The opportunities for outside activities are getting closer to home.

Literally.

Social distancing, Shelter in Place and the #StayHome movements will make showing your kids the world, a little more virtual for the time being.

But just because you’re stuck at home, doesn’t mean you can’t be a part of some animal and nature adventures.

These options are bound to please animal and nature lovers, big and small, and give you something new to talk about at the dinner table.

1. Take them on a virtual safari.

Perfect for nature-lovers and adventure seekers, several game reserves in South Africa provide 24-hour livestreamed footage of wildlife hotspots, allowing anyone to scout the savannah and try to catch a glimpse of the Big Five. Through Africam and Explore.org, several South African game reserves such as Sabi Sands, Balule Nature Reserve and Kruger National Park stream live footage of key sites and keep a highlight reel of the big cats and other animal sightings.

For an even more interactive experience, viewers can tune into WildEarth TV’s online safaris. Streamed live daily at sunrise and sunset, South African time, these adventures are led by professional gamekeepers and park rangers who take viewers out into the savannah on land cruisers to scout for wildlife, recreating the experience of a fully-fledged safari you can experience from home.”

These live webcam feeds from South Africa , give them a peek at wildlife in Africa:

Courtesy of Austin Adventures

2. Give them an outdoor adventure

Register your kids for one of Austin Adventures Webinars. The family tour provider has transferred some of the same skills they apply to making sure families have fun on their trips to their new online offerings.

Pop over to their homepage for an updated list of virtual adventures. You’ve got the choice of attending the live version or watching the recordings later. Regardless of where or when they are watched, “Virtual Adventures for Kids” is sure to be a positive way to inspire a sense of adventure in the young, and the young at heart.

A few upcoming adventures:

Thursday, April 9th: Zoo Montana “Take a Walk on the Wild Side” – Register here.

Thursday, April 16th: Costa Rica “The Land of Fire” – Register here.

Thursday, April 23rd: Life is Good Adventures “The Power of Positivity”

– Register here.

Thursday, April 30th: Peru “The Land of the Inca” – Register here.

Courtesy of Ocean Wise Conservation Association

3. Connect them with a Marine Life Educator

Ocean Wise Conservation Association has launched a free online ocean literacy resource called Online Oceans, bringing all that is ocean to families around the world. The new site includes ocean-inspired crafts, activities, DIY videos, live streamed learning, and endless irresistible animal content. 

Created by Ocean Wise educators, together with animal experts from the Vancouver Aquarium, these resources are designed for kids and youth of all ages to learn the how and why of caring for the ocean, and all the animals in it.

With activities and offerings broken down by age group, a highlight of Online Oceans is the livestreamed learning sessions on topics including Ocean Plastics, Sharks! and Arctic Adaptations. Livestreams take place multiple times each week and are free to join from the comfort of your own laptop.

Want more: Virtual AquaClasses are personalized sessions that allow your kids to meet online with an Ocean Wise educator to dive deeper into learning topics like “Careers in Conservation” or “Reptiles and Amphibians”. Normally reserved for schools – this program is being opened to individual families during school closures. Virtual AquaClasses cost $45 for a 45-minute session, and multiple families can split the cost to take part in a single session, each from their own home computer. All proceeds go toward ocean conservation.

Learn more at ocean.org.

Still bored? I shared some fun activities for kids here and some great ideas for parents and older adults here. Stay well,

Heather