WAYS TO STAY INFORMED, AS WELL AS, ENGAGED IN SELF-CARE ACTIVITIES
Please keep a healthy balance between staying informed and taking care of yourself and your family. This information was compiled thanks to our wonderful community shares. May you and your loved ones be healthy and well.
Employees who are laid off temporarily, without pay, due to a reduction in business activity, can apply for a:
COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
Information and Updates
Seminole County residents stay informed by:
- visiting www.PrepareSeminole.org
- calling 407-665-0000 Monday-Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm to reach the Citizens Information Line
- Register for Emergency Management updates by texting COVID19INFO to 888777
Community Resources
Food Delivery Fees Waived:
Uber Eats is waiving delivery fees for independent restaurants in an effort to promote business for those struggling while coronavirus continues to disrupt daily life.
Rental Assistance:
Orange County Coronavirus rental assistance for downsized workers:
Activities
100 Activities to do at home during school closures from EntertainKidsOnADime.com:
https://entertainkidsonadime.com/2020/03/13/100-activities-to-do-at-home-during-school-closures/
250+ Creative Ways to Keep Your Family Sane During the COVID-19 Crisis from KidsOutAndAbout.com:
20 Virtual Field Trips to take with your kids including activities:
https://adventuresinfamilyhood.com/20-virtual-field-trips-to-take-with-your-kids.html
Disney Movie Activity Links:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/15OftW4h3YtKO1uVbPY1uGhoYiIXYKH9oUTijy1Wyz0Y/mobilebasic
Disney World virtual rides:
Art
Cultural institutions around the world are sharing free coloring sheets and books based on materials in their collections:
http://library.nyam.org/colorourcollections/
Online drawing session every day at 1 p.m. ET with Brooklyn artist Mo Willems, the first education artist-in-residence at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC:
https://www.timeout.com/new-york-kids/things-to-do/lunch-doodles-with-mo-willems
Books
Free E-Books from New York Public Library:
Children – Education and Literary Resources
Chrome extensions for struggling students and special needs:
https://www.controlaltachieve.com/2016/10/special-needs-extensions.html
Dan Gutman, author, will be doing a daily read-aloud of his latest book, Miss Blake Is a Flake! every day at 2 p.m. ET:
https://www.facebook.com/Dan-Gutman-60020139122/videos/654151382018154/
Debbie Ridpath Ohi, author offering resources, activities and read alouds geared toward young readers, writers and illustrators:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-AQuTYL0w43GpzzEcuDJGA
Kate Messner, an author of more than 35 children’s books, Kate Messner shared a series of videos in which she reads one of her titles aloud:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDN7Okp03Z_D4UzGtsG2T4Q
Mac Barnett, author (Extra Yarn, Billy Twitters and His Blue Whale Problem), also announced he’ll be doing a daily live reading of his books on Instagram live at 3 p.m. ET:
http://www.instagram.com/macbarnett/
Oliver Jeffers, author and illustrator (Here We Are, The Fate of Fausto) will read one of his books every day on Instagram beginning at 2 p.m. ET:
https://www.instagram.com/oliverjeffers/
Scholastic learn at home day by day projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing:
https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html
Education and Training
Students 13 years old and older can respond to daily writing prompts inspired by The New York Times, at Home for Free:
450 Ivy League courses Free Online:
LinkedIn Learning (business, creative and technology courses to further your career or simply learn) one month free:
https://www.linkedin.com/learning
Exercise
YMCA 360 – Virtual YMCA:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOGt_IpceP_xQhhCMCrut_A/featured
YMCA of Central Florida Workouts and Resources:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mywellness/id529829006
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.technogym.mywellness&hl=en_US
Free at home 100+ workouts from Les Mills on Demand thanks to the YMCA (LES MILLS Program Workouts, Body Combat Invincible, HIT Training, LES MILLS Training, LES MILLS Mindfulness, BORN TO MOVE 14-16 years old, LES MILLS Technique, Post-Pregnancy, LES MILLS Dance:
https://watch.lesmillsondemand.com/at-home-workouts
Peloton at-home apple application (90-day free trial-no credit card needed) includes classes (running, outdoor, strength, cycling, yoga, meditation, stretching, bootcamp, walking, and cardio:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/peloton-at-home-fitness/id792750948
Art Collections and Images Online
Google Arts & Culture teamed up with over 2500 museums and galleries around the world to bring anyone and everyone virtual tours and online exhibits of some of the most famous museums around the world:
https://artsandculture.google.com/partner?hl=en
Paris Museums Put 100,000 Images Online for Unrestricted Public Use
https://kottke.org/20/01/paris-museums-put-100000-images-online-for-unrestricted-public-use
MoviesFree Movies on YouTube:
Netflix Party lets friends have movie nights while social distancing. Here’s how it works:
Music and Symphony
Songs during shutdown – musicians perform online concerts despite COVID-19 – Music is one way to share a connection with others during the coronavirus outbreak, and it’s not all the blues:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/musicians-online-concerts-coronavirus_n_5e7146a0c5b63c3b64867432
Seattle Symphony “Music moves us in powerful ways.” Recorded performances and live broadcast of Nielsen Symphony No. 1 on Saturday, March 21, 2020 at 8pm ET:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcrKaQFy2TImAad1hyxu_8w
Museums
12 Museums around the world offering virtual tours:
https://www.travelandleisure.com/attractions/museums-galleries/museums-with-virtual-tours
Musicals and Plays
Join Playbill’s Rodgers and Hammerstein’s 1965 Cinderella (virtual) watch party March 20 at 8 PM ET. Use #RNHMovieNight if you’ll be joining the watch party!
- Movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xkQjuwihYI&t=25s
- Follow along with trivia, fun facts, and giveaways on Instagram or Twitter:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rodgersandhammerstein/?hl=en
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/RnH_Org
A full recording of Lauren Gunderson’s I and You at London’s Hampstead Theatre, starring Game of Thrones Emmy nominee Maisie Williams and Zach Wyatt, will be available to watch for free beginning March 23 at 6 AM ET. The stream will be available until March 29 at 6 PM ET on Hampstead’s (@hampstead_theatre) and Gunderson’s (@lalatellsastory) Instagrams
15 Broadway plays and musicals you can watch on stage from home:
https://www.playbill.com/article/15-broadway-plays-and-musicals-you-can-watch-on-stage-from-home
Leading site for all things Broadway bringing the best videos on the web:
Join Rosie Odonell as the Broadway community unites live Sunday, March 22 at 7:00pm ET on Broadway.com and Broadway.com’s YouTube Channel.
Operas
Metropolitan Opera 7:30PM nightly on-line ‘Nightly Met Opera Streams’ with each performance available for a period of 20 hours, from 7:30 p.m. ET until 3:30 p.m. the following day. The schedule will include outstanding complete performances from the past 14 years of cinema transmissions, starring all of opera’s greatest singers.:
https://www.metopera.org/user-information/nightly-met-opera-streams/
Relaxation
Free from Calm resources to take care of your mind and stay grounded (soothing and sleep meditations, sleep stories, calm music, calm body, calm masterclass, calm kids, mindfulness resources, practices to find ease):
https://blog.calm.com/take-a-deep-breath
Wellness Resources
Virtual YMCA Wellness Center – We want to continue to help take care of your spirit, mind, and body:
https://ymcacentralflorida.com/virtualwellness/
Resources for Parents
Child Mind Institute is supporting families during COVID-19 with the struggles to balance work, childcare and self-care while keeping worries — your children’s and your own — under control. You don’t have to do it alone. Their clinical and supportive resources include:
- Facebook Live video chats with expert clinicians (10am and 4:30pm)
- Remote evaluations and telemedicine
- Comprehensive resources for parents on coronavirus topics
https://childmind.org/coping-during-covid-19-resources-for-parents/
Tips to steal from a homeschool mom while school’s closed for Coronavirus:
National Autism Association – COVID-19 resources for families:
https://nationalautismassociation.org/covid-19-resources-for-families/
Space
Explore the Universe – NASA’s online STEM activities (challenges, games, homework help, , downloads (apps, e-books, podcasts, and ringtones), galleries of images/sounds/videos), and spot the international space station in the night sky:
National Parks and Nature
U.S. National Parks via 360-degree virtual tours:
Wildlife and Nature Live Cams
https://therevelator.org/covid-19-wildlife-livecams/
Gatorland “School of Crocs” will be airing live daily at 10 a.m., but it remains on Gatorland Facebook page after that for later viewing:
https://www.facebook.com/gatorland/
Gatorland 5 p.m. show daily on YouTube called “Gatorland VLOG”:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUfgVZJTqOGwGC_QV8tvt9w
Zoos and Aquariums
Zoo webcams have allowed visitors to drop in on the habitats of some of the zoo’s favorite animal exhibits. They also offer information on animals, stories, games, and activities.
- San Diego Zoo: https://kids.sandiegozoo.org/videos
- Zoo Atlanta Panda Cam: https://youtu.be/_6wbfVWVk8Q
- Smithsonian’s National Zoo: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/webcams
- Reid Park Zoo Lion Cam in Tuscon, AZ: http://reidparkzoo.org/cameras/lion-cam/
- Ouwehand Park Polar Bear Cubs Rhenen, Netherland: https://explore.org/livecams/polar-bears/polar-bear-ouwehand-twin-cubs-cam-2
Aquariums have used webcams to let you visit their exhibits virtually. In addition, some aquariums have set up virtual tours led by their staff to give visitors a more in depth look at their facility.
- Monterey Bay Aquarium: https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals-and-exhibits/live-web-cams
- Georgia Aquarium: https://www.georgiaaquarium.org/webcam/ocean-voyager/
- National Aquarium Virtual Tour: http://samuraivirtualtours.com/example/nadc/index.html
- Virtual Tour of the Seattle Aquarium: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mY8__n13tKM&feature=youtu.be
Travel the world virtually
- Google Maps street view will allow you to visit almost any destination around the world. Check out this view from Pompei.
- Visit the Great Wall of China: https://www.thechinaguide.com/destination/great-wall-of-china
- Virtually discover Yellowstone National Park: https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/photosmultimedia/virtualtours.htm
- Tour England through this 360 video.
- Take a live look at Colonial Williamsburg.
- Go on a virtual field trip to Ellis Island.