​It’s going to be a very different Mother’s Day for most families. There won’t be fancy dinners out, trips to see a local play or other special activities we normally associate with mom’s special day. Instead, we’ll be sheltering in place and social distancing.

Fun, right? Well, actually, it can be. We’ve come up with several fun ways for you to enjoy this year’s Mother’s Day without ever leaving the house. Check out our creative suggestions below and get ready for a very different, but still very special Mother’s Day 2020.

​(Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 10.)

​Thank you Isabella and Jackson Weppler of Ursa for providing this fun activity! Isabella is in fifth grade at Unity Middle School and Jackson is in fourth grade at Unity Elementary School.

The tin foil boat challenge asks kids to think outside the box and build a unique boat that will float and hold 100 pennies. This two-part experiment can be done with items you already have around your home. To set up, give kids a sheet of tin foil and present them with other materials that will help them build a stable boat. Some supplies that may be useful include wooden craft sticks, straws, pipe cleaners, tape and glue. Next, you’ll fill a large sink or a clear storage tote with water. If weather allows, this activity is best outdoors!

​The first weekend in May has traditionally been reserved to celebrate the emergence of spring here in Quincy. The city’s ornamental trees are in full bloom, flower beds are popping with color, birds sing, bees and butterflies dance above the green grass and flowers, and people are coming out of hibernation to enjoy the outdoors. For 50 years, Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce has brought our community together during the annual Dogwood Parade. Hundreds of local businesses and organizations sign up to participate while thousands of people line the sidewalks of Maine Street to enjoy the atmosphere, the abundance of architectural treasures and the company of their families and neighbors.
 
More recently, Lincoln in the District Festival would be happening on the square along with The District’s Farmers Market and many businesses and restaurants open to serve patrons. The Quincy Park District would also have the city’s numerous parks open for everyone to enjoy. Let’s not forget the local museums and historic sites that would typically be open for people to discover and explore local heritage.
 
Although 2020 has brought an unprecedented disruption to daily life to the entire world, these time honored traditions are something that must be commemorated. The show must go on! Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Great River Economic Development Foundation and The District are holding a new kind of Dogwood Parade this Saturday, May 2 in honor of our healthcare workers on the frontlines: Honk for Healthcare Workers Cruise! 

Did you know we have a historical site right in our back yard along the Mississippi River? Quinissippi Island, located across from Quincy Park District off of the Quincy bay, has over the years been the location for many attractions. This Island has been the home for an animal zoo, a steam locomotive, a Ferris Wheel, and even a cable car that would take you over the Quincy Bay. Today, Quinissippi Island is the home of a marina for boat enthusiasts, and a playground and picnic area for family get togethers. What you may not know is that Quinissippi Island is home to a local setting, a Lincoln-era village complete with log cabins and other historical buildings.   
 
The Lincoln-era village is located in the middle of Quinsippi Island near the playground. This cabin village consists of three log cabins with another one waiting to be reassembled, an herb garden, a stone smoke house, a log corn crib, and a log church.  Built in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, this village was designed to give the people of today a glimpse of what life was like in the time of Lincoln.

Is it a liquid or is it a solid? Oobleck! 
Thank you Paige and Gavin Schumacher for providing this fun activity! Paige is 17 and a junior at QHS. Gavin is 14 and a freshman at QHS.
It’s sometimes difficult for my brother to agree with me on a project, but we’ve always loved doing an activity that mixes art, science, books and a mess! You may have heard about oobleck in science, but we first read about it in Dr. Seuss’s book Bartholomew and the Oobleck. In the story, the king wants something new to happen. The result, a magician makes oobleck fall from the sky and it’s impossible to remove (except through the power of a sincere apology, of course.) While not magical, this homemade oobleck is even more amazing. This project is fun for families of all ages and clean-up is just hot water and a rag! So, get to making your own oobleck! ​

Ideas for you and your family to incorporate science, technology, engineering, arts and math in your home! Follow along as we give you step-by-step directions on how to make your own terrarium. You’ll find additional resources to make a lesson plan for students of all ages at the end of this article! Thank you Megan Duesterhaus-AuBuchon for providing this fun activity.

Terrarium facts & tips: Terrariums are a fantastic option for a low maintenance, primarily self-sustaining indoor planter. In a closed system, the water inside the container will continuously evaporate and water the plants each time. Additionally, dead growth from the plants provides a food source. Closed containers are best for plants that thrive in high humidity. If your terrarium is going to utilize succulents, it’s best to leave the container open. Activated charcoal keeps water fresh and keeps bacterial growth under control. In a closed container, it keeps the terrarium from becoming foul smelling. You can use any plants that grow well in a small space and can manage high humidity and temperature changes. It is even possible to source plants from your yard – including “weeds.” Choose plants small enough to fit in the container without touching the sides.

​Children love blowing bubbles. Even older children enjoy getting in on bubble fun! Follow along as we give you step-by-step directions on how to make your own homemade bubble mixture. You’ll find additional resources to make a lesson plan for students of all ages at the end of this post!

​Ideas for you and your family to incorporate science, technology, engineering, arts and math in your home!
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​Welcome to our STEAM lesson from Arts Quincy! We’re going to bring you a fun family project that’s adaptable for all ages and can bring STEAM education right into your living room. Today’s project is Create Your Own Weather Studio, and with the spring time weather blooming all around, it’s a fun time of year to take a closer look at the outdoors. 

It’s not often you see a room full of teenagers held in rapt attention while someone gives a history lesson, but sitting in the Dr. Eells Underground Railroad Home, Board Member Dave Oakley painted a compelling picture for the visiting students from the Quincy Teen REACH program.
In 1842, Quincy had only been incorporated as a city for two years. Missouri was nearly the wild-western frontier of major settlements in the US. A strong tension had already gripped the nation and would eventually boil over into Civil War in the years that followed. Nowhere was this tension more palpable than in Quincy, a major river hub at the time, which sat at the border of the slave state of Missouri and the free state of Illinois.
One hot summer night that August, an enslaved man from Monticello, Missouri known only by his first name, Charley, stepped onto the Missouri side of the Mississippi shoreline and began crossing to get to Illinois. ​

January 9, 2020
 
Quincy Ill., [1/9/20] – Arts Quincy (The Quincy Society of Fine Arts) is proud to announce that it has earned the status as a Better Business Bureau (BBB) Accredited Charity Seal Holder for a third straight year.  After completing a thorough review process, Arts Quincy has met BBB’s Standards for Charity Accountability. 
 
Arts Quincy was only the second BBB Accredited charity in Adams County to earn the distinction and was also the 2017 Torch Award winner through the organization.