tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39639184388591277252012-01-20T11:14:26.792-06:00A blog for our colleagues, museum professionals, parents and caregiversThe DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.comBlogger1491100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-62894518530554361952012-01-20T11:14:00.000-06:002012-01-20T11:14:26.800-06:00

Dance is common to many cultures as both a form of art and recreation. Dance as art expresses emotion, sets a mood and even tells a story. Some dances consist of symbolic gestures that tell a complete story through carefully choreographed movements. Dance as recreation has long been a source of relaxation, fun and companionship. Dance can help children move, think and feel simultaneously – a

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-67891001061470396152012-01-13T09:44:00.003-06:002012-01-13T09:46:14.941-06:00

The New Year is here and many of us are talking about moving more--moving to reduce weight, moving to increase energy and moving to take better care of our bodies. Movement is a powerful tool for parents, caregivers and educators of young children. Eloise Elliott, Ph.D., creator of a web-based instructional module for intermediate age children on cardiovascular health, Healthy Hearts for Kids,

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-71989222725817265122012-01-09T14:15:00.000-06:002012-01-09T14:15:30.747-06:00

Museum members and visitors gathered New Year’s Eve morning for our annual Bubble Bash event, Bubble Bash 2011 All Aboard! Next Stop 2012. The event featured live music, train-themed activities, light refreshments and a countdown to noon led by Naperville Mayor A. George Pradel. Naperville Mayor A. George Pradel leads the countdown to noon Bubbles filled the room when the clock struck noon

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-16091721546530803672011-12-30T10:16:00.001-06:002011-12-30T10:21:49.989-06:00

Who’s counting? Is it the toddler who pulls a sock on each foot? The three year old who cries “Eight, seven, ten! Here I come!”? The preschooler who announces that there are eleven racing cars when there are really only ten? Or the kindergartner who carefully and correctly counts a long row of pennies?  The truth is, all three of them are counting. They’re just at different points along the way.

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-16984969627699290582011-12-22T07:28:00.004-06:002011-12-22T15:01:40.355-06:00

Maybe your child’s got her stuffed animals all lined up from biggest to smallest. Or maybe he’s told you that his best friend can jump almost--but not quite--as high as he can, and that another friend can hardly get off the ground. If so, you’re an eyewitness to the emergence of an essential math skill, one that your child will have plenty of opportunities to explore at DCM: seriation. Seriation

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-68240983024459357372011-12-14T10:00:00.007-06:002011-12-14T10:04:15.064-06:00

Blocks and ScienceIn a world of plastics and other synthetics, children rarely have the opportunity to understand where their toys originated. Unit blocks, however, are made of wood. And wood, of course, comes from trees. It’s the kind of simple scientific fact that can be as amazing to a young child as, say, realizing that carrots grow in the ground or that hens lay eggs. Blocks also give

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A toy not decorated with TV characters or bright colors? No blinking lights? No microchip? Nothing that wiggles or twinkles or giggles? Why would kids want to play with something like that? And yet, they do. They play with blocks. Plain, wooden ones. Many early childhood educators say wooden unit blocks are the one piece of play equipment they wouldn’t do without (e.g. http://nyti.ms/u229n7).

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-43273414166964531432011-09-29T09:06:00.003-05:002011-09-29T09:07:36.472-05:00

A FREE Talk for Parents & Educators What do you do with the MAD that you feel? Helping children with their angry feelings Anger is a natural and normal emotion. Learn how you can help the children that you care about understand their feelings and develop self-control that will help them for the rest of their lives. Do you have a question for Hedda Sharapan? Please post your question here on

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-71693481843878668902011-09-16T13:22:00.012-05:002011-09-16T14:42:20.458-05:00

On September 12th DuPage Children's Museum welcomed area educators for an evening of hors d’oeuvres, networking and sneak peeks at our 2011 Educator Open House. The main presentation was titled Reaching the Fullest Potential for Boys and Girls in Math & Literacy by Lise Eliot, PhD, Associate Professor of Neuroscience at the Chicago Medical School of Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine &

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-80368532962968177272011-08-31T08:52:00.003-05:002011-08-31T10:30:55.539-05:00

Have you ever noticed that many adults want to see the instructions to make something work? Kids are more likely to jump right in and see what happens. And that’s exactly what DuPage Children’s Museum is here for – to support children’s growing creativity skills and their confidence in trying things out. The next time you are at the Museum and not sure what you are “supposed to be doing” with the

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-26615413137615042532011-08-23T10:16:00.000-05:002011-08-23T10:16:21.476-05:00

It has been a wonderful summer filled with learning and fun in the DuPage Children’s Museum Preschool Summer Camp. “Let’s Build” was the theme of this, our last, week. The children were surprised and delighted as they discovered many different types and sizes of houses reading Ann Morris’ and Ken Heyman’s book titled Houses and Homes. The book shows houses that are made out of mud and straw.

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-73202613419877959332011-08-15T12:44:00.000-05:002011-08-15T12:44:21.184-05:00

DuPage Children's Museum will be closed from August 29 through September 11 for new exhibit installation and facility deep cleaning. Although we do clean and sanitize all the manipulatives in the Museum every night, during shutdown we take the cleaning to a whole new level. We pull just about everything off the floor, steam clean, power scrub, paint and repair the building and our exhibits. You’

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Stories. Children love to hear stories. We often think about the importance of reading storybooks with children, but oral story telling is another wonderful way to communicate and connect with each other. The next time you are faced with 15 minutes to wait in line with a child at the grocery, think of a fairytale, a folktale or a story from “real life” to share with them. Often times you can

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-90033815840214986082011-08-01T15:12:00.000-05:002011-08-01T15:12:44.138-05:00

Highlights on active learning through play in the DCM summer preschool program this week: Our theme this week was Color, Light and Shadow. Color:What would you expect from some paint and curious mice? With this “feet-on” activity the children were able to be actively engaged with the concept of color as they listened to the story Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh. The children walked along the

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-22163370416041670022011-07-22T15:25:00.000-05:002011-07-22T15:25:24.908-05:00

How did the Preschool Summer Camp find room for a movie theater, a pet store and a car wash that young motorists could drive through? No, the studio did not get larger to accommodate all of these features, but imaginations did grow each day. During this special week, counselors brought in the most powerful tools of imaginary play – cardboard boxes.     Stacking them up just right created a

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Paint exploded, balloons burst and learning took place last Thursday as children ages 7-9 practiced the scientific method while experimenting with velocity and trajectory in the Fireworks class. Three hundred (300!) water balloons filled with water or paint were thrown using comparative techniques, including overhand, underhand or with a slingshot. Children observed which technique made the

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-14054265539287876042011-07-08T13:57:00.007-05:002011-07-08T13:59:37.081-05:00

Preschool Summer Camp started with Art Explorers week but the development sparked in the studio went far beyond art processes. Certainly children practiced skills, but DCM counselors kept fun and creativity at the heart of these serious explorations. Big discoveries happen when children apply dozens of types of paint in hundreds of ways to myriad surfaces. Each process provides new understanding

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-68394365317823672122011-07-01T16:04:00.000-05:002011-07-01T16:04:07.222-05:00

Exciting new ways of exploring science and art are exploding onto the scene this July. Fireworks provide fantastic connections to these important areas of development. The Museum is offering a Creativity Class for 7-9 year-olds that will investigate velocity, gravity, symmetry, centrifugal force, light and more; and the beginning of July is the perfect time to do it. Concentrating on the visual

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-76765264019315289722011-06-29T10:18:00.000-05:002011-06-29T10:18:22.539-05:00

QUESTION: Do you know what happens when a painter gets their paper really, really wet with paint? ANSWER: It rips. I did not learn that fact in graduate school, preparing to work with children. I learned it many years ago as a frustrated young artist with a ripped painting. We frequently hear warnings about this in the Museum art studio but, as with most things, humans learn best through their

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-45079216245832768722011-06-17T09:52:00.000-05:002011-06-17T09:52:58.332-05:00

Universal Design refers to producing buildings, products and environments that are inherently accessible to everyone - those with and without disabilities. This concept was key to planning the layout of the Museum and is at the forefront when considering updates to exhibit areas and the exhibits themselves. For example, the Bubble Booth has been a favorite feature for children and adults alike

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DCM’s open-ended exhibits offer meaningful activities for people of all abilities, including a wide variety of sensory and therapeutic opportunities. In addition, we offer a range of adaptive equipment and materials for our visitors with special needs to help enhance their Museum experience. For example, a child experiencing challenges with verbal communication or processing, may benefit from our

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-17484587048093207132011-06-03T11:21:00.015-05:002011-06-03T11:50:30.933-05:00

We’re continuing some reminiscences of our last 10 years in Naperville. Here are the memories of four more staff who have worked for DCM for more than 10 years!   Paul Gooding, Museum Floor Manager, 5/7/2001 Paul began as a Play Facilitator, was promoted to Assistant Museum Floor Manager, and then in 2005 to Museum Floor Manager. Last winter, I was near Visitor Services when a father was

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-23931724051865045602011-05-31T13:59:00.003-05:002011-06-03T12:35:34.836-05:00

On May 19th, DuPage Children’s Museum celebrated 10 years in Naperville.  As we reflect back on 10 busy years in our current facility, we are delighted to note how many staff are celebrating 10+ years working for DCM.  Memories build up pretty quickly with 300,000 visitors a year over a whole decade, but we asked our long time staff to share in a few words some of their thoughts and favorites.

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-9118741869966176932011-05-20T16:33:00.000-05:002011-05-20T16:33:48.813-05:00

In a third post about our Museum's prototyping process, Peter Crabbe, Associate Director of Exhibits and Design, shares how we use observation during prototyping experiences at DCM. We’ve been prototyping a new large-scale Roller Coaster with tubes and tunnels that children can create and modify in the Museum’s Make It Move Neighborhood. In the last post on “Using Observations to Modify Exhibits,

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-44376901371655186702011-05-13T15:00:00.000-05:002011-05-13T15:00:42.485-05:00

Our senses provide us with important information about ourselves and our world. Infants’ or toddlers’ primary source of taking in information is through their senses. A tactile toy offered in our Creativity Connections Young Explorers (CCYE) area invites children to touch, manipulate and explore different textured materials mounted on pieces of curved wood. The pieces were specifically designed

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-2550249802628274592011-05-06T09:30:00.000-05:002011-05-06T09:30:29.705-05:00

Have you ever watched a toddler unexpectedly lift something heavier than anything they had experienced before?  Part of a toddler's developing physical awareness and motor development is carrying objects. Most toddlers will experiment with how to hold things in different ways and eventually carry them around. We recently designed and created a heavier version of a classic push-pull toy for

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-59882752207722306652011-03-23T09:20:00.000-05:002011-03-23T09:20:44.276-05:00

This is a second post about the Chagall Window's Project at DCM by Marcia MacRae, our Interdisciplinary Art Specialist. Read about how the Chagall inspired art panels created by area teens inspired our young visitors in the Museum. While the high schoolers were ready to paint for the DuPage Children's Museum's Chagall Windows Project, they were not prepared for the reactions of the Museum's

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-49276386492989434782011-03-16T08:55:00.000-05:002011-03-16T08:55:28.192-05:00

This week's post is written by Marcia MacRae, Interdisciplinary Arts Specialist for DuPage Children's Museum.  Marcia shares with us the process of  creating the Chagall Windows project with local high school students in conjunction with our temporary exhibit, Chagall for Children. Inspired by Marc Chagall's stained glass America Windows, recently reinstalled at the Art Institute of Chicago, 50

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-8313509286491802292011-03-08T15:41:00.000-06:002011-03-08T15:41:19.108-06:00

In a second post about our Museum's prototyping process, Peter Crabbe, Associate Director of Exhibits and Design, shares how we use observation during prototype experiences at DCM. After creating a prototype we temporarily install the exhibit on the Museum floor to see what kinds of interactions our visitors will have.  Trained observers, who act as our eyes and ears, write a detailed

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-49969611692212469342011-03-01T14:11:00.001-06:002011-03-01T14:52:06.737-06:00

This week's post is written by Peter Crabbe, Associate Director of Exhibits and Design for DuPage Children's Museum.  Peter will be sharing a series of posts for our readers this month about our Museum's prototyping process.  Leave a comment or ask a question as we look at this process together. The exhibit prototyping process is one of the favorite parts of my job here at DuPage Children's

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-73438522900990896782011-02-18T09:47:00.000-06:002011-02-18T09:47:45.230-06:00

This week's post is written by Marcia MacRae, our Interdisciplinary Arts Specialist.  Marcia shares the process of creating a new exhibition in our Good Show Gallery, Chagall Memories. Young children have the ability to powerfully communicate complex thoughts and deep emotions when given the right vocabulary.  That does not always mean that their message is verbalized.  The incredible artwork in

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-46818811451915993542011-02-11T08:46:00.000-06:002011-02-11T08:46:12.778-06:00

Yes, men and women are different but when do these differences begin?  Which has a greater influence - genes or environment?  Until recently, most gender studies were conducted on older children and adults.  With today's scientific advances, we are beginning to identify sameness and difference right from the moment of conception.  You would be surprised what is being discovered! Having grown up

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-49849653820481522702011-02-04T13:33:00.001-06:002011-02-04T14:33:22.045-06:00

Do you have a budding artist in your house?  Perhaps our new exhibit, Chagall for Children, has inspired someone in your family to express themselves artistically.  When children are given art materials to explore their own creativity, they have the opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings through a variety of mediums.  Using art materials also helps very young children develop their

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-85553673521204133262011-01-25T09:16:00.000-06:002011-01-25T09:16:02.321-06:00

The traveling exhibit Chagall for Children is here at the Museum through April 20th. I spent some time watching families explore a few days after we opened. Here are some excerpts of what I saw: A girl, 4 years of age, was walking near Chagall's The Juggler. Suddenly she heard a horse neigh and ran over to see where the sound came from.  The volunteer, playing with the interactive, showed her the

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-15570882550621023322011-01-17T09:16:00.000-06:002011-01-17T09:16:09.853-06:00

The Museum is very excited to offer our visitors the opportunity to explore, touch, listen, to learn about, look at, wonder about and feel the art of Marc Chagall.  Based on the work of this Russian-born French painter 1887-1985, the exhibit includes 15 reproductions of Chagall works, most with interactive elements that allow children to explore their own creativity. The exhibit is located in

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-66193149272037498132011-01-10T09:00:00.002-06:002011-01-10T11:39:17.964-06:00

Quality art and design are everywhere you go! Learning to look at art and design not only helps develop art appreciation, but can also foster many important skills children need for lifetime learning! Make it a new year's resolution to look at art and design with your children. Here's some great tips from our Interdisciplinary Specialist Marcia MacRae:Learning to Look EverydayStart by hunting

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-6713182078360868462011-01-04T09:10:00.034-06:002011-01-04T12:16:55.918-06:00

Our ninth annual celebration to ring in the New Year (at noon) was a resounding success! I can't think of a better way to ring in the New Year than to watch the delight of children, parents and grandparents creating, celebrating and pretending together.Singing along with Mr. Singer and the Sharp CookiesMaking a jet-pack to blast-off to 2011 Coloring in the "Galaxy Room"

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-68459262217515631942010-12-16T09:28:00.013-06:002010-12-16T22:03:40.095-06:00

What kinds of celebrations are you planning during this time of year? In any culture, it is the celebrations that connect us to each other. Typically, celebrations are woven into our family traditions and help us connect with important people in our lives in meaningful ways.What's one thing you remember about a family celebration? Good, bad, funny or sad, most of our celebration memories

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-23722347482155376982010-12-08T09:00:00.000-06:002010-12-08T09:01:25.367-06:00

With a very comfy chair and lots of parent and teacher resources, the Family Resource Center (FRC) might just be the place to visit next time you are in our Museum. Located on the second floor, this tucked-away area not only serves as a respite on busy Museum days, but also provides a lot to see and do - quietly.Stories and BooksGrab a book and share some cuddle time with your child or enjoy one

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-57590832087403983272010-12-01T11:44:00.001-06:002010-12-01T13:12:07.705-06:00

What is the child in this picture thinking? If I were to guess, he is brainstorming the best placement of his scissors for the size of ribbon he needs for his collage resting on the table. Perhaps the ribbon is too thick or not thick enough. In that case, he'll have to search the table for alternate supplies. Maybe his caregiver will make a suggestion and together they will collaborate on the

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-16741229247207411072010-11-18T09:00:00.001-06:002010-11-18T09:00:06.529-06:00

Back when no curbside recycling existed, my sisters and I used to help our mother collect recycled materials to take to the volunteer-staffed recycling center. Although this experience started me on a philanthropic path, at the time I only knew it as a way of life. We looked at the adventure as fun!Instilling a sense of giving can start early! Children three and under are primarily focused on

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-77080907397027059232010-11-11T10:30:00.000-06:002010-11-11T10:30:23.077-06:00

What was your favorite field trip when you were a child? What made it so memorable? Besides being thrilled to be out of the classroom, you probably got to interact with a fascinating guide, creative spaces or new materials in a way you had not experienced before. The interactions you had with your classmates may have helped make it memorable as well.So what makes a good field trip? Good field

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-62032664269581223682010-11-05T09:00:00.013-05:002010-11-05T09:47:11.279-05:00

We will be hosting our third annual toy show and sale on Friday, November 12. With so many good toy choices both during the sale or any time in our Explorer Store, how do you choose? Here are a few suggestions to consider:At any age, consider puppets. When children play with puppets, they make them talk, encouraging the development of language skills and the expression of various emotions. Add

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-17444161756141773362010-10-29T09:00:00.000-05:002010-10-29T09:00:29.637-05:00

Do you need a little play time? It turns out that play is vital for healthy functioning, even for animals. Gordon Burghardt, a psychology professor at the University of Tennessee and author of the book The Genesis of Animal Play - Testing the Limits has found that play is embedded in species' biology, including the brain. Repetitive play helps stimulate our memories and our flexible thinking.

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-22904242774659212202010-10-22T09:00:00.001-05:002010-10-22T09:09:14.834-05:00

While we value grandparents everyday at DuPage Children's Museum, we celebrate their unique bond with their grandchildren during the month of October. Bonnie Strong, a grandmother visiting from Ohio in honor of her grandchild's 3rd birthday, commented that DCM is a great place for wonderful memories!Do you remember the bond you had with your grandparent? It's as if time stopped and the world

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-1352319994799854502010-10-15T09:30:00.001-05:002010-10-15T09:43:11.759-05:00

How do you prepare yourself to vote? Do you gather all the facts before you make the final decision? Do you discuss your decision with a trusted friend or family member? Have you ever second guessed your decision? Although we don't earn the privilege of voting until we are 18, most children are well aware of elections and voting from an early age, given all the yard signs, phone calls and TV

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-42883433412699505162010-10-08T09:00:00.004-05:002010-10-08T09:22:49.231-05:00

The best art openings in town are at DuPage Children's Museum's Good Show Gallery, a special venue for displaying children's works. The artists arrive, some in fancy dress, some straight from hockey practice, all excited to show their families the works they created in a DCM workshop. Pointing out their thoughtful creations to parents and recognizing their artistic efforts hung behind glass in

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-20250538567947786782010-09-27T10:12:00.015-05:002010-10-01T09:51:00.459-05:00

We hosted our 3rd annual Educators' Open House this week. About 80 educators visited with Museum staff, toured our exhibits, and explored activities associated with our Learning Lab School Programs. In addition, participants received 1.5 CEU or CPDU credits by listening to an engaging and informative presentation by Angela Andrews, Associate Professor of Math Education from National Louis

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-87044988984902823082010-09-24T10:01:00.009-05:002010-09-24T13:56:11.754-05:00

Scientists use their curiosity about a particular problem to observe, test, verify and make discoveries. How does this curiosity develop? Apparently right from the start! Lise Elliot, author of Pink Brain, Blue Brain, notes that "psychologists have tracked babies' eye movements to gauge whether they understand such properties as gravity, speed, and momentum. Remarkably, they have found that

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-15004414484061665542010-09-13T12:42:00.026-05:002010-09-17T09:03:38.890-05:00

We are pleased to welcome our visitors back! After a two-week refresh and cleaning of the Museum, we are open! A Play Facilitator was overheard saying, "Boy, does this place smell clean!" Cleaning and sanitizing takes priority all year round but especially during our annual shutdown. You can read more about our daily and yearly cleaning procedures here and in a 2008 article in Hand to Hand

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-38261806310271222532010-09-10T06:55:00.001-05:002010-09-10T07:09:45.445-05:00

The simplest materials often stimulate the most creative thinking! This summer Line Sculptures filled DCM's Studio for an entire week with colorful abstract designs, representational pictures and inspirational feats of engineering. "Inspirational" materials included paper strips of varying widths, scissors, glue sticks and small rectangular papers on which to work. A few hints on how to shape

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-46431374275004496572010-09-02T12:35:00.020-05:002010-09-13T13:15:31.575-05:00

Our annual shutdown for refreshing exhibits is currently underway. Staff and volunteers are working diligently to clean, paint and (sometimes) refurbish every area, including exhibits and behind the scenes.Our Interact with Art Gallery: The Play's the Thing will have some changes as it evolves into Act II. The curtain opens September 13th. In the meantime, read about some of the changes

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-77980376673721187422010-08-23T13:49:00.019-05:002010-08-26T13:13:56.793-05:00

As summertime is winding down, so too are our summer preschool camp programs. Our final camp of the summer gave children the opportunity to explore art in a variety of mediums. Whether children are reveling in the wet, bright-colored "squishiness" of tempera paint, creating a vista of lines and curves or thoughtfully poking or smoothing a mound of dough, they are developing artistic

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-53356397403335491152010-08-18T09:25:00.018-05:002010-08-18T14:48:15.445-05:00

Measurement is the main way most of us use math in the everyday world. From great big to tiny, measurement begins with noticing differences in size. Although preschool children may not verbalize measurement, they are thinking about it - from how tall they are to comparing how long their teddy bear is next to their friend's bear. During last week's Preschool Summer Camp we used the creative

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-74670625583891124182010-08-11T08:00:00.001-05:002010-08-11T08:00:28.519-05:00

During last week's Preschool Summer Camp, the focus was pretend. Pretending is a great way to encourage and motivate children's learning. One of the many benefits of pretending is that it gives children many opportunities to practice using their memory.We started the week by cultivating our storytelling techniques with volunteer storyteller Joanne Chase. On Monday we created stories with story

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-30973614278203284832010-08-06T09:00:00.001-05:002010-08-06T09:22:30.825-05:00

An awareness of how we see color involves a gradually constructed and complex network of insights. In addition, though shadows and light are aspects of our physical world, they aren't objects that can be picked up and handled. Last week, DCM's Preschool Summer Camp built on children's inherent interest with color, light and shadows, including complexities such as shade, tint, brightness and

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-61200894167158018422010-08-03T12:45:00.023-05:002010-08-03T14:48:31.475-05:00

Bubble, fizz, ooze! These were some of the results last week at our Cool Chemical Concoction Mini-Camp for 7-9 year old children. At one of the four mini-camps for younger school-age children held this summer, children experimented with common household "chemicals" to learn about the power of CO2 gas, how yeast makes dough rise, how to grow crystals, how to make several different cool slimes and

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-35693102447838669102010-07-28T10:18:00.021-05:002010-08-02T13:44:03.292-05:00

During the research for the Museum's AirWorks neighborhood adults and children were interviewed with the statement, tell us what you know about air. Both children and adults talked about feeling air on themselves such as the force of the air when they placed their hands outside of a moving car. Most of us, in fact, understand that air is all around us, that air blows objects around and that we

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-73741848620452825832010-07-21T14:55:00.003-05:002010-07-23T08:27:39.841-05:00

In everyday life water spouts from faucets, drains from tubs and rains from above. And inevitably, if you are a child it spills! During last week's Preschool Summer Camp children redirected, captured, and controlled water. With multiple approaches and myriad of solutions to any challenge, playing with water and bubbles is discovery learning at its best.For information about the science behind

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-80207808732291980862010-07-16T08:00:00.002-05:002010-07-16T08:11:27.818-05:00

Anderson Pest Solutions brought their Insect Zoo for our visitors to investigate last week. "The Insect Zoo has developed quite a following with our visitors, having first visited in November of 2009," stated Margaret Hanly, Associate Director of Programs for DCM. "We had 305 adults and children at last week's event," she added. Both children and their parents and caregivers showed a

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-30993011201739026922010-07-09T09:30:00.001-05:002010-07-09T09:33:57.496-05:00

A child's fascination with moving objects can inspire numerous scientific observations and experimentation with some of the basic concepts of physics. Through active participation with things that move, children gain confidence, make comparisons, problem solve, apply concepts of force and motion, use creativity, work, plan and design.During last week's Preschool Summer Camp, Make It Move,

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-14441802753642572392010-06-28T13:58:00.020-05:002010-06-30T14:08:35.110-05:00

DuPage Children's Museum is a preschool campground this summer. Program staff at DCM are offering a learning through play approach both in the classroom and through Museum exploration. Alternating between low- and high-energy activities that connect learning to weekly themes, children stay engaged with both individual and group process. Although the focus changes each week and the activities

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-27723459488401796742010-06-15T09:24:00.001-05:002010-06-15T09:24:16.969-05:00

How did you explore the concepts of physics when you were a child? Do you remember the toy, Slinky? This was a toy that helped you intuitively learn physics. My sisters and I each owned a Slinky and had races with them down the stairs in our house. We were experimenting with how fast or slowly we pushed the Slinky off the steps, in actuality, an inclined plane. A physicist would have told

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-47885504170573813632010-06-02T14:39:00.018-05:002010-06-03T09:00:21.264-05:00

Almost everything we do is connected to mathematical thinking! Imagine setting a table or preparing a meal without some understanding of math concepts. How would you know how many plates or glasses are needed? The foundational understanding of math begins very early in life through everyday experiences. Children actively construct informal mathematical concepts and strategies through the

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-61038181531978422512010-05-27T10:20:00.002-05:002010-05-27T10:22:25.396-05:00

The redesigning and refurbishing of Make It Move (MIM), one of seven Museum neighborhoods, was celebrated this past weekend with a grand re-opening. With so many experiences that invite direct exploration of basic cause and effect, MIM is at the conceptual heart of DuPage Children's Museum (DCM). "MIM is a place where children can experience the basic laws of physics while having fun. As they

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-4279695898053858772010-05-12T16:17:00.017-05:002010-05-18T11:24:38.715-05:00

What happens when you are asked to push a child on a swing? "Higher, go higher," she may request of you. Give a child a toy car and watch how she creates paths and ramps so that the car can go farther and faster. A child's fascination with moving objects can inspire numerous scientific observations and experimentation with the basic concepts of physics. In order to really understand motion

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-3147389300207455682010-05-07T10:36:00.019-05:002010-05-07T14:15:28.088-05:00

Mother's Day is an annual holiday recognizing mothers, motherhood and maternal bonds, in general, as well as the positive contributions they make throughout society. Did you know that Mother's Day is celebrated in other countries, typically sometime between the months of March through May?Every day is Mother's Day at the Museum as we honor their incredible contributions to their children's

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-83486497949882733432010-04-27T11:00:00.002-05:002010-04-27T11:04:41.275-05:00

Most of our young visitors are of the mindset, "What's mine is mine and what's yours is mine too!" Some of our grown up visitors may get upset when they see their two-year-old not sharing something in our Museum. You can facilitate your child's understanding by, first, understanding what they are capable of and, secondly, creating an environment that helps children become aware of other

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-27779779399582704942010-04-19T07:30:00.001-05:002010-04-19T10:11:09.785-05:00

In a previous post we discussed the value of observing children playing and interacting in the Museum. When you sit back and watch your child interacting with materials and other children in the Museum, you may delight in a growing understanding of his ever-changing development, both cognitively and socially.Observing first before interacting may not always be an option. If you brought your

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-77598246484102191872010-04-07T09:18:00.008-05:002010-04-08T13:05:14.820-05:00

Celebrate the Week of the Young Child April 11 - 17, 2010The Week of the Young Child (WOYC) is an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the nation's largest organization of early childhood professionals. This week-long celebration recognizes and honors more than 35 million children from birth through age eight as well as the families,

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-59953307741547857822010-03-26T09:00:00.001-05:002010-03-26T09:22:36.348-05:00

So you've come to the Museum to play and interact with the children you brought with you. You might be a caregiver, parent or grandparent. Before joining in on play, take a few minutes for some spontaneous observations. What you see and hear may offer some possibilities into what can be learned about a child's personality, developmental capabilities, problem solving abilities, interests,

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-23618097375375067912010-03-19T09:00:00.011-05:002010-03-22T09:24:34.671-05:00

Observation is a powerful tool! All of us observe, informally, as we go about our daily lives. We watch and listen to our surroundings. At a store I may notice the number of people near a kiosk or display and wander over to see what is catching everyone's interest. I may overhear a conversation about the latest movie release that sparks my interest to see a movie I had not planned to see.

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-84830981834451763962010-03-12T10:47:00.043-06:002010-03-12T13:59:55.501-06:00

Repeated play experiences support a child's intrinsic motivation to learn. In a previous post we had the opportunity read about a visit at DuPage Children's Museum from a parent's perspective. "Every time we go there (DCM), there is something new we haven't explored," commented this parent blogger. "Taking the kids to the children's museum allows me to see what they are drawn to."How fortunate we

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-43121623261301625142010-03-03T13:01:00.006-06:002010-03-05T09:06:56.085-06:00

We couldn't have said it better! Here's a 2/24/10 post from a family who recently visited DuPage Children's Museum. When children experience Museum play through repeated visits, they have opportunities to make new discoveries! As parents and caregivers, it's a joy to sit back and watch these new discoveries and find time to connect with supportive adults. Click here to read more.

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-73934660860382410632010-02-26T12:35:00.035-06:002010-03-08T10:12:52.606-06:00

Did you know?The arts can make you smart! Recent research demonstrates a correlation between the arts and higher academic performance. In the report, “Learning, Arts and the Brain,” seven universities presented several studies discussing how visual arts, music, and dance training and skill impact learning (The DanaFoundation, 2008).The focus for the Family Resource Center (FRC) for March, April

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-20256867070042780822010-02-05T14:01:00.057-06:002010-02-19T09:13:07.288-06:00

A shadow can show the shape of an object, but it doesn't show colors or intricate details. In our new exhibit, Shadow Playground, we have added colored lights to an exhibit component, Shadow Scapes, which enhance the use of creativity with shadows. In Shadow Scapes children fit together curved and straight slotted pieces to build sculptures and observe shadow with colored light. When children

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-11156898930429189532010-02-05T09:26:00.029-06:002010-02-05T10:41:11.639-06:00

Go for an evening walk with your child and I can guarantee your child will notice shadows. Watch how the streetlight casts a shadow of your image on the sidewalk. Does your shadow move with you? How can you make your shadow bigger or smaller?Capitalizing on children's natural curiosity about shadows was one of the main goals of the original exhibit, Shadow Theater, in the Creativity Connections

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-10188657417652122362010-01-29T10:00:00.027-06:002010-01-29T10:32:24.246-06:00

Our brand new exhibit, Shadow Playground, opened a few weeks ago. This refurbished, expanded and renamed exhibit in the Creativity Connections Neighborhood came about as a result of numerous observations from our previous exhibit, Shadow Theater. Although the focus of the previous exhibit was about children discovering light and shadows, most observations showed very little interaction in the

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-91696290632999797252010-01-15T10:00:00.045-06:002010-01-22T09:32:55.994-06:00

The last three posts have concentrated on a few ideas about what children learn through play as suggested by Dr. Alice Honig in the Young Children journal article, "Play, Ten Power Boosts for Children's Early Learning" (September, 2007). Providing rich and varied play experiences for children definitively has been proven to boost children's early learning (Kaplan 1978; Bergen 1998; Johnson,

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-14796474076292029962010-01-11T09:23:00.094-06:002010-01-15T09:37:22.850-06:00

Celebrations help us connect to the important people in our lives. The Museum had another successful family oriented countdown to noon celebration to say goodbye to 2009 and welcome the New Year. "Our annual Bubble Bash is truly a family event,” says DuPage Children's Museum's Director of Marketing and Membership Alison Segebarth. “It gives everyone the opportunity to see the celebration through

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-31226348758126599452010-01-08T10:00:00.005-06:002010-01-08T10:46:31.419-06:00

The ability to reason and predict cause and effect are important components needed for science learning. In her Young Children article, Play: Ten Power Boosts for Children's Learning, Dr. Honig labels this,"if-then reasoning," an important skill needed for experimentation and scientific thinking.There are a plethora of opportunities for children to practice "if-then reasoning" through play

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-91811134791937355942009-12-18T09:00:00.021-06:002009-12-18T09:21:50.728-06:00

What children take away from their play experiences is endless! Through rich and varied play experiences, children gain many learning benefits. In a Young Children article (September 2007), Dr. Alice Honig offers 10 ideas about what children learn through play. Let's explore one of her ideas and see how it relates to playing at the Museum and playing at home.Play Enhances Dexterity and Grace (

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-67675686036991580932009-12-11T09:30:00.001-06:002009-12-11T09:34:57.081-06:00

What many of us have known all along, that play is crucial to learning, has captured the attention of others , including doctors and scientists. Alice Sterling Honig, PhD, professor emerita of child development, Syracuse, New York, says, "Children gain powerful knowledge and useful social skills through play" (Play: Ten Power Boosts for Children's Early Learning, Young Children, September 2007).

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-76461925275871119432009-12-04T09:00:00.001-06:002009-12-04T09:00:38.654-06:00

The exhibits in AirWorks allow children to use the scientific method involving questioning, predicting, trying, analyzing and retrying. In the last post we looked at the first misconception children have about air - that is children didn't understand that wind is air that moves. They thought air to be magical and unpredictable. Because air is invisible, children may not think or ask questions

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-56870866102923528802009-11-20T10:00:00.000-06:002009-11-20T10:19:38.002-06:00

If someone were to ask you what you know about air/wind, what would you say? Depending upon your experiences, you might answer that air is invisible, unpredictable, soothing, or playful. You might also predict that wind can be powerful or destructive. These comments are based on your feelings about air and wind. A basic concept, often overlooked, is that wind is actually air that moves.We asked

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-8646885179036110772009-11-12T09:00:00.002-06:002009-11-12T09:42:00.916-06:00

Children's science inquiries are often based on their curiosity about their world. Exploring air is a natural science inquiry process for children. Their curiosity becomes the starting point to discovering what air and wind can do. Science for children under 6 years of age is more about how and what children feel when interacting with objects or their environment, rather than learning facts.Air

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-35667700270987302332009-10-30T09:15:00.004-05:002009-10-30T09:19:39.040-05:00

In previous posts, we shared stories about the Wakanheza Project, launched at the Museum a year ago. This past week we revisited some of the principles and tips that help to support an adult visitor in the Museum. Our morning meeting was used to discuss how to apply Wakanheza tips such as using empathy and non-judgment, offering verbal encouragement, and appreciating the job of parenting by

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-89011956323468406102009-10-23T09:30:00.008-05:002009-10-26T13:19:59.875-05:00

The mission of the Museum has always been about supporting the adult-child learning partnership. Last year we took our mission one step further and embraced the Wakanheza Project. Wakanheza is the Dakota word for child, literally translated it means "sacred being." The central focus of this project supports the idea that if we regard children as "sacred beings" and if our actions reflect this,

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-49960207982833418282009-10-15T10:55:00.001-05:002009-10-15T10:56:37.012-05:00

The Scenario You are a parent visiting DuPage Children's Museum. It seems like it's been raining forever, so a trip to the Museum is a good plan. The boys build an elaborate structure with blocks. "Wow," you think, "one of them might just become an architect." As your thoughts drift to their future, you suddenly realize the boys have disappeared. You feel your anger rising as you begin searching

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-91121944112972669182009-10-02T09:45:00.001-05:002009-10-02T09:48:11.400-05:00

Our new Interact with Art Gallery, The Play's the Thing, has been open for almost a month! Visitors explore the dramatic arts and stretch their imaginations through the use of props, set designs, puppets, costumes and storybooks. For younger children, this exhibit spurs ideas for pretend play. For older children, who are ready for or excited to try a performance, the gallery provides a venue for

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-6244428885129693702009-09-25T09:30:00.000-05:002009-09-25T09:39:24.074-05:00

Humans are Born CuriousPick up a dropped spoon for an infant in a high chair and suddenly the classic game "I drop it and you pick it up" becomes a lesson about cause and effect, a basic scientific principle. When the baby shakes a rattle, he makes the discovery that the rattle produces a sound. He shakes it again; the sound happens again. The infant is learning to make predictions, another

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-26322694946721337192009-09-11T12:00:00.001-05:002009-09-11T12:57:17.119-05:00

It's been a busy time here at the Museum the last two weeks during our annual shutdown for facility deep cleaning and new exhibit installation. As some of you may know, every September we close for two weeks for our annual refresh. We are almost ready to show off our freshly painted walls, sparkling clean exhibits, and our brand new exhibit, The Play's the Thing.Here are some pictures of what it

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-66873078712234648912009-08-31T15:54:00.024-05:002009-09-04T13:31:21.448-05:00

The Museum is closed August 31 through September 13 for facility deep cleaning and new exhibit installation. We will reopen on September 14th. Next week, we'll post pictures of some of the activities happening here during our annual shutdown.In the meantime...learning never goes away. There are many Play at Home activities that support your child's growing brain. Here's some useful information

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-27792120545605176412009-08-28T09:34:00.013-05:002009-08-28T11:29:51.435-05:00

One way children learn is by imagining and doing. Have you ever seen a child pick up a block and pretend it's a phone? Young children are just beginning to understand the difference between the two. Pretend play gives children opportunities to realize the differences between reality and fantasy. When children pretend to be someone else, they have the experience of "walking in someone else's

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-2342542598336564492009-08-12T12:03:00.027-05:002009-08-21T09:33:13.751-05:00

Did you guess where this is in the Museum? It's the fan in the Wind Tunnel in the AirWorks Neighborhood. Have you ever explored properties of air in the Wind Tunnel? The Wind Tunnel allows children the opportunity to experience the force of moving air. The large fan allows children time to "research" where air comes from and how wind forces objects to move. In the Wind Tunnel you might see a

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-17635219156063343502009-08-06T11:30:00.001-05:002009-08-06T11:31:43.116-05:00

Here's something to do next time you visit the Museum. Look around and see if you can discover where this object is located? Stay tuned! I'll share the location in our next post, as well as some learning opportunities and facilitation tips with this object.

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-61484747693610133812009-07-24T11:27:00.024-05:002009-07-27T09:37:10.986-05:00

Children can be great storytellers"By the age of four most children can tell complex stories. You would be surprised to learn, however, that the beginnings of storytelling can start much earlier. As early as age two, children begin to tell stories as a way to organize their experiences, hold on to their memories and understand their culture" (Storytelling, Story Acting, and Writing: Essential

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-16837428462113545882009-07-10T11:15:00.004-05:002009-07-10T11:19:09.160-05:00

We all know that reading or telling stories is an essential learning opportunity for children. All humans share the universal activity of reading or telling stories. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends making reading and storytelling a part of your family's activities. Not only is reading good for brain development, but it also promotes a strong emotional relationship between you and

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-44030575027067560732009-06-26T09:00:00.001-05:002009-06-26T09:13:26.214-05:00

A Creative Sculpture You Can Do at HomeA recent Studio drop-in activity, Zoo Art, invited participants to create an animal sculpture with biodegradable foam packing peanuts. Families with children of all ages had so much fun creating our Museum Zoo that we thought we would share the process so you can try it at home too!You will know your packing peanuts are biodegradable if they dissolve when

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-64100260725396643952009-06-19T10:00:00.005-05:002009-06-19T10:42:59.238-05:00

(Parts of this post were originally published in the June 2009 issue of Positively Naperville)Play, it is assumed, is a natural part of childhood. Yet most educators would agree that play is disappearing from children’s lives. How children learn is as important as what children learn—and what children learn and take away from play experiences is endless!Recently you may have seen the NBC5 news

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