AROUND TOWN
WORDS BY KAREN RING
Visit Your Favorite Indy Spots Virtually These local favorites have connected with us and kept us entertained at home.
March was a roller coaster ride of a month. As the spread of COVID-19 became a reality in our state, our favorite places did the right thing and closed their doors to help flatten the curve. While we are grateful to them for that, we are even more grateful that in the weeks since, they have found creative ways to stay connected to us virtually to keep us entertained, educated and, quite frankly, sane. Here are just a few ways our local establishments stepped up.
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis From a morning greeting from Rex to DIY science videos, live virtual events with museum experts, storytime and more, The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis offers a daily virtual lineup to keep us entertained and educated while their doors are closed. The full schedule of virtual live events is released daily on the TCM Facebook page, so check back regularly.
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INDYSCHILD.COM I May 2020
Indianapolis Zoo
Conner Prairie
The Indianapolis Zoo might be closed, but their zookeepers are still on hand to care for the animals, and they are also dedicated to bringing you a daily dose of the zoo through videos that give you a behind-the-scenes look at the animals and care staff.
With the support of Roche Diagnostics, Conner Prairie at Home allows you to explore the living history museum virtually. While the grounds are closed, learn from Conner Prairie experts as they share their knowledge, behind-the- scenes happenings, demonstrations, Q&As and much more. New content is constantly being added to their website (connerprairie.org/connerprairie-at-home), so be sure to check in daily and follow along on Facebook.
Indianapolis Art Center The Art Center is encouraging the community to stay creative and active during this time with a wide variety of resources. Follow them on social media for a daily dose of inspiration, weekly art challenges and demo videos. Or check out their resource page (indplsartcenter.org/ resources) for creative projects to try at home. They are even bringing their latest exhibit, College Invitational Exhibition, to patrons virtually.
Indiana State Museum The Indiana State Museum remains devoted to offering educational and entertaining activities on their website (indianamuseum.org/at-home) and social media. With step-bystep activities, stories and virtual tours of the galleries, the museum is offering a weekly line up of entertainment until their doors open again.
Indy YMCA Virtual Events & Classes The YMCA of Greater Indianapolis has developed an extensive range of virtual classes and programming available on their Facebook page at scheduled times, and then available on demand in the video folder. Programs are also available on their YouTube channel, as well as YMCA360.org where there are more than 60 energetic workouts featuring Y instructors from across the country. YMCA members have access to exclusive content, but much of the content is available to non-members as well.
Indy Parks & Recreation
While the outdoor spaces, greenspaces and trails are still operating while adhering to CDC guidelines for social distancing, all programming is on pause. Follow along on their Facebook page (Indy Parks and Recreation) for storytime, crafts and more!
Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation On-site programming may be on pause, but Carmel Clay Parks & Rec has a full lineup of virtual activities, including storytime, fitness classes, adaptive programming — even dry land activities to prepare for pool season! Follow along on their Facebook page (Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation) or find their complete video playlist at carmelclayparks.com/ coronavirus-information.
That is just the tip of the iceberg. Find more virtual fun at indyschild.com/ indianapolis-virtualevents.
