Choose Your Own Park Voyagers Adventure!!! Due to the pandemic limitations, below is an activity listing to bring a virtual version of Park Voyagers to your park. Each museum has selected activities that you can do with children either virtually or in person at the park. The materials and technology needs are listed up front, so you know what you need for that activity. Click on the blueish title which will take you either to a website or a PDF file. Have fun exploring the museums!!
The Out of School Time Program
Who can attend? variety of ages can participate
When? As often as you want
Participating Parks? Any park staff can follow this program outline to have museum related activities for the children at their park.
Adler Planetarium
Let’s Do Science: Sunny Sundials
Age range: 4-12 years old
Basic instructions: Watch the YouTube video and follow the instructions
Materials needed: paper plate, ruler, play dough, crayons, plastic straw
Technology needed: device with internet access
Adler Zoo Coloring Book
Age range: all ages
Basic instructions: Print out the coloring book and create an exhibit using all the different pages
Materials needed: coloring supplies, printed coloring book
Technology needed: printer
Skywatch Weekly (Night Watch)
Age range: 7 years old and up
Basic instructions: Watch the YouTube videos and look up into the night sky
Technology needed: device with internet access
The Art Institute of Chicago
Age range: 6-12 years old
Basic instructions: print the activity guide and use the pages as needed.
Materials needed: drawing materials, printed activity guides
Technology needed: copier
Age range: 6-12 years old
Basic instructions: print the activity guide and use the pages as needed.
Materials needed: drawing materials, printed activity guides
Technology needed: copier
Age range: 6-12 years old
Basic instructions: print the activity guides and use the pages as needed
Materials needed: drawing materials, printed activity guides
Technology needed: copier
Chicago History Museum
Age range: 7-12 years old
Basic instructions: Read the story, listen to the podcast, do the activity
Materials needed: drawing materials, construction paper, scissors, glue/tape, scrapbook starter page, artifact images
Technology needed: computer, internet, printer
Age range: 7-12 years old
Basic instructions: Print out materials, find some Blues music to listen to while playing the game
Materials needed: Blues Bingo Card, scissors, glue, small tokens
Technology needed: printer, device to play music
Age range: 7-12 years old
Materials needed: Mad Lib & Lyrics, writing tools, Optional: costume, microphone, music
Technology needed: printer
DuSable Museum of African American History
Age range: 7-12 years old
Basic instructions: Print out activity guide.
Materials needed: sheets, pencils
Technology needed: kids might want to look up some of the words.
Age range: 7-12 years old
Basic instructions: Print out word search
Materials needed: word search, pencils.
Technology needed: printer
Age range: 7-12 years old
Basic instructions: Print out activity guide
Materials needed: Bingo sheets, bingo cover chips
Technology needed: printer
The Field Museum
Age range: 8-14 years old
Basic instructions: Identify the plants and animals that call your ecosystem home.
Materials needed: paper (or print page 5), pencils, pens, markers, or crayons. Outdoors or window views. Optional: magnifying lens, binoculars, camera
Technology needed: printer required. Internet access needed to view examples of other field guides
Age range: 8-13 years old
Basic instructions: try to match each unique home to the animal that made them. Can you find any animal homes in your park and/or neighborhood?
Materials needed: printed activity sheets and scissors. Optional: camera with zoom or binoculars
Technology needed: color printer. Internet access needed for extension activities.
Mission to the Mesozoic (online activity)
Age range: 7-10 years old
Basic instructions: single player game. Players team up with Field scientist to explore Earth millions of years ago; together they identify and photograph different animals and plants in their prehistoric environments.
Materials needed: computer, laptop, or tablet
Technology needed: computer or device that connects to the internet
MCA Chicago
Age range: 8-12 years old
Basic instructions: The activity suggests using a 20-sided die, you could pull numbers from a bag or close your eyes and point to the pictures.
Materials needed: paper, drawing materials
Technology needed: printer
Age range: 6-12 years old
Basic instructions: Look at the artwork, discuss, watch the video, create
Materials needed: scissors, tape, paper, markers, recyclables
Technology needed: computer, internet to show the video
Age range: 4-12 years old
Basic instructions: bunch up paper in a plastic bag to make a sphere. Wrap with colorful string, ribbon, and tape to turn it into a playable soccer ball and a colorful assemblage sculpture.
Materials needed: plastic bags, newspaper, an assortment of ribbons, tape, string, yarn, stickers
Technology needed: none
Museum of Science and Industry
Age range: 8-11 years old
Basic instructions: Using Nature Bingo cards observe and explore what you see outside.
Materials needed: Nature Bingo Card, pencil or pen
Technology needed: copier
Age range: 8-11 years old
Basic instructions: Go for a walk outside and try to find objects in your neighborhood that are on your City Bingo Card.
Materials needed: City Bingo Card, pencil
Technology needed: copier
Age range: 8-11 years old
Basic instructions: Print out Balance Bird Template. Cut out the bird. Use craft stick and weights to balance the bird on the tip of your finger.
Materials needed: cardstock, bird template, scissors, straw, pennies, tape, crayons, markers, or colored pencils
Technology needed: copier
National Museum of Mexican Art
Age range: 8-11 years old
Basic instructions: make your own fantastical (fantasy/mythical) sculpture which combines various animals together
Materials needed: paper (newspaper, colored paper), cardboard, glue, tape, markers, paint, scissors, pencil & eraser
Technology needed: printer for the activity sheets
Age range: 6 and up
Basic instructions: watch the weaving video then create a bookmark decorative weaving piece
Materials needed: paper, pencil, cardboard loom, needles & yarn, scissors, tape
Technology needed: device to show the video
Age range: 8-11 years old
Basic instructions: make a cut design in tissue paper and decorate the park room
Materials needed: tissue paper, scissors, glue, string
Technology needed: printer for instructions
National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture
Age range: 5-8 years old
Basic instructions: Watch the children’s theatre video.
Materials needed: eyes and ears
Technology needed: access to internet, device to show the video
Make a hat (at the 11:00 mark of the video)
Age range: 5-8 years old
Basic instructions: After watching the story, make a hat like the character from the story.
Materials needed: 4 sheets of paper, tape
Technology needed: access to internet, device to show the video
Oscar Luis Martinez Doodle video (you could start at 3:00 mark)
Age range: 5-11 years old
Basic instructions: Watch the video and doodle along.
Materials needed: paper, drawing utensils
Technology needed: access to internet, device to show the video.
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Age range: 5-11 years old
Basic instructions: watch a video, then make close observations to create a scientific drawing using found natural objects
Materials needed: paper, drawing tools, objects (natural objects, household objects, park objects, anything!)
Technology needed: device with internet access
Age range: 5-11 years old
Basic instructions: watch selected videos and explore the natural world using 4 of the 5 senses
Materials needed: leaves or textured natural objects, paper, crayons
Technology needed: device with internet access
Age range: 5-11 years old
Basic instructions: watch selected videos
Materials needed: drawing paper, pencil
Technology needed: device with internet access
Discover many additional themed resources – including activities perfect for out of school time learning at the Nature Museum’s online resources page.
Shedd Aquarium
Age range: 8-11 years old
Basic instructions: watch the video and do activity 1, Birds of a Feather
Materials needed: pencil, pen, markers, colored pencils, printed sheets
Technology needed: computer, internet, copier
Age range: 8-11 years old
Basic instructions: watch the video and do activity 3, Habitat Hero
Materials needed: pencil, pen, markers, crayons, printed sheets
Technology needed: computer, internet, copier
Age range: 8-11 years old
Basic instructions: watch the video and do activity 2, Chomper Challenge
Materials needed: plastic bottle with cap: 1 liter is recommended, but any size will work! Additional bottle cap, paint or markers, scissors, string, twine or floss
Technology needed: computer, internet, printer/copier
Check out program photos on Instagram
