Have you and your kiddos noticed the chill in the air? What other things have you been noticing this time of year? Pumpkins? Scarecrows? In my classes this time of year we do a scavenger hunt around the museum looking for the signs of fall. Maybe you and your family can do a nature walk around your neighborhood and look for falling leaves, acorns, and crows!
Scavenger hunts and eye spy games also can make family walks more interesting and enticing. It’s a great way to have conversations about what you look forward to in different seasons! They can even become introductory math lessons. “If there are 10 items on my list, and we found 2, how many more are left?” After you’re done using the printout for eye spy, use it as a coloring sheet! Coloring is a great way to talk about colors, practice “pinching” the utensil, and is great for building fine motor skills.
I know that this fall season is going to be great! Have fun!
Halloween is coming up quickly! Did you know the celebration of Halloween has its origins that go all the way back to the ancient Celtic Festival of Samhain? Gaelic people of modern-day England, Scotland, and Ireland who celebrated this festival would dress in disguises and go door-to-door receiving gifts of food, much like how today’s children dress in costumes and likewise receive treats!
If you’re looking for an extra opportunity to have your little one dress up in their costume (and receive some treats!), come and play during Explore & More’s Spooktacular celebration beginning Saturday, October 22nd all the way through Halloween. We have lots of spooky (and safe) fun to be had by all!
Is your little one aged 18 months up to 3 years? Try out our new Toddler Time class on October 29th at 9 am for some “Not So Spooky” Halloween fun including story time, spider craft making, and even trick or treating!
This DIY back-to-school photo frame is a perfect way to bring some back-to-school cheer into your home. Display those beautiful first day of school photos in a creative way, letting the memories last a little longer.
How to Make a DIY Back-to-School Photo Frame
Supplies Needed to Make this Back-to-School Photo Frame
1. Gather your supplies. Pour a small amount of yellow, black and silver paint on your paper plate. Use your paintbrush to paint six of your jumbo craft sticks with yellow paint, one jumbo craft stick with black paint and one jumbo craft stick with silver paint. Let them dry completely.
2. Assemble your jumbo craft sticks together to make a school bus. Start by gluing four craft sticks together with tacky glue to make a box. Use three yellow craft sticks for the top three sides of the box and a silver craft stick for the bottom side of the box.
3. Now glue one more yellow craft stick at the top of the box and two more yellow craft sticks at the bottom of the box.
4. Cut the black craft stick in half and glue them under the bottom of the box for school bus wheels.
5. Glue two red craft jewels at the bottom of the school bus for brake lights. Print off the license plate template. Cut out one of the license plates and glue it at the bottom of the school bus. Let the school bus photo frame dry completely.
6. Once your DIY back-to-school photo frame is finished drying trim down your photo to fit within the opening of the frame. Add glue around the back of the frame opening and glue your picture down.
7. Finish your DIY back-to-school photo frame by adding a couple adhesive magnets on the back of the frame.
Now hang your cute school bus photo frame up on the fridge to cherish those first day of school memories.
For the majority of our Explore & More families, September is synonymous with change. Change in weather, change in routine, change in grade for our kiddos, change in season; this September is bringing change for myself as well, as I will be transitioning to a new position here at Explore & More as the Cultural Program Educator.
This change will allow me to further align my experience and educational background with my role here at the museum. Cultural Program Educator will encompass a multitude of roles and responsibilities, most notably ensuring that the museum promotes diversity, acceptance, and cultural inclusion, not only within our exhibit spaces but also within the lessons and programs we offer. This role emphasizes inclusive values, and it is my hope that I can help the museum continue to be a welcoming space for every member of our community. I will be continuing to write monthly newsletters focused on culture and community, and I hope that my new position will heighten my awareness of cultural occurrences. As the Cultural Program Educator, my hope is to illuminate how the diversity of Western New York is one of our greatest assets as a society. This will be achieved through the education of the youngest members of the population, thus, laying a foundation for positivity and love towards everyone. Education will occur through specific lessons, and activities, as well as play itself. Exhibits within our space have been and will be curated to encourage the aforementioned principles of acceptance. Another focus will be on developing and continuing community partnerships with cultural organizations. These relationships will ensure that the diversity of Buffalo will be heard, seen, and even tasted. I am SO excited to take on this opportunity and hope that you and your families will join Explore & More and myself in taking advantage of the abundant cultures of Western New York.
Here we go! Summer is over and it’s time to add back to school routines to the household schedule. Speaking from experience, it’s not always easy to be a working parent. After all, balancing a career and kids is not for the faint of heart. Between work and family, working parents might find it a near-impossibility to have time to breathe, much less do something special for themselves. It took me a long time to learn that if you want to avoid burnout, you absolutely have to take time for self-care, which includes taking time to play.
You can either carve out a special time for play, such as planning a visit to Explore & More with family and friends, finishing a crossword puzzle every night before bed or heading out for daily morning walks/runs. You can also decide to incorporate play into regular tasks that are already on your to-do list: like doodling while you’re on a conference call at work or singing and dancing in the shower or while you clean. Even 15 minutes a day can be enough to relax your body and mind and help you feel refreshed.
Although there are many joys in raising children, parents who need and/or want to work can face some serious obstacles. Some days, you’re going to have to give more to your job and the kids will eat a pepperoni pizza for dinner (and possibly the next morning for breakfast)—and that’s okay. Likewise, there will be times when your kids command your attention, and you’ll have to put your work—and your phone—down so you can enjoy these lovely creatures you’ve created. Like almost everything in life, eventually, it all balances out the way it’s supposed to. In order to assist with the “balancing act” and to support families seeking childcare and fun, yet educational experiences on designated school holidays and school break weeks, Explore & More has created all-new School Age Day Camp programs. Our programs are led by our professional Educators. We are a New York State Office of Child & Family Services licensed and regulated School Age Child Care program.
Thematic activities will spark creativity, imagination, and exploration as students venture throughout the museum to play and learn in the exhibits. Also, should the schools face challenges due to the pandemic, Explore & More is prepared to adapt their operations to accommodate remote and hybrid school age learning options so parents can continue working while children are learning. Registration is now open for the 22-23 school year and filling up quick!
Looking forward to seeing you at Explore & More soon,
Lisa Chrapowicz, Director of Strategic & Community Initiatives
