Category: Creative Arts

Are you looking for art classes for kids, knitting classes, jewelry making or woodworking? Well look no further! ActivityHero has a wealth of creative arts classes to satisfy all of the Picasso’s and Van Gogh’s in your life.

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Academic Writing Academics Camps Creative Arts Creative Writing Language Parenting Resources Play/Outdoor Vacations

4 Ways to Prevent the Summer Slide

Here are some simple tips to help your kids from experiencing brain drain during summer break.

Summer vacation is traditionally known as a time for kids to pause academic studies and just have fun. So while taking a break is important, preventing the Summer Slide is also a priority worth considering. In 1996, the first studies of the Summer Slide showed us that kids lose large amounts of knowledge in reading and math over summer break, which can contribute to an escalation of future skills lost.

Younger kids are more at-risk of experiencing learning loss. “In general, kids learn a lot more in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade than kids in middle school or high school, because learning follows a curve where it’s accelerated early in life and then plateaus,” says James Kim, Ed.D., an assistant professor of education at Harvard University.1

Summer Learning Loss Facts2

  • 1 month (equivalent) of overall learning is lost after summer vacation
  • 3 months of math skills + 2 months of reading are lost over the summer
  • 6 weeks is spent re-learning old material in the fall to make up for summer learning loss

Yes, these numbers sound scary, but don’t worry! Being informed is the first step and knowing that we’ve got you covered with solutions is the other key part of this process. This summer, keep your kids engaged with these teacher-approved brain-building activities.

Read

60% of kids ages 6 to 17 say they love or like reading books for fun a lot.1 Kids gain more from reading when they actually enjoy it. Let them choose. 

Play

“Learning through play is about continuity; bringing together children’s spheres of life – home, school, and the wider world, and doing so over time.” Susan MacKay, Director of Teaching and Learning at Portland Children’s Museum.3 Kids’ math and vocabulary skills extend beyond worksheets and can be found in hobbies related to board games, S.T.E.A.M., sharing stories, and more.

Imagine

Paul Harris, a professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education who studies imagination. “The imagination is absolutely vital for contemplating reality, not just those things we take to be mere fantasy.”4 Through imagination, kids expand their cognitive abilities to think, know, remember and experiment with new concepts. Even though it may not seem like it, they are learning! Familiar skills are being used to develop new ones.

Explore

Through exploration, curiosity is encouraged. With that, more experiences and interests for your kids emerge. Studies show that exploration also supports social-emotional development by allowing kids to build confidence for both independent and collaborative interactions with others. Try something new today. 

Create an account and profile for your kid to find even more personalized camps and classes at ActivityHero.

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Crafts Crafts Creative Arts Drawing and Painting Featured Posts Seasonal Activities

Online Classes for Mother’s Day

Celebrate Mother’s Day with online classes and workshops!

Spend time together with Mommy and Me classes or have fun creating a beautiful gift for mom!

Find more online classes on ActivityHero >>

Paddleboarding camps for kids summer 2021

CD’s Art Studio Drawing Class for Mother’s Day

Join us for a fun 1 hour drawing class, perfect for a Mother’s Day gift! CD will take students step by step to achieve a simple drawing. You will learn different pencil strokes to create an awesome drawing. 
All you will need is paper (any type), pencils and an eraser!

Cards That Last A Lifetime – Make a Mother’s Day Card

In this all inclusive package participants will receive a ticket for a 1 hour event hosted by a YA instructor including step by step guidance on how to navigate the Cupixel app to create meaningful works of art. This package also includes a Cupixel Art Box that will contain the following: Device stand, 5 card covers, pencil, eraser, sharpener, 6 squares, 6 envelopes, and a 12 pack of high quality dual tip markers.

What better way to celebrate Mother’s Day than with a heartfelt activity perfect for you and mommy!

horseback riding camps for kids 2021

Electivity Kids Art Class

Mother’s Day is fast approaching! Looking for a special gift for mom? Join Electivity’s virtual art class to create a special piece just for her, or join the class with mom for a special experience! Pay what you want, and proceeds benefit No Kid Hungry.

Paddleboarding camps for kids summer 2021

Speakitaly NYC Mother’s Day Crafts

La mamma e’ sempre la mamma .. let’s make something lovely for her and learn a beautiful “filastrocca”.

This Mother’s Day Workshop will be lots of fun for boys and girls alike to create cards and little presents for their mom, grandmas, or any other moms they have in their life. Students can use pictures of them and their moms together to make picture frames, construction paper, markers to write messages dedicated to their moms, or even other recyclable materials such as dried flowers to attach to their cards.

outdoor youth adventure camps

Mommy and Me STEAM Activity

Special class for Mother’s Day – let’s spend some quality time together in this fun science and art activity for Mother’s Day with The Art in Science. Kids learn various science topics with hands-on activities that turn into beautiful and creative artwork.

outdoor youth camp for skateboarding

Mommy and Me: Bird Family

Join us for an art lesson to create a special gift for mom!

Gift the beauty of art with a special Mommy & Me masterpiece. The lesson will begin with basic shape recognition as we break the shapes down in the sketching phase. The class will then move on to coloring and learn basic shading techniques.

outdoor youth camp for skateboarding

Mommy & Me: Fox Family

Join Young Art to create a special gift for mom!

Gift the beauty of art with a special Mommy & Me masterpiece. The lesson will begin with basic shape recognition as we break the shapes down in the sketching phase. The class will then move on to coloring and learn basic shading techniques.

Artist Center Online Art

Join Artist Center for an art class to create a beautiful work of art for mom!

Free Draw is offered during each class where the students can choose whatever subjects they want. Learn from a professional artist whose clients include Disney & Warner Brothers.

Mixed Media Fun!

Work alongside friends and have fun with arts and crafts that you’ll want to keep forever.

Sessions are catered to children aged 5-10ish and we hold to the fact that your child will grow confident in their creative expression and in their day-to-day life all while giving back to the community! All proceeds are donated to drawchange, a nonprofit organization that provides art therapy-based programs to impoverished children around the world.

Find more online classes on ActivityHero >>

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Academics After-School Activities Creative Arts Dance Language Music Online Learning Science/Technology Uncategorized

Boredom Busters: Interesting New Classes To Try Next Week

Extra curricular activities open kids’ minds to new interests. They help build skills outside of the classroom. They provide a productive break from study. And they open new social opportunities to grow a community. Here are editor’s picks for interesting new classes to try:

Foreign Language

The many cognitive benefits of learning languages are undeniable. People who speak more than one language have improved memory, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, enhanced concentration, ability to multitask, and better listening skills.*

Theater Games in Spanish – Beginners

by Rogue Artists Ensemble

Learn Spanish through theatre games and music! We naturally learn language through trial and error and through play. In Theatre Games in Spanish, students learn to communicate in Spanish by playing games and having fun. We strive to joyfully instill a love of language through embodied learning and play.

Grades K – 5

$17/day starting Feb 22

register
German for Beginners: Singing & Speaking

by Musical Learning

In this fun and musical class, learners explore German greetings, keywords, introduction vocabulary and pronunciation – through music! Learning a language is fun and easy with Ms. Kelsey – let’s sing, dance and color! 

Ms. Kelsey is a professional opera singer and language teacher, and she started Musical Learning in 2016. She has taught German, French, English and ‘Musical Science’ for the past 10 years both online and in person. 

Ages 3 – 7

$100/ 8 session series that meets twice a week starting Feb 22

Register

STEM

Skills attained through STEM education include problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, curiosity, decision making, leadership, entrepreneurship, acceptance of failure and more.*

Explorations in Quantum Physics

by Electivity Kids

In the first 4 weeks of the session, students learn about the electromagnetic nature of matter and energy, including: Magnetism, Magnetic Induction Electricity, Photons, Solar Energy. In the second half of the session, students are introduced to atoms, subatomic particles and the Periodic Table of Elements (Hydrogen to Xenon). They learn how atoms form molecules, and also learn about the structure of the Periodic Table.  Class content is taught through engaging visual aids, physical demonstrations and thought-provoking discussion.

Grades 5 – 12

$230/ full series, ongoing until March 22

register
Python Programming 1: Live Online Class

by Kodeclik Online Academy

Python is one of the most feature-packed coding languages ever and today underlies the foundation of many websites, applications, and games.

This fast moving course assumes no prior experience with Python programming but rapidly takes you to high levels of functionality illustrating how you can write your own programs in Python!

Ages 11 – 18

$399 / 16-session series beginning Feb 19

register
Ancient Greece to Quantum Realms

by Digivations Institute

With An Emphasis on the Homeric epics of The Iliad and the Odyssey, the Milesian School of Thought yielding Thales, Pre-Socratics highlighting Democritus and the Socratic Period illustrative of Socrates Philosophy in the Context of Innovation Ranging from The Theory of Everything to Einstein’s Unified Theory and Quantum Realms.

Digivations Institute has NASA award-winning curriculum and is an ActivityHero Best of 2020.

ages 12 & up

$49/day ongoing until May 25

register
Curiosity Club S.T.E.A.M. Lab – science & art fun

by Active Art & Science

Join us online for S.T.E.A.M powered fun where you will explore the curious worlds of science, technology, engineering, art and math. Conduct experiments, create art, build, take things apart and enjoy learning how art, science, engineering and technology are connected.

Ages 5 – 10

$96/ 6-session series beginning Feb 22

Register

Homeschooling

Homeschool offers academic flexibility. During these ever-changing COVID times, many families have turned to this option. Try these classes for academic homeschooling and enrichment education!

Martial Arts & Life Lessons

by Family Karate

Family Karate provides fun, fitness, karate, and life skills.  Now your child can enjoy our unique blend of martial arts and character building in our live online classes with a Master Instructor.

In each class we’ll ask you to set a self leadership goal for your children, and in the next class we’ll follow up progress on those goals.

Ages 5 – 11 but fun for the whole family! Try it as a stress reliever!

$10/day trial classes or $20/day regular price ongoing throughout spring

register
First Grade Curriculum! Homeschooling 101!

by Homeschool Academy

This is a great introductory trial for parents thinking about homeschooling their kids.

In this curriculum which follows the Common Core State Standards, we dive into EVERYTHING your child should learn in First Grade WOW! See below for a snapshot of some of the covered content. In previous classes on different platforms– parents would RAVE how their child would not be able to read at all prior to Mrs. Hendricks Academy and by the end of the curriculum- they were reading whole sentences, creative writing on their own and excelling. 

Ages 4 – 8

$7/class. Special discount available $145/month

register
Princess Story Time Ballet Dance Camp

by Lovely Leaps

Each week we will have a different princess joining the class. After the princess arrives the children will perform their dance while the princess sings, Then they will sit with their favorite toy while the princess reads a fun book! After story time the children will have a chance to each personally interact with the princess! It’s not everyday your child will get to have a virtual Disneyland experience! 

Ages 3 – 6

$17/day starting March 4

register
Tired of online classes? Try a fun Lego® course:
Amusement Park LEGO® Engineering

by SNAPOLOGY OF LOS GATOS

We bet your child loves going to amusement parks to experience the variety of fast, dropping, and spinning rides, but have they ever thought about the science that goes into building those rides and the people who are responsible for designing them? In Snapology’s Amusement Park Engineering class, students will become engineers building their own amusement park rides like roller coasters, Ferris wheel , Bumper Car and other awesome rides!! 

Snapology of Los Gatos serves Almaden, Camden, Los Gatos, Saratoga and Cupertino.

Ages 5 – 12

$150/ 4-session series starting Feb 24

register

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Cartooning Crafts Creative Arts Featured Posts Holiday Break Camps On-Demand

Valentine’s Day Classes and Camps for Kids

Celebrate Valentine’s Day at home with art, yoga, baking, and more! These are some of our favorite Valentine-themed online classes and camps for kids.

See All Valentine’s Day Online Camps and Classes >>

Valentine's DIY Activities for Kids

SATURDAY SCIENCE: Valentine’s Science

Join this online workshop and experiment with candy chemistry! Create a sugar density gradient and make a Skittles liquid rainbow, and of course, make Valentine’s oobleck. Registration includes a Valentine’s Science Kit with all the materials to follow along in this live, hands-on class.

Galileoscope telescope kit for the holiday break

Valentine Painting Art Lesson

Sketch and paint a Valentine’s Day masterpiece in this online class! Learn how to draw with step by step instructions from a live teacher. The class will begin with basic shape recognition during the sketching phase and will then move on to coloring and basic shading techniques.

Science Workshop for Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day Science Workshop

Join this FREE workshop for crafts, science projects, games, and guest speakers. At Hypothesis Haven Science Club’s 2nd Annual HeART of Science event,  kids will learn about the hardest-working muscle in the body (the heart) and how to keep it healthy and strong! They will also learn about new treatments and discoveries that doctors and scientists are working on to help people with heart disease.

Valentine's Day Cooking Classes for Kids

Valentine’s Day Cookie Class

Join this Valentine’s Day cookie-baking class and spread some love in the kitchen! The price includes a shipment of gourmet cookie mix, a new silicon mat, sprinkles, and some surprises. You will learn how to make hand-cut sugar cookies, roll out the dough, bake, decorate with chocolate, royal icing, and sprinkles. 

Valentine's Crafts & Classes for Kids

Valentines Day Pop-Up Cards!

Make your very own Valentine’s Day pop-up card in this interactive online class!  Pick a special person to make your card for and design something unique and fun just for them. Learn about sign language and how to say “I love you” with your hand as you engage in fun arts and crafts.

Valentine's Clay Sculpting Art Lesson for Kids

Valentine Clay Sculpting Art Lesson

Learn how to sculpt with step-by-step guidance from a live art instructor! The class will begin with ball shapes during the preparation phase and will then move on to color and basic sculpting techniques. Kids of all skill levels can use clay or playdough to sculpt cute Valentine’s Day animals.

Valentine Family Craft Workshop

Pop up card – Family Workshop

This Valentine’s Workshop is a sweet activity for the whole family! The Materials Kit has supplies for 4 guests in the same household. You’ll learn how to make these amazing Pop Up Valentine Cards that you can personalize. A heartfelt gift for friends, grandparents, and teachers. The kids-only workshop is also an option here.

Valentine's Day Yoga for Kids - Practicing Self Love

Valentine’s Day Family Yoga

Focus on self-love with this gentle and relaxing yoga! Follow along in this accessible, live class to center your body and mind. The gentle flow will end with a guided meditation, focusing on love.

Valentine's Day Celebration with Curious Mind Academy

Valentine’s Day Celebration

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with Curious Mind Academy! Join this virtual party for 90 minutes of fun. Play themed games, enjoy some Valentine’s Day trivia, and top it all off by making a special treat, chocolate brownie mug cake. 

See All Online Camps and Classes for Valentine’s Day >>

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Cartooning Crafts Creative Arts Featured Posts Holiday Break Camps On-Demand

Kids Activities for Presidents Day

Searching for kids activities to do during Presidents Day break? Try these on-demand kids activities, which are great for any downtime during the break. Here are some of our favorite DIY activities and printables for school holidays.

See All On-Demand Activities >>

Art history lesson - kids activities for Presidents Day

Art History – Hiawatha

In this 60-minute video, learn about an important historical leader, Hiawatha. Follow along in drawing this colorful portrait while learning historical information, color pencil technique, and shading.

Specifically designed for K to 6th-grade students, every lesson is designed to give you an hour break and engage your child’s mind with fun, educational and creative activities. 

On-Demand Yoga for kids

Beginners Yoga Class

In this video, Ms. Priscilla presents this fun class for kids of all ages which is designed as an introduction to the practice of yoga.  Class is slower paced and focused on developing clear and safe alignment in foundational poses. Come to learn, play, and maybe even break a sweat in a supportive environment.  

Get your pottery badge for Girl Scouts

Pottery Kit

Explore the history of clay art and become a clay artist yourself!

The Ship & Make Kit includes air dry clay, a ceramic tile, tools, acrylic paints, and a pottery badge! This 30-minute YouTube instructional video will allow children/tweens to follow along and pause when they need more time. This video was recorded to meet the requirements for the Girl Scout Pottery Badge, but fun for all to participate! 

Learn at Home Challenger Virtual Soccer for Kids

Learn Soccer At Home

Players will be able to access 6 different videos through your account once registration is complete, covering age-appropriate sessions designed to work on ball mastery, skills, tricks and moves. This is balanced with a fun and educational approach which implements our Champions of Characters philosophy.

The wider world of soccer is important to us too, and we profile a different country every time- this bundle is focused on the USA.

Kids Activities for Presidents Day or any school breaks

Create Flappy Bird Using Scratch

In this video, Hannah from Codemoji.com will show you how to create a flappy bird-like game using Scratch. Code your own game, learn Scratch functions, and build a foundation in programming skills and critical thinking.

DIY Kids activities - make a Starfinder

Build a Star Finder

Follow this video and printout tutorial to build your own Starfinder, a version of an ancient model of the sky.

Build your own Starfinder, and it will show you how the sky looks at any hour of any night of the year! All you have to do is “program” the Starfinder with the date and time you want.

Chef Michelle Minori - Top Chef Season 16

Make Flat Bread Pizza with a Celebrity Chef

Grab your ingredients and join Chef Michelle Minori as she leads your family through the process of making flatbread pizza in this fun-filled cooking adventure! Together, you will learn how to make the flatbread dough, chop toppings, make a dressing and more. Chef Michelle will teach you new techniques and share a little bit about how to make this recipe your own. 

Anime Manga Workshop with Young Rembrandts

Anime Manga Workshop

Follow along with these videos of an Anime Manga workshop and your student will learn to draw our favorite Japanese style art. This five day workshop includes ten on-demand videos with over 10 hours of drawing and coloring direction taught by Young Rembrandts founder and CEO, Bette Fetter. Draw at your own pace! Students can pause and rewind each lesson as needed.

Rainbow Cake Baking on-demand DIY baking video for Kids

Rainbow Cake Baking

Follow this on-demand video to bake a delicious and eye-catching rainbow cake. Fun for the whole family, all on your own time! Join Active Art and Science for more hands-on activities you can do on your own.

See All On-Demand Kids Activities for Presidents Day >>

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Academic Writing Academics Camps Creative Arts Creative Writing Language Parenting Resources Play/Outdoor Vacations

10 Amazing Discounts for ActivityHero Families in LA

Did you know that you can access MemberDeals discounts to your favorite amusement parks, zoos, and other popular destinations as a free benefit of being part of the ActivityHero community?

Find great, money-saving deals at you and your kids’ favorite outdoor locations across Southern California for now and all year long.

  1. Six Flags Magic Mountain

This “Thrill Capital of the World” features over 100 rides and attractions that will satisfy the whole family! Within this 260-acre theme park, Six Flags contains 19 thrilling and exhilarating roller coasters that your kids will greatly enjoy. From smaller toddlers to thrill-seeking teenagers, Six Flags offers a number of rides to everyone’s liking. (See discounted price.)

  1. Disneyland

At the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, your kids can enjoy the characters and environments from their favorite childhood stories. They can meet their favorite princesses and villains, go on adventures with the stars of their most-watched movies, and explore fascinating attractions like “It’s a Small World” and “Pirates of the Caribbean”. Children of all ages will be entertained at the “Happiest Place on Earth!” (See discounted price.)

  1. Los Angeles Dodgers

With tickets to watch the splendid Los Angeles Dodgers, your kids can cheer for their favorite team in an exciting and electrifying atmosphere! Fans of all ages can enjoy the perks at this magnificent Dodger Stadium that features great outdoors seating and delicious food to enjoy during the game. This spirited venue brings people to their feet and gives them gripping games and exhilarating plays. (See discounted price.)

  1. Los Angeles Angels

At the Angel Stadium of Anaheim, fans can enjoy thrilling games, delicious concessions, and great merchandise from their favorite team! This exhilarating game is a great experience for fans of all ages as they get a chance to make wonderful memories with their family. The modern Angel Stadium has splendid outdoor seating where your kids can watch the game they love in an exciting environment. (See discounted price.)

  1. Aquarium of the Pacific

At the Aquarium of the Pacific, get a chance to view the wonders of the largest ocean in the world. With over 100 exhibits, you and your family can explore the fascinating underwater world with the animals and creatures you love! Featured exhibitions include the June Keyes Penguin Habitat, the Shark Lagoon, the Lorikeet Forest, and more. (See discounted price.)

  1. Six Flags Hurricane Harbor

This exciting water park is the perfect place for adventure-loving kids! Six Flags Hurricane Harbor features exciting and heart-pumping water slides for your thrill-seeking kids and calmer lazy rivers and family-friendly rides for you and your toddlers. Kids of all ages can enjoy the several rides here as well as the delicious food while making wonderful memories with their family. (See discounted price.)

  1. Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens

Discover over 1,400 animals at the immersive and lush habitats at the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens! Your kids can learn about the fascinating wonders of wildlife by visiting the wide variety of animals at this zoo. Los Angeles Zoo also features exhibits like Elephants of Asia, Rainforest of the Americas, and the Lair. (See discounted price.)

  1. Knott’s Berry Farm

This small family farm has now grown into a world famous theme park and is the perfect place to visit with your family! With several rides and attractions, everyone can find an activity for them at Knott’s Berry Farm. From water rides and thrilling roller coasters to family-friendly activities, Knott’s Berry Farm has something for every member of your family. (See discounted price.)

  1. Urban Adventure Quest: Los Angeles

This scavenger hunt that takes you through LA is perfect for puzzle and adventure-loving families! Starting at the Los Angeles Public Library, this adventure helps you discover and learn about the historic downtown Los Angeles. This walking tour of the city is a great way to experience the outdoor life of LA! (See discounted price.)

  1. Warner Bros Studio Tour

Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood gets you closer to the entertainment you love. The Studio Tour gives guests a revealing look behind the camera at how Hollywood magic is made. From Friends to Harry Potter and Wonder Woman, fans get to see the real sets and soundstages where the greatest names in entertainment made history as they touch, tour and explore the iconic 110-acre studio. (See discounted price.)

Explore more locations and deals outside of Southern California!

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Cartooning Crafts Creative Arts Featured Posts Holiday Break Camps On-Demand

Kids On-Demand Activities for Holiday Break

On-demand classes and activities for your child are great for any downtime during the holiday break. Whether traveling or staying at home, these activities will keep your kids busy and having fun. Here are some of our favorite on-demand activities for the holidays.

See All On-Demand Classes, including art, science, coding, music, and more >>

On-Demand Music for holiday break

Jingle Bells Piano Lesson

In this fun-filled lesson, your child will learn how to play Jingle Bells on the piano with KidzKeys, just in time for the holidays! The KidzKeys On-Demand Lessons give students in K through 3rd Grade an opportunity to explore and express their own creativity. Your child will love Ms. Emily’s fun and encouraging teaching style.

On-Demand Crafts for Holiday break

Polar Bear Crafts

Create a cute polar bear with cotton balls and complete a fun polar bear research project with Lakeshore Learning’s on-demand crafts for kids. Check out more of their winter themed crafts here.

On-demand printables for holiday break and kids sudoku sheets for free

Free Winter Coloring and Sudoku Sheets

Choose from a collection of free Winter and Holiday themed coloring sheets and Sudoku printables! These are great for long car rides or for the whole family to enjoy.

On-Demand Art Class for Holiday break

Holiday Wreath Art Lesson

Ms. Kristin from AB Fine Art Studio takes you step-by-step in a video that shows you how to draw and paint this beautiful holiday wreath!  You can purchase their December Art Box that has absolutely everything you need to create this holiday painting at home.

On-demand art classes for kids with young rembrandt.

How to Draw a Holiday Puppy

This 60 minute video by Young Rembrandts walks you through drawing an adorable holiday puppy. Specifically designed for K to 6th-grade students, every lesson is designed to give you an hour break and engage your child’s mind with fun, educational and creative activities.

Making the perfect pie shell on-demand for kids

Making the Perfect Pie Shell

In this free video you’ll learn how to make the perfect pie shell.  You’ll learn how to create pie dough and then how best to roll out out and form it into a pie pan.  Have fun in the kitchen while making a delicious dessert for the holidays!

Learn inkscape by making a winter holiday card for kids

Learn Inkscape By Making a Winter Holiday Card

In this on-demand class you will learn the basics of Inkscape while creating your very own winter theme card.  We’ll learn how to create a basic winter scene, including how to make some basic evergreen trees, snow flakes, and form a snow man. You can print and use the card you create as a holiday card, or a card to bring in some winter time cheer.

Galileoscope telescope kit for the holiday break

Galileoscope Telescope Kit for the Holidays

This on-demand activity includes a telescope kit and video instruction, where an expert astronomer and telescope builder will walk you through the process of assembling the telescope. Then, begin exploring the universe like Galileo did over 400 years ago and see the wonders of the winter sky!

See All On-Demand Activities for Holiday Break >>

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Featured Posts Homeschool Lego Math On-Demand School Breaks Science/Technology

On-Demand STEM: DIY Activities and Printables

On-demand STEM classes and activities for your child are a great option when you need an activity at any time of day. ActivityHero provides a wide variety of classes and activities in science, technology, coding, engineering, math, and more! Here are some of our favorite on-demand STEM activities.

See All On-Demand Classes, including art, science, coding, music, and more >>

On-Demand STEM - learn about robots

How Can Robots Help Us? by Create & Learn

From WALL-E, Baymax, to Transformers, robots have been some of our favorite movie characters. In this Open Class, Professor Atkeson from the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University will walk us through the basics of robotics and then explore soft robots, which have soft cushiony bodies.

how to design vaccines by playing games on-demand STEM

How to Design Vaccines by Playing Games

Do you know your kids can help scientists solve puzzles and design vaccines by playing games? Genetics, together with computer science, are two of the most promising fields for the future. Join this talk to learn the basics of genetics and explore the fun game designed by Stanford experts!

learn to make a solar oven

How to Make a Solar Oven

Have fun baking a dessert with your kids and learn some science at the same time with this DIY Solar Oven by Beau Coffron, in partnership with Home Depot. All you need is an old pizza box and a handful of tools and materials. In just a few easy steps, you’ll have created an innovative solar oven!

learn javascript on-demandd

Hour of Code – Learn JavaScript

Learn how to code with Javascript in Classroom Antics’ easy-to-use web interface and self-guided lessons. Progress through fun online coding activities at your own pace. Complete up to 9 lessons (one hour each). Lessons feature fun projects such as creating an facetracker, eclipse simulation, greeting card, snapchat filter, community map and more!

LEGO® on-demand activities

Playgineering with Legos! Castle Turrets

This On-Demand segment is part of our Playgineering and Fungineering series that uses the Engineer’s Process to create scenes with Technic and regular Legos and other materials through design, construction, robotics and play.

In this segment, in addition to highlighting key features that define turrets of castles, we provide step-by-step instructions for building turrets using 2×4 and 2×2 Lego bricks that are able to interlock-style attach to the walls of the castle that we build in different On-Demand segments in our series.

math practice worksheets

Math Practice Worksheets

This package by RISU provides printable worksheets to practice basic math concepts at your own pace. These worksheets are designed to improve math proficiency quickly and motivate kids to learn math!

Galileoscope telescope kit for the holiday break

Galileoscope Telescope Kit for the Holidays

This on-demand activity includes a telescope kit and video instruction, where an expert astronomer and telescope builder will walk you through the process of assembling the telescope. Then, begin exploring the universe like Galileo did over 400 years ago and see the wonders of the winter sky!

Galileoscope telescope kit for the holiday break

Virtual Science – All About Reptiles

Join Miss Rennu in this short video and immerse your child into the world of reptiles! Learn all about different reptiles from around the world with amazing visuals and wonderful explanations! 

Galileoscope telescope kit for the holiday break

GIGIL STEM Kits

These amazing STEM Kits include 3-5 STEM experiments and activities shipped right to your door. These include videos with pre-recorded STEM lessons to guide you through the activities. Each video lesson is taught by a California credentialed teacher that specializes in STEM Education.

Galileoscope telescope kit for the holiday break

STEM Project: Design & Build your own car

Build a wind-powered car while learning about the scientific concepts behind the process! These printables will guide you through the steps of building a car, testing it out, and experimenting with it!

See All On-Demand Activities >>

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Creative Arts Featured Posts Music On-Demand

On-Demand Activities with Music and Dance

On-demand classes and activities for your child are great for a busy schedule. Follow along with these activities featuring fun musical instruments, dancing, and games!

See All On-Demand Music Classes >>

piano lessons on-demand for kids

Piano Lessons with KidzKeys!

If you don’t know where to start learning piano, this free music reading tutorial is perfect for beginners! More available on-demand lessons by KidzKeys include step-by-step video instruction, listening examples, and printables. Your child will love Ms. Emily’s fun and encouraging teaching style.

dance for kids on-demand

Dance-A-Thon KIDS – 5 style sampler

This 30 minute class is  a sample of what the Two Left Feet Dance Studio offers virtually. Support their amazing dance instructors while getting a introduction to dance styles like pop, ballet, tap, creative dance, and hip-hop!

Kids Guitar club for kids

Get Strumming in Guitar Club!

This free Getting Started on Guitar video is perfect for beginners. Mr. Jonathan will show students the parts of the Guitar, how to read Guitar Music (called Tablature), and how to tune your Guitar at home (Printable Download Tuning Guide Included!). Guitar Club gives students the opportunity to grab a guitar and have fun learning how to play well-known songs.

Kids piano lessons on-demand

Music Exploration with Mx. Lydia

Explore the piano with in this dynamic on-demand video class by the Bay Area Music Project. Learn about music fundamentals through stories, games, and songs.

Beat makers Remix the mandalorian kids music

Beat Makers: Remix the Mandalorian Theme

Learn how to remix your favorite songs and work on your own digital music projects. Beat Makers will show you how to lay down some beats, remix well-known melodies, and jam to your own songs! This video lesson includes video instruction, a full access account on Soundtrap, printable worksheets, and listening examples.

Kids Music and spanish with Cucu's playhouses

Music and Movement in Spanish

Cucu’s Playhouse provides this great music and movement class in Spanish for babies, toddlers and preschoolers! In each class, children are introduced to basic concepts like animals, colors and numbers through the universal language of Music. Each session is fun, active and engaging. 

Singing with Miss Stephanie

These videos by Gymboree Play & Music are great for young children from 6 months to 5 years old. Miss Stephanie hosts a Sing and Learn Class with lots of great songs, activities, and play time for your little ones. These on-demand videos include fun and learning in all types of subjects each week!

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After-School Activities Cartooning Cooking Crafts Crafts Creative Arts Drawing and Painting Featured Posts Holiday Break Camps On-Demand

Best Free On-Demand Activities: Printables and DIY for Kids

On-demand classes and activities for your child are a great option when you need an activity at any time of day. ActivityHero provides a wide variety of on-demand content that can be used at any time, free of any cost! Here are our favorite free, on-demand options.

See All Free On-Demand Classes, including art, science, coding, music, and more >>

On-Demand Art - Learn to draw funny llamas!

Pixar in a Box: The Computer Science Behind Movies

What’s your favorite movie – Cars, Frozen, or maybe The Avengers? Did you know that computer technology is behind the making of all of your favorite movies? This video shows children exciting state-of-the-art technologies and how they are applied in the real world!

On-Demand Art Classes for Kids - Learn to Draw a Great White Shark with watercolor and colored pencils on ActivityHero

Nutrition: Let’s Make a Stir Fry

This class will focus on (1) a review of the basics of nutrition, and (2) how to use the five food groups to create a healthy, well rounded, delicious meal. Some of the student activities will include (1) preparing their own individual menu for a stir-fry (2) watching Dr. Mary cook a nutritious stir-fry, and (3) several choices of posters to create.

Draw your own home alone battle plan. Free on-demand from Stanford Library Map Collections

How to Make a Solar Oven

Have fun baking a dessert with your kids and learn some science at the same time with this DIY Solar Oven by Beau Coffron, in partnership with Home Depot. All you need is an old pizza box and a handful of tools and materials. In just a few easy steps, you’ll have created an innovative solar oven!

On-Demand Art Class with Young Rembrandts

Hour of Code – Learn JavaScript

Learn how to code with Javascript in Classroom Antics’ easy-to-use web interface and self-guided lessons. Progress through fun online coding activities at your own pace. Complete up to 9 lessons (one hour each). Lessons feature fun projects such as creating an facetracker, eclipse simulation, greeting card, snapchat filter, community map and more!

Learn inkscape by drawing a winter holiday card. On-demand art classes for kids.

Free French Class for Kids!

Join Madame Barbara from Springs French Music Lingua for a fun introductory class and learn the Itsy Bitsy Spider in French.  This is a 22-minute previously recorded live online class.  Download the coloring page for additional reinforcement of the French vocabulary.

Peter Max Art with Young Rembrandts

Music Reading Tutorial with KidzKeys!

Ms. Emily will show students how to read the musical staff and place colorful stickers on your piano or keyboard (Printable Download Included!).

Peter Max Art with Young Rembrandts

Making the Perfect Pie Shell

In this FREE video you’ll learn how to make the perfect pie shell.  You’ll learn how to create pie dough and then how best to roll out out and form it into a pie pan.  This lesson is for a pie shell for sweet pies.  The method can be used for quiche and tart shells by changing just a few ingredients.

Learn Inkscape By Making a Winter Holiday Card

In this on-demand class you will learn the basics of Inkscape while creating your very own winter theme card.  We’ll learn how to create a basic winter scene, including how to make some basic evergreen trees, snow flakes, and form a snow man. You can print and use the card you create as a holiday card, or a card to bring in some winter time cheer.

Draw your own home alone battle plan. Free on-demand from Stanford Library Map Collections

Free Winter Coloring and Sudoku Sheets

Choose from a collection of free Winter and Holiday themed coloring sheets and Sudoku printables! These are great for long car rides or for the whole family to enjoy.

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Cartooning Creative Arts Featured Posts On-Demand

On-Demand Art Classes to Fit Your Schedule

On-Demand art classes for your creative child are a great alternative when you need an activity to fit your busy schedule. Whether you need an hour break on a rainy day, quiet time during a long car ride, or entertainment during school breaks – find a wide variety of on-demand art classes on ActivityHero.

See All On-Demand Classes, including art, science, coding, music, and more >>

On-Demand Art - Learn to draw funny llamas!

Draw Funny Llamas with Young Rembrandts

This lesson teaches children ages 5-12 how to draw a funny LLAMA! Who doesn’t love a llama. These animals with their furry bodies and long necks, make great cartoon characters. One llama is happy and celebrating, while the other is annoyed about his attire. We learn to exaggerate their facial features to show us how they’re feeling.

On-Demand Art Classes for Kids - Learn to Draw a Great White Shark with watercolor and colored pencils on ActivityHero

Learn to Draw a Great White Shark

This video is narrated with step-by-step instructions. Students will learn how to draw with basic proportions and shapes, and how to add details and depth to their paintings with watercolor and colored pencils. 

Draw your own home alone battle plan. Free on-demand from Stanford Library Map Collections

Battle Plan – Holiday Map Design – FREE Printable by Stanford Libraries Map Collection

Celebrate the holidays by making a Home Alone inspired map of your house! In Home Alone, Kevin McCallister draws a map of his house and sets up obstacles to protect it from the bad guys, and now it’s your turn! Draw a map of your house and use obstacles pulled from the maps in our collections!

On-Demand Art Class with Young Rembrandts

Draw Cartoon Monsters by Young Rembrandts

A new hands-on method of learning art! Specifically designed for K to 6th-grade students, every lesson is designed to give you an hour break and engage your child’s mind with fun, educational and creative activities. 

Learn inkscape by drawing a winter holiday card. On-demand art classes for kids.

Learn Inkscape By Making a Winter Holiday Card by Curious Mind Academy.

Learn how to make a holiday card using the free vector illustration program, Inkscape. In this on-demand class you will learn the basics of Inkscape while creating your very own winter theme card.  We’ll learn how to create a basic winter scene, including how to make some basic evergreen trees, snow flakes, and form a snow man. You can print and use the card you create as a holiday card, or a card to bring in some winter time cheer.

Peter Max Art with Young Rembrandts

Art History – Draw Peter Max with Young Rembrandts

Peter Max is a famous illustrator and graphic artist. Your child will emulate his artwork as we draw this stylized spaceship. A combination of simple shapes, contour lines, and radiating celestial bodies produce an eye-catching graphic.

On-demand drawing classes are perfect for families that want a freeform schedule.

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Crafts Creative Arts Featured Posts Holiday Break Camps Keeping Kids Active, Healthy + Engaged School Breaks

Thanksgiving kids’ activities inspired by pumpkin spice

Pumpkin Pie Spiced Dough from Left Brain Craft Brain






Get ready for Thanksgiving Week with these hands-on kids’ activities inspired by Pumpkin Spice and Thanksgiving turkeys.

Enjoy the smell of Pumpkin Spice and try one of these Thanksgiving project ideas with your kids. For a longer activity, find a 1/2 day or full day Thanksgiving camp or workshop.

What makes pumpkin spice smell so good? Betty Crocker‘s homemade recipe is combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and cloves. Mix the spices together in a small bowl and let your senses take it all in.

Pumpkin slime

Kids love making and playing with slime and this recipe for pumpkin slime adds a Thanksgiving spin to it. Growing a Jeweled Rose has a simple recipe to make pumpkin slime that adds pumpkin spice to the glue and borax slime concoction.

Pumpkin slime from Growing a Jeweled Rose

Pumpkin pie spice play dough

Younger kids will enjoy this simple, homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Play Dough from Left Brain Craft Brain. With just a few ingredients from your kitchen, you can make this pumpkin spice scented play dough with your kids.

doh with leaves and pinecones
Pumpkin Pie Spiced Dough from Left Brain Craft Brain

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Pumpkin spice latte for kids (coffee-free)

With this simple recipe from Chelsea’s Messy Apron, pumpkin spice lattes aren’t just for grownups or coffee drinkers.

Kids Pumpkin Spice Latte from Chelseas Messy Apron

Turkey arts and crafts

A simple paper plate is the center of this Turkey art from Lakeshore Learning.

Turkey art from Lakeshore Learning

Thanksgiving camp

Full day or half day camps can keep your kids engaged and busy over Thanksgiving week. Many camps have special themes for Thanksgiving Camp.

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Crafts Creative Arts Featured Posts Holiday Break Camps

5 Fun Fall Activities

Photo by Gabby Orcutt on Unsplash






Get ready for falling leaves, cooler weather, and spooky surprises with these hands-on activities for kids.

Leaf piles and pumpkins and candy, oh my! Try one (or all) of these fall ideas with your kids. For a longer activity to keep kids engaged during school holidays, find online or in-person Fall Break camps and classes.

1. Glow-in-the-Dark Water

Nothing says “spooky” like things that glow in the dark. Take your Halloween party to the next level with this recipe from The Science Buddies on how to make glow in the dark water from two very basic items.

Glow in the dark water from Science Buddies
Glow in the dark water from Science Buddies

2. Design Your Halloween Costume

It’s not too early to start thinking about Fright Night! Skip the expensive, pre-made costumes this year and get creative. Try putting together your entire costume using household items and stuff you already own. Need some help or inspiration? Try a DIY Halloween costume design class or a face painting workshop!

Halloween Face Painting Workshop

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3. Play a Game!

With minimal setup and simple rules, this version of a Native American stick game by My Creative Life can be played by even the youngest members of your family.

Native American Stick Game from My Creative Life
Native American Stick Game from My Creative Life

4. Halloween Countdown Calendar

This countdown calendar project from Lakeshore Learning makes the wait a little easier and you can make it at home! Or download a Fall on-demand activity like pumpkin crafting to earn a Girl Scouts badge online, DIY Fall decorations, Halloween art, and more!

countdown calendar from Lakeshore Learning
Countdown calendar from Lakeshore Learning

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5. Take a break, go to camp!

Thanksgiving Art Camp at Achievers
Thanksgiving Art Camp @ Achievers

Full day and half day camps can keep your kids engaged and busy over school holidays. Many even have special themes for their Fall Break Camps.

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Crafts Creative Arts Featured Posts Online Learning Seasonal Activities

Best Kids Halloween Activities for 2020

Whether or not you are going trick or treating this year, there are a ton of spooktacular Halloween activities that can be done at home to get in the haunting spirit. Carve out some fun this October to bake creepy cupcakes, paint spooky creatures, learn candy science, and more! We’ve rounded up the best kids classes, crafts and on-demand activities for Halloween.

Find All Halloween Classes and Crafts on ActivityHero >>

Pumpkins, skeletons, vampires, oh my! Choose from a variety of Halloween-themed drawing and painting classes by Young Art. Choose from single day sessions or a series of spooky lessons.

Halloween Arts & Crafts: Let your imagination run wild as you are guided through some awesome Halloween themed arts & crafts by Genius Kids, with a complete craft kit with all the tools you need for each craft each week.

Learn How to Draw Halloween Characters: With a small 4:1 student/teacher ratio, Cindy Art Studio provides personalized instruction on fun cartoon drawings of Wolfman, Bride of Frankenstein, Witch, and Dracula!

Singing, Dancing & Games for Halloween: Join Jeanette Airen Performing Arts Studio for a super fun Halloween Dance Party class. Wear your Halloween costume and learn a short Halloween dance combo. Or, sign up for singing and theatre games!

Halloween Science Workshops: Sneak learning into hands-on spooky STEM experiments. Make pumpkins puke with Discover Science Center, mix glow-in-the-dark slime with Michaels, learn about candy science with Kidscapades, become a Mad Scientist with Young Art, and more!

Creepy Crawly Culinary Classes: No tricks, just treats! Make Halloween cupcakes, no-bake desserts, dip chocolate apples, churros and more. Let’s have some fun!

On-Demand Halloween Crafts and Activities: Get ready for a haunting night with classes on-demand any time to fit your schedule! Mix up glow-in-the-dark slime and make Halloween crafts – scarecrows, pumpkins, bats, and more!

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4 Ways to Get Your Child Started with Coding






Computer programming isn’t just for college students and hackers. Here are four engaging ways to get your kids started with coding.

By Ashley Wang

It’s pretty clear by now that technology is a force to be reckoned with. Tech companies are ever-growing and demand for programmers has never been higher. Computers dominate our lives right now, and they will dominate the lives of our children, as well.

So it’s not unexpected that many parents are interested in coding for kids. But getting them started can be rather tricky, especially if you don’t have too much experience with programming, yourself. Here, we highlight four ways to introduce your child to code.

1. Scratch

Used by millions of children around the world, Scratch is considered by educators to be the gold standard for teaching beginner coders the basics of programming. The reason? It uses blocks-based grammar that has users drag and drop commands rather than typing code. Because Scratch doesn’t require learning any complicated programming languages, even eight-year-old kids can use it.

Using the website, you can create everything from short animations to simple games. It’s intuitive, logical, and familiarizes kids with the computational thinking behind programming without overwhelming them with abstract ideas.

And if you want to get your child started even earlier, say at five-years-old, ScratchJr is the perfect learning tool. It doesn’t even require the ability to read; instead, children only need to connect together icon-based blocks to animate their characters.

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2. Lego Robotics

Looking for a more hands-on experience for your child? Lego robotics might just be the perfect fit. Lego Mindstorms, a hardware-software platform produced by Lego for children aged 10 and up, combines the fun of Lego-building with the intellectual challenge of programming robots to walk, talk, and even think.

Calvin Grewal, a Palo Alto High School senior who interned at a startup as a web developer over the summer, thinks it’s especially great for keeping kids motivated because of the immediate results it lets them see.

“It’s a good way to make coding not so dry,” Grewal says. “Building a physical robot is definitely a lot more interesting, especially for younger kids.”

Grewal does, however, warn against having children learn robotics and coding without the proper assistance that is provided at robotics camps and classes.

“If you’re in high school then you may be able to study code on your own and be properly self-motivated,” Grewal says. “But for kids, camps are definitely better to help facilitate learning and engagement.”

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3. Game Design

Camps that teach video game design are another great option for children. Because if your kids can’t seem to peel their eyes away from their screens — be it iPads, laptops, or TV — then why not have them learn how to make a video game, themselves?

Grewal is a major proponent of game design camps, citing them as the reason for his initial interest in coding. He started over the summer in elementary school, where he was taught basic Python to develop a simple computer game. Because he was doing something he was already interested in, Grewal viewed learning something as complicated as coding as more of a fun activity rather than a school-related task.

Game design is also becoming a rapidly-growing industry. Especially with eSports on the rise, specialized software developers are needed now more than ever to help create the next bestselling video game.

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4. School or Online Clubs

For kids that love interacting with their peers, joining a school or online coding club may offer additional benefits. While programming is often viewed as an individual activity done in solidarity, clubs encourage students with like-minded interests in coding to help each other out with tips and advice. Students often find it beneficial to have others help them troubleshoot their issues.

“It’s a good way to talk with other people who are interested,” Grewal says. “You learn from other people, who then learn from you.”

However you plan to approach coding for kids, it’s important to always keep an open mind. Because no matter how much they may like legos or game design, it’s still possible that coding just isn’t the right activity for them. But starting by gauging your child’s interest with some of these tips wouldn’t hurt, and perhaps they might just become the next tech founder.

>> Find more coding camps & classes on ActivityHero