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Children's Museum of New Hampshire

~ A leader in distinctive experiential learning and a catalyst for lifelong learning.

Children's Museum of New Hampshire

Category Archives: Learning

Pi Day 2015

15 Sunday Mar 2015

Posted by Zach Foote in CMNH Staff, Events, Family Learning, Learning, Science

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3.14, Albert Einstein, CMNH, Dover, New Hampshire, nh, Pi, Pi Chain, Pi Day, Sarah Terry

Yesterday, March 14th, in addition to being Albert Einstein’s 136th birthday, was Pi Day. March 14th = 3.14 = Pi Day. Since Physicist Larry Shaw put together the first official Pi Day celebration in San Francisco back in 1988, the deliciously mathematical holiday has only grown exponentially in popularity.

Last year, we focused more on the delicious side of Pi Day festivities. This year? We got down to pi business. Because many of our visitors are still in elementary school, trying to explain pi exclusively with terms like “irrational number”, “mathematical constant” or “Madhava-Leibniz series” isn’t exactly the most fruitful plan of attack.

pi-pie

So how can you make the math fun? Multiplication? No problem. Geometrical shapes? Sure. But the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter? That’s a bit bigger of a fraction to follow!

Enter Museum Educator Sarah Terry. I asked Sarah, who returned to CMNH at the end of 2014 after first joining our team in October of 2011, how she approached a subject that seems, on the surface, to be rather dry and difficult to build a day of fun around.

“I’ve always thought math was a lot of fun,” Sarah said. “There’s something so satisfying about working with problems and equations that can be solved. In the humanities, you don’t come across too many situations where there is a definitive right answer. It tends to be based on opinion. Well-reasoned and supported opinions, but still debatable. The rationality of mathematics always seemed comforting in comparison.”

But can Rational = Interesting? Can Rational = Fun? Sarah was confident it could be both.

PI_gif

“When you come across something like pi, which is an infinite number with no apparent pattern or repetition, it’s pretty mind-blowing,” admits Sarah. “How can something as crazy and enormous of a number that’s been calculated out thus far to over 12 trillion digits also be considered a mathematical constant? Every circle that has been or ever will be created will find that its circumference divided by its diameter will be pi. It’s unwieldy and baffling and I looked forward to coming up with activities that could show our visitors that things as awesome as pi actually make math – yes, math – pretty cool!”

Using CMNH’s Colorful Classroom space as her home base, Sarah taught visitors young and old about pi. Some had never heard of it. Some had learned about it in school but had forgotten the specifics. Some were wearing Pi Day shirts. Using a variety of colorful craft activities coupled with the promise that if you located her over the course of Pi Day and recited a fact about Pi, Sarah would paint the pi symbol on your cheek, visitors left yesterday with a newfound appreciation – and hopefully, enthusiasm – for the wild, wacky, infinite constant that is pi!

We hope you and your family had a Happy Pi Day and look forward to you spending Pi Day 2016 with us here at CMNH!

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Circles, circles, everywhere!

“Pi lets us show off the oddball side of math and lets us stretch our imaginations,” Sarah said.

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What’s a Pi Chain? Good question! Here’s the answer: 0-9 are each represented by a color. Following the order of numbers in pi, can you make an accurate chain that is correctly represented by the 10 colors? Can you make a longer Pi Day Pi Chain than your friends and family?

 

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IMG_3439IMG_3437IMAG2221_1

 

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Even the streamers never rested from the continual recitation of pi!

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Healthy Brain Development Helps Kids Start Strong!

19 Friday Dec 2014

Posted by Jane Bard in Child development, Enriching Experiences, Family Learning, Learning, Mission & Vision, Museum, Parenting

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brain development, child development, children's museum, Children's Museum of New Hampshire, Children's Museum of NH, CMNH, family learning, how chiildren learn, parent-child relationships

CochecoGundalow_MoniqueLeo1Statistics from the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University show that in the first few years of a child’s life, 700 to 1,000 new neural connections are formed in the brain every second! At the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire, our goal is to create an experience-rich environment for children, giving them the opportunity to start strong. The impact of early experiences on brain development is critical because 85% of the architecture of a child’s brain is developed before age 5.

A vital aspect of early childhood development is the presence of “serve-and-volley” relationships – or back-and-forth communication between children and adults. These interactions happen when adults respond to children’s questions, pose their own questions, identify items that a child is pointing at and engagEWO_Tinkering_SonFather01e in back and forth conversation, even when the child’s “conversation” is smiling, pointing, reaching or babbling.

The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire is designed to encourage serve-and-volley exchanges. Sharing, playing or simply being exposed to new materials and activities through our programs and exhibits all help nurture healthy brain development.

KimberlitaYAbuela_03This year, as you designate your charitable giving, please consider supporting the Museum’s Start Strong Fund, enabling us to continue building healthy brains right from the start.

Dynamic Duos

29 Monday Sep 2014

Posted by Zach Foote in Events, Family Learning, Learning, Music, Uncategorized

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Arthur, Beanie & Cecil, Ben Edlund, Bert & Ernie, Bob Clampett, Boots, Chip N Dale, Danger Mouse, Dora, Dynamic Duos, Jim Henson, New England Comics, NHPTV, Nick Park, PBS, PBS Kids, Peg + Cat, Penfold, Rocky & Bullwinkle, Saturday Morning Cartoons, Scooby Doo, Sesame Street, The Tick, Wallace & Grommit

PCThe award-winning duo Peg + Cat visited the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire yesterday. Curious Peg & her hilarious best friend Cat get into math-related hi-jinx each day on their PBS program. While they are ably assisted in their adventures by characters such as Ramone, The Pirates, Richard the Space Alien, and even George Washington & Cleopatra, Peg & Cat and their delightful wordplay and songs are the reason families keep tuning in.

With the news that Saturday Morning Cartoons are now officially a thing of the past, let’s take this opportunity to look at some famous dynamic duos from the world of children’s television shows.

CnD

Chip ‘N’ Dale made their debut in 1943 in a series of animated shorts that pitted them against either Pluto the Dog or Donald Duck. While often taking background roles in many Disney shorts and specials, a new audience met Chip ‘N’ Dale in 1989 when they anchored their own cartoon with “Chip ‘N’ Dale Rescue Rangers” as part of the Disney Afternoon block of programming.

beanie-and-cecilBeany & Cecil began as a Puppet Show in 1949 created by famed Warner Brothers animator Bob Clampett. Beany had the ability to fly using his patented beanycopter while the childlike Cecil the Sea Serpent often stayed in water and was so large that his tail was rarely seen as it would continue “off screen”. It relaunched as an animated show in 1959 and then was relaunched again in 1988 as the “The New Adventures of Beany & Cecil” cartoon.

rocky-and-bullwinkle

Rocky & Bullwinkle were the stars of their own variety show that ran from 1959-1964. Created by Jay Ward, the show was responsible for introducing not only the legendary title characters, but Dudley Do-Right, Boris Badenov, Natasha Fatale, Mr. Peadbody & Sherman. Many of the characters were given life by voiceover legends June Foray, Paul Frees, Bill Scott and Daws Butler. The show was popular with children as well as adults due to its clever wordplay and intelligent writing.

Bert_and_ErnieBert and Ernie debuted on Sesame Street in the summer of 1969. They were the first of Jim Henson’s creations to appear on the show – a part of it from the very first episode, pre-dating Oscar the Grouch and Big Bird. Best friends Bert and Ernie are meant to represent the curiosity and behaviors of 6-7 year olds. Ernie, famed for his dedication to his rubber ducky, loves pulling tricks on the pigeon-loving Bert, the most popular (and absurd) of which is pulling off Bert’s nose for comic effect.

Screenshot 2014-09-26 16.09.43Scooby Doo & Shaggy premiered in the Saturday morning cartoon, “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!” in the fall of 1969. The two perpetually frightened – and hungry – best friends have starred in a large variety of tv shows, comic books and movies since their debut. Each generation seems to rediscover Scoob, Shag, Velma, Daphne and Fred solving supernatural capers in their Mystery Machine.

Dangermouse

Danger Mouse & Penfold first premiered in the United Kingdom in 1981, but saw their popularity reach even greater heights when US markets (most notably Nickelodeon) imported “Danger Mouse” – a cheeky take on James Bond – in 1984. Danger Mouse occupied the role of the heroic British spy while Ernest Penfold is his consistently nervous hamster sidekick prone to yell out, “Crumbs, D.M.!” or, ‘Oh, carrots!” before falling to pieces in the face of danger.

TickThe Tick & Arthur are two lovable – if not often highly ridiculous superheroes – who live in The City. Originally created by Ben Edlund in 1986 for New England Comics, The Tick & Arthur were exposed to a much larger audience when their 1994 Saturday morning cartoon debuted on Fox. Fox was the home of the next incarnation of The Tick as well when a live-action version debuted in 2001. The Tick embodies several of the most popular mainstream superheroes in his origin, powers and behaviors (a healthy mix of Superman, Batman & Spider-Man) though his catchphrase (“Spoooooooooon!”) is wholly his own. The much more responsible and down-to-Earth Arthur is often getting him out of jams – some caused by supervillains, some caused by The Tick.

W_G

Wallace & Grommit, the brainchild of Nick Park from Aardman Animations, made their debut in 1989 in the Oscar-nomniated short film, “A Grand Day Out”. Their next two shorts – “The Wrong Trousers” & “A Close Shave” – and their first full-length feature, “The Curse of the Were-Rabbit” all won Academy Awards. Though Wallace is an inventor – specializing in Rube Goldberg-esque contraptions – most would agree that the silent Grommit is the smarter of the two, getting Wallace out of trouble or helping his inventions go more smoothly when he’s not busy knitting, playing chess or drinking tea. Though their adventures and occupations change with each outing, one thing that never changes is Wallace & Grommit being the best of friends.

DoraDora & Boots have been inseparable since their introduction in 2000 with the premiere of “Dora the Explorer”. Boots, who’s always sporting his trademark red boots, assists Dora during her adventures as they solve riddles and and figure out puzzles while often focusing on a strong bilingual component. Dora & Boots’ adventures proved so popular that they not only spun off their own books, video games and stage shows, but a brand new show as well: 2005’s “Go, Diego, Go!” which focused on animal rescue and environmental concerns with Dora’s cousin Diego.

Screenshot 2014-09-26 16.31.50

Peg & Cat from Peg + Cat have only been entertaining families since 2013, but they’ve made such a favorable impression that the show won three Emmy Awards for its first season! Created by Jennifer Oxley and Billy Aronson, based on the book “The Chicken Problem”, the math-focused adventures of Peg & Cat bring them in contact with an incredibly large array of characters and showcases some of the best songwriting ever created in the history of children’s programming. Peg & Cat are deeply loyal, deeply hilarious and deeply curious. These qualities make the show an absolute joy for children and parents alike. Thank you again to New Hampshire Public Television and PBS Kids for making it possible for Peg + Cat to be a part of CMNH’s big day!

Were you familiar with most of these dynamic duos? Do your children know any of them? Who did we forget? Let us know your favorite duo in the comments!

Dover Mini Maker Faire returns on August 23, 2014

19 Monday May 2014

Posted by childrensmuseumnh in Events, Family Learning, Learning, Maker Movement, Museum, Outdoor Events, Programs, Science, Techology, Uncategorized

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Dover Mini Maker FaireThe Children’s Museum of New Hampshire is hosting the second annual Dover Mini Maker Faire in Dover, NH on Saturday, August 24, 2014. Last year’s event — the first-ever Maker Faire in New Hampshire — featured more than 50 makers and attracted over 1,200 attendees.

This year, the museum is working with community members and local organizations to develop an even more amazing day of invention and creativity! Makers and interested visitors can follow updates from Dover Mini Maker Faire on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest. Maker applications are available now and event tickets will be available later this spring. All details are available at http://www.makerfairedover.com.

ABOUT MAKER FAIRE:

Maker Faire is the Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth—a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the Maker movement. It’s a place where people show what they are making and share what they are learning.

Makers range from tech enthusiasts to crafters to homesteaders to scientists to garage tinkerers. They are of all ages and backgrounds. The aim of Maker Faire is to entertain, inform, connect and grow this community.

The original Maker Faire event was held in San Mateo, CA and in 2014 celebrated its ninth annual show with hundreds of makers and more than 100,000 people in attendance. World Maker Faire New York, the other flagship event, has grown in five years to 500+ makers and 55,000 attendees. Detroit, Kansas City, Newcastle (UK), and Tokyo are the home of “featured” Maker Faires (200+ makers), and community-driven, independently organized Mini Maker Faires are now being produced around the United States and the world. Dover Mini Maker Faire is independently organized and operated under license from Maker Media, Inc.

About MAKE Magazine

MAKE is the first magazine devoted entirely to Do-It-Yourself (DIY) technology projects. MAKE unites, inspires, informs, and entertains a growing community of resourceful people who undertake amazing projects in their backyards, basements, and garages. MAKE celebrates your right to tweak, hack, and bend any technology to your will.

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BESIDES THE MAGAZINE AND THE FAIRE, MAKE IS:

– a vital online stream of news and projects, blog.makezine.com;
– a retail outlet for kits and books, the Maker Shed;
– a steady stream of fun and instruction via our YouTube channel;- Make: Projects, a library of projects with step-by-step instructions
– a book publishing imprint with best-in-category titles on introductions to electronics, Raspberry Pi, Arduino and more.

Save the date for Dover Mini Maker Faire: Saturday, August 23, 2014 – we look forward to seeing you there!

Eager to Learn, Eager to Create – A Look at CMNH Art Camp

19 Wednesday Mar 2014

Posted by childrensmuseumnh in Art, Learning, Museum, Uncategorized

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Andy Warhol, Art Camp, Art History, Children's Museum of New Hampshire, Claude Monet, CMNH, Cubism, Dover, Edgar Degas, Fine Arts, Impressionism, Jackson Pollock, Jenny Holzer, Marcel Duchamp, Mark Rothko, Modern Art, New Hampshire, nh, Pablo Picasso, Plymouth State University, Pop Art, PSU, Salvador Dali, Vincent Van Gogh, Wassily Kandinsky

Museum Educator Beth recently lead a three day Art Camp at CMNH for children ages 5 to 9 years old. The goal of the camp was to educate the campers about some of history’s greatest artists while allowing them the opportunity to create in the various styles of the artists they were learning about.

A sculpture takes form!

A sculpture takes form!

Beth, who has a Bachelor’s Degree in Art History with a Minor in Fine Arts from Plymouth State University, planned Art Camp over the last few months in the rare times she wasn’t interacting with families in the museum or launching new art projects for visitors to work on in the museum’s Muse Studio.

Narrowing the Focus

“Initially, I had a lot of ideas for lessons and projects, but I needed to take a step back and make sure the lessons were something all the campers – some of whom were almost five years apart – could conceptualize.”

"Can you make sure to get a picture of this flower that I drew?"

“Can you make sure to get a picture of this flower that I drew?”

But how does one decide which artists to cover when you only have three days?

“One of my hopes was that I could shed some light on some amazing artists that they wouldn’t necessarily be learning about in school yet,” says Beth.

“Of course,” she continues. “I also wanted to get them excited about learning about art as well as the whole process of creating art.”

“But narrowing down the list of artists we’d cover proved to be quite difficult,” admits Beth. “My list could have been much longer, but again, remembering the age of the children and what they’d likely respond to the strongest helped a great deal. All the artists that were chosen were well known, influential people who were revolutionaries in the art world at their respective times. Part of winnowing the list consisted of focusing on specific art movements that the children could comprehend and be inspired by. Yes, some of it was bound to be over their heads, but I was confident that the core concepts and ideas would not be lost on them. Ultimately, I felt that Impressionism and Cubism were movements that they would be able to understand. And, of course, I knew Pop Art would be something they could have a lot of fun with.”

Deleted Scenes

Had camp been longer, Beth has a pretty clear idea what other artists would have made the cut.

“I feel like I could have taught that camp everyday,” she admits. “It took me back to my college days, learning about a different artist each day. Jackson Pollock would have been great to teach the kids – with myriad directions we could have gone in. Jenny Holzer, who is still alive, focuses on text as art. She’s brilliant. Mark Rothko, a tortured man and a controversial artist, focused on color and emotion which the campers easily could have tapped into. Wassily Kandinsky, whose paintings have a clear childlike quality, would have been a lot of fun. Marcel Duchamp’s style of ready-made art could have been great and the I have to think the kids really would have been wowed with some of Salvador Dali’s pieces.”

Jackson Pollack, "Image Number 8" (1949)

Jackson Pollack, “Image Number 8” (1949)

Jenny Holzer, "Survival" (1985)

Jenny Holzer, “Survival” (1985)

Mark Rothko, "Blue and Grey" (1962)

Mark Rothko, “Blue and Grey” (1962)

Wassily Kandinsky, "Composition VIII" (1923)

Wassily Kandinsky, “Composition VIII” (1923)

Marcel Duchamp, "With Hidden Noise" (1916)

Marcel Duchamp, “With Hidden Noise” (1916)

Salvador Dali, "The Persistence of Memory" (1931)

Salvador Dali, “The Persistence of Memory” (1931)

The Final Five

Ultimately, Beth’s final list of artists for Art Camp were Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol. The campers had some familiarity with the eclectic group.

Degas

Degas

Monet

Monet

Van Gogh

Van Gogh

Picasso

Picasso

Warhol

Warhol

“I believe all of the kids had heard of Picasso,” Beth says. “His name was definitely known by them. They had a harder time identifying his works. Conversely, they all seemed to recognize Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’, but did not know the name of the artist. The names Monet, Degas and Warhol were a little foreign to them. A handful of the kids said they had seen some of their respective pieces when I showed them examples, but did not know the artist responsible.”

Despite her enthusiasm and extensive knowledge of the subject matter, Beth was still worried at the start of camp. Would the campers’ have a difficult time focusing on learning about and creating art when they’re based inside a children’s museum?

Monet, "The Japanese Bridge" (1899)

Monet, “The Japanese Bridge” (1899)

Water Lilies in the style of Monet

Water Lilies in the style of Monet

Colorful Bridge inspired by Monet

Colorful Bridge inspired by Monet

Watercolor water lilies in the style of Monet

Watercolor water lilies in the style of Monet

“I knew Art Camp would be a challenge because most children in that age range can be antsy and eager to play on a normal day, let alone when there’s a loud, bustling museum outside of the classroom walls – especially if they don’t already have a desire to sit and create on their own,” Beth shares. “My worries were that they wouldn’t be as enthusiastic as I was. I worried that it would start to feel like ‘work’ – which I know technically it is – but I didn’t want it to come across like it was a chore. I wanted the kids to see how passionately I felt about the art and about teaching it to them.  I was so relieved that my fears were unfounded and I was lucky to have such a great group of kids, several of which were wise beyond their years!”

Van Gogh, "Three Sunflowers" (1888)

Van Gogh, “Three Sunflowers” (1888)

3-D Flowers in clay pots, inspired by Van Gogh

3-D Flowers in clay pots, inspired by Van Gogh

Further painting and decoration of the Van Gogh-esque flower pieces

Further painting and decoration of the Van Gogh-esque flower pieces

Finishing Touches

By the end of the camp, each camper had compiled a full portfolio of artwork to share with their family and friends. Beth was pleased by the generally enthusiastic approach the campers had to learning about so many different artists and styles.

Degas, "Fin D'Arabesque" (1877)

Degas, “Fin D’Arabesque” (1877)

Pop-Up Ballerina inspired by Degas

Pop-Up Ballerina inspired by Degas

“I was delightfully surprised by the enthusiasm for the subject matter,” Beth says. “They all seemed eager to learn, eager to create, and open to doing something different.”

Warhol, "No Title" (1967)

Warhol, “No Title” (1967)

The campers black and white "Warhol-ized" portraits before they painted them, flanking two of Warhol's most famous works

The campers black and white “Warhol-ized” portraits before they painted them, flanking two of Warhol’s most famous works

See a short video of the campers paintings of their own handprints in the style of Andy Warhol.

“When parents have an interest in getting their children into the arts it makes me so happy. With so much funding for the arts being cut in schools these days, it’s important for parents to realize the importance of providing an environment for your children to express themselves; a place to get messy and let them be who they are. That’s the magic of art.”

Picasso, "Woman in Hat and Fur Collar" (1937)

Picasso, “Woman in Hat and Fur Collar” (1937)

The Picasso inspired, "A Woman's Face"

The Picasso inspired, “A Woman’s Face”

Another Picasso inspired portrait

Another Picasso inspired portrait

“When parents have an interest in getting their children into the arts it makes me so happy. With so much funding for the arts being cut in schools these days, it’s important for parents to realize the importance of providing an environment for your children to express themselves; a place to get messy and let them be who they are. That’s the magic of art.”

Despite three full days of Art Camp, it’s something that happened near the end of the program that will stay with Beth the longest.

“On the last day of camp, during our ‘free draw’ time, one of the campers approached me and asked me if I could write down all of the artists we learned about because she wanted to do further research about them and their art when camp was finished. She made my heart melt and I was so proud of the clear connection she had made to the art. It’s an experience like that that makes it all worth it.”

CMNH Art Camp - February 2014

CMNH Art Camp – February 2014

Be sure to check out the video below for some brief words from a few of our campers about their Art Camp experience!

Pi Pies Pie Chart

14 Friday Mar 2014

Posted by Zach Foote in Family Learning, Learning, Museum, Uncategorized

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3.14, Apple Pie, Banana Cream Pie, Blackberry Pie, Blueberry Pie, Butterscotch Pudding Pie, Cherry Pie, Chicken Pot Pie, children's museum, Children's Museum of New Hampshire, Chocolate Cream Pie, Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie, CMNH, Delicious, Dover, Family Fun, Gouda, Kennebunk, Key Lime Pie, Lemom Meringue Pie, Maine, New Hampshire, nh, Peach Pie, Peanut Butter Pie, Pear, Pecan Pie, Pi Day, Pie, Pie Chart, Pie Charts, Pistachio Pudding Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Raspberry Pie, Sanford, Shephard's Pie, Strawberry Pie, Turkey Pot Pie

Happy Pi Day everyone!

Pi Day is celebrated each March 14th. Get it? 3.14? I don’t want to get too bogged down in the origins of Pi Day or how the mathematical constant known as pi works, because I want to get to the part we’re all waiting for: PIE!

Because pi without the “e” is far less delicious than the kind with the “e”, many people celebrate Pi Day by baking pies! Sadly, we didn’t have a chance to bake and eat all of our favorite pies here at CMNH, so we did the next best thing: Conduct a Pi Day Pie Survey! We surveyed our staff, volunteers, and two school groups – one from Sanford, ME and one from Kennebunk, ME – and asked them a pretty simple question.

“What’s your absolute favorite pie?”

{Click on the chart to see a bigger version!}

{Click on the chart to see a bigger version!}

Here are the very scientific (and questionably nutritious) results! How did your favorite pie fare?

A few pies only garnered one vote. They were: Peach, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Pear & Gouda(!), Chicken Pot, Raspberry, Blackberry, Peanut Butter, & Butterscotch Pudding.

We hope you’re all having a delicious Pi Day!

CMNH & Libraries Walk Hand in Hand

10 Monday Mar 2014

Posted by childrensmuseumnh in Learning, Museum, Outreach, Programs, Uncategorized

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ALA, Bioluminescence, Books Alive, Dover, Libraries, Literacy, New Hampshire, Nocturnal Animals, Recycle

Promoting Literacy in Alternative Educational Environments

by Meredith LaMothe

The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire has been committed to promoting literacy with children for over thirty years. We share numerous goals with libraries that foster a love of reading, including exploring and learning in a fun and safe environment, making our services available to all people through library membership programs, promoting activities that pull in a wide range of audiences and bringing those activities to different locations through our outreach program. The Children’s Museum offers a variety of programs from our Summer Library Outreach program and Books Alive events to our weekly Storytime Sundays and our Library Membership Program that offers museum discounts through libraries. All of these programs aim to promote literacy and strengthen relationships between the museum and our neighboring libraries.

CMNH Educator Meredith leads the Summer 2013 library program about bioluminescence at Wiggin Memorial Library in Stratham, NH

CMNH Educator Meredith leads the Summer 2013 library program about bioluminescence at Wiggin Memorial Library in Stratham, NH

We are entering the third year of offering our fantastic annual library outreach program that relates to the ALA summer reading theme. The summer 2014 theme of “Fizz…Boom…Think!” will focus on recycling, saving the earth and learning about the human footprint through hands-on projects, demonstrations and fun! Programs in the past have been “Up All Night in New Hampshire!” and “Dig Into the Deep Sea: Fish Aren’t Afraid of the Dark.”

One of the participants shares his homemade underwater creature with Meredith

One of the participants shares his homemade underwater creature with Meredith

We travel to libraries all over New Hampshire, Maine, and northeast Massachusetts to present an hour long program. We’ve received much positive feedback from host libraries and cannot wait to begin another summer of bringing the museum to you!

You may want to call this a Rainbow Jellyfish but its real name Ctenophore or, "Comb Jelly" for short.

You may want to call this a Rainbow Jellyfish but its real name Ctenophore or, “Comb Jelly” for short.

Since 2006, our Books Alive program brings beloved costumed storybook characters to the museum three times each year. Recently we’ve had visits from Curious George and The Man in the Yellow Hat, Clifford and Emily Elizabeth, The Lorax and Corduroy! These events are very popular.

Books Alive! with Corduroy

Books Alive! with Corduroy

Books Alive! with Meredith & Sister Berenstain Bear

Books Alive! with Meredith & Sister Berenstain Bear

Stories about these characters are read, activities that related to the books are available and – of course – children can meet these storybook friends and have their pictures taken with them or just give a quiet high five. These events bring books to life as children step into the story and meet characters that are their friends. We also use this program to promote libraries as a resource and place where families can find the books we read and have on display for each Books Alive.

CMNH Experience Guide Riley meets Clifford the Big Red Dog & Mer . . . er, Emily Elizabeth during a Books Alive! event at CMNH

CMNH Experience Guide Riley meets Clifford the Big Red Dog & Mer . . . er, Emily Elizabeth during a Books Alive! event at CMNH

Books Alive! with Curious George & The Man in the Yellow Hat

Books Alive! with Curious George & The Man in the Yellow Hat

We also host a weekly program called, “Storytime with Meredith & Stu”. Our storytime is hosted by me – CMNH Educator Meredith Lamothe  – and local musician Stu Dias.

Storytime with Meredith & Stu - every Sunday @ 2PM at CMNH!

Storytime with Meredith & Stu – every Sunday @ 2PM at CMNH!

I read several stories on a theme – sometimes incorporating puppets or felt boards and Stu sings a few songs and sometimes joins in reading the stories. He will usually write a song specifically to suit the theme and is recording an album of these songs later this year!

Meredith & Stu prepare for a Royalty themed Sunday Storytime

Meredith & Stu prepare for a Royalty themed Sunday Storytime

Storytime is a great opportunity for families to get together and relax while enjoying books and music. We find Sundays to be a convenient time for families that might not be able to get to a weekday storytime at their local library.

Storytime duo Meredith & Stu will shout from the rooftops about how much they love reading to kids!

Storytime duo Meredith & Stu will shout from the rooftops about how much they love reading to kids!

We hope to meet many of you through our outreach program this summer or during your visit to CMNH. If your library doesn’t currently participate in our membership program, we’re always happy to explain the different levels of participation available for those communities that are interested in their libraries working with the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire.

Stu & Meredith celebrate their Fall themed Storytime in Henry Law Park in front of the museum in Dover, NH

Stu & Meredith celebrate their Fall themed Storytime in Henry Law Park in front of the museum in Dover, NH

We feel strongly that libraries and children’s museums walk hand in hand in their goals to foster a love of reading and promote literacy with visitors of all ages.

Meredith is a museum educator at CMNH. She is one half of, “Storytime with Meredith & Stu” and an original presenter of our summer library outreach program. She is also a MLIS candidate at Simmons College and reference librarian at Scarborough Public Library. Parts of this piece were originally published in, “Granite State Libraries” Newsletter from the New Hampshire State Library.

30 years and counting …

27 Friday Dec 2013

Posted by Jane Bard in Accessibility, Exhibits, Family Learning, Learning, Mission & Vision, Museum, Techology

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30th anniversary, accessibility, children, children's museum, Children's Museum of NH, creativity, education, families, family learning, how chiildren learn, impact, kids, learning, making, mission, museum, problem solving, programs, vision, visitor experience, world cultures

cm_sub_logo_rgb_130pixelsThe start of a new year brings a sense of promise and revitalization — a chance to reflect on the past and set goals for the future. Here at the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire, staff members have been sharing memories from the past 30 years as well as envisioning how we can continue to build a bright future for the Museum and everyone who is part of our community.

How do we do this? We ask ourselves tough questions about what we do, why we do it, and the impact we have on families, schools and community organizations.

Do we provide valuable experiences for visitors of all ages?

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From First Friends for children as young as six months old and the Make It or Break It afterschool club for up to age 12, to the Dover Mini Maker Faire for all ages and the Alzheimer’s Café for seniors, we are engaging with people at all stages of life.

Do we give families reasons to keep coming back?

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Our educators and exhibit team are always cooking up new ideas and experiments designed to deepen the impact of a Museum visit and provide fresh and exciting experiences for our frequent visitors.

Are we meeting the needs of schools? 

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Tying our group visits to teacher’s curriculum makes a visit to the Museum relevant. For schools that can’t reach us because of distance or bussing costs, we will pilot taking our programs out to schools this spring.

Can everyone who wants to participate in the Museum access our programs and services?

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Our Reach All Initiative ensures that families and schools have free or reduced price access to the Museum. Programs like Exploring Our Way also provide free access to families with children on the autism spectrum.

N.H. Children's Museum

the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire

Although times change, some things remain the same, such as the need to provide children and families with a safe and stimulating environment where they can take risks, ignite their creative potential and explore their passions. This is what has been fueling our work for the past 30 years, and we look forward to the next 30 years of nurturing new generations of innovative thinkers.

August 24, 2013: Join us for NH’s first Maker Faire!

21 Wednesday Aug 2013

Posted by childrensmuseumnh in Family Learning, Learning, Maker Movement, Museum, Science, Techology

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

art, children, children's museum, Children's Museum of NH, creativity, Dover, education, experimentation, family learning, how chiildren learn, ingenuity, invention, Maker Faire, making, museum, science, technology

We’re ecstatic to share that more than 50 makers from around New England will be coming to the Children’s Museum of NH for our very first Maker Faire in downtown Dover! Our planning committee had a goal of 30 makers and we’ve blown that out of the water, thanks to the enthusiastic support of our local maker committee and grassroots promotion that has spread far and wide.

Tickets are available online at just $10 in advance for adults and kids ages 6 and over (kids 5 and under are admitted free) and $12 at the gate on Saturday.

Check out the list of makers who will be joining us on August 24th, along with a quick preview of what they’ll be sharing with attendees.

Lunar Robot built by LunaCats team

UNH Luna Cats:  design & build a Lunabot vehicle

ReVision Energy: solar-powered water fountain demostration

Open Org of Lockpickers – Southern ME chapter:  learn about locks, how to pick them and reuse them

Marissa Vitolo Glass/Ceramic Accessories:  create earrings, brooch, pendant, ring

UNH College of Engineering & Physical Sciences:  build a STEM compass

MakerCrabScreenPrint

Port City Makerspace:  screen printing of Dover Mini Maker Faire logo

Art Lab for Kids:  make art using a recycled map

McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center:  make & launch paper rockets

Bike Part Art:  creative projects related to physics, engineering

Giants In The Woods – band that mixes traditional instruments with electronics like cell phones, tablets to create electronica music performance

Get MESY (Math, Engineering, Science & You, program by NHPTV:  hands on engineering challenges

Art by Emily Drouin

Emily Drouin:  comic book art

JesterType:  open source Arduino-based human interface device that converts gestures into text

New England Model Engineering Society: learn about making working models of steam engines, gas engines, Stirling engines and more

Steampunkinetics

Steampunkinetics:  display of Steampunk art & design

TDB Monsters:  making monsters w/recycled art

Air Rocket Glider:  building & launching rockets

Squirrelcat Designs:  face and body art including temporary glitter tatoos, plus knit items and painted horseshoes

Nathan Walker:  demonstrating how to make large-scale recycled metal art

GTR Kit Car

GTR Kit Car:  Roe Cole will be displaying sports car custom-built from a kit

New Heights Stilt Troupe:  demo of stilt making and stilt walking

New Heights:  Makey Makey demo

Olde Englande Ironworks: Demonstration of traditional blacksmithing techniques

SeaPerchGirl

SeaPerch:  attendees can drive Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicles in a 1000-gallon tank

Corky’s Projects:  variety of DIY tech projects

Tiny Little Room:  making hand-sewn creatures

Jean O. Hearn Fiber Creations:  felting demonstration

Mad Science of Southern NH & Northern MA:  Science Exploration Station

UNH Precision Racing Team

UNH Precision Racing Team: Look for the team with its car in the Big, Loud & High-Flying Zone!

Port City Makerspace:  demonstrating a variety of projects

Cris & Company:  making hand-crafted gifts, some with recycled materials

Iron Pour:  melting cast iron into molds – make a resin mold

TRACIMOC comic art

TRACIMOC:  transforms comic books into wearable art, will have DIY station to make pin/keychain/zipper pull

Michael Lang:  30-minute workshop on how to tell a story; the art of storytelling

Anabean Designs:  childrens/infants tutu’s & dresses

One Story Houses:  doll houses and miniatures

3-D Printing Demo:  demo of Maker-bot THING-O-MATIC 3-D printer

Hottie Biscotti Bakery:  gluten-free & vegan baked goods

RepRap Prusa 3D Printer:  demo of open source 3D printer

TribeyHybridTRIBEY:  bicycle/snowboard electrically powered hybrid demo

Paint for Fun:  kids can make plaster art

Raspberry Pi Projects for Evil Genius:  robot car and radon detector controlled by Raspberry Pi

Lone Oak of Rochester:  ice cream making demo & samples

Ikibuku Hooping Co:  make a hula hoop

Pam Tyson:  demo of making quilted art

PolyRecoveryPicPoly Recovery:  sustainable plastic recycling demo

Assistive Technology:  iPad solutions made with corrugated plastic & Loc-Line, demo of mini McGyver tape kits

Discovery Toys:  demo of learning toys and sets

Steven Abbadessa:  demo of Wood Gassification process, taking wood chips and converting them to synthetic fuel gas, same as used in Victorian days

UNH Interoperability Labs: learn how to control lights using simple programming

Creative inspiration for all at Dover Mini Maker Faire on August 24

16 Friday Aug 2013

Posted by childrensmuseumnh in Family Learning, Learning, Maker Movement, Museum, Science, Techology

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

art, change, child development, children, children's museum, Children's Museum of NH, creativity, Dover, education, experimentation, family learning, fun, kids, Maker Faire, makers, making, nh, problem solving, science, technology

The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire is on a strategic path to inspire kids to think big and think different. Our Mission Statement puts it right up front:

We exist to ignite children’s creative potential through enriching experiences that tap into their talents, stretch them beyond perceived limits, and build strong, joyful relationships.

This focus on igniting children’s creativity and getting them excited about learning is what has inspired us to host New Hampshire’s first-ever Maker Faire event. We’re ecstatic to share that more than 50 makers from around New England will be joining us for Dover Mini Maker Faire on Saturday, August 24th! Check out the list of makers who will be here, along with a quick preview of what they’ll be sharing with attendees of all ages.

UNH Luna Cats:  design & build a Lunabot vehicle

Open Org of Lockpickers – Southern ME chapter:  learn about locks, how to pick them and reuse them

UNH College of Engineering & Physical Sciences:  build a STEM compass

MakerCrabScreenPrint

Screen print a t-shirt

Port City Makerspace:  screen printing of Dover Mini Maker Faire logo

Art Lab for Kids:  make art using a recycled map

McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center:  make & launch paper rockets

Bike Part Art:  creative projects related to physics, engineering

Giants In The Woods – band that mixes traditional instruments with electronics like cell phones, tablets to create electronica music performance

Get MESY (Math, Engineering, Science & You, program by NHPTV:  hands on engineering challenges

Art by Emily Drouin

Emily Drouin art

Emily Drouin:  comic book art

JesterType:  open source Arduino-based human interface device that converts gestures into text

Marissa Vitolo Glass/Ceramic Accessories:  create earrings, brooch, pendant, ring

New England Model Engineering Society: learn about making working models of steam engines, gas engines, Stirling engines and more

Steampunkinetics

Steampunkinetics

Steampunkinetics:  display of Steampunk art & design

TDB Monsters:  making monsters w/recycled art

Air Rocket Glider:  building & launching rockets

Squirrelcat Designs:  face and body art

Nathan Walker:  demonstrating how to make large-scale recycled metal art

GTR Kit Car

GTR Kit Car

GTR Kit Car:  Roe Cole will be displaying sports car custom-built from a kit

New Heights Stilt Troupe:  demo of stilt making and stilt walking

New Heights:  Makey Makey demo

Olde Englande Ironworks: Demonstration of traditional blacksmithing techniques

Sea Perch tank

Sea Perch Tank

SeaPerch:  attendees can drive Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicles in a 1000-gallon tank

Corky’s Projects:  variety of DIY tech projects

Tiny Little Room:  making hand-sewn creatures

Jean O. Hearn Fiber Creations:  felting demonstration

Mad Science of Southern NH & Northern MA:  Science Exploration Station

Port City Makerspace:  demonstrating a variety of projects

Cris & Company:  making hand-crafted gifts, some with recycled materials

TRACIMOC comic art

TRACIMOC comic art

TRACIMOC:  transforms comic books into wearable art, will have DIY station to make pin/keychain/zipper pull

Michael Lang:  30-minute workshop on how to tell a story; the art of storytelling

Anabean Designs:  childrens/infants tutu’s & dresses

Iron Pour:  melting cast iron into molds – make a resin mold

One Story Houses:  doll houses and miniatures

3-D Printing Demo:  demo of Maker-bot THING-O-MATIC 3-D printer

Rolling Owl Stools

Rolling Owl Stools

Owl Furniture:  ergonomic designed furniture

Hottie Biscotti Bakery:  gluten-free & vegan baked goods

RepRap Prusa 3D Printer:  demo of open source 3D printer

Raspberry Pi Projects for Evil Genius:  robot car and radon detector controlled by Raspberry Pi

UNH Engineering & Physical Sciences Dept: Make a STEM compass & learn about STEM careers

Tribey Hybrid

Tribey Hybrid

TRIBEY:  bicycle/snowboard electrically powered hybrid demo

Paint for Fun:  kids can make plaster art

Lone Oak of Rochester:  ice cream making demo & samples

Ikibuku Hooping Co:  make a hula hoop

Pam Tyson:  demo of making quilted art

PolyRecoveryPic

PolyRecovery

Poly Recovery:  sustainable plastic recycling demo

Assistive Technology:  iPad solutions made with corrugated plastic & Loc-Line, demo of mini McGyver tape kits

Discovery Toys:  demo of learning toys and sets

Steven Abbadessa:  demo of Wood Gassification process, taking wood chips and converting them to synthetic fuel gas, same as used in Victorian days

UNH Interoperability Labs: learn how to control lights using simple programming

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