5 things to do (at home) with kids this week in Pittsburgh

Want to make the best of your time at home with the kids? These cool things to do will challenge, entertain and educate!

1. Move like the Avengers

Avengers, assemble! This online fitness video for kids combines action hero moves for a vigorous workout at home. It’s one of a number of activities offered through the Pittsburgh YMCA’s YWithFamilies virtual classes. Also included are kid-friendly recipes, post-pregnancy exercise and Daily Dose video challenges.

2. Be a LEGO Master

Pittsburgh-based Snapology challenges kids with a daily LEGO Build Contest. So far, kids have been tasked to build a pet store, an amusement park ride and a pirate ship. Shoot their completed builds and share the photo to Snapology’s Facebook post by 5 p.m. Winners are announced by 8 a.m. the next day. It’s great fun to be inspired by these creative geniuses!

3. Just hit print

Several local organizations have created printable coloring pages and puzzles for kids. Find a baseball-themed word search and word scramble via the Pittsburgh Pirates. The National Aviary in Pittsburgh’s collection includes a penguin coloring page and a baby birds word search. And Allegheny County Parks highlights favorite outdoor activities and sites in its coloring pages.

4. Read, watch, do!

The Carnegie Science Center posts three things for kids every morning:  “Something to read, something to watch, something to do” hits Facebook at 8 a.m. daily. Something to watch might entail a storytime with a book like “I am Neil Armstrong.” Visit with a turtle and salamander, the center’s Animal Ambassadors in something to watch, while something to do can involve turning an apple into a volcano.

5. Take a cartooning class

Pittsburgh cartoonist Joe Wos shares his talent in free cartooning classes that post live at 1 p.m.  Mondays through Fridays. Or catch them on YouTube recordings. Sessions last about 20-30 minutes and cover visual storytelling basics, from basic line work to creating characters. Kids can even email Joe questions about drawing their favorite animals or characters.