, songs, steady beat activities, and musical movement, as well as a collection of screen-free audio selections for active listening and mindfulness.
Rock Paper Scissors’ “Project Connect”
A collaborative collection of free downloadable PDF activities from Rock Paper Scissors and various Charlottesville small businesses.
Online Content
A collection of free art, reading, science, and math resources from illustrators, children’s authors, and educators.
Art & Drawing
- Jarrett Krosoczka’s “Draw Every Day” (YouTube): Drawing videos
- Mo Willems’ “Lunch Doodles” (YouTube): Drawing videos
- Debbie Ridpath Ohi (YouTube): Drawing and crafting videos
- Jarrett Lerner’s “Finish the Comic Strip”: Downloadable drawing and storytelling activities
Reading
- Oliver Jeffers’ “Stay at Home Story Time”: Daily virtual read-aloud storytimes
- Mac Barnett (Instagram Stories): Daily virtual read-aloud storytimes
- Kate Messner: Collection of digital resources from authors and illustrators
- Brooklyn Public Library (Facebook): Virtual read-aloud storytimes
- Storyline Online: Picture book read-alouds with celebrated actors
- Follow #OperationStorytime on Twitter and Instagram for read-alongs with favorite authors and celebrities
Science & Math
- Crash Course Kids (YouTube): Grade school science
- SciShow Kids (YouTube): Explores all those curious topics that make kids ask “Why?”
- Animal Wonders (YouTube): See how a wildlife sanctuary in Montana cares for 80+ exotic animals
Music & Movement
- Patty Shukla Kids TV (YouTube): Children’s songs for babies, infants, toddlers, and elementary students
- Super Simple Songs (YouTube): Children’s songs, nursery rhymes, movement and action songs, and more
- The Laurie Berkner Band: Music, songs, and dance for preschoolers
Educational Entertainment
- PBS Kids (YouTube): Curriculum-based media that helps kids develop curiosity and critical thinking skills
- Sesame Street (YouTube): Classic characters you know and love with new content for lifelong learning
- StoryBots: Learn with these animated robots as they answer kids’ biggest questions on YouTube and Netflix
- Khan Academy Kids: Free educational app for kids 2-7
At-Home Activities
- Hands On as We Grow: Blog of activities, crafts, and art projects for toddlers and school-age children, including Top 10 Indoor Activities for Toddlers and Hundreds of Indoor Activities for Kids Under 5
Contact Us
Can’t find the answer you’re looking for? Contact Education Manager Frankie Szynskie at frankie@vadm.org or Education Manager Megan Smead at megan@vadm.org.