Sheltering at home while we protect ourselves and our communities during the COVID-19 pandemic is challenging for all of us. Because access to nature is part of our mission, we understand that the inability to spend time in parks and open, green spaces is difficult, especially for families with children. To help, here are some ways you can enjoy nature with children while home or close to home.
Look
Watch nature cams, from California State Parks website, which has a poppy cam on the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve; live wildlife cams from Explore; webcams from the National Park Service; and #ParksFromHome videos from LA County Parks
Take virtual tours of national parks from Google Arts & Culture; California State Parks from the PORTS webinar series; or from the National Park Service.
Star-gaze with tips from the California State Parks website, which has activities for kids.
Watch nature videos from NatGeo Kids, BBC Earth, the PBS Nature series, among others.
Learn
PORTS (Parks Online Resources for Teachers and Students) is a K-12 program from the California State Parks.
Kids Path from the Los Angeles Public Library offers online books and videos, including the ScienceFlix program from Scholastic.
The “Learn at Home” materials from Scholastic include science and nature videos.
“Knowledge Drops” Interactive Science Education Series is a webinar series from Heal the Bay, with scientists and experts sharing insights and lessons about the marine environment.
PBS Nature has educational materials and activities.
Create
Nature for All Member organization Audubon Center at Deb’s Park has a video on creating nature journals.
The California State Parks website has a children’s activity sheet on writing nature-inspired poems.
Videos from BBC Earth Kids include drawing lessons with “Earth Sketchpad.”
Wildflower coloring books from the Forest Service
Bird and other nature-themed coloring books courtesy of the Sierra Club
The Seussville website has Lorax projects.
Play and Participate
Outside magazine has a list of fun nature-themed board games
The City Nature Challenge from the Natural History Museum is an international effort to document nature in cities that has been modified to adapt to present circumstances.
Share photos of ways you’re enjoying nature at home or close to home with our #LANatureAtHome Challenge.
