7 Movies for 7 Days of Fun!

Would you enjoy escaping the snow for a few hours? Luckily you have come to the right place. The Children’s Museum in Easton has created a list of movies that will have your whole family laughing, during these wintery times. You will enjoy the laughter these seven movies will bring to your family, as we have done extensive research.   

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Babe (1995)

“Dearie me! If it’s not a duck that thinks it’s a rooster, it’s a pig that thinks it’s a dog!”                                                                                         

Filmed in the greener pastures of Australia, the story of Babe (1995) is able to warm the hearts of those who watch this family friendly movie. Babe (a pig) is taken in by sheepdogs, and learns how to herd sheep with the help of Farmer Hoggett. Babe is able to form lifelong friendships, and creates his own family on the farm.  

The Aristocats (1970)

“Aristocats do not practice biting and clawing, and things like that. It’s just horrible.”

                                                                    

In Aristocats (1970), four cats (Duchess, Berlioz, Toulouse, and Marie) are taken away from their owner after their Butler kidnaps them. Finding themselves lost and away from home, these four cats befriend a tomcat and will work together to get back home to Paris. As Duchess and her children try to get home, they are able to make friends with other animals on their journey.

Monster's Inc (2001)

“I think I have a plan here: using mainly spoons, we dig a tunnel under the city and release it into the wild.”   

In this animated feature, Monsters Inc (2001), tells a story of monsters living in Montropolis. Living in a different dimension, away from blizzards and the majority of the cold weather we are dealing with, Monsters must power their city, from scaring children. When friends Sully and Mike Wazowski find that they have an unexpected stowaway, they must rush to help a little girl (Boo) get back home. Sully and Mike soon find that Boo will teach them more about living than they ever could have imagined.

Finding Nemo (2003)

“Oh my gosh, Nemo’s swimming out to sea.”                                                

Finding Nemo (2003) is about Nemo, a clownfish, who is captured in the Great Barrier Reef, and taken to Sydney, Australia. Nemo’s father, along with his friend Dory set out to rescue Nemo, and bring him back home. This animated movie really captures the spirit of friendship, determination, and love. After seeing this movie, you will want to go to Australia.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)

“How an elephant got in my pajamas, I shall never know.”

In this family friendly movie, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) tells the story of an inventor, Mr.Potts and his two children, who have been struggling to make ends meet. When his children ask him to buy a car they see, Mr.Potts makes their dream come true. While on a picnic, he tells a story to his children, about a country called Vulgaria, and a ruthless dictator that is trying to steal their car that they named Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)

“Violet! You’re turning violet, Violet!”

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971), tells the story of a boy named Charlie. Charlie is granted the chance of a lifetime, when he finds that he bought a candy bar with a golden ticket, allowing him to enter one of the best candy factories in the country. This story captures the love between Charlie and his family, as he goes on an adventure in a world full of candy.

Charlotte's Web (1973)

“Salutations are greeting; it’s my fancy way of saying hello.”

In Charlotte’s Web (1973), Wilbur (a pig), born a runt, is labeled as being different. A young girl Fern, begs her father to let Wilbur live on the farm with them, saving Wilbur’s life. Wilbur and Charlotte (a spider) become unexpected friends while they are living on the farm. This movie allows children to witness the power of love and friendship.

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Your friends at the Children’s Museum in Easton hope that you are having a great week and hope to see you soon!

- Written by Melinda Kinnear, Public Relations Intern - 

Hannaford Helps the Museum

February has been full of fantastic family-friendly programming, made possible thanks to Hannaford Supermarkets - this post is to show our gratitude!

With winter outside and kids out of school, parents and caregivers are seeking fun, affordable activities for their kids. The Children’s Museum is a favorite choice for families from throughout Southeastern Massachusetts. Sponsored by Hannaford Supermarkets, Valentine Sweets Week and February’s School Vacation Week provides kids and families with a variety of fun-filled and educational activities, games, and arts and crafts.

Since 2005, Hannaford Supermarkets has been a friend and partner of the Museum, providing gifts totaling more than $10,200 in grants and sponsorships. In addition to its sponsorships, the Hannaford Foundation provided a generous $5,000 grant in 2007 in support of the Museum’s Outdoor Learning Center, The Wild Place.

“Hannaford’s consistent charitable support demonstrates the priority they place on being a good corporate citizen,” said The Children’s Museum’s Executive Director Paula Peterson. “By supporting causes where they have stores, Hannaford significantly contributes to the quality of life in our community.”

This year, Hannaford’s Nutrition Coordinator Michelle Mix worked with Museum Program Manager, Steven Hill, to come up with creative “good-for-your-heart” snacks and treats for families to enjoy at the Museum. They also created healthy and fun family-friendly meal recipes for caregivers and children to make together at home.

“Hannaford is proud to once again partner with The Children’s Museum in Easton to make possible these two family-oriented events that are designed to encourage kids to enjoy learning, eat healthy and stay active,” said Mix. “Family bonding happens naturally when preparing healthy meals together. This is a wonderful example of businesses and nonprofits working together to support our shared goals of promoting healthy living among children and families.”

Hannaford Supermarket’s commitment to the Museum and to children and families in our community is greatly appreciated.

Laundry Basket Bonanza!

The snow was great for the first few storms. My kids were playing outside almost all day. In fact, they played outside so much that their ski pants and gloves are wearing out. Unfortunately the stores are no longer stocking winter items...but I guess that's a good thing...it's a sure sign that spring is on the way. I am really counting on that groundhog's forecast this year. In the meantime, amidst all this ice, it's time to get creative.
How do I get creative when it seems all I do is laundry? Let the laundry baskets inspire you and your child!

- Create a pirate ship or sailboat: Tape a wrapping paper tube to the side of a laundry basket. Tape a paper triangle to the top of the wrapping paper tube. Ahoy Mates! Ready to set sail! Use another wrapping paper tube for an oar and bring along your favorite stuffed animal. Is that rug a deserted island in the distance? Make paper towel tube binoculars to investigate.

-Run her own zoo, pet store or animal shelter: Flip some laundry baskets over to become instant cages for stuffed animals. Your child can care for the animals, feed them, take them out for exercise, and can tell you about each animal when you come visit the zoo. Be sure to ask lots of questions. She may need to rearrange a few cages if the dogs are too close to the cats!

Creative play stimulates your child's imagination, helping to develop the ability to adapt, solve problems, and discover his world. During play your child can practice risk-taking, trial and error, and social and language skills, all in the safe environment of your home, which helps him prepare for future learning.

Need something more physical (and want to sneak in some math)? Try shooting baskets: Place several laundry baskets in a line and label each with a point value. Make a starting line a few feet before the first basket. Toss beanbags, balls, balled-up socks, or butterflies (made by sticking a square scrap of colored tissue paper into a clothespin) into the baskets, keeping track of your points. Depending on his age, your child can learn to recognize numbers, write the numbers, or compare who got more or less points. Older kids can practice their math facts: throw 3 butterflies and add up your points, keep playing until you get to 50 points, or start at 50 and subtract your score until you get to 0. If your child needs a challenge, have a designated number to try to reach exactly by adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing your points on each turn until you reach the designated number.

Now who said laundry isn't fun?

Michelle Van Vorhis,

Museum Educator

Backyard Winter fun!

“Did it snow?” The first words out of my daughter’s mouth in the morning when she’d heard there was a chance of snow the night before.

“When can I go play in the snow?” Ever hear those words at your house? There is so much fun to be had outside in the winter.

After you’ve built the snowmen, scourer the yard for natural add-ins – my kids raid the gardens and break off seed pods and stalks to make hair and faces for their snow friends. We have made snow forts, snow cars, snow chairs, snow dogs and one March we even made a four foot snow bunny! Start saving those plastic containers – they are great for scooping snow to make snow forts and chairs.

Snow painting is another easy, fun thing to do – save up squeeze-style bottles (like shampoo, ketchup or syrup) and fill them up with colored water (try food coloring or very watered down tempera paint) and let the kids paint away on the snow.

Find a place to sit and watch for birds – string cereal or popcorn and hang it in the yard – make observations daily until it is gone. We go for walks in our yard – tracking the animals who have been frolicking through…deer, dogs, coyotes, rabbits, squirrels, birds and voles leave tracks in the yard. If you don’t have a bird book - check one out from the library to help you identify a few local birds you will see.

Don’t forget to have a snow shovel for each member of the family - kids often love helping out shoveling the driveway, walkways and decks and what neighbor wouldn’t love to have your family help out shoveling next storm or come home after a day’s work to find their driveway shoveled out.