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Tips for Virtual Teaching in Kindergarten

Teaching Kindergarten is a challenging, yet rewarding job in and of itself. Factor in teaching them virtually–now that is a whole new ball game! Virtual teaching can easily stop a teacher in their tracks with all of the technology, new teaching practices, and unknowns. 

I'm here to tell you, it doesn't have to be scary! You are not in this alone. As teachers always do, you will adapt, learn, refine, and continue to serve your students in the best way you know how. These virtual teaching tips will help you ease the nerves and set yourself and your students up for success.

Community Building

Building community in the classroom is key, especially in Kindergarten. You want all of your students to feel like they are a part of something bigger, a classroom family that sticks together. When teaching virtually, it can be a challenge to figure out ways to do this when you aren't physically together in the same room. Here are some virtual teaching tips for building and strengthening classroom community.

Start With a Virtual Meet the Teacher

Starting the year with a Meet the Teacher event is an opportunity to build the foundation for a strong classroom community. When hosting a virtual Meet the Teacher, don't overcomplicate it! Think about what you do for an in-person event and keep those ideas. They will still work with a few small changes. No need to reinvent the wheel! 

• Send a digital copy of your Meet the Teacher About Me Letter.
• What your ELA/Math block looks like.
• What digital platform you'll use.
• School day information.
• Behavior management .
• Expectations.
• School day schedule.
• How to contact you. 
• Your hours.
• How you celebrate class birthdays.
• Volunteer opportunities ( check out this blog post for ideas for working with parent volunteers and a freebie you can use for your Meet the Teacher event).
• Give a virtual tour via Zoom of your “at-home” classroom or real classroom if you can. End with a walkthrough of the learning platform you'll be using.
• Do a virtual meet and greet via Zoom so you can meet all of your students and talk with them and their parents individually.
• Collect student information with a digital form, like a Google Form.
• A coupon to get ice cream or something small.
• A 10 minute Zoom call with the teacher.
• A coloring page to color and share during the first Zoom meeting.
• A Zoom lunch date with the teacher.
• Choose a brain break.

Building Community via Zoom 

Zoom (or whichever video conferencing platform you use) is about to be your new best friend! It is so important for your students to see you, hear your voice, and bond with you and their classmates. Don't let it intimidate you. You don't need to be an actor or actress, just be you!

Teach and care for your students the same way you would in the classroom, just through video. For more community building tips, visit this blog post . Keep a sense of normalcy and consistency with these virtual teaching tips:

• Have a virtual snack time where students join you for a snack and a read-aloud. You can do this whole group or in small groups of 4-5 students per day.
• Participate in Friday Spirit Days where students can dress up in pajamas, fancy clothes, team colors, hats, etc. Spend the first few minutes of the Zoom call letting students show off their spirit wear.
• Do scavenger hunts where students find items in their house and to bring back to the computer and share. These can be things like their favorite stuffed animal, a food, etc. You can also make this academic by finding something that starts with the first letter of their name, a shape, beginning sound, number of items, etc. Set a timer and play a special sound (like a bell) when students need to be back at the computer.
• Read alouds.
• Play Pictionary.
• Play Charades.
• Show-and-tell.
• Directed drawings.
• Brain breaks.
• Dance parties.
• Birthday parties. 
• Morning message.
• Calendar/weather.
• Guest readers (other teachers, administrators, specials teachers, your family, etc.)
• And of course, teaching and modeling!

Teaching/Academics

Building community and establishing relationships and trust truly comes before teaching and academics. When teaching virtually, keep in mind that your students are in all different environments and will probably have distractions.

Give yourself grace. You don't have to be perfect. Mistakes will happen and that's ok! Parents are grateful that you are spending time educating their child.  Remember to have patience, be positive, and keep them engaged. These virtual teaching tips will help everyone learn together.

• Set up your security settings and double-check them.
• Do a practice run or 2 with your colleagues to make sure all of your settings and features are working and YOU know how to work them and explain it to your students.
• Eliminate distractions in your background.
• Use the same location each time so students are focused on you and not exploring where you are and what's in the background.
• Send Zoom reminders to parents along with a list of any supplies students will need.
• Do live Zoom lessons and record them to post for those that aren't on live.
• Hold your Zoom meetings at the same times and days each week. This builds consistency and helps parents remember.
• Greet all students and use their name.
• Be on time. 
• Come dressed and ready to learn.
• Stay in one place.
• Raise your hand.
• Stay on mute and video on unless instructed.
• Save snacks for after Zoom calls.
• Find a quiet place, free of toys or distractions.
• Be respectful. Listen to the speaker.
• Stay on task. 

Keep Your Lessons Focused and Your Activities Meaningful

• Focus on key standards and skills.
• Eliminate busy-work. Don't overdo it or feel like you have to use every activity you find. Quality over quantity. Remember, parents may have more than one child they are helping on top of working from home.
• When assigning learning videos or songs via YouTube or other links, be sure to include a follow-up activity that truly helps students apply what they learned.
• Use interactive activities like Alphabet Boom cards . These digital, self-checking task cards are great for skill practice. You can use Boom cards for math and reading . To read about using Boom cards with your students, click here to learn more about them . If you want to use them with Google Slides and/or Seesaw, this blog post will help you !
• Use bingo choice boards where students have a whole week to complete the activities in the order that works for them and their families. This flexibility will make virtual learning more manageable for families and are a great way to incorporate “device-free” activities. These Kindergarten homework choice boards offer weekly activities for the whole year plus weekly, themed reading logs. 
• Use visual aides, such as: posters, anchor charts, whiteboards, video tutorials, or examples of work.

Celebrate Your Students

• Have 1-on-1 calls with students where they can “show off” their work or just talk to you. Schedule a few a week and rotate through your class list.
• If you notice a student working hard, call or Zoom them to tell them how proud you are.
• Send students digital rewards or certificates.

Working With Parents

Working with parents is an essential part of teaching virtually. To make the experience positive for each child, it will take a lot of teamwork and communication. Keep these virtual teaching tips for parents in mind.

Communicate Often

• Phone calls, emails, messages, Zoom calls…they're all great! Call 4-5 parents each week to check-in. Rotate through your list so you don't make 20+ phone calls a week. If they don't get a phone call that week, email or use the messaging system that works for you.
• Have set times that you are available to Zoom to answer questions and offer help.

Help With Technology

• Create a Technology FAQ sheet or get one from the technology director at your school so parents can access and use it instead of contacting you for every question.
• Create short videos to show parents how to log-in. Keep the videos accessible in Google Classroom, Dropbox, or wherever you share files with parents.
• Create student login cards and send to parents. If possible, keep it super simple to remember!

Be Consistent

• Send a week at a glance schedule and stick to it so parents and students can plan when they will complete work.
• Send activities at the same time/day – this way parents know when to expect it.
• Avoid being heavy in math one week and light on reading or word work. Keep the work balanced.
• Keep the learning platform consistent. Don't email one week and then use Seesaw the next.

Teacher Self-Care

Last but definitely not least on the list of virtual teaching tips…teacher self-care! It is so important for YOU to take care of YOU. Teaching virtually is a whole new skill that you are learning. Even if you aren't in the classroom, it is still exhausting. You know the saying, “you can't pour from an empty cup.” It's true. Fill up your teacher self-care bucket and please do not feel an ounce of guilt!

Set Work Hours

• Set established work hours and unplug at the end of the “school day.” Let parents know your hours so that they don't expect you to respond at all hours of the day. Have one “late night” per week where parents know you are available if they need to chat or jump on a call with you. It can be easy to work late and on weekends, but do your best to log off when your hours are up.
• Be intentional about your time. Set times to work, help your own kids at home, do chores, spend time with family, relax, etc.

Set Yourself Up For Success

• Have an “office space” where you can keep everything.
• Get into a “morning routine” like you would if you were going to school.
• Give yourself “plan time” and use your planning time effectively so you aren't rushing to come up with activities. 

Do Something For Yourself

• Enjoy your coffee or tea…HOT! 
• Go outside over your lunch break and get some fresh air.
• Zoom or call your colleagues to plan, troubleshoot, or just talk. Wine date anyone?! 🙂
• Remember…self-care, rest, and sleep are as important as planning, teaching, and grading.

I hope you can add these virtual teaching tips to your tool-belt and tackle this form of teaching with confidence and charisma! I am always here to help and would love to hear from you about which tips you are excited to implement. Let me know in the comments below!

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Oh, Melissa! Thank you for blessing us in this way. Loved reading your suggestions this morning and appreciate the thought you have put into Social Distance Learning!

it was really helpful thanks

Thank you so much for this post. I really needed the encouragement today and your words really “spoke” to me. Thanks again.

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30+ Virtual Field Trips for Kids

Want to explore our world? Here are 30+ great Virtual Field Trips for early learners to explore from your home. From zoos and landmarks to famous museums, you can explore the world with your child with over a month of virtual field trips!

Animal Virtual Tours for Kid

Us history virtual tours, us landmarks virtual tours, us national parks virtual tours, museum virtual tours, virtual tours around the world, fall virtual field trips for kids, winter virtual field trips for kids, spring virtual field trips for kids, summer virtual field trips for kids, virtual tours of space, live webcams around the world.

One thing that the recent global quarantine has made us all realize very clearly is that we’re all part of one earth. We all have many commonalities and many things that are unique to where we live.

As we are at home, working from home and spending more time with the kids, I’d love to suggest we spend a little more time exploring this amazing planet that we’ve been gifted to during our lifetime.

Google Earth is such an amazing tool to use with your child to encourage them to explore the world. You can be at home on your sofa or at our desk and be transported to anywhere on the earth(virtually).

Where would you want to go?

With your child start with where you live. Then go to their school and where you shop near you and then find where family and friends live. Next, explore some of their favorite spots you’ve vacationed and now it’s time to explore where you’ve never been. But where do you start?

Let’s start by exploring some amazing popular travel destinations that also happen to have webcams for you to step inside and explore.

Google’s Art and Culture is a great resource to kick-start your global search too. Did you know that Google’s “World Wonders” project offers virtual tours of 132 famous sites? So many amazing virtual tours of museums for kids!!

30 Virtual Field Trips for Kids

I’ve put together a collection of locations for virtual field trips that I believe as a teacher and a mom that are appropriate for the kid to watch online. I’d encourage you though to talk about these locations as a family.

You can track your virtual tours with our Printable Virtual Field Trip Log !

Perhaps start working on a travel bucket list together and a virtual travel bucket list. That way your child can make their own itinerary too.

Where do you think your child wants to go to?

• Monterey Bay Aquarium
• Georgia Aquarium
• Houston Zoo
• Atlanta Zoo – Pandas
• San Diego Zoo
• Smithsonian National Zoo
• The Tundra with Discovery Education
• Virtual Farm Tours
• Penguin Virtual Field Trips
• Polar Bear Virtual Field Trips
• Rainforest Virtual Field Trips
• Everglades Virtual Field Trips

Here’s a list of all the zoos with webcams to explore.

For a little movement, try this zoo themed yoga

• Washington, D.C. Virtual Field Trip for Kids
• The White House
• A Virtual Tour by the Obamas
• Mount Vernon
• Colonial Williamsburg
• Mount Rushmore
• Liberty Bell

Grab our Washington DC Unit for Kids . Create your own Living History Museum at home after your virtual tour!

• Empire State Building
• Ellis Island
• Monument Valley

• Mighty 5 National Parks Virtual Field Trip
• Yellowstone National Park
• The Grand Canyon
• Hidden World of National Parks by Google Art and Culture
• National Parks Foundation: Electronic Field Trip
• NPS Webcams at the National Parks
• Virtual Hikes at Rocky Mountain National Park
• Virtual Hike from Rim to River at Grand Canyon
• Glacier National Park
• Yosemite Park
• Smoky Mountain National Park
• Dry Tortugas National Park
• Everglades National Park
• Carlsbad Caverns National Park
• Bryce Canyon National Park
• Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
• Kenai Fjords National Park
• Carlsbad Caverns

Take our Virtual Tour of Utah’s Mighty 5 National Parks

Find Your Virtual Park – Connect with national parks from a distance through digital opportunities and activities to do in your own home or neighborhood.

• Smithsonian Museum
• Van Gogh Museum
• 12 Famous Museums Offer Virtual Tours 
• Google Art and Culture: Top 10 Museums you Can Explore

Coloring Pages From Over 100 Museums

• Great Wall of China
• Buckingham Palace
• Red Square in Russia
• Largest Flower Garden, Keukenhof 
• Ukraine Virtual Field Trip Guide

Recreate a famous landmark with math, art and sidewalk chalk

Get ready to explore these Fall Virtual Field Trips for Kids with these kid friendly fall virtual tours.

• Pumpkin patches
• Fall leaves
• Apple orchards
• Turkey farms

Try these Leaf Activities for hands-on fun in fall.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Explore 60+ Winter themed virtual field trips for kids .

• Winter Virtual Field Trips to National Parks
• Ice Castle Virtual Field Trips
• Natural Wonders of Winters : Snow, Frozen Lakes, Waterfalls & Glaciers
• Winter Sports: Ice Skating, Skiing, Sledding and Tubing
• Christmas Around the World Virtually: Lights, Tree Farms, Reindeers
• Christmas Virtual Field Trips for Kids

Once you take a few winter virtual tours, explore these Winter Activities for Kids .

Explore the best spring virtual field trips for kids . Explore moments in nature of spring flowers blooming and experience flower-covered trees, baby animals, and the animal life cycles of spring with this ultimate collection of spring virtual field trips for kids.

• Spring Flowers Virtual Field Trips
• Trees Blooming in Spring Virtual Field Trips
• Spring in National Parks Virtual Field Trips
• Baby Animals on Farms Virtual Field Trips
• Bird Nests and Eggs in Spring Virtual Field Trips
• Frog Themed Virtual Field Trips
• Butterfly Themed Virtual Field Trips

Ready for Spring? Try this hands-on Spring STEM Challenge !

Get ready to explore these Summer Virtual Field Trips for Kids ! Explore the ocean, amusement parks, outdoor adventures, watermelon farms, and more with these kid-friendly summer virtual tours.

• Coral Reefs
• Ocean Animals
• Boat Adventures
• Amusement Parks Rides
• Rock Slides
• Natural Springs
• Watermelon Farms
• International Space Station
• Space Shuttle Discovery
• Solar Eclipse
• Worldcam.eu: WebCams from Around the World
• Explore.org: Live webcams throughout the world

Virtual Field Trip Activities for Home

Looking for ways to expand the virtual tour?

Once you’ve viewed one of the Virtual tours, you can…

• Write up about what you learned
• Draw a picture of your favorite part
• Create a version with legos, building blocks or playdough
• Find a book online to learn more about the location
• Create a themed craft based on where you took a virtual tour
• Recreate it with sidewalk chalk
• Cook a dish from that region

DOWNLOAD OUR VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP LOG

There are so many amazing resources to explore virtually to learn about our amazing planet and the treasures and history within it.

One resource that I found to be the most amazing was Google Art and Culture resource. I high recommend exploring it as a family during this time.

Virtual Tours for Kids

Take this time to explore the world virtually and help us work together to protect and learn about these treasures around the world.

Want more ideas for home Parents! Check out our…

50+ STEM Activities for Kids

Ball Games Your Kids will LOVE

JOIN our free Virtual Book Club for Kids

Do you have a favorite virtual tour that you love? Please share with me in the comments.

Like this idea? Pin for later or share now with a friend!

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About Kim Vij

Early childhood teacher, author, speaker and mom of 3. Kim shares ways to make learning fun and parenting an adventure by sharing developmentally appropriate activities.

September 4, 2020 at 8:02 am

This is still fun! definitely helping their learning 🙂 easier to visit destinations from the comfort of their couch!

September 2, 2020 at 8:54 am

Is there a cost associated with these virtual field trips?

September 3, 2020 at 7:03 pm

Most of these Virtual Field Trips are simply links to either the specific museums or locations offering a video of their facility or using Google Earth to explore a specific region such as our national parks. They are free to view at your convenience.

June 13, 2020 at 6:21 am

that was very cool

May 6, 2020 at 11:20 am

You could do a virtual tour on Paris

May 7, 2020 at 4:18 pm

You definitely could, I’ll try to put one together for you and share very soon on the site!

April 30, 2020 at 6:01 pm

April 20, 2020 at 2:06 pm

Thanks for letting me know about this! It sounds cool!

March 28, 2020 at 10:00 am

THANK YOU THIS IS AN AMAZING RESOURCE

March 27, 2020 at 1:55 pm

Thank you this is cool not as cool as google earth

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18 Virtual Field Trip Ideas for Early Learners

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A list of 18 virtual field trip ideas for kindergarten and first-grade students. This collection of ideas consists of videos and interactive virtual tours.

Virtual Field Trip Ideas

Here are a few ideas for you to send home to students or show your own kiddos at home! Have fun with these virtual field trip ideas for early learners. 

#1 San Diego Zoo 

Check out live videos of animals. There are games, coloring sheets, and craft ideas, too! 

#2 Polar Bear Expedition

View a polar bear with her two cubs in Canada.

#3 Monterey Bay Aquarium 

View the live webcams of fish, sharks, jellyfish, and more!

#4 Smithsonian Natural History Museum

Take a virtual tour of this amazing museum.

Here is a video of the dinosaur exhibit:

#5 The Great Wall of China

#6 Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Google Arts and Culture has some great virtual field trips! 

#7 Carlsbad Caverns

#8 Dry Tortugas National Park 

Here is a great video of Fort Jefferson at the Dry Tortugas:

#9 The Grand Canyon

#10 Farm Virtual Field Trip

Farm 360 has several different videos about life on the farm. 

#11 Nature Lab Field Trips

These may be a little advanced for kindergarten, but I like the topics and they could be fun for the kids!

#12 Son Doong Cave

The largest cave in the world, located in Vietnam.

#13 Mars 

Students can see the real surface of Mars.

#14 The Moon

Don’t stop with Mars. Check out the moon, too!

#15 The White House

Students explore various rooms of The White House. 

#16 Marineland Dolphin Adventure

A fun tour to see the animals at Marineland in Florida.

#17 Amazon Rainforest

Take a trip to the Amazon Rainforest with this video. 

#18 Recycling Center

Take a virtual tour of the recycling center. This is great for Earth Day!

Enjoy these virtual field trips! Here are a few more blog posts with some other videos for kids:

• The Best Science YouTube Channels for Kids
• 15 Phonological and Phonemic Awareness Videos for Kindergarten
• Kid-Friendly Fall Videos

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The 22 Ultimate Virtual Field Trips & Tours for Students

Written by Maria Kampen

• Teacher Resources

• What is a virtual tour and how does it work?
• Technology powering virtual field trips for students
• 22 Best virtual field trips for students
• How to incorporate virtual tours into learning activities

Imagine taking your entire class to see one of the seven wonders of the world up close and personal — and then being back at school before the final bell rings. 

The rise of online learning activities during the pandemic accelerated the availability of virtual field trips , tours and experiences for students of all ages. Now there are many interactive virtual tours available to places that would be impossible to reach on a class trip — the pyramids in Egypt, the Louvre museum in Paris or even an African safari.

We put together a list of 22 unforgettable virtual field trips and experiences that will help your students see amazing sights, connect their learning to real-world experiences and expand their horizons.

Virtual tours allow students to explore noteworthy places around the world, from the comfort of their home or the classroom. 

Virtual tours give students the opportunity to stop, explore and guide learning at their own pace. While they’re exploring, they can get up close to nature or artifacts that might not otherwise be easily accessible. 

Virtual tours can be many different things, including:

• A live webcam of a zoo or animal habitat
• A 360 degree view of a location you can manipulate
• Pictures enriched with helpful information and diagrams

Even ten or fifteen years ago, video tours would have been rare or impossible. Advancements in technology and education have combined to help people learn and explore from anywhere!

• National Geographic creates TV series about nature, history and archaeology
• Food shows like Netflix’s Salt Fat Acid Heat take viewers on food journeys across the world
• Planet Earth , a television series, brings far-flung locations to your living room or classroom
• Discovery Education gives educators access to multimedia resources that supplement classroom learning
• Video conferencing technology like Zoom lets you connect with people and learning experiences around the world

We love being able to sit at home or in the classroom and learn about different foods, cultures and geography. Why not introduce that to your students?

1. Take a trip to the zoo

Whether it’s live webcams of adorable pandas or behind-the-scenes tours with zookeepers, zoos all over the world offer ways for animal antics to delight and entertain your students. 

Some of our favorites include:

• Edinburgh Zoo’s Panda Cam
• Georgia Aquarium’s Beluga Whale Livestream
• The Smithsonian National Zoo’s Naked Mole-rat Cam
• A live feed of African river wildlife in Laikipia County, Kenya
• The San Diego Zoo Live Ape Cam , or any of their other live animal feeds
• Home Safari videos from the Cincinnati Zoo, where zookeepers introduce you to the hundreds of animals that make the zoo their home.

2. Visit The Hidden Worlds of National Parks

From Yosemite to Mesa Verde, explore some of the USA’s most beloved and beautiful national parks with The Hidden World of National Parks .  

Supported by Google Arts & Culture , students can use the same technology that powers Street View to explore the national parks at their own pace. 

The program also includes guided tours from park rangers, where they share their expertise as you explore. Follow the on-screen prompts and let them guide your adventure!

3. Watch the Monterey Bay Aquarium Sea Otters

Play with the sea otters as they swim around Monterey Bay Aquarium in California! Tune in throughout the day to see them being fed, learn fun facts about otters and watch them play in the water. 

If you’d like to check out some other aquarium-related channels, Monterey Bay Aquarium also offers Open Sea or Kelp Forest live streams.

4. Swim through Palau coral reefs

Travel to the Pacific Ocean through a virtual adventure and see the Palau coral reefs . Hosted by Nature Lab and the Nature Conservancy, this tour teaches students about the importance of preserving some of the most fragile ecosystems in the world — no wetsuit required. 

Take learning to the next level with the Nature Lab’s Teacher’s Guide , which includes discussion questions and related resources to keep learners engaged. 

5. Visit the surface of Mars

It took the Perseverance rover about seven months to get to Mars. But thanks to this virtual tour , you and your students can go for a visit in just one afternoon. 

Created by Google and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, this virtual tour takes you through the history of Mars explorations and turns what might be a far-flung topic into something right at students’ fingertips. They’ll explore the surface of Mars, learn more about the rovers that have studied its surface and understand how Mars exploration fits into the history of space travel.

6. Power up with renewable energy

Powering the Planet from the Nature Conservancy is an interactive lesson that focuses on renewable energy sources. It explains to students how energy around them is necessary for life, and covers how energy can be sourced in a way that’s not harmful to the environment.

All the Nature Conservancy’s programs come with a Teacher Guide , which offers lesson plans and activities relating to the virtual tour. 

7. Walk the Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is over 13,000 miles long, so be sure to pack your walking shoes for this trip!

This virtual tour lets students explore key points in the Great Wall of China, plus see the history and amazing view up close.

8. Float around the International Space Station

Did you know that astronauts have continuously inhabited the International Space Station for 20 years? Now your class can join them!

With tours of the different parts of the space station, facts about the layout and assembly, and information about the different astronauts who’ve visited from around the world, students can get an out-of-this-world experience from the comfort of their home or classroom. 

Plus, there are plenty of images, videos, graphics and media resources to help you tie topics into your curriculum.

9. Scuba dive in the Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is a delicate ecosystem especially vulnerable to the effects of pollution and climate change. 

David Attenborough’s Great Barrier Reef is a tour created in partnership with the Natural History Museum in London that teaches everyone about the beauty and fragility of one of the world’s greatest natural wonders. 

The Great Barrier Reef is also available on Google Street View through Google Maps as one of the first underwater locations to be mapped. 

10. Learn about water and Colombia’s páramo ecosystem

Just outside of Bogotá, Columbia, is one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. In this virtual lesson, students will learn about how the water cycle plays a vital role in biodiversity, and get an up-close look at the animals that call the area home. 

Use the accompanying Teacher Guide to help students discuss the topic and stay engaged with the lesson. And check out the rest of the Nature Lab's YouTube channel for even more virtual experiences.

11. Tour the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History

The Smithsonian Institute is the world’s largest museum — so there are plenty of things for students to explore. 

With a variety of virtual tours to choose from, the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History is full of ways to get students excited about learning. Students can watch narrated tours of different exhibits ranging from history and geography to the research stations in the museum. 

Whether students want to walk through the museum on their own or let someone else do the talking, there’s something for every lesson.

12. Get caught up in the American Revolution

History meets the present at the Museum of the American Revolution ! 

This virtual tour lets students see artifacts, meet museum staff and hear stories of real people who fought for American independence.

It also comes with a Classroom Ki t for 2nd to 8th grade that supplements learning and makes it even more meaningful. 

13. Trek up Mt. Everest

This 360 degree video from National Geographic lets students explore Mt. Everest along with a group of researchers. Together, they’ll discover what kind of effects climate change has on the mountain, and how we can work to preserve natural landscapes. 

Not up for climbing mountains? Take a virtual ride on Expedition Everest , the tallest rollercoaster in any Disney park! But beware — there’s a monster lurking in the dark.

14. Get the right angle with Explore Geometry

Powered by Nearpod, Explore Geometry ’s lesson plans connect classroom lessons with architecture in the natural world.

Students can explore the gardens of Versailles to learn about the geometry of a French garden before moving on to the next lesson and putting their skills to practical use.

15. Wander through the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City

One of the most well-known museums in the world, students can now explore The Met’s vast collections with the Met 360º Project .

Virtual tours help students get a sense of the space, art and collections inside of the museum. Whether they’re interested in the Met Cloisters or the Arms and Armor gallery, students can go at their own pace, accompanied by a soothing soundtrack. 

You can also book virtual tours with a museum guide to line up with your lesson plan. Tours are free for NYC public schools and all Title I schools, and $200 USD per class for other schools.

16. Explore history in the British Museum

Another world-class museum, students can explore the British Museum in London using Google Street View, read facts about the artifacts and connect what they see to their history lessons. 

Whether it’s the Rosetta Stone, the Elgin Marbles, Egyptian sculpture or any other historical treasure, there’s something every student will find interesting!

If you want to let someone else do the exploring, there’s also a 46-minute virtual walking tour , where you can skip to the sections that are most relevant to you and your class. 

17. Visit the White House

In Washington, D.C. the White House is the symbolic heart of America, and now students can walk the halls for themselves. 

Whether they want to take a lap around the Oval Office or wander the building, students can explore this virtual tour from the White House Historical Association . Plus, it comes with class tie-ins like vocabulary lessons and other activities to make the experience even more memorable! 

18. Arrive at Ellis Island

Ever wonder what it was like for new immigrants to see the Statue of Liberty and step foot on American soil for the first time?

Now students can experience it for themselves with this virtual tour , a collaboration between Scholastic and the National Park Service. They’ll learn the importance of immigration in the history of the United States and hear real-life stories about the people who came looking for a better life. 

After students watch the video, they can click through this interactive map with facts and stories about the people who came through Ellis Island. 

19. Explore China's forests

In this online tour, students can explore the natural habitats of pandas in the forests of China . They’ll discover how the panda’s home plays a role in understanding our world, learn about local conservation efforts and see the big-picture view of how these vast forests fit into our understanding of nature and climate change. 

Plus, this program also comes with a handy Teacher Guide for you to use in lesson planning!

20. Bundle up in the Arctic tundra

Take a virtual field trip all the way up north to the tundra! Discovery Education’s tundra programs for elementary, middle and high school students cover the natural habitat of polar bears, plus their activities and migration patterns.

This virtual tour comes with instructional activities and classroom tie-ins, so you can be sure students are getting a productive learning experience.

21. Go spelunking in the world's largest cave

Travel through Vietnam’s Son Doong, the world’s largest cave . First explored by researchers in 2009, this cave is up to 200 meters tall in some areas and even has its own jungle inside. 

It’s estimated that the total length of the cave system is over 200 kilometers, and with this National Geographic tour students can explore to their heart’s content. High definition pictures and helpful facts mean that not only is this an awe-inspiring trip for students, but it’s also educational! 

Because the cave is ecologically sensitive, only a certain number of tourists are allowed to visit each year. This virtual tour is a great way for kids and adults to experience the wonder up close!

22. Browse the Louvre

Take your students on a quick trip to Paris where you can explore the architecture and art of the Louvre without the crowds. 

Plus, the Louvre also offers Louvre Kids , as well as a Mona Lisa Beyond the Glass virtual app experience where users can learn how Leonardo da Vinci created his most well-known masterpiece.

From kindergarten to high school, virtual field trips are a great way to get students excited about learning. And if you’re homeschooling , they’re the perfect way to get real-world experience without leaving the house!

To get the most out of the experience, keep these tips in mind:

• Ask students what they’re interested in exploring 
• Look for virtual experiences that fit into your lesson plan for maximum impact
• Search for supplementary resources like teacher guides and discussion questions
• Try out the virtual tour first to make sure it’s worth it and to avoid any unpleasant technical glitches
• Use virtual field trips at the beginning of a unit to introduce students to new concepts, or at the end as a reward and wrap-up activity

Be sure to follow up with students and see what they liked the most. Then, harness that excitement for your next lesson or activity! 

Prodigy Math Game is an adaptive math platform where students can explore a world filled with adventure, excitement and rewards — all for practicing math! While they’re having a blast answering questions and completing epic quests, Prodigy’s free teacher tools help you align their learning to your classroom lessons. 

Sign up for your free teacher account today!

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Welcome to Virtual Kindergarten: Making an Online Transition Fun and Engaging

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Childhood is filled with milestones. First steps. First foods. And perhaps the most monumental of all: the first day of Kindergarten.

But this year, in the midst of a global pandemic, four and five-year-olds across the country prepared for this life-changing experience to begin virtually. Instead of arriving in classrooms, meeting their teachers face-to-face and wearing backpacks bigger than they are, new Kindergarteners are experiencing their first days of grade school in front of a computer at a desk in their living rooms.

How do we make this transition to Kindergarten fun, engaging and…online?

Atlanta Public Schools offered Purpose Built Schools Atlanta a grant from the United Way to sponsor a camp for rising Kindergarteners to help prepare them for the new school year. Kiuleia Brandon, Kindergarten teacher at Slater Elementary School, pioneered the program at Slater, but she faced a unique challenge: make it a virtual camp!

“Our goal was to create an online camp that gave PreK students an idea for what to expect in Kindergarten,” says Dr. Brandon. Together with a team of two teachers and two professionals, Dr. Brandon set out to create an online experience that engaged these four and five-year-olds.

“Their attention span is about three minutes, so we decided to focus on fun, quick activities and switch the adults on the screen about every six minutes,” says Dr. Brandon. The days included a morning meeting, storytime, brain breaks, science activities, art, games, bubbles and scavenger hunts, to name just a few.

Every day from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. students followed along with their teachers on the screen. The days each had a behavioral theme that they need in Kindergarten, including self awareness, self regulation and self control.

“When kids start Kindergarten, they’re often not confident yet,” says Dr. Brandon. “So, in the daily share circle, we tried to get them comfortable talking and feeling confident. Kindergarteners need to practice self-regulation skills, so we practiced correct ways to respond to disappointment. They also learned in share circle that everyone can’t talk at the same time. These are all social-emotional skills they will need when they begin Kindergarten–virtually or in person.”

Key takeaways for a successful virtual Kindergarten experience:

• Keep lessons short and switch activities regularly–ideally, every 10 minutes.
• Provide tactile experiences in addition to virtual. Give them things to do with their hands!
• Schedule brain breaks into the day for students to get up and move.
• In addition to the time together online, provide supplemental activities for parents to do away from the computer screen.
• Create a playlist of songs for students to enjoy beyond school hours.
• Use Youtube videos that teach phonics and mathematics.
• Instead of reading on screen, use Youtube videos of books so that students can see the visuals more clearly.

It wasn’t just the students who benefited from the virtual camp. As they begin the school year online, the teachers now feel more prepared, too!

“This was such a good practice run of what to expect and do,” says Dr. Brandon. “I feel confident. As a veteran teacher, I am more than willing to show other educators how to do this well. The virtual camp was great practice of what to expect with virtual learning.”

We are thrilled to invite your child to join us for Pre-K at Purpose Built Schools Atlanta. We still have available enrollment spots for Pre-K. Enroll today for the 2023-2024 school year!

Where Imagination Grows

Hands-on learning through play and imagination

April 12, 2020 by Where Imagination Grows

40+ Virtual Field Trips for Kids

We are living in a strange time. Never did I think that I would be searching for virtual field trips to take with my daughter and daycare children! But here we are, trying to make the best of the situation we are living in. 

Now you can experience landmarks and museums around the world with your kids from home! Check out our list of 40+ virtual field trips below. These are all interactive virtual tours that I have done with my kids. All kid-approved! 

I’ve spent the last two weeks putting together this list of virtual field trips for kids. These are all links that I have personally checked out with my daughter and daycare kids. 

Animal Virtual Field Trips

-Watch over 10 different animals, from Elephants to Butterflies, in their habitats at the San Diego Zoo with these Live Animal Cams ! We love the tiger cams! Plus they have a whole kids area on their website for fun educational activities. 

-Observe gorillas, rhinos, and even ants on the live webcams from the Houston Zoo . I love the 6 different animal cams at this zoo. Tune in between 7 am and 7 pm CST to see them in action.

– The Georgia Aquarium has some really amazing webcams you can check out. They have beluga whale webcams plus live feeds of the puffins, piranhas, gators and much more! Watch for the whale shark (!) on the Ocean Voyager cam! It’s so cool to see! 

-Learn and explore the farm like never before! Take an inside virtual tour of how farms run and how food is processed from a farm. These are really interesting and well done. My daughter loved the 360 videos on egg processing and egg breaking, the way all the machinery works together blew her mind! You can also view sheep, grain, and mink farms plus milk processing plants.

-Have a shark lover in your house? The live shark cam at the Monterey Bay Aquarium is one of our favorite live cams to view. They also have a really great aviary and coral reef cam that you can view with your kids. We also like the Monterey bay cam, it’s fun to watch the waves! 

-Walk-through the halls of the National Aquarium with this fun and interactive virtual tour. 

-Another informative and fun virtual farm tour for kids. Learn about and tour behind the scenes of a dairy farm. 

-Check-in on some of your favorite animals and don’t miss the baby Cheetahs on the animal cams at the National Zoo. 

Landmarks & Castles

-If you haven’t explored Google Earth I highly recommend that you give it a try. You can explore all kinds of amazing places on Earth. Studying somewhere specific? Check it out on Google Earth. 

-Missing your connection to Mickey and friends? Check out this free virtual field trip to Walt Disney World . 

-Learning about the Empire State Building ? Check out the live webcams perched high above the streets of New York.

-Even wondered what the white house looks like from the inside? Step inside and take a tour of this presidential building from the comfort of your own home.

-Walk the grounds of Scotland’s Edinburgh Castle with this virtual field trip of this ancient castle. 

-Walk along walls of the Great Wall of China with this stunning virtual tour!

-Have you always wanted to see the Effiel Tower ? Well, now you can take your kids on a field trip there in your pajamas! 

-Visit the Palace of Versailles in France. Explore the King’s Chamber, the Hall of Mirrors, art and much more! My kids were in awe of this one! 

-Go onboard and view the inside of Air Force One (a retired model). Explore the cockpit and see where the president sat and slept! 

-Walk-through the halls of the Schönbrunn Palace in Austria . It’s one of the most visited sites in the country and the tour is full of stunning items! 

-Visit an ancient tomb in Egypt. We really enjoyed the virtual tour of The Tomb of Menna . This is one of the most visited and best-preserved of the small 18th Dynasty elite tombs in the Theban necropolis. You can also visit the pyramids while you are “in” Egypt! 

– Head to Mount Vernon and explore the grounds and building. This was the plantation of George Washington, the first President of the United States, and his wife, Martha. 

-Go through the process of arriving at Ellis Island with this interactive tour. 

-Tour inside the state rooms at Buckingham Palace and discover some of the most treasured objects in the Royal Collection

Science & Nature 

-Visit the National Parks in realtime with their NPS Webcams ! 

-View the stunning beauty of Yosemite National Park . This virtual tour is amazing! 

-Take a hike on the Bright Angel Trail in the Grand Canyon from your living room! 

-Looking for something out of this world? Travel into space and visit Mars! That’s right, you can go on a virtual adventure on Mars ! 

-Take a tour of the international space station ! If you are learning about the stars and space this tour is a must! 

-Explore the Atlantic coast of Ireland and the Giants Causeway . This virtual field trip is one I want to take for myself! 

-Go inside Son Doong in Vietnam, it’s the largest cave in the world and even has its own ecosystem. The images are amazing! 

-Want to go on a safari? Check out these African Safari tours to view hyenas, lions, elephants and more! 

-Tour the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park . Lava tubes and volcanos make this one a favorite.

-Explore the wonder of the Carlsbad Caverns and learn about bats.  

-See the Northern Lights over Sweden with this fabulous virtual tour. 

-Follow explorers from beginning to end as they climb Mt. Everest . The 360° videos are amazing and we learned so much about what it takes to make it to the top.

-Walk around among planes from history with this free virtual field trip for kids from the Frontiers of Flight Museum .

-Get an inside look at the cockpit and interior of planes from history at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. From WWII bombers to helicopters and fighter jets! My daughter has literally spent hours exploring these. 

-Have a car fan? Learning about transportation? Take a tour of the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant , the first Ford plant and the location where the Model T was developed.

-View the largest collection of Van Gogh’s artwork, including letters and drawings, at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

-Learn about the Battle of the Alamo while you tour the historic Spanish mission and fortress founded in the 18th century.

-Head to the National Museum of Natural History to learn about the history of the planet and the humans. 

-View the incredible exhibits at the Louvre , the largest art museum in the world. 

-Explore The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s website for kids! The Met Kids lets kids explore an interactive cartoon map of the Met to learn more about the artwork and visitor spaces in the museum

-See all the fun to be had at the Boston Children’s Museum ! View three floors of fun children’s exhibits. 

-Virtually tour The British Museum and discover hundreds of artifacts in the museum.

–Step inside the Sistine Chapel and get an up-close and personal view of the amazing art that covers the space, including The Last Judgment  by Michelangelo.

Your turn! 

Have a favorite virtual field trip for kids that’s not listed above? Leave a link in the comments! I’m always looking for fun new options to explore with my kids. 

Looking for more crafts and activities? Check out our  index for 100+ plus kids activities ! Find activities by theme, materials, skills, age and much more!

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April 28, 2020 at 7:25 am

Thank you for sharing this list! It’s great that we can still have field trips even if we can’t leave our homes.

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Virtual Field Trips For Kids: 100+ Amazing Free Trips!

From zoos to museums, landmarks to famous wonders of the world, with these virtual field trips for kids, your kid can explore the world right from the living room couch!

All of these virtual tours come with links so you’re just one click away from a fun, montessori-inspired Geography lesson at home.

WHY DO VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS?

As the world adapts to a new normal, many teachers and parents have found that their tried-and-tested lesson plans no longer fit an online setting.

Plus, keeping younger children and preschoolers entertained and engaged with online learning can pose a problem!

Luckily, there are many innovative ways to nurture and foster a child’s natural curiosity; virtual field trips being one of them!

The culture, the sights, the sounds, all of it encourages a child to expand their horizons and think bigger picture.

All of these virtual excursions can be turned into fun lessons, and they don’t just apply to Geography either! English, History, Social Studies, Art can all incorporate virtual field trips into their lessons.

As a former educator, one thing I do know is that kids LOVE going on field trips (even if it is from the comforts of their own home).

To expand on the learning potential of these field trips, I’ve also included a few ‘on mission’ learning activities to get those grey cells working!

I’ve made sure to cover teaching ideas for English, Art, Cookery, Science and more to inspire you.

ARE THESE VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS FOR KIDS FREE?

Absolutely! At the time of posting, all of these virtual field trips are free. Simply click on the links provided and they will open to a virtual tour.

100+ HIGHLY INTERACTIVE VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS FOR KIDS [WITH LINKS]

You can use these as a home school activity or a stand alone educational tool.

Google Earth is also a great tool for kids to use to explore the world around them. In a couple of seconds they can be transported anywhere across the globe, like the Nevada Crop Circles or Australia’s famous Red Rock!

Google’s Art & Culture Program is another fantastic tool for kids to explore. Google’s World Wonders Project offers virtual tours of over 132 famous sites.

Everything from museums to world heritage landmarks!

You Might Also Be Interested In:

• 50 Crazy Fun Indoor Activities For Kids With Lots of Energy to Burn (That Are Low Prep!)

Ready to spend a little more time exploring this amazing planet we call home?

Let’s jump right in. Here are 100+ virtual field trips kids will love to explore!

VIRTUAL TOURS OF WONDERS AROUND THE WORLD

– Great Wall of China, China (This tour even plays local music to add to the atmosphere, so make sure your sound is on!)

– Roman Colosseum, Italy

– The Lourve, France

– The Pyramids of Giza, Egyp t

– Palace of Versailles, France

– Buckingham Palace, UK

– Houses of Parliament, UK

– Taj Mahal, India

– Mount Everest, Nepal (This involves 3D live tracking at the peak of Mount Everest!)

VIRTUAL TOURS OF ANCIENT LOST CIVILISATIONS

– Petra, Jordan

– Machu Picchu, Peru

– City of Pompeii, Italy

– Rapa Nui, Easter Island

– Temples of Angkor, Cambodia

VIRTUAL TOURS OF NATURAL WONDERS

– Amazon Rainforest (Have a Virtual Reality Headset? This tour is made for that, but you can still explore the rainforest without it!)

– Son Doong Cave, Vietnam

– Grand Canyon, USA (There is a guided and non-guided, ‘discover by yourself’ option).

– Icelandic Lagoons and National Park , Icelan d

– Jokulsarlon Glacier and Ice Lagoon, Iceland (This tour also plays music!)

– Great Barrier Reef (David Attenborough guides this highly interactive tour! It’s full of videos and guided exploration so your child can really feel like an explorer!)

– Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights), Alaska (From dog sledding to reindeer sledding to staying at an ice hotel, watch the Nothern Lights glitter in the night sky!)

– Devil’s Pool, Victoria Falls

VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE PLACES TO VISIT (OFF-LIMITS)

These are probably our favorite list of virtual tours to include.

There’s something mysterious and fascinating about taking a peek inside places we shouldn’t be, or have virtually no chance of seeing ourselves!

– International Space Station

– Scott’s Hut, Antarctica

– Svalbard Global Seed Vault, Norway (This is a super interactive and fun tour to take! A lady narrates and talks about the vault whilst you ‘walk’ through it. Highly recommend).

VIRTUAL TOURS OF US LANDMARKS

These virtual field trips are perfect for national or US history homeschool lessons.

Take a stroll through Yellow Stone National Park, or hike through Monument Valley to discover the natural geological beauty the US has to offer.

– Empire State Building

– Ellis Island

– Monument Valley

– Yellow Stone National Park

– Hidden World of National Parks

– Glacier National Park

– Yosemite National Park (Highly interactive and fun tour to take!)

VIRTUAL TOURS OF SPACE

Have a budding astronomer on your hands? Kids will love these outer space virtual field tours.

Dive into the unknown world beyond our own and help kids gain a broader understanding of our beautiful solar system.

– The Moon

– Mars

– Space Shuttle Discovery

– The Sun

WILD ANIMAL AND ZOO VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS FOR KIDS

– Monterey Bay Aquarium

– Reid Park Zoo, AZ (Multiple animal webcams.)

– Reid Park Zoo , Meet the Animals Fact Sheets

– Houston Zoo , Animal Webcams

– Atlanta Zoo – The Pandas

– San Diego Zoo

– Smithsonian National Zoo

– Georgia Aquarium

– Cincinnati Zoo , Home Safari Resources

If your child doesn’t like animal captivity or you don’t want to support it, here are a few ideas for watching animals live in the wild.

These change often so be sure to check out the Youtube channels below!

– Live Bear Watching Webcam, Transylvania

– Decorah Eagles Nest Cam, Iowa

– Cayman Reef Fish Cam

– Grace Gorillas Forest Cam, Africa

For more live webcams of animals in the wild, check out Explore Africa and Explore Live Nature Cams ; both of which are popular Youtube Channels.

VIRTUAL TOURS OF US HISTORY

– The White House

– Mount Rushmore

– Liberty Bell

– Mount Vernon

– Colonial Willamsburg

VIRTUAL MUSEUM TOURS FOR KIDS

– Smithsonian National Museum

– Vatican, Sistine Chapel

– Pretend City, Children’s Museum . This museum does what it says on the tin; it’s a pretend model city for children to visit.

– Anne Frank Museum

– Van Gogh Museum

– British Science Museum . A full 360 experience! Lots of things to see and do in this virtual trip!

– National Art Gallery

– Franklin Institute . A 360 experience with videos throughout.

– George Washington’s Mount Vernon

– Boston Children’s Museum

– Lourve Museum

– Musee D’Orsay

– Metropolitan Museum of Art

UNDER THE SEA VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS

As an ocean activist and education presenter, I LOVE anything to do with the ocean.

Given its importance in the world’s ecosystems, I figured it deserved a special place of its own.

Children of all ages will love diving with the turtles, exploring shipwrecks and even swimming with sharks! 

– Dive with Turtles . 360 experience.

– Watch Baby Turtles Hatch (Youtube)

– Swim With Dolphins . 360 experience.

– Explore Underwater Shipwreck in Bermuda (Youtube)

– Scuba Dive in a Coral Reef (Youtube)

– Great Hammerhead Shark Encounter (Youtube)

– Dive with Sharks (Youtube)

– Blue Whale Encounter (Youtube)

– Swim with Jellyfish

VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS FOR PRESCHOOL

All of these virtual field trips can be viewed by preschoolers and toddlers, but for younger or lower-level students, it’ll be more about understanding what they’re seeing, rather than exploring locations in detail.

For example, you’ll want to make sure they understand what a ‘museum’ is, what you can find in a museum and their favorite finds during the virtual field trip.

– Pretend City, Children’s Museum . You can use this virtual trip for teaching directions, signs (lots of stop signs), names of buildings in a town, colors and measurements.

– LEGO House Tour (Youtube Video) Older preschoolers can listen to the Lego tour guide, whilst younger children can learn about colors, sizes, numbers, basic vocabulary etc.

– Slime in Space! 15 minute field trip to the Space Station with a science experiment all about slime!

– Dinosaur Discovery (Youtube). All of Caitie’s videos are perfect for preschool home learning.

ON MISSION VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP LEARNING ACTIVITIES FROM HOME

Once you’re back from your fascinating tour, why not try…

1. Drawing a picture of your favorite landmark or sight.

2. Coloring in your favorite art piece from a museum. This website lets you download coloring pages from over 100 museums around the world!

3. Creating a fact journal about what you learned during the trip.

4. Creating a quick presentation about the things you learnt and found fascinating.

5. Scouting an encyclopaedia or book to dig even deeper into your chosen location.

6. Finding an online quiz and test your sleuthing skills. See how much you can remember!

7. Cooking a yummy dish from that local region!

8. Creating a craft that represents the area you visited.

9. Counting how many animals you saw at the museums!

10. Describing what animals you found at the museums!

Which virtual field trip are you thinking of taking? There are just so many to choose from!

I personally love the ancient lost civilizations and impossible off-limit tours.

There’s just something so fascinating about secretive and distant places.

Charlotte Kirsten

Charlotte is a renowned Trauma Psychotherapist, Astrologer, and Founder of Typically Topical . With a background in psychology, astrology, and esoteric practice, her soulful guides are read by over 300,000 people every month.

For her work, she's been named UK Womenspire Woman of the Year, awarded the title of Yale Young Global Scholar, and featured as an expert across major networks such as Today.com , Best Life, Oprah Winfrey Network, BBC, Soul & Spirit, Psychology Today, Pop Sugar, Well & Good and Cosmopolitan. You can find her on Twitter .

4 thoughts on “Virtual Field Trips For Kids: 100+ Amazing Free Trips!”

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Thanks for a fabulous post filled with great links! I added it to my Pinterest School Tools board. Love your site!

You have just made my day if not my whole year! Thank you so very much for compiling this list. You are making my life easier, my child’s life more exciting and that ust makesme smile! Wishing you many blessings, Lexi (South Africa)

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23 Virtual Zoo Field Trips, Tours, and Zoo Cams That Get You Up Close to the Animals

Bring the zoo to you.

We love field trips, but sometimes organizing an excursion just can’t happen. Fortunately, we live in a time when technology can bring the excitement to us. The pandemic encouraged many zoos and aquariums to put in the effort to bridge the gap for visitors at home. As such, we’re able to share this list of fantastic virtual zoo field trips, virtual zoo tours, and zoo cams you can enjoy from anywhere.

Best Virtual Zoo Field Trips, Virtual Zoo Tours, and Zoo Cams

San diego zoo.

The San Diego Zoo has a “Watch and Learn” section on its website. Here, students can check out the fantastic zoo cams including the burrowing-owl cam, giraffe cam, elephant cam, and many more.

Atlanta Zoo

While the Atlanta Zoo’s zoo cam is dedicated to pandas, they offer many videos and activities that feature bird watching, sloths, lemurs, monkeys, and more.

Reid Park Zoo

Located in Tucson, Arizona, this zoo features a variety of delightful zoo cams designed to give kids a virtual zoo tour of the elephants, giraffes, grizzly bears, lions, and more.

Tembe Elephant Park

Tembe Elephant Park is located in a remote area of South Africa. Renowned for having the largest elephants in the world, these zoo cams offer sights such as sand forests and wetlands, leopards, rhinos, and, of course, elephants.

GRACE Gorilla Forest Corridor

This extensive cam takes us inside the gorilla forest corridor in the Democratic Republic of Congo while connecting the habitat with the night quarters at the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center (GRACE).

Houston Zoo

Take a virtual zoo tour down to Texas and enjoy the live zoo cams set up by the Houston Zoo, allowing you to peer into the lives of giraffes, gorillas, elephants, and flamingos.

Explore the Arctic

Head to Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, to witness the annual polar bear migration. Discovery Education has teamed up with Polar Bears International to host a series that explores some of the biggest questions about the Arctic.

Bring your virtual classroom to life with animals from the Oregon Zoo. The Wildlife Live videos are aligned to different subject content areas, which are listed on the page. New videos are also posted regularly on the zoo’s social media channels. A few times every week, they go behind the scenes for a live interview with animal-care staff. Each live video is accompanied by a kid-approved activity related to the featured animal .

PBS Zoo Field Trip

Let’s all go to the zoo with PBS LearningMedia! At Zoo Miami, Penny and the KidVision VPK kids wash rhinos, feed giraffes, study a zebra’s stripes, and ride a camel. Lions and tigers and apes, oh my! ADVERTISEMENT

International Wolf Center

The cool wolf-pack cam live-broadcasts the adventures of four ambassador wolves: Denali, Boltz, Axel, and Grayson. The exhibit stretches across 1.25 acres and includes two dens, a filtered pond, and a forested area.

San Antonio Zoo

While San Antonio Zoo virtual field trips aren’t free, they’re very engaging. Enjoy virtual encounters with okapis, hippos, rhinos, and more.

From a virtual zoo tour and chats with staff to showing what the animals are up to and posting activity ideas from their education and conservation teams, the Dallas Zoo’s Bring the Zoo to You web series is perfect for a virtual field trip.

Australia Zoo

Australia Zoo was the home of the late Steve Irwin, best known as the Crocodile Hunter. His wife, Terri, and children, Bindi and Bob, have continued his legacy. This fantastic YouTube channel offers captivating videos of some of the world’s most fascinating animals.

Smithsonian’s National Zoo

This virtual zoo field trip takes us to the nation’s capital. Check out animal zoo cams that share a glimpse into the daily lives of black-footed ferrets, naked mole rats, giant pandas, and more.

Chester Zoo

This British zoo has been going live on Facebook and YouTube to offer a fun and engaging virtual zoo tour packed full of fantastic facts and adorable animal antics.

Monterey Bay Aquarium

The Monterey Bay Aquarium has created virtual zoo tour resources to support children’s learning for grades pre-K through 12. The site offers online courses, family-friendly science activities, crafts and printables, and fantastic video lessons (in English and en español) to help young learners who are excited about ocean animals.

Georgia Aquarium at Home

These wonderful guided virtual tours through Georgia Aquarium’s galleries allow you to explore the chilly unknown in Cold Water Quest , be immersed in a world of colors as a tropical diver , and more.

New England Aquarium Virtual Tour

Enjoy a virtual zoo tour of the New England Aquarium and check out the projects and activities available to both educators and families. New zoo cam videos premiere on Facebook , YouTube , and Instagram .

Folly Farm Sloth Cam

Witness the serene existence of Tuppee and Lightcap, two charming two-toed sloths residing in Sloth Forest, a habitat created as a comfortable “sloth retirement home.”

Aquarium of the Pacific Webcams

Peek into the lives of playful penguins, sleek sharks in the Shark Lagoon, the graceful sea nettles, the bustling Tropical Reef, the serene Honda Blue Cavern, and the intriguing coral predators. These webcams, complemented by resource kits, offer a vibrant, educational experience for all ages.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Giraffe Cams

Tune into the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s giraffe cams for a live peek into the lives of giraffes in the African Rift Valley exhibit. These cameras capture the giraffes as they roam, mingle, and interact with visitors hand-feeding them lettuce. It’s a “Way Beyond Watching” experience that brings you up close with these majestic animals from anywhere in the world.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium Webcams

Dive virtually into the world of marine rescue at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Their live webcams offer glimpses into the new Ruth & J.O. Stone Dolphin Complex, home to rescued bottlenose dolphins in a sprawling 1.5 million gallons of Clearwater Bay’s filtered water. Additionally, explore more live cams like the Otter Cam, Pelican Cam, and Mavis’s Rescue Hideaway Cam for a closer look at other rescued marine animals.

Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo Webcams

Catch a glimpse into the daily lives of Beardsley Zoo’s beloved animals with their live webcams. Be sure to switch between the Indoor and Outdoor Red Panda Cams, the Spider Monkey Cams, and the River Otter Cam to see these creatures exploring their habitats.

Did we miss one of your favorite virtual zoo field trips, virtual zoo tours, or zoo cams? Share it with us in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook!

Also, check out the best field trip ideas for every age and interest (virtual options too).

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