Learning curve

COVID-19 might have changed our lives, but not necessarily for the worse – for a time there it forced us to get creative, figure out ways to keep busy indoors and experience things virtually while we were encouraged to #stayhome. These school holidays, why not continue ‘flattening the curve’ by turning it into a ‘learning curve’ for your whole family. Best thing – all this education and inspiration is only the click of a mouse away…

• Watch live video of parrots, koalas, echidnas and snow leopards via Victoria Zoo’s ‘Animals at Home’ page, at www.zoo.org.au/animals-at-home. A great experience to share with the whole family.
• Mini wannabe-astronauts in the family? Take them directly to the NASA research centre at oh.larc.nasa.gov/oh where you can go behind the scenes of some of the most interesting parts of the research centre, from the acoustics lab to the flight hangar.
• Learn from industry leaders across a range of crafts, whether it’s Natalie Portman teaching you acting or Serena Williams teaching you tennis. With www.masterclass.com, you know for a fact that you’re learning directly from the best.
• This free virtual tour allows people to experience the HMB Endeavour like never before. Learn about the impacts of scurvy, lightning and scientific collaboration on the ground-breaking voyage of Captain James Cook at www.sea.museum/virtualendeavour
• Experience the world’s best street art or find out more about iconic garments like the sari with Google’s Arts & Culture platform. It is jam-packed with countless artistic and cultural experiences, from ways to make art to the secrets behind the most recognisable pieces. Find out more at artsandculture.google.com
• Take the family on a European vacation without even leaving your living room! See the Egyptian antiquities, Galerie d’Apollon and even the remains of the Louvre’s moat at www.louvre.fr/en/visites-en-ligne
• Seeing the works of Vincent Van Gogh in Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum is incredible, but when you explore the collection online at home, you can zoom, scan and understand each piece in a completely new way. Maybe this website will be inspiration your kids need to get painting? Visit www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/explore-the-collection