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Our Kids Are Paying Attention: How to Support Them During the War in Ukraine and Other Tragic Events
While we wish the world was free of tragic situations, we need to support each other and our children when they happen. Read The Power of Play Blog and some resources from Boston Children's Museum team that you might find helpful.
Ages: AdultsCategory: Blog posts and Articles
Let's Play! | Freeze Dance
Ready to dance? Get up and moving-but make sure you're prepared to FREEZE! Play a game of Freeze Dance with us in today's play-themed video.
Ages: 5-12Category: Open-Ended Play
Let's Play! | Follow the Cheese Maze
The next video in our series getting kids up and playing will be highly relatable to all the cheese lovers out there. Our friend Neil suffers from a cheese addiction that has left him in a pickle. Help him navigate a cheese maze to reach the extra-cheesy prize at the end.
Ages: 5-12Category: Open-Ended Play
Let's Play! | Build a Drop Copter
Our next play-themed video is all about embracing your inner engineer. We're crafting drop copters! Try making your copter in different ways to see how fast, slow, spinny, or zig-zag-y it will drop.
Ages: 5-12Category: Open-Ended Play
Let's Play! | Freeze Dance
Ready to dance? Get up and moving-but make sure you're prepared to FREEZE! Play a game of Freeze Dance with us in today's play-themed video.
Ages: 5-12Category: Open-Ended Play
Let's Play! | Paper Airplane
We wrap up our series on play with a classic craft-paper airplanes! There are many different ways to craft a perfect paper airplane. Much of the fun comes from testing them all to see which one goes fastest and farthest.
Ages: 5-12Category: Open-Ended Play
Let's Play! | Laughter Yoga
Yoga is a wonderful way to relax, but it can also be a very playful experience! Giggle, chuckle, chortle, and roar with laughter during our Laughter Yoga practice.
Ages: 5-12Category: Open-Ended Play
Let's Play! | Charades
Today, we're excited to kick off "Let's Play!," a series of videos shared over the next month encouraging kids to get playing. First up, join us for an extra-silly game of charades. Grab a friend and polish off your acting skills!
Ages: 5-12Category: Open-Ended Play
It's Story Time! "A Tree is Nice" by Janice May Udry
Trees are special and nice in so many ways. "A Tree is Nice" by Janice May Udry is a classic tale about the beauty of trees and the outside world around us. Cozy up and settle in as Akemi reads this wonderful story aloud!
Ages: 3-8Category: Storytimes and Literacy
Let's Play I Spy in our Collection!
Join us behind-the-scenes in Boston Children's Museum's collection for a game of I Spy, hosted by collections intern Gaby Perez-Dietz. As we play, we'll learn about some of the objects in our 100-year-old collection. Gaby will then show you how to create your own personalized replica of one of these historic objects at home!
Ages: 5-12Category: Cultures
Action and Adventure Games from National Geographic Kids
National Geographic Kids offers many interactive, nature-themed activities on their website. Match three bugs in a row and get fun bug facts along the way during Bug Bash, swim and jump with dolphins in Dolphin Diving, or try out one of their many other games. It is perfect for animal lovers!
Ages: 8-12Category: STEAM (Science, technology, engineering, art, and math)
Explore Boston Children's Museum's 100+-Year-Old Collection!
Come explore behind the scenes at Boston Children's Museum's collection! We've been collecting at the Museum for over 100 years now, and there are thousands of objects to see and learn about. Together with collections intern Gaby and some friends, let's discover what a collection is and what it means to take care of it.
Ages: 5-12Category: Cultures
Bring the Fun of Fiber Art Home With You!
Want to bring the Art Lab's fiber art fun into your home? Check out this list of 33 fiber art ideas you can try with kids at home. Some examples include creating felt beads, finger knitting, and painting with yarn.
Ages: 8-12Category: Art Activities
Yayoi Kusama Dotted Pumpkins for Kids
Create your own dotted pumpkin inspired by the art of Yayoi Kusama! This is a great activity for elementary school-aged kids. See Kusama's work and learn how to make your own dotted pumpkin.
Ages: 5-12Category: Art Activities
Make a Straw Skeleton
From Education.com: Infuse a fun Halloween craft with an educational science lesson on the skeletal system. This project may be just the thing to spark your child's interest in science!
Ages: 5-12Category: STEAM (Science, technology, engineering, art, and math)
America's Test Kitchen Kids
Curious young chefs can explore the world of food and cooking with America's Test Kitchen's library of kid-tested, kid-approved recipes, activities, quizzes, and more. We love this resource!
Ages: 5-12Category: Health and Wellness
No-Blow Balloons: Use Chemistry to Blow Up a
Balloon! National Chemistry Week Celebration We continue our celebration of National Chemistry Week with another chemistry-powered at-home activity! Have you ever tried to blow up balloons for a birthday party using just your breath? It can get pretty exhausting, right? Well, a little chemistry can help! Science Program Manager Alissa will show you how you can use chemistry to blow up a balloon and save your breath!
Ages: 8-12Category: STEAM (Science, technology, engineering, art, and math)
Build a Boat Powered by Chemistry! National
Chemistry Week Celebration Celebrate National Chemistry Week with Boston Children's Museum! This year's theme is "Fast or Slow: Chemistry Makes It Go." Coming to you from the Museum, join in the fun with Science Program Manager Alissa as she shows you how to create a small, chemistry-powered boat. Young chemists, DO try this at home (with a grownup nearby!).
Ages: 8-12Category: STEAM (Science, technology, engineering, art, and math)
Exploring Traditional Mariachi Costumes
¡Feliz Mes de la Herencia Hispana! Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! Our friend Veronica Robles, a Mariachi singer/founder of Boston's first all-female Mariachi, an arts teacher, and an all-around Boston icon is helping us continue our celebration. Watch and learn as she takes viewers through her colorful Trajes de Charro (traditional Mariachi dress) and some of her other beautiful performance costumes.
Ages: 5-12Category: Cultures
Art-Making Activities for Kids and Families
Our friends at the Museum of Modern Art have rounded up some of their favorite drawing, collage, audio, and movement activities inspired by the artworks in their collection. These fun and creative activities are ideal for kids six and up!
Ages: 5-12Category: Art Activities
Explore the Habitats of North America
In a new segment of National Geographic Kids' Destination World series, experience North America, the continent with the most diverse environments in the world. North America stretches from the polar Arctic to the tropical Caribbean, and you'll find almost all major habitats on this continent.
Ages: 5-12Category: Nature and Outdoor Activities
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
September 15th marks the start of Hispanic Heritage Month! The month honors the many Latinos who have greatly contributed, influenced, and enriched our culture and society. Children's books are a fantastic way to joyfully engage children and help them learn why we celebrate through story and art. Check out this list of 11 picture books celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month from PBS Kids.
Ages: 3-8Category: Cultures
A Conversation About Food Allergies and Increasing Allergy Awareness
In the newest episode of the Big & Little Podcast, join Carole and guests Drs. Michael Pistiner and Ali Yurkovic for an important conversation on food allergies in children. As allergy experts and parents of children with food allergies themselves, Michael and Ali speak to the prevalence of allergies in children, their own experiences as parents of kids with allergies, and how people can get involved in advocacy efforts to protect those with food allergies in public spaces.
Ages: AdultsCategory: Podcasts
The Power of Reading
From classroom techniques to technological distractions to a lack of resources, there are many "blame-factors" one can point to in order to explain the decline in children's reading levels in the United States. On our blog, Boston Children's Museum President and CEO Carole Charnow explores these potential causes-and more importantly, what we can do to turn things around.
Ages: AdultsCategory: Blog posts and Articles
Oliver the Ball Python Did WHAT!?
Ollie's a....female!? Our friendly Museum ball python Oliver has had quite the month-Alissa recently discovered something that made our jaws DROP and raised so many questions! Check out this video that explains it all.
Ages: AllCategory: STEAM (Science, technology, engineering, art, and math)
PBS Kids Educational Games
Check out PBS Kids' incredible library of games that will have kids learning about math, engineering, social studies, rhyming and more–and having fun doing it! We can't get enough!
Ages: 5-12Category: STEAM (Science, technology, engineering, art, and math)
DIY Slushies with a STEAM Twist
We know it's been a bit rainy lately...but Alissa is manifesting gorgeous, sunny days by making DIY slushies. But wait! These aren't your typical slushies-we're using a little bit of science to bring them to the next level.
Ages: 5-12Category: STEAM (Science, technology, engineering, art, and math)
The Incredible Fish of Our Oceans
Summer is here, and there's nothing like cooling off with a swim at the beach! Our oceans are teeming with incredible wildlife that your child might be interested to learn about. National Geographic Kids has a great kid-friendly library of fun facts about deep sea creatures such as electric eels, bull sharks, clown fish (hello, Nemo!), harry frogfish, and more.
Ages: 5-12Category: STEAM (Science, technology, engineering, art, and math)
Many Homes in Kyoto, Japan
The Japanese House in Boston Children's Museum was originally built around 1890 near Nishijin, a famous silk district of Kyoto. It was transported as a gift to Boston in 1979 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their sister-city relationship. Many kids in Kyoto and other parts of Japan live in modern housing, but some still live in traditional homes like the Kyo no Machiya. You can meet a diverse group of new friends in Kyoto in this video, 'Many Homes in Kyoto, Japan.' After watching, think about the people you met and compare and contrast their homes, families, and traditions with your own.
Ages: 5-12Category: Cultures
Sidewalk Chalk Paint
Take your conventional sidewalk chalk up a notch and make your own chalk PAINT! Chalk paint is a fun, entertaining way to keep kids engaged and entertained on a summer day. It's easy to make, and kids will have a blast helping out.
Ages: 3-8Category: Nature and Outdoor Activities