While the Museum is getting some downtime, the Discovery Guides took a minute to give us a message about what they wish for the children who visit the Museum.
"I want to give children a joyful experience filled with: knowledge, excitement, gifts, thrills, creativity, newness, laughter, education & growth."
"I'Â’d like to be a facilitator of fun and help broaden their understanding of their physical surroundings, i.e. the Bay Area and marine life."
"I want to give children the chance to explore their surroundings."
"I hope to connect with a child, so when they leave the museum, they feel they have made a new friend. Help a child experience and explore something they havenÂ’'t before."
"Inspire children to an interest in storytelling and creation of tales."
"I would hope that the child would feel like this is their museum. They could feel safe and happy and have fun here every time they visit and have a sense of ownership to this museum."
"Have fun with everything and explore."
"I want to help children feel good about themselves -- build their self esteem."
"I wish that, through our music we share here, children continue to harvest their talent through days to come in their lives."
"A place to feel safe being themselves."
"I would like children to leave the museum with the experience of having been really involved in the process of creating, so that theyÂ’'re excited to go home and have that experience again later."
"A feeling of connection to something, whether that be to a place or another person."
"To learn more about the environment around them; nature, native plants, respect for nature, endangered species.principles of mother earth and how she needs our help. Experience the artistic process, learn discipline and patience in order to achieve their project goals through different mediums and self expression."
The House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities held an informational hearing on museums and libraries on Thursday, September 11, 2008. Read more about it here. In her opening statement Chairwoman Carolyn McCarthy noted, "Museums engage visitors and ignite the imagination of young and old alike."
The hearing highlighted programs at museums and libraries that address societal issues such as engaging all youth in math and science and attracting diverse populations to library sciences. For additional information about museum advocacy and the hearing, click here. Get involved more actively and become a Museum Advocate by supporting the legislations that favorably impact museum policies.
The Committee on Education and Labor is also heading No Child Left Inside Act which focuses on environmental education to encourage an awareness of energy conservation, wildlife protection and sustainable resources. This resonates with our mission to connect children with the local environment - check out our programs such as Outdoor Learning and our Science by the Bay drop-in series for ways you can put your children on the path to environmental stewardship.
A fabulous article on children and food hit the "most emailed" list of the New York Times (free login required) this morning - even though I have a fairly food-adventurous 3-year-old son, I see some mistakes I'm making!
Pressuring them to take a bite: I know that it takes 10 or more tries for children to like a new flavor (adults too - I taught myself to like olives by trying it more than 2 or 3 times!). But I didn't realize that research shows children who are rewarded for trying new foods actually develop a dislike of the food! Far better to offer it and not make a big deal.
Keeping treats out of sight: We're trying not to make dessert a reward, but we do keep the cookies up on top of the fridge - and again, research shows that cookies in a jar are much more enticing than cookies on a plate!
Check out the whole article for the other mistakes - including dieting, serving boring vegetables (a little butter actually makes the fat-soluable vitamins accessible to your body!) and keeping your kids out of the kitchen (easier said than done with some preschoolers!).
Heather has closed up Summer Camps and beginning her new fall program Outdoor Learning. We sat down with her and asked a few questions:
-What do you love about the Museum? I love it here because the Museum offers children the opportunity to play and explore to their hearts content. Everything here is their scale, and they can direct their own experience.
- What are your hobbies and interests? I love to take my dog Zooey to the dog park; I’m big on crafts like knitting and beading. Since I just got married, I’m working on sending out hand-made Thank You cards!
- Tell us about your new class, Outdoor Learning! Our new Outdoor Learning classes will give children and their caregivers direct experiences with the natural environment surrounding the Bay Area Discovery Museum. For young children, Outdoor Learning is the opportunity to play outside and discover nature. In these classes, we’ll guide the children’s experiences through open-ended play, guided art experiences, songs and stories.
-What will the kids learn? What will parents learn? Children will learn about the plants and animals which live in Fort Baker, what is needed to survive here, and the features that make them unique. The classes will offer parents ways to extend their visits to the Museum by becoming more familiar with Fort Baker, as well as some ways to encourage their child’s creativity.
-Where will you go on your classes? We’ll visit some of the amazing spots right outside the Museum gates, including our beaches and the Parade Ground.
- Can they bring the whole family? Each class has a maximum of 10 children, and there is an additional charge for siblings.
Come out and join Heather for Outdoor Learning! Registration is open now.
Thanks to the Board of Trustees member Bill Grayson, the Museum has a new friend in James Wilkinson. Jim is currently Chief of Staff to U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Pauslon. He is also an accomplished runner who recruits friends and associates to sponsor his runs to support his favorite causes. His current favorite cause is the Museum, specifically our work with under-served communities.
Every dollar he raises will support bus trips and Museum admission for children from under-served communities to romp, stomp, run and jump their way through a creative and educational experience at the Museum. Our gratitude to Jim and his girlfriend Rachel Wadsworth for helping to fund our Bus Bridge program – together, they’ve already raised more than $20,000.
