Where in the World?

To build off of our geography day, Where in the World?, we want to emphasize the importance of exposing your kids to other cultures. During this summer drop-in day at The Children’s Museum in Easton, we were able to explore many aspects of the world’s geography and cultures. Various activities helped educate kids about our planet’s water supply and soil erosion, giving them an important outlook on our planet. Visitors to the Museum made flags from different countries, and we had additional arts and crafts that allowed kids to become more aware of where they are in the world. Also, there was a fun game of geography twister that was a huge hit!

With the passports you have created at the Children’s Museum, you can continue to add and mark places you and your kids have explored. It is easy to learn about various cultures without having to actually travel. Cooking and tasting foods from other countries is an excellent place to start at home! It can become a weekly tradition with your kids as you mark the different countries of which you’ve explored in the kitchen. Laying out a map and marking the countries or stamping in their passports will be a reminder of each unique experience. 

Geography Twister

It is simple to investigate authentic cuisines from around the world; doing so by setting the scene at home for your kids to really imagine what it's like in other countries can be a great eye-opening experience. You can get started by searching online about various cultures and their recipes or visiting your local library. Trying a different cultural restaurant or visiting the international isle in any grocery store is also a simple way to investigate various countries’ foods with your kids. Try some of these food recipes from around the world!

Not able to attend our day of exploring the world at the Museum? You can easily make your own passport at home by using an old notebook or simply stapling a few sheets of paper together. In addition, try some of the following educational at-home activities!

Helping your kids become more aware of where they are in the world is so important. Explaining the different times zones, exploring how different cultures dress (traditional clothing print out), and even learning a few words (50 ways to say hello) in other languages are excellent places to start at home. Doing so, can help your children become more aware of just how big the world around them really is. Visiting your local library is a fantastic place to begin exploring other cultures with your kids as well.

Why Playing with Dirt Doesn't Hurt

The Spring weather has finally arrived! Soon enough you may find that your children are covered in dirt, leaving a trail of their adventures on your kitchen floor. Sure, dirt hurts the cleanliness of your home, but studies have shown there are many benefits to playing outdoors, with the company of dirt. 

According to the National Wildlife Federation, playing outside can have a long-lasting impact on child development. Playing outdoors increases fitness levels, and promotes healthy bodies. While outside Vitamin D levels have been known to increase, which is a preventative for future healthy problems like issues relating to bone development, heart disease, and diabetes. 

Playing outdoors also has some great social benefits. Studies have shown that within minutes of seeing green space children's stress levels fall significantly. Playing outdoors also benefits children socially, allowing them to form close relationships. 

And then dirt comes in. Playing with dirt exposes children to healthy bacteria, parasites, and viruses, that help build a healthy immune system. Children who are rarely exposed to dirt have a higher chance of suffering from allergies, asthma, and other autoimmune diseases. Research has shown that within minutes of children making contact with dirt, their moods have improved, stress has been reduced and anxiety has decreased. 

You might be thinking how you can play in the dirt with your children. Luckily, we have a few ideas that you can take advantage of.

1. You can pick a spot where your children can dig. Give them a shovel and a bucket and watch them explore the world of dirt. 

2. You can go for a walk in your own yard or take a walk with your children through your neighborhood. 

3. Plan a nature scavenger hunt. 


These three very different activities will allow you to interact with your children outdoors and explore nature. You'll be amazed at how much your mood will change, from doing something as simple as going on a short walk. 

In the celebration of dirt and all the fun it brings along, we are happy to invite to our Dirt Don’t Hurt event. On Thursday May 28^th from 10am-1pm, we will explore the wonders of the natural world, and meet a few animals along the way. We can't wait to see you there!

* Written by Melinda Kinnear - Public Relations Intern

Jeremy the Juggler

We’ve hosted plenty of circus themed events in the past and one of the most popular circus activities is juggling! On July 18, Jeremy the Juggler came to the Children’s Museum in Easton to perform a spectacular juggling show and he was lovely enough to speak to us more about juggling!

Jeremy learned to juggle around the age of nine and began practicing it more seriously when he entered Vassar College in 2003. After college, Jeremy set out with some friends to create a professional performance group saying: ”The knowledge and critical thinking skills we got in school really enabled us to succeed not just as performers but as promoters and businessmen. Without those skills, we never would have been able to pull it off.” From there, Jeremy just never stopped juggling!

Now, he practices with a four person group. “Most of my practice is with a four person group. We get together for several hours every week to practice club passing, fire spinning, and group choreography,” Jeremy expands excitedly, “Earlier this year I got a set of two flaming nunchaku (nunchuks) that I’ve been bretty excited about. For regular circus props, I really enjoy diabolo tricks that involve letting go of one (or two!) of the hand sticks.” [see right]

Jeremy believes that the art of juggling is still relevant today, especially for children. “I think any kind of live performance is a great thing to experience, and I think hands-on circus arts demonstrations are especially great because they let kids see that even though the skills they see on stage aren’t easy, they’re still something that anybody can learn to do. It’s not on TV, it’s happening right in front of you and you get to try it yourself!” Jeremy explains.

He goes on to talk about how children are a great audience for juggling and circus acts: “Kids aren’t afraid to let you know they like something, or to come up and ask you to teach them. Adults and even college students are often afraid of looking silly, and so they miss out on a lot of opportunities. I love teaching kids because kids still have fun learning.”

Socially, Jeremy says, “I think juggling is neat in that it’s something anyone can do that produces something, even if that something is only a few seconds’ worth of entertainment. In the same way that youtube lets anyone put themselves on the internet and say ‘hey, look at me for a second, let me show you something I made,’ juggling lets anyone have a skill that they can use any time, any place. I’ve had dozens of conversations with strangers just because I was standing around in an airport juggling. It’s a nice alternative to sitting by yourself on your phone.”

As Jeremy reiterated, juggling has many benefits. For children, learning the art can teach self discipline, motor skills, social skills, and much more.

If you want to learn more about juggling, other circus activities, or simply get involved in another circus themed event you’re in luck! The Children’s Museum in Easton is hosting the Vegetable Circus on Thursday August 29! Stop on by between 10am and 3pm for more circus fun!

Things To Do This Summer Part 3: Sunny Day Fun

Warm summer days are easy to plan for; no matter what, the kids can always have fun playing in the yard.   Trips to your local park, the zoo or one of the many wonderful museums in New England are always a fun way to fill up your summer.  Sometimes though, you just want to let your kids do something that’s a little different to keep them from getting worn out.  Even though kids are pretty inventive in finding new activities for themselves, here are some creative ideas that you and the kids may not have thought of yet and allow for some great family time together. 

1. A great way to explore the area and have a fun adventure is to go geocaching.  It’ll be a day for the whole family to spend time together while searching for treasure.
2. For some outdoor fun in the backyard, host your own Olympics!  Before you go outside you can have the kids make their own medals with some cardboard and string.  Once outside create different events for the kids to participate in like running, jumping and throwing.  Another fun thing to do is place cones, Frisbees or something similar around the yard and let the kids race to see who can get the most first.  After the first round, let the kids place the cones around the yard and go again.  This will keep the kids active and let their imaginations run wild as they pretend to be Olympic athletes. 
3. A unique outdoor craft to do with the kids is water balloon art.  Use some cheap art canvases that you can buy at a local craft store and either water color crayons or washable markers.  Let the kids design their own piece of art with the crayons or markers on the canvas.  Then, let them take the canvases outside and throw water balloons at them.  If you don’t have water balloons, water guns work well too.  The water will change the kids original design on the canvas giving them a funky design that they can then decorate their room with. 
   
4. Take the kids berry-picking.  Not only will it get the kids outside, but they’ll have fun picking fruit that you can eat later on!  A lot of berry picking farms have other activities for the kids to do as well.  Once you’re done, let the kid’s help you make something to eat that contains some of the berries that they picked. 
5. Go for a classic American pastime.  A fun treat for the whole family to enjoy is to go to a drive-in.  The kids will not only enjoy getting to stay up a little later than normal,  but the experience of watching a movie  on a giant screen while sitting in the trunk in pajama’s will also make them smile.  For a list of Massachusetts drive-ins click here.

Summer allows for so many wonderful opportunities to have a great time.  With all the ideas that you’ve seen here recently and your own summer ideas and traditions, this summer is sure to be that one your kids will look back on fondly when they’re older just as you do with your own childhood summer memories.

Things To Do This Summer Part 1: Places to Go

Summer is here which means that kids are out of school and looking for ways to be entertained. If you’re looking for different ways to keep your kids entertained then we’ve got you covered. We’re starting with a list of different places that you can take the kids for some summer fun but we also have lists to share with you for rainy days and sunny days that you can expect to see soon.

With the amount of time that summer offers, exploring new places and making memories is an easy thing to do as long as you know where to go. Here are some ideas to help you and the kids make some wonderful memories this summer.

1. Dino Tracks

    Daily from June 5, 2013 – December 31, 2013

    Ecotarium, 222 Harrington Way, Worcester, MA

The hunt for dinosaurs begins here! Step into their footprints, hear and feel their footsteps, and come face-to-face with some of the dinosaurs who made them. Focusing on fossil discoveries, the exhibit engages visitors of all ages in trying out hands-on scientific study methods and getting down on the ground to put their new skills to work. For more information click here.

2. Look Listen Touch
    Daily from February 16, 2013 – December 16, 2013
    Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA

The Museum will offer Look Listen Touch, a guide for young children to explore the Museum's New England Forests, in the Zofnass Family Gallery. Pick-up the exploration flyer at the front desk or in the gallery and learn how to help your child experience nature in a multi-sensory way. For more information click here.

3. The Wonders of Butterflies and Dragonflies

    July 27, 2013

    Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary, 280 Eliot Street, Natick, MA

Discover the amazing number of dragonflies and butterflies that make Broadmoor home! Just what is a damselfly? How do dragonflies survive the winter? Come find out this and more! For more information click here.

4. Preschool and Toddler Wednesdays
    June 5, 2013 – December 18, 2013
    Ecotarium, 222 Harrington Way, Worcester, MA

Go every week for a special preschool and toddler program. Enjoy a story, meet a live animal, and get creative with a supervised craft activity -- all geared especially for little ones aged 3 and under. For more information click here.

5. Davis Farmland and Mega Maze
    145 Redstone Hill, Sterling, MA

Every season is different in New England, and at Davis Farmland, you'll find that every season is special and unique. Whatever the season, the day belongs to your family at Davis Farmland. It's hands on FUN for everyone! For more information click here.

6. Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton
    455 Oak Street, Brockton, MA 02301

Fuller Craft Museum is a dynamic environment where craft is experienced through exhibitions, education, outreach, and collaboration. Explore the materials, techniques, and artistic expression that challenge the perception of craft, while honoring the achievements of the past. If you’re a Children’s Museum in Easton member you have reciprocal membership with the Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton.

Up Next: Rainy Day Activities