Portland Kids Weekend Events: June 5-7

It’s hard to believe we’ve made it to the end of May. With social gatherings continuing to be limited, Portland families are turning to virtual events for some extra fun entertainment. We’ve rounded up some of the coolest virtual family events on the calendar along with some awesome ideas for ushering in a new month.

photo: sean malone via Unsplashed

ARTS DISTRICT Liberty Station First Friday

First Friday ARTS DISTRICT is going digital  for a third time on June 5. A lineup of talented arts and culture groups share their craft at this unique and authentic event for San Diego residents and beyond. Join in on a selection of live activities like New Americans Museum’s “Voices of Hope: Holocaust Survivors Share Their Stories featuring Dr. Edith Eger” on Zoom, San Diego Dance Theater’s performance on Zoom or Recreational Music Center’s virtual music showcase. Check out live kids and family fun including Songbirds Music’s Pop-up Bilingual Singalong or Reading Legacies’ Live Story Time! on Instagram. Explore a variety of art galleries and exhibits too like the Women’s Museum of California’s Women’s Museum at Home, a collection celebrating the accomplishments of women in history and today. Take in all the excitement with a delicious meal to-go or delivered from hotspots such as Solare Ristorante and Officine Buona Forchetta. Fri. Event Details.

Go Under the Sea

We know you can’t visit the OdySea Aquarium right now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t experience the wonders of aquatic life, During our temporary shutdown, the aquarium be sharing all kinds of educational content for kids (and adults!) who are at home learning. Find out what the animals are up to with live cams and explore! Fri., Sat. & Sun. Event Details.

The Escape Game

Play The Escape Game’s newest game, Ruins: Forbidden Treasure, from anywhere in the world using Zoom. Control an avatar wearing a live feed camera, search 360° images of the room, and use items in your online dashboard to progress through the game! Plus, one of our Game Guides will be there to help along the way.  Assemble a team of friends, family or co-workers no matter where they are! You have 60 minutes, can you escape? Fri., Sat. & Sun. Event Details.

Storytelling Live

Watch Facebook Live Storytelling!  Each Saturday at 11 a.m. tune in for a Free Fairytale or Folktale, lovingly retold by Elaine Lindy of the award-winning website StoriesToGrowBy.Org.  Bonus– each story delivers a positive message for kids! Sat. Event Details.

Mr. Dave Music Goes Virtual

Mr. Dave is going virtual. Join him for a 30-minute virtual experience streamed from Mr. Dave’s home studio. You’ll use shakers, scarves and introduce your kids to various sounds, so be sure to grab any instruments (or household items) you have at home to play along. Sat. Event Details.

Virtual Teen Artist Workshop

This virtual workshop is designed to help teens build a portfolio of work for school or personal use. The workshops will allow students to expand their artistic skill sets as well as to investigate their individuality and unique identities. Students will be introduced to local and international artists while exploring different basic materials and techniques used in traditional and contemporary art making. They will create a new work of art each week. Sat. Event Details.

Virtual Acting Lessons With the OCT

While their curtains are closed, OCT has kept its social media buzzing. Both their Facebook and Instagram feeds are packed with great ideas for theater-loving families. You can find OCT’s own short videos of fun acting games, links to free recordings of live performances for kids, and theater-related educational opportunities, like turning American history into a play from the creators of Broadway hit Hamilton. Sun. Event Details.

Go Berry Pickin’

Kick the cabin fever to the curb for a bit with a trip to a local U-Pick farm for some berry picking. Here are our top picks. But don’t forget to find out what COVID-19 Safety requirements each spot has before you head out the door.

Start an Urban Farm

Starting an urban farm in Portland is tons of fun. Check out our Portland Urban Farming 101 guide to start the best weekend project ever.

–Annette Benedetti