Change Breeds Change

The Search Committee at The Children's Museum at Holyoke is pleased to announce the hiring of a new Executive Director! Her name is marypaz, and she will be coming to us from Commerce, Texas, where she has been the Executive Director at the Northeast Texas Children's Museum for the past three years. We are VERY excited to have her and all of her experience, knowledge and enthusiasm! She will begin employment July 1, 2009, and we hope with this new and very qualified source of direction, we will be able to offer more and better services and programs for all of our visitors as we reassess, reorganize, and grow as a team. So we hope the excitement is contagious, as this milestone is certainly one to celebrate!

In other news: Ashley Barton, our education staff member who is responsible for our preschool Think and Play Series, will be away this week. Our Friday, May 29th Think and Play Series will still be held at its usual times (11:00 am and 1:00 pm) and will be led by Amanda Ebel. This week's read-aloud is Sheila Rae the Brave by Kevin Henkes. This beloved children's author writes to empower young children with his stories, and the title of this book says it all! Our adorable "scaredy cat" craft-of-the-day will stand as a reminder that everyone can be brave just like Sheila Rae! Remember: this program is free with paid admission!

Introducing...

As a new addition to our blog, we will be beginning a new monthly feature we like to call "Introducing...", in order to showcase the valuable members of the museum's staff that keep the Children's Museum at Holyoke up and running! This week, we are featuring the lovely and amazing AMANDA EBEL!


A multi-talented lady, Amanda is our Floor and Operations Manager. She directly works with all of our customers at the front desk, and she is also responsible for maintaining the entire museum floor! We are so appreciative for all the time and energy she puts into making our museum a great place to learn and play. Be sure to say hi to her on your next Children's Museum visit!


Also, don't forget about our Think and Play Series (programming for our preschool visitors) on Fridays at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. This week, we will be reading Somebody and the Three Blairs by Marilyn Tolhurst. It's a hilarious take on a classic story! Join us after the read-aloud to make your own bear puppet with moveable arms and legs! And it's free with paid admission!

Think and Play Series!

Come and join us for our Think and Play Series! This weekly program (free with museum admission) is designed especially for our curious museum visitors who are preschool age.


We strive to offer valuable guided learning experiences by emphasizing children's literature as a vehicle for exploration and fun. Each week a new story will be introduced as the day's theme for arts and crafts, dramatic play, fun with food, and more!



This week, Friday, May 15th at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm, we will be reading Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault. This is the quintessential children's book: educational and fun! It's the perfect backdrop for the day's activity of decorating (and eating!) delicious and homemade coconut cookies!

Second Saturday Series!

Every second Saturday of each month, the museum has been hosting exciting new events- science, animals, you name it! This month, on May 9th, our Second Saturday Series is featuring Teaching Creatures with Rae Griffith.

As Rae details on her website (teachingcreatures.com), "Teaching Creatures is founded on the belief that people can make meaningful and lasting connections with the natural world through positive interaction with animals. People, especially children, are naturally drawn to animals. Teaching Creatures' programs are designed to foster this curiosity and wonder, while teaching respect for all living creatures and the Earth we share."

So join us from 1:00-3:00 pm for this amazing demonstration where children can interact with live animals! It's free with paid admission!