May at the Great Lakes Children's Museum

InfoFlash

Great Lakes Children's Museum

May 2013

In This Issue

Spring School Groups

Volunteer

Toddler Time

InterActive StoryTime

Museum Store

Coming In June

celebrating the childlike wonder
in all of us

Quick Links...

Our Website

Email the Museum

Great Lakes Children Museum

13240 S. West Bay Shore Dr.

Traverse City, MI 49684

(231) 932-4526

Support the Great Lakes Children's Museum

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Featuring May Activities

School Groups, Volunteer Opportunities, Toddler Time, InterActive StoryTime, Shop the Museum Store, and More!

May Schedule Changes

On the Friday of Memorial Day weekend -- May 24 -- there will be no Toddler Time. Enjoy the holiday weekend with your family.

Spring School Groups

During May & June

Every spring we see a surge of school groups and field trips from our region's elementary schools. In order to accommodate our regular preschool friends, we never schedule a school group on Friday mornings during our Toddler Time program.

However, these groups might be scheduled during other times throughout the week. If you want to check to see if your planned visit might coincide with a scheduled school group, check out the Calendar on our website.

Volunteer & Intern Opportunities at Museum

Spark a child's learning through play and discovery by volunteering at the Great Lakes Children's Museum! Discover how you can make a positive impact on children and their families, and support the Museum by giving your time in one of the many available volunteer positions.

There are a variety of ways for you to get involved and volunteer at Museum. Whether you'd prefer to help with art activities, assist with Toddler Time, or join us in one of our many summer outreach activities, we have a great opportunity for you at the Great Lakes Children's Museum. To learn more about our various adult and youth volunteer opportunities click here.

Summer Intern

The Great Lakes Children's Museum is seeking an enthusiastic high school or college aged intern who looking is for fun and creative experiences working with young children. The ideal candidate would be available 4-6 hours a day, five days a week for eight weeks from June 24 to August 19. A stipend of up to $1000 is available for an exemplary candidate. For more info about the intern position, click here.

May Toddler Time Schedule

Fridays, 10 am to 12 pm

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.

Feed the Animals, May 3

Grab that bucket! The animals are getting hungry. What will you feed them? Children will pretend to feed cardboard farm animals and gather colorful chicken eggs in a basket.

Toddler Gym, May 10

Calling all leaping lizards and hopping frogs! We will be leaping and creeping, hopping and bopping, going and stopping in a toddler style obstacle course.

Grocery Store, May 17

Weigh your bananas! Go through the check out! Play food and play money will make this trip to the Museum grocery store a great chance for dramatic play.

Memorial Day Weekend, May 24

No Toddler Time

Indoor and Outdoor Sidewalk Chalk, May 31

It will be a great day to decorate the sidewalk at the Great Lakes Children's Museum. We will create an indoor sidewalk to decorate as well. Make a piece of homemade sidewalk chalk to take home.

May InterActive StoryTime Selections

Stories with a Twist! Wednesdays at 11 am

InterActive StoryTime features great works of children's literature and activities and crafts led by Museum staff and volunteers, which enhances the experience for children and deepens their understanding of the selected book. Interactive StoryTime is included with the price of admission or the cost of your annual membership.

InterActive StoryTime is on Wednesdays at 11 am.

May is Down on the Farm Month

Click, Clack, Moo - Cows That Type

by Doreen Cronin, May 1

Farmer Brown has a problem. His cows like to type. All day long, he hears, "Click, clack moo."

Barnyard Song

by Rhonda Growler Green, May 8

The barnyard choir sure does sound sweet singing on a blustery autumn day. That is, until "Buzz, Choo!" Bee sneezes and the barnyard flu arrives. How will the choir sound then?

Bed Hogs

by Kelly DiPucchio, May 15

Each night the hogs pack into bed. They squeeze and groan and grunt. But underneath the ton of them squeals loudmouth Little Runt.

Musical Max

by Robert Krauss, May 22, (Play a Musical Instrument Day)

Max plays every variety of instrument, including the synthesizer; and though his parents make the best of the incessant racket by donning earmuffs, the less creative neighbors "can't stand the noise."

Big Chickens

by Leslie Helakoski, May 29

When four Big Chickens see a wolf sneaking near their coop, they run into the woods to hide. But for a bunch of silly chickens, danger is everywhere.

InterActive StoryTime is underwritten through a generous

Early Childhood Reading Grant from the Target Foundation.

Museum Store Feature - Stamp Sets

These themed stamp sets include everything needed to create and color detailed picture scenes. The pictured Rain Forest stamp set includes 20 stamps, five colored pencils, a durable 2-color stamp pad and wooden storage tray. Stamps feature contoured wooden handles and high-quality rubber.

Other sets include Baby Farm, Baby Zoo, Dinosaurs, and more.

This fun activity encourages hand-eye coordination, narrative thinking and creative expression.

For ages 3 and up. By Melissa & Doug

Members receive a 10% discount in the Museum Store

Coming in June

Kids Free Fishing Day is Saturday, June 15. Mark you calendars!

The Museum's summer schedule of being open seven days a week begins on June 24 and will continue through Labor Day.

Cherry Festival starts early, at the end of June, this year. Look for us at Cherry Fest activities.

While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about
~ Angela Schwindt