It’s Friday!!! That must mean it’s time for another virtual edition of This Weekend in the River Valley — and beyond! We have another collection of fun and interesting things you can do without leaving home. Take a look at these virtual events and activities. You’re sure to find something you and your family will love!

Chrysler Museum Coloring and Puzzling

Head on over to the Chrysler Museum’s Facebook page. They have some great coloring activities. You can print out the pages to color, or save and open them in your favorite computer program and color them that way! Or, check out their live demonstrations like this one on making a sun catcher. Into crossword puzzles? They have those too! Lots of fun and educational activities on their Facebook page. Go check it out!


Hold a Virtual Zoom Party

Do you miss seeing your friends and family? You can still get together virtually by having a Zoom party! Zoom has really taken off. Teachers are using it as a virtual classroom. Businesses are using it for meetings. Churches are using it for Bible Studies. You can use it too to visit with family and friends while maintaining physical distancing. Check out this article from Business Insider on how to host your own Zoom party.


Learn to play an instrument

Have you always wanted to learn to play an instrument, but just didn’t have the time or the money to do it? You can take lessons online for free! Learn to play the guitar, or the harmonica, the drums… you can even learn to play Chinese instruments, or take singing lessons! i-music school has several options to choose from.


Learn a Language for Free

This could be the best new way to learn a language! Learning with Duolingo is fun but warning, it can be addictive! I have been using it to learn Spanish, and some nights I have stayed up way past my bedtime! You can download the app to your phone, or go to their website on your computer, laptop or iPad. Earn points for correct answers, race against the clock, and level up - you can even compete against other users. Their bite-sized lessons are effective and fun. Learn Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portugese, Dutch, Japanese and more!

Virtual Tours

There are many virtual tours on line… and lets’s face it, some of them are a little disappointing. But, here are some we think you’ll really like!

Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, China - This stunning tour of the this amazing glass bridge in China is a 360 video. What does that mean? You can click and drag while watching the video to look up, down, and all around. The Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge was built 600 feet above the canyon, and is nearly 1,000 feet long.

Machu Pichu, Peru - Peru’s Machu Picchu is made up of over 150 buildings, including houses, baths and sanctuaries. This has always been on my bucket list of places I’d like to visit! You can enjoy a guided tour with your virtual tour guide providing you with the history of the site. You can also click and drag while looking at the pictures to change your view.

The Sydney Opera House - You may have seen the Sydney Opera House in Australia during the 200 Summer Olympics. The opera house is an architectural masterpiece! While we know it’s not quite the same as being there in person, this 360 tour is still pretty amazing! Be sure to click and drag to see up, down and all around!

Roam the streets of Old Québec City - Got a couple of minutes to take a stroll through Old Quebec City? Your stroll begins at sunrise. Discover the Château Frontenac, the Petit-Champlain District and Place Royale! And don’t forget to click and drag!

Cambodia’s Angkor Wat temple - Built in the early 12th century by the Khmer Empire as a Hindu temple, this enormous sandstone complex was converted into a Buddhist center of worship decades later. You may recognize one of these temples from the movie Tomb Raider. Take a guided 360 tour or Angkor Wat from the comfort of your home!


That’s it for this week! We hope you are enjoying our virtual edition of What’s Happening in the River Valley. If you know of a resource we should publish in an upcoming post, please let us know!