Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Golf Fore the Kids!!


On October 12th (Columbus Day), at the Easton Country Club the Children's Museum in Easton will be holding our annual Golf Tournament! This is our fifth tournament and this years looks to be the best ever! It will be fun for everyone no matter the age or skill at golf.

There are a bunch of cool activities you can take part in. First up is nine holes of golf in two teams made up of a child and adult partner. So it can be Mom and sister against Dad and brother for instance! There is going to be two separate flights of nine holes, one for a novice team (for any beginner golfer 7 years or older) and then another one for intermediate or advanced golfers.

Not a golfer? No idea how to play? No worries! There is going to be a “Getting Started” Golf Clinic from 1-2 pm, before tee-off! Learn those skills, or brush up on them, before the tournament starts! But since space is limited make sure to call 508-230-3789 to reserve your spot.

Still no sure if you want to play? Thats ok, you don't have to, but be sure to attend a great family-style dinner at 5:30! Meet up with your family of golfers and sit down to some great dinner at the clubhouse! It will be full of fun, food, awards and raffles! But the night isn't over yet! At 6:45 look to the skies for some awesome fireworks to top off a great day!


If you want to learn more check out the Golf Tournament check out the web page, where you can also register. Any more questions either e-mail us at info@childrensmuseumineaston.org or call us directly at: (508) 230-3789.

We look forward to seeing you all there for a day of golf, fun, family and fireworks!

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Still too young for school?

Several parents during our Museum summer camp drop off this year agreed: With the big kids heading to school it leaves some of us wondering what we are going to do with the younger sibling all day. They'll be lost without their big brother or big sister! However as parents, this is our prime opportunity to spend some quality time with our youngest before they too head off to full-day school in a few short years. Here is little one's chance to shine!

My youngest child's favorite activity is painting. I remember back when my first child was 3. I was very nervous around painting projects, but now that my third child is 3, I have become much more relaxed and have found that there's nothing a little soap and water (and occasionally a whole bath) will get off. I have also found that an old adult-sized T-shirt makes a great cover-up to protect clothes. Painting outside in the lovely fall weather can be relaxing and fun.

Try making apple prints with apples cut in half. If you cut the apple along the equator you can make a print of the star! You can tape leaves to a piece of paper, paint over them, and then remove the leaves to reveal their outline. For some sensory as well as visual projects, squirt some washable tempora paint on a clean Styrofoam meat tray, and have your child squish her feet in the paint and then step on a big piece of paper, walk in a circle, or print some dance moves. Develop vocabulary and imagination by talking about how the paint feels and what the prints look like. Or, with a shiny paper plate resembling an artist's palette and a squirt of each primary color, your child can use his fingers to discover what happens when you blend colors. (Have a bucket of soapy water ready outside to wash up.)

For more colorful art projects from an elementary school art from a teacher who is now a stay at home mom, check out the Pink and Green Mama's Website

No matter how many great projects I come up with at home, sometimes my youngest insists, "But mom, I just want to play with other kids." On one of those days I often check out what my local MOMS (Moms Offering Moms Support) Club is doing. Almost every town has one that you can join. They offer playgroups, outings/trips for the kids, and special interest groups for moms as well. It is an excellent resource for meeting new friends and finding inexpensive activities you and your child can enjoy.

Your local library has a lot quality free programs to offer as well. In addition to library sponsored story times and crafts, many libraries host outreach programs for babies through preschoolers such as playgroups and "Play N Learns" by Community Partnerships for Children, and Music and Movement classes through the NRC Family Network, both funded by the MA Dept. of Early Education and Care. Both are fun, valuable experiences for children and their caregivers. Each program encourages caregiver-child interaction and gives you ideas to continue at home. Check the library's bulletin board for dates and times. Remember, you are not limited to your own local library. Check out libraries in surrounding towns for a wider variety of opportunities to meet your child's and your schedule's needs.

My youngest especially loves to visit the Children's Museum in Easton. In addition to the fun, developmentally appropriate exhibits, the Museum also offers a wide variety of classes. Pee Wee Singers and Music Makers, Pre-Ballet, and Friday Frolics are perfect for toddlers and preschoolers. Click here for a complete fall schedule. The Museum is also a great place to meet other kids and their caregivers...while big sister or big brother is off meeting new friends at school.


Thursday, September 3, 2009

Annual Spruce Up!

It's busy here at the museum this week (and next week, for sure), but not with the usual crowd of fun kids! Nope, we're busy cleaning during our annual two week spruce up. As some of you may know, we are closed for the next two weeks. But don't worry, once we're open we'll be shiny and brand new! Here are some pictures of what it looks like when we're closed down and cleaning.


We have some great things planned for re-opening that we can't wait to share with you guys! First and foremost is our brand new exhibit! At the opening we'll be presenting our new fossil exhibit! Yep, we have some real tracks from the dinosaurs! Thanks to the folks at the Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill, Conneticut for donating some of those tracks to us :) It promises to be a "rawr"ing good time of an exhibit.



Thanks also to our friends from Bridgewater State University and Stonehill College and their Into The Streets program for helping us during our spruce-up! We also look forward to having Best Buy and Rockland Trust volunteers next week! We really appreciate it and the museum wouldn't be sparkling without you guys! Also, special thanks to Bob and Dale, the guys at Paramount Rug Co. for installing our beautiful new floor! You guys rock!


Thanks so much for stopping in and checking up on us! We can't wait to have you all back here for the new exhibits, new paint, new floor and new fall classes! Also, don't forget to check out our Scarecrow Stomp page for our first big event in September!


And, when you get back, if you happen to see Andrew thank him for all the cleaning he did on the phone :)