If you’re going a little crazy after being at home for so many weeks, I understand. The situation can be even more difficult if you have kids—all those canceled play dates, classes, and extracurricular activities can make it hard to know how to make the long days interesting.

Luckily, I have some great local resources that can help you when you just don’t know what to do next. From online camps to ordering a craft to do at home, I’ve got some great ideas for the next time you’re desperate for a new activity. Plus, if you can support a local business or organization, all the better!

Online Classes

The Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum

The Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum has an online STEAM lab complete with video demonstrations and activities that will keep your kids learning at home. Recent demonstrations include tulip dissection, bubble wrap art prints, and making musical instruments. Check out past and future classes from the museum’s staff here.

The Leonardo Museum of Creativity and Innovation

The Leonardo Museum of Creativity and Innovation has SO many resources for kids who are stuck at home. Their community classroom has lesson plans, videos, printable projects, and livestreams on a variety of educational topics. They also have art projects to keep your kiddos busy for hours, as well as stories about special exhibits from the museum.

You could plan days worth of content with all the Leonardo has available online. Themed days might be especially fun, especially if you throw in a cooking lesson or two.

Hello Music

 Hello Music, a Salt Lake music studio, is leading online family music classes for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Enrollment fees include Zoom classes, instruments, and a CD sent straight to your door. You’ll also get additional resources to help with your child’s musical development. 

Arthaus SLC

Arthaus SLC is located in the heart of Sugar House, and it believes everyone has artistic talent. They’re currently offering online classes for everyone from kids to adults of all skill levels. Class topics include online digital painting, polymer clay, cartooning, and drawing and painting classes. Just go here to get started.

SLC Ballet

Salt Lake City Ballet may be closed right now to keep everyone safe, but they’re still dedicated to giving your child top-notch dance training and performance experience. There’s no need for them to stop working on their ballet skills and goals!

They’re currently teaching online ballet classes with their world-renowned instructors until the studio is able to re-open.

Salt Lake City Library Resources

If you don’t have a Salt Lake City Public Library card, you should definitely apply for one to get access to all kinds of resources! You can get one online with just a few clicks, and I highly recommend that you do so. 

Having a library card gives you access to so much digital media to keep the kids entertained. This includes digital books and audio books from Overdrive, magazines from RBdigital, local music from HUM, and even more.

The library also has an online seed catalog. You can fill out a request for veggie seeds to be sent straight to your house. Planting a simple garden with your kids is a good summertime activity and will yield some delicious food when all is said and done. Plus, you have no excuse not to take care of your garden with all the time at home!

Do-it-Yourself Craft Kits

Paint Mixer Paint-from-Home Kits

Order a paint from home kit from Paint Mixer! They’ll give you all the materials you need to create your own masterpiece from home. They’ve even recorded step-by-step video tutorials for some of their favorite in-studio classes featuring local artists from the SLC and Park City area. You can choose from a standard kit or a deluxe kit.

Paint Mixer also has many free art classes available for you and your kids to enjoy, as well, so it’s time to find that inner artist.

Easley Art Studio

Easley Art Studio is offering art supplies and painting kits for pickup so you can keep creating beautiful art, even while we’re at home. They can also deliver your art supplies to you.  Start shopping here.

I hope this list of resources helps tide you over until life feels a little more normal and some of the regularly scheduled activities we do with our kids do can resume. If I’ve missed any great local resources for kids, please leave me a comment below!