Here is a list of what will be happening at the Children’s Museum of NH during Toddlerfest 2014, all included with paid museum admission:
Saturday, September 13: Families are invited to celebrate the re-launch of the museum’s Yellow Submarine exhibit featuring 3D dive simulation technology. All-day activities will include learning about bioluminescence, creating a floaty octopus, making a paper plate porthole, and playing submarine-inspired games.
Sunday, September 14: Visitors are invited to enjoy a glow-in-the-dark story-time at 2 pm and bubble fun at 3:30 pm. Other activities available from 12-5 pm include exploring with magnets and designing paper bag kites.
Monday, September 15: Museum closed
Tuesday, September 16: Marissa Ruffini of Sonatina Music Therapy will lead a music workshop from 10:30 – 11:30 am, and museum staff will offer songs and movement at 1 pm. In the museum’s creative studio space, youngsters can make butterflies and have fun with building activities.
Wednesday, September 17: At 10 am, the museum will welcome a child-life specialist fromWentworth-Douglass Hospital to answer parents’ child development and behavior questions. A fizzy, interactive science experiment will be offered at 11:30 am, and children can also make an egg shaker and explore the rice table in the creative studio.
Thursday, September 18: Childlight Yoga will lead two parent-child classes: Tot Yoga for babies crawling – age 24 months and from 10:15-10:45 am, and Little Family Yoga for children ages 21 – 4 years old from 11 – 11:30 am. At 2 pm, families can visit the museum’s outdoor vegetable gardens. All day drop-in activities include fruit and veggie sorting, and designing a paper bag kite to take home.
Friday, September 19: It’s Fairytale Friday! Kids are invited to wear their favorite costume, make a fancy crown and hear some favorite fairytales read out loud at 11:30 am and 1:30 pm. At 3:30 pm, there will be a short Science Bites experiment to learn about rain clouds. Anytime during their visit, kids can make streamer wands and add their own designs to the museum’s plexi wall.
Saturday, September 20: Celebrate Worldwide Day of Play throughout the museum. Kids can shake their sillies out with music at 10:30 am and 1:30 pm, then museum staff will demonstrate a trebuchet launch outside at 11 am and 2 pm. Additional all-day activities will include making butterflies and exploring with magnets.
Sunday, September 21: Story Time with Meredith and Stu will feature animal-themed books and songs at 2 pm. Visitors are also invited to make a paper plate elephant craft.
Monday, September 22: Museum closed
Tuesday, September 23: Marissa Ruffini of Sonatina Music Therapy will lead a music workshop from 10:30 – 11:30 am, and museum staff will offer songs and movement activities at 1 pm. Anytime during the day, children can design a paper bag kite and add their own designs to the museum’s plexi wall.
Wednesday, September 24: Museum educators will offer an interactive science activity demonstrating properties of oil and water. In the museum’s creative studio, kids can drop in anytime to make butterflies and have fun with a variety of building materials.
Thursday, September 25: One World Language School will offer Spanish language lessons from 10:30 – 11:30 am. All-day activities will include making a sea creature and exploring properties of ice.
Friday, September 26: It’s Fairytale Friday! Kids are invited to wear their favorite costume, make a fancy crown and hear some favorite fairytales read out loud at 11:30 am and 1:30 pm. At 3:30 am, there will be a short Science Bites experiment featuring milk magic. Anytime during their visit, children can make an egg shaker and explore the rice table.
Saturday, September 27: Families are invited to join master gardener Leslie Stevens for a special gardening session from 10:15 – 11 am. Using herbs and vegetables harvested from the museum’s raise bed gardens, families will make salsa. Drop-in activities inside the museum will include exploring with magnets and having stencil fun with watercolors.
Sunday, September 28: All are invited to the museum’s 31st Birthday Party from 12 – 5 pm. Special guests Peg + Cat from the popular television show on NH Public Television will be making appearances from 1 – 4 pm, plus there will be face painting, birthday crown making, and cake and ice cream for all.
September also marks the return of the museum’s First Friends Playgroup and Baby Storytime for infants and toddlers up to 24 months old on Wednesday mornings from 9:30 – 11 am, and Wee Ones Wednesdays for children ages 2-4 with a parent or caregiver at 9:45 or 10:45 am on Wednesday. For more information on these programs, please visit www.childrens-museum.org.
About the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire
The not-for-profit Children’s Museum of New Hampshire is located at 6 Washington Street in Dover and offers two levels of hands-on, custom-created exhibits for children ages 1-12. Children can explore a wide range of subjects, from dinosaurs, music and aeronautics to world cultures, art and natural history. Open year-round, the museum specializes in creating family learning experiences and works closely with schools, social service agencies and educators. The museum also hosts a variety of live performances, workshops, classes and special events for families. For more information, please call the museum at or visit www.childrens-museum.org.