Learning at Home

Explore the natural world with engaging activities that support learning at home.

Bring the museum home

Want to get your kids excited about science, nature, and history? Parents, educators, and caregivers: here are activities, games, printables, and more for you to do with kids at home or in the backyard. Spot camouflaged reptiles and learn how they evolved to hide. Use your sense of hearing to figure out which kinds of birds are nearby. Look for the suggested grade levels below each activity.

Think like a scientist at home

Get inspired by the science and play featured in Grainger Science Hub and the Crown Family PlayLab. Science Hub at Home—hands-on, at-home activities—is great for kids in grades 3–8. PlayLab at Home—activities that engage young kids in using their senses—is designed for kids in grades PK–2.

  • Wheel of Function | Science Hub at Home

    Learn how animals evolved to display the color blue. Then print your own game wheel to play with others!

    Activity|Grades 3-8

  • Specimen Spotlight: Peregrine Falcons | Science Hub at Home

    Meet Chicago's peregrine falcons and learn how our collections helps the population thrive.
    Activity|Grades 3-8

  • Bird Calls and Songs | PlayLab at Home

    Listen to different songs or calls made by local Illinois birds.
    Activity|Grades PK-2

  • What do you Hear? | PlayLab at Home

    Find a listening spot to hear the world around you and make a sound map.
    Activity|Grades PK-2
  • Grainger Science Hub
    Exhibition

    • Mission to the Mesozoic

    Team up with a scientist to explore Earth millions of years ago. Complete each quest in this online game by identifying different animals and plants and snapping their photos.

    Learning beyond the classroom

    Our resources can support curricula for remote learning and homeschool instruction. Designed for parents teaching kids at home, the lessons are multimodal for diverse learning styles. Supplementary media like videos, games, and 3d models bring lessons to life. We also provide printables and activities that support screen-free learning without a computer.

    Activities and lessons to do at home

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        Virtual exhibition

        Travel to China and explore 5,000 years of history and culture in the online exhibition for the Cyrus Tang Hall of China. Jump into a scroll painting of a medieval river festival. Search for horses in the landscapes of China’s diverse ecosystems. Or join Monkey King on a journey to get a magic fan.

        Nature guides

        Get outside and explore the natural wonders local to Chicago and greater Illinois. Kids in grades 6 or higher and adults can use our Field Guides to identify plants, animals, and more.

        High school students join in seed collecting at Beaubien Woods Forest Preserve.

        © Iza Redlinski