Singalong Saturdays: Play Along!

This is a virtual version of a Philbrook program. A ticket for admission at the Museum costs $12/adult and always free for kids. While we’re all practicing social distancing, please consider donating to Philbrook as we continue our mission to create a more creative and connected community.

Download Activity Guide

Song: I’ll Think of You in My Heart

Step One: Watch the song, and sing along! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4RlcivzxwM)

Try this Next!

Join Miss Jenny and read In My Heart: A Book of Feelings (https://youtu.be/fofKPtdJwac)

It’s okay to be sad sometimes and miss your friends or family members. Check out this StoryBots episode all about understanding the way we feel- our emotions!

 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akTRWJZMks0)

Films are Great Tools to Talk About Tough Subjects

Watch this beautiful short film featuring two friends sending messages to each other from far away. (https://vimeo.com/12155835?loop=1&title=0&byline=0&portrait=0)

Hair Love, this year’s Oscar award-winning short film shows how we can use technology to stay connected with the ones we love, and that eventually we will be reunited again. Some things might be different, but the love is still the same. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNw8V_Fkw28)

(Disclaimer: This video features a mom with cancer- please pre-screen to determine if this pick makes sense for your family.)

Inside Out is a classic film that takes a deep dive into understanding our feelings. 11-year-old Riley moves across the country with her family, but misses her old friends and her old way of life. *Streaming on Disney+

Talk About It:

These questions can guide a conversation, an artmaking activity, or serve as a call to action in your neighborhood!

1. After watching the Virtual Storytime, In My Heart: A book of feelings, what feelings are you feeling in your heart today?
   • If you were to draw your feelings today, what would they look like? Together, you can cut out hearts, and draw what each of your feelings that day look like.
2. Share with your child someone that you miss, and why. Is there someone you miss a lot right now? What do you miss most about them?
   • If we were going to make something for that person to remind you both of all the fun things you will do when you see each other again, what would it be?
   • Make two! One to keep, and one to send!

Learn More: Mexican Folk Art & Milagros

For many people, collecting Mexican Folk Art becomes a lifelong passion. Local artist, Dana Gilpin collected small tin hearts, called Milagros, or “miracles” in Spanish, and nailed them to her front door to bring her love.

Collectors live all over the world. I bet you are a collector too. What do you collect? Meet a collector of Mexican folk art from the Field Museum here. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOz7bQfe5QY)

What are Milagros? Learn more about the small tin charms and their meanings here. (https://www.piececollectors.com/journal/2019/1/11/mexican-milagro-miracle-charms)

Creative Challenges: How can you show your love from afar?

1 . Pen Pals

When is the last time you got a piece of mail, just for you? Maybe your birthday? Did it make you feel really special? Now mail is usually full of “junk mail” and bills.

A long time ago, maybe before you were born, mail was one of the only ways to let your friends and family know you were thinking of them. For this creative challenge, let’s bring some joy back to our mailboxes.

If you could tell your friend or family member anything right now, what would it be? It could be a story, or sharing an adventure you went on, or something you’re looking forward to doing together.

You’ll need:

• Paper
• Drawing tools
• A stamp
• An envelope
• A friend or family member’s address

Find a piece of white paper and fold it in half to make a card shape.

I had a blank card already at the house so I traced around it to make sure my card would fit in my envelope. Use whatever envelope you have to help guide the shape of your card by tracing around it, then cutting your paper smaller than the envelope.

Decorate your card with whatever art materials you have that will lay flat on the card. I used a glue stick to glue tissue paper confetti on the front of mine with metallic markers.

Open up your card to tell your friend or family member what you’ve been doing, a story, or something you’re looking forward to doing together. Make sure to remind them to write you back!

2. Art from Memories

Sometimes when we’re feeling lonely or missing someone we love, it is nice to remember something fun you did together, and will do again as soon as you can.

You can post it in your room to look at when you’re feeling blue, and close your eyes and remember everything you can about that memory. What was the weather like? What did you do? What did it smell like? How did you feel?

You’ll need:

• Paper
• Your pick of art supplies
• Maybe glue or tape for collage
• Maybe scissors

I made this painting with a cool trick. By drawing with oil pastels first, then adding watercolor, you can create a resist effect like I did with the wispy clouds, and the oil pastel helps you control where your paint goes! After it’s dry, you can go in and add more pastel or other drawing tools like markers

3. Short Film Exchange and Virtual Watch Party

Calling all budding filmmakers and storytellers! For this creative challenge you’ll create short films and send them to your friends and family to stay connected and stay creative.

Here’s how it works:

1. Pick your exchange group- could be family members, friends, or your classroom.
2. Pick your topicIdeas include: Nature documentaries: Film plants, backyard creatures, or just your favorite pet
   • Music videos: Pick your favorite song, and lip synch along while you do something cool, or tell a visual story
   • A day in the life: Can you film a day’s worth of short snippets and weave them together?
   • Primetime interviews: Become a journalist and interview your family, or have them tell a story!
3. Record your film with your phone or tablet.
4. Create a shared YouTube account for everyone to upload their finished films into, then join a Zoom, FaceTime, Skype, Google Hangout, or whichever you prefer to have a shared watch party! (Remember, YouTube allows you to manage your privacy- so uploads can be private to just your group)

Want to experiment with stop-motion like this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNJdJIwCF_Y) for your short film?

Check out this awesome how-to video created by New York International Children’s Film Festival with Goldfish crackers. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5ULo4te0qg)

Want to see what other kids have made? Check out these awesome kid filmmakers: https://www.kidsfilmitfestival.com/festival-old

Download Activity Guide