Are you thinking about how to choose innovative and unique gifts for the children in your life during the gift-giving season?

Then think about the Great Lakes Children's Museum.

Museum Store

The Great Lakes Children's Museum Store is stocked with a wide range of special items, such as interactive learning games, creative puzzles, and fascinating toys, including several that have received national awards. You can even purchase a gift card that can be used for merchandise or be applied to the cost of a membership.

It is not necessary to pay admission to shop in the Museum Store.

Gift Membership

Do the children in your life have enough stuff? Do you want to share a fun and playful learning experience with them that doesn't need to be put together, or picked up and put away? Consider a gift membership to the Museum. Memberships are available at a variety of levels. If you purchase a new membership as a gift (or for yourself) between now and December 23 you will receive a Great Lakes Children's Museum tote bag as our gift to you. This offer does not apply to renewals.

Toys for Tots

The Museum is a Toys for Tots dropoff site. If you purchase an item in the Museum Store for our Toys for Tots drop box, we'll give you 20% off of the purchase price. The final pickup for our drop box is December 15.

Chickadees At Night, by Bill O. Smith, December 5

What do chickadees do at night? Did you know that chickadees are fun-loving and frisky as flying puppies?

The Mitten, by Jan Brett, December 12

Nicki drops his white mitten in the snow. One by one ,woodland animals find it and crawl in to get warm. How many animals will the mitten hold?

The Gingerbread Man, by Eric Kimmel, December 19

Run, run as fast as you can! You can't catch me. I'm the Gingerbread Man!

Stranger In The Woods, by Carl Sams, December 26

Video presentations at 11 am, 12 pm, 1 pm and 2 pm

Who is the stranger? Why did he arrive after a winter storm? (Expanded presentation to include school-aged children.)

Paddle-to-the-Sea, by Holling C. Holling, January 2

Narrated slide shows at 11 am, 12 pm, 1 pm and 2 pm. In the Nipigon country north of the Great Lakes a young boy carved the figure of an Indian in a canoe, named him Paddle-to-the Sea, and set him on a melting snowbank. The adventure begins. Abridged version. (Expanded presentation to include school-aged children.) 

Toddler Time is offered Fridays from 10 am to 12 pm. It is an opportunity for toddlers to interact with each other and learn through a variety of activities and experiences. Toddler Time encourages toddlers' natural curiosity, enhances fine and gross motor skills, guides appropriate social behaviors, and facilitates essential cognitive growth. Most importantly, it's fun! Toddler Time is included with the price of admission or the cost of your annual membership.

Indoor Snowmen and Snow Balls, December 7

Build an indoor Snowman with cardboard boxes of all sizes. Dress up your snowman with scarves and hats. Play the snowflake matching game. Children can make a "Snowball" to take home using foam strips. Play games with a room full of foam flakes.

Holiday Cookie Decorating, December 14

Frosting and sprinkles! Yum! Children will decorate their own cookie, holiday style, to eat here or take home.

Baby Reindeer Games, December 21

Join in some reindeer games especially designed to awaken toddler brain power.

Play With Some Clay, December 28

Part of our special holiday offerings for kids of all ages (not just toddlers this week). Play with several kinds of clay. Make your own beads. Design a sculpture. Take home your creation.