For families helping children with remote learning or home schooling, Ludington's favorite attractions offer fun ways to learn – from lesson plans about Michigan lighthouses, to virtual history hunts, to do-at-home craft projects. And when the family needs a break, tune in for virtual entertainment like remote music concerts.
Educational Resources / Lesson Plans / Home Projects
Sable Point Lighthouse Keepers Association lighthouse education – SPLKA’s education committee of two former university professors, one former school superintendent and six teachers has assembled a variety of educational resources that meet new 2020 Michigan Educational Standards, including Big Sable Lighthouse Educational Packet (30 pages of fun activities for grade school children to learn about Big Sable), The Properties of the Light (Lesson Plans on the Fresnel Lens), Lighthouse presentation plus related handout, video of author Pamela Cameron reading her book "Sport Ship Dog of the Great Lakes," virtual tour of Big Sable Point Light, and Big Sable Point Lighthouse Virtual Escape Room.
Mason County Historical Society virtual experiences – The Mason County Historical Society, who manages Historic White Pine Village and the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum, has launched a virtual education page providing a bevy of online resources and interactive experiences, including “Historical Photo Detective” (answer questions while viewing historic photos), “Mason Memories Essay” (discover the past as you read Mason Memories and write an essay on what you learned), “Virtual History Hunts” (learn about the exhibits at each museum and how early settlers lived and worked), “Outdoor Scavenger Hunts” (look for trees, flowers, and insects in your backyard or at a park), and “Journaling Ideas” (keep a diary and record what it is like to live through times like these). masoncountyhistoricalsociety.com/online-programming
Sandcastles Children’s Museum at home – Do-at-home craft projects and Freaky Friday science activities are included in Sandcastles’ online events to keep kids busy at home. Check the Sandcastles Facebook page for free weekly events. The museum also has a YouTube channel; subscribe and get instant access to tutorials and musical performances. sandcastleschildrensmuseum.com/have-fun-at-home
Mason County District Library – The district library offers a variety of virtual stories through its Facebook page such as Babytime Mondays at 10 a.m. with songs and rhyme reading, and Storytime Tuesdays through Thursdays at 10 a.m. with music, rhythm, dance, and a story (focusing on STEM Storytimes the first week of each month). It also features Fun Family Craft Fridays where the library packs a craft bag you can pick up on Fridays that requires parent-child interaction with guaranteed fun times for your family. masoncounty.lib.mi.us/
Ludington Area Center for the Arts virtual activities – The Ludington Area Center for the Arts offers a variety of virtual activities, including virtual Ukulele workshops with Lil Rev Nov. 17. Workshops are $25 apiece for LACA members and $30 for non-members, with online registration here. Also, visit LACA’s website and Facebook page for the WSCC Performing Arts “Living Room Series.” LACA also is planning its annual holiday concert "We'll Be Home for the Holidays" as a virtual performance to stream on its website and Facebook Dec. 11. ludingtonartscenter.org
Concerts/Entertainment
West Shore Community College “Living Room Series” – Since West Shore Community College’s founding, renowned acts have performed, and technology ensures the tradition will continue. The West Shore Performing Arts Series kicks off Oct. 18 with a new format and name. From the comfort of their favorite easy chairs, the Performing Arts Living Room Series audience can attend a livestream performance of the Boston Brass at the Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts via www.westshore.edu/performingarts, along with other artists throughout the season. Because the seating capacity of West Shore’s Center Stage Theater would be reduced from 250 to only 47 to comply with social distancing protocols, the Living Room Series offers performances to an unlimited audience, all at a safe social distance. The season’s lineup includes Michigan jazz artist of the year Fred Knapp, nationally renowned mandolinist and country/bluegrass artist Sierra Hull, guitarist sensation Frank Vignola, Ludington’s own Chloe Kimes and more. Visit westshore.edu/community/performing-arts/ for artist and ticketing information.
The Ludington Area Center for the Arts hosts its 6th annual Home for the Holidays concert Dec. 11 at 6 p.m. – this time as a virtual performance streaming on its website and Facebook page via YouTube and airing locally on 97.7 and 98.7 FM. The program will feature performances by Edgar Struble, Taylor Makowicki, Pentwater High School Jazz Band, Carlos Adan Ortega, Brian Oberlin, Fremont John, Ed Santarelli, and more, plus a special reading for the family from the Mason County District Library.
Remote/Self-Guided Tours
Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) Inside|Out program, self-guided at various locations in downtown, through November 2021. See Van Gogh and Whistler painting reproductions up close and in nature in Ludington, one of six northern Michigan communities participating in the DIA’s Inside | Out program that brings reproductions from its permanent art collection of 65,000 works to outdoor venues throughout Michigan. In its 11th year, this program comes to Ludington for the first time, in partnership with the Ludington Area Center for the Arts (LACA). Visitors can share their favorite artwork on social media with #LACAInsideOut. The eight pieces and their respective venues are listed on a walking map on the LACA’s website. Locations including Rotary and Waterfront Parks, Ludington Municipal and Harbor View Marinas, Ludington Area Center for the Arts, Mason County District Library, and the S.S. Badger – the first traveling piece from the program, and the first to travel outside of Michigan.
Mason County Cultural Tours – Six self-guided cultural trails – Agriculture, Barn Quilt, Lumber Heritage, Music Heritage, Maritime Heritage and Sculpture – offer audio narration via smart phone about Mason County’s rich history. Families can navigate these tours from the privacy of their vehicles, or listen to the narratives from home while learning about Mason County’s heritage. Some tours, such as the Maritime Heritage and Sculpture Trails, are walkable. masoncountyculture.com/trails
Ludington-Themed Video Backgrounds
Spice up your next video call or remote classroom with a view of a Lake Michigan sunset, historic lighthouse or woods of Ludington State Park. The Ludington Area Convention & Visitors Bureau created six Ludington-themed video conference backgrounds free to download and use with video conferencing programs like Zoom. The backgrounds showcase some of the area's most iconic attractions - from the S.S. Badger and historic lighthouses, to Ludington State Park, to the Lake Michigan shoreline and its beaches. Download yours here: pureludington.com/virtualbackgrounds
