When museums and heritage sites closed to the public due to the COVID-19 outbreak, we put together some of the fun museum activities that you can enjoy with the kids from home. This list includes some of the winners of our Family Friendly Museum Award From Home, which recognised heritage sites that created fun activities for families during lockdown.

1. Join the dots with the Mary Rose Museum

Download and print activity sheets, including colouring, dot to dots and a template to make your own pop-up Tudor warship, on the Mary Rose Museum website.

2. Get your game on with the National Videogame Museum

Create a Pixel Art character or learn how to use free game design software with these fun museum activities to immerse you in the exciting world of video gaming. Plus there is Guidance for Grown-ups to help you work together.

3. Craft with Tate Kids

Find great craft ideas, from colouring in to making a kaleidoscope and weaving a friendship bracelet on Tate Kids.

4. Take on The Glucksman’s Creativity at Home challenge

The Irish art gallery shared daily creative activities for children during lockdown. Find a bank of activities on The Glucksman website to encourage creative learning using basic art and household materials, ranging from five minutes to an hour.

5. Play Open Your Window Bingo with the Museum of Zoology

If you’re lucky enough to have a garden or can visit a local green space to explore, give this game a go. What birds, plants, butterflies or other animals can you see? Download your bingo card.

6. Think about the Art Around You with National Galleries Scotland

These art activities are designed for children of all ages and stages to look at, talk about and make their own discoveries about art. There are no wrong answers, just prompts to help you enjoy an artful escape.

7. Try an experiment with the Science Museum

Find out how to make brilliant bubbles, build your own periscope and construct spaghetti structures on the Science Museum website.

8. Listen to a story with Cooper Gallery

Tune into the Wow! Wednesdays YouTube playlist from this Barnsley gallery to enjoy free immersive storytelling with accompanying craft activities for under 5s, all inspired by nature.

9. Get to grips with the Great Fire of London with the Museum of London

Learn how the Great Fire started with the Museum of London’s Great Fire of London game. You can also download free Minecraft maps, showing detailed virtual models of 17th century London – and how it burnt down.

10. Design a football strip with National Football Museum

Lift your own tinfoil trophy, design mini origami shirts, build your own table football pitch and rewrite the football rules with these creative activities on the National Football Museum website.

 

Don’t forget you can also explore many museum collections online or go on a virtual tour. Find a collection to explore online.

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