Dear Friends,

The holiday season is upon us, and most parents and caregivers find themselves dreaming of family gatherings filled with warmth and generosity, surrounded by children who are well behaved, polite, and most of all, happy.

For many families, however, those picture-perfect images are often all too quickly replaced with the harsh realities of handling some of our children’s less-than-perfect behaviors. Parents can find themselves feeling frustrated, angry, and resentful, as our children seem to fall apart right when we most wish and need, them to hold it together.

One of the best ways you can support your children is to take time to recognize and appreciate their unique approach to the world. The holidays flow much more smoothly when you consider what each child needs to feel comfortable and successful in any given situation.

Being tuned in to your children’s temperament helps you to organize your children’s environment so that behaviors can flow more smoothly, and you can provide a more enjoyable experience for everyone involved.
For example:

• Children who have difficulty coping with changes in routines may need your help to forewarn them about those changes and they may need more time to adjust and transition from one activity to another.
• Children who are sensitive to lots of stimuli, like crowded malls and noisy parties, may need access to quiet places where they can unwind and calm down.
• Children who are shy around relatives they have not seen in a while may need your permission to slowly ease into family gatherings and may need your reassurance before they feel comfortable in new situations.
• Children with high activity levels may need to be given acceptable outlets for their energy.

Finding the balance between meeting your needs for creating a memorable holiday and your children’s needs to act like children can be tricky. By honoring the qualities that make your children special and understanding their unique approach to the holidays, you provide a gift that will help you and your family have a smoother and more enjoyable holiday season. Also, remember that no matter what occasion your family celebrates during the holidays, you’ll find the gift of learning through play all season long at Explore & More – Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Children’s Museum.

Best Regards,

Lisa Chrapowicz
Senior Manager of Community & Strategic Initiatives

Now that spooky season has come to an end, it’s time to welcome colder weather as we head into late fall and the month of November. November brings along with it events like Election Day, Veterans Day, and most notably Thanksgiving.

The time around Thanksgiving here at Explore & More is filled with fun activities, projects, and events all of which assist in welcoming the official start to the holiday season. Although the museum is closed on Thanksgiving Day, we have several events that take place both before and after the holiday. The Education Team at Explore & More is focused on creating events that are culturally impactful and relevant to accompany all the events surrounding Thanksgiving and the beginning of the holidays.

We recognize that Thanksgiving is more than cooking turkey and playing football. It is an opportunity for focusing on family and togetherness, as well as a teaching moment for children to learn about Native American, colonial histories. Explore & More wants to inform our guest families, with these cultural lessons, especially as people come together for the holidays. Thanksgiving and Christmas may be celebrated by many Western New Yorkers, however, there are a great number of families in our region who have differing holiday practices and celebrations and we strive to both honor and teach our visitors about them. Increasing cultural knowledge will help the true meaning of Thanksgiving come to fruition, as it will bring our community together as knowledge brings with it awareness, and that awareness brings togetherness, helping to demonstrate the differences that make our community great!

Play to Learn Facilitator

Craig Donatelli started his role at Explore & More one year ago as a Play to Learn Facilitator. He always arrives with a smile on his face and a coffee in hand.

Craig has taken ownership of the 2nd Floor of the museum where you will find him in Sketchtown, Being Good Neighbors, Delta Sonic, and Moving Water. He takes pride in making sure everything is top notch and very clean. Craig will tell you that he loves working at the museum because it’s “a happy place.” He truly enjoys interacting with the visitors. In his spare time, Craig likes going to the gym and spending time with his family and friends.