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Observation and Nature
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observeSummer 2013
Bay Area Discovery Museum
Our Mission: To ignite and advance creative thinking for all children.
557 McReynolds Road Sausalito, CA 94965 www.BayKidsMuseum.org
Please note: Dates, times and prices are subject to change. Please check out our Web site for the most up-to-date listings.
letter from the director
Free First Wednesdays:
July 3 August 7
September 4 Free First Wednesdays
sponsored by:
Directions
From the North/East Bay: Take the Alexander Ave. exit just before the Golden Gate Bridge. Follow the signs to the Bay Area Discovery Museum and Fort Baker.
From San Francisco: Take Alexander Ave. exit. Follow the signs to the Bay Area Discovery Museum and Fort Baker.
In this Issue 2 Summer Events
34 Who We Are
56 Programs & Drop-ins
7 Museum Buzz
8 Connections Update
910 Calendar
11 Creativity News
12 Programs & Events
1314 Support & Gratitude
Ages The Museum serves children 6 months to 8 years old, their families, educators and caregivers.
Admission Admission: $11 Infants under 6 months: free Members: free
Phone Number Main Line: (415) 339-3900 Fax: (415) 339-3901
Museum Hours Tuesday Sunday: 9 a.m. 5 p.m.
Open Mondays this Summer! Through August 26 9 a.m. 5 p.m.
Closed Mondays (except when noted) Thursday, July 4, Labor Day, September 2 and September 9 23 (annual maintenance)
One of the things I love most about my job and
the Museum
is that it is constantly inspiring. While we work to
bring our
mission to ignite and advance creative thinking
for all
children to life for the children of the Bay Are
a, we also
strive to ignite creative thinking within the Museum
staff
and they are constantly coming up with innovativ
e ideas and
creative solutions for a range of diverse problems
. I want
to take a moment to share with you two of my fav
orite
new ideas:
What do you get when you add our unique and a
mazing
Outdoor Learning Lab plus our top-rated birthday
parties?
The answer: a Messier than Mud birthday party
! Above
Lookout Cove is the Museums Outdoor Learning La
b where,
for this party, you can have exclusive use of this s
pot to
enjoy activities like mudpie kitchen, clay and plant
sculpting, and leaf art (psst
book one now as they are only available through
October).
In another example, we are constantly working to
provide the highest level of value
for our visitors. This desire gave birth to our new
Member Play Dates for both
parents and children, held monthly at the Museum
. We recognize that the more
people come to the Museum, the more they get f
rom the experience. These
gatherings provide Museum staff an opportunity
to partner with parents in their
childrens development, while engaging more deep
ly with the Museums exhibits and
amazing educators. Together, families and educat
ors explore topics such as Art as a
Language in our Art Studios or Observation & N
ature through an adventure in
Lookout Cove. In addition, you will get some handy
tips from our educators to take
with you to try at home.
With a staff this creative, it is sometimes hard to
keep up, so be sure to check out
the signs onsite and our calendar for our latest pr
ogramming.
I look forward to seeing you around the Museum
.
Regards,
CEO & Executive Director
A NEW CAFE OPENING THIS SUMMER
Our Mission: To ignite and advance creative thinking for all childrern. summer of fun
CREATE WITH NATURESaturday, July 27 1 3 p.m.
Make temporary creations from stones, leaves, shells, pods, branches, flowers, and other wonders of nature. Environmental artist Zach Pine provides gentle facilitation and invites a spirit of playful creativity and discovery. Children and adults alike have a blast while appreciating and connecting with nature in a new way.
Sidewalk Chalk DaySaturday, August 17 9 a.m. 5 p.m.
Help bring the traveling art exhibit, Framed: Step into Art TM, outdoors. Fill Festival Plaza with your original sidewalk chalk art. Buckets of chalk will be waiting for your artistic expressions. Work solo or join a group and let your creativity soar.
Drumroll, peasWere excited to announce that we will be planting a Bean Sprouts soon!
Bean Sprouts is a hip & healthy caf with a child-size ordering counter and food for kids, grown-ups and even babies! The playful menu offers plentiful choices, even for families with picky eaters, allergies and other dietary challenges.
Bean Sprouts was recognized as a Top 100 Mover and Shaker in the restaurant industry the past two years for its family-friendly concept.
Visit beansprouts.com or like Bean Sprouts on Facebook for more information.
DURING CONSTRUCTION WE WILL HAVE FREE PHILZ COFFEE 9 10 A.M. IN THE ENTRY PAVILLION AND THE SLIDER SHACK FOOD TRUCK OPEN FOR LUNCH.
Free with admission
drum circles with
Summer is here! The quilts of spring wildflowers are beginning to fade and a nourishing belt of summer fog rolls in across the bay. Lookout Cove is dotted with purples, yellows and oranges, and Peekaboo Palace is alive with a cloak of green leaves. The Bay Area Discovery Museum is a seamless playscape surrounded each day with the ever-changing magic of the natural world. In nature we have ample material and space to learn how to learn. Yet learning how to learn is different than a love for learning. They must live hand in hand, as our life necessitates constant learning as we grow and evolve.
As a museum educator I believe that the fusion of these concepts lies in wonder. One afternoon in Lookout Cove I waited for families to join me for a program about making magic wands. A small girl
approached and I told her that the only thing I brought with me was tape. She tilted her head and looked at me in a quizzical manner, Thats it? I asked what kinds of things she knew about wands. She responded very matter-of-factly that they are long and thin so that you can hold on and have things at the top that are magical. She bent down and held a stick level to her eyes. Something long and thin to hold onto, I noticed. I wonder if there are magical things to put on top? With that one question she turned and disappeared into Lookout Cove. She returned five minutes later, triumphant to open her hand and revealed a collection of flowers, each a different color and shape; rainbow magic, she proclaimed. In this moment a simple question and the openness to wonder became the spark for investigation. Wonder becomes the root of joy and the impetus
for play that allows us to establish learning as a constant means of living as opposed to a system that exists solely in the classroom.
At the Bay Area Discovery Museum, we create learning environments where children are inspired to explore, investigate, question, and make connections. These learning environments are filled with loose parts that can be manipulated and combined in infinite ways. Here, making connections is paramount to early childhood development. When there is no right or wrong way to play or engage in the process of learning, children are encouraged to explore their self-awareness and internal motivation in pursuit of knowledge. These open-ended, child-directed learning environments are pivotal to our educational philosophy and our belief that the process of learning through play is an entryway into a life-long love of learning.
We offer many ways to engage with the natural world every day at the Museum through both self-guided and facilitated interactions with our outdoor exhibit elements. In Lookout Cove, children forge deep connections to the natural world by spending time outside and being open to the inspiration that can be found in nature. The low boom of the foghorn might
Observation and NatureKelly Morton, Drop-in Program Coordinator
Wondering and finding out means intense involvement in both doing and caring about phenomena in the world. Bess-Gene Holt from Science With Young Children, 1989
who we are In the Tot Spot Garden, we planted 600 native plants generously donated by the Headlands Nursery.
3 SUMMER 2013 www.BayKidsMuseum.org
WHY NATURE IS A MUST-HAVE FOR CHILDREN THIS SUMMERResearch shows that experiences in nature positively impact every area of child development -- physical, psychological, intellectual, social and emotional. At our latest evening grown-up lecture, parenting and family expert Suz Lipman shared tips on how parents can incorporate more nature into their summer schedules:
OPEN-ENDED NATURE ADVENTURESGo for a hike, visit a park or pick a new bike path in order to explore and discover. Ask open-ended questions to encourage your children to make observations and think creatively. What do you see? Why do you think? Tell me more.
DISCOVER NATURE IN YOUR OWN BACKYARDFill and hang a bird feeder or plant a butterfly-friendly flower. Talk about all the creatures who visit. Go to www.pollinator.org or your local nursery to find out about best plants for your region.
EXPLORE NATURE AT THE MUSEUMTake an adventure walk on Lookout Trail. Look for different colors, shapes, birds, butterflies and bugs among the native trees, plants and flowers.
Suz Lipman is the Social Media Director for the Children & Nature Network and the author of Fed Up with Frenzy: Slow Parenting in a Fast-Moving World.
Get Ready for Summer: The Importance of Reconnecting Children with Nature was co-presented by ScholarShare Speaks. A full webcast is available at www.BayKidsMuseum.com/suzlipman. Stay tuned for our next lecture series event in the fall.
www.BayKidsMuseum.org
become a pirate signal as you play on the Bonnie Boat and the sharp screech of a red tailed hawk overhead may precipitate a moment of pause and wonder to its origin.
We also provide the opportunity to become immersed in the scientific process and inquiry-based learning through facilitated explorations. When families come to our Make Potions program in Patterson Grove, we encourage children to look closely and become more aware of the unique details and possibilities around them. Children are innately scientists, constantly experimenting and processing their experiences to build knowledge and understanding of the patterns of our world. They are the purest form of investigators, navigators, and interpreters of meaning in our natural world. As educators we model ways that children can use all of their senses to gather information about the objects they find and ask questions to highlight their discoveries. How does that feel in your hand? Does it remind you of anything you have ever seen before? By drawing attention to concrete observations based on sensory experiences, adults can support children in constructing knowledge of the world around them and adding it to the knowledge of their past experiences.
As an adult in a childs life you can encourage and facilitate this important development. Seek out activities that encourage prolonged time outdoors. Inspire wonder and investigation by exploring alongside with you children. Ask open-ended questions, and use investigative language to create narratives about the world around us. In our Connections program at the Museum, we practice these skills year round with teachers and families in our community. See our Connections update on page 8 for practical tips for you and your family to use as you explore both at and away from the Museum.
I believe that our environment is the most dynamic teacher we could ask for, ever present, ever changing. In nature we have constant opportunity for creative thinking and inspiration on our path as life-long learners. Exploring the environment forges deep connections and familiarity with our natural world and the fascinating ecology we are a part of. We invite you to explore our outside world with us this summer.
Being a park ranger in Marin is the best job in the whole world. Ranger Lucy
These free programs are made possible by donations to our Annual Fund. Donate today by contacting Lauren Cooper at (415) 339-3954 or online at BayKidsMuseum.org/donate
DONATETODAY
www.BayKidsMuseum.org
Make New Friends at the MuseumLooking to connect with other families who also value creative thinking? Stop by one of our regularly scheduled daily drop-in workshops at the Museum for an opportunity to informally chat with and meet other like-minded families. Free with Museum admission.
Baby Circle Time2nd & 4th Tuesdays 9:30 a.m., Tot SpotMeet other parents of newborns with a special storytime designed for babies under 12 months old.
Homeschoolers Art Lab3rd Wednesdays3:30 p.m., Various outdoor locationsConnect with other homeschooling families as you explore novel art materials and leave the clean-up to us.
LGBT Families4th Thursdays3:30 p.m., Lookout CoveMeet LGBT parents and their children during our traveling exhibit-inspired program.
Daddy & Me1st & 3rd Fridays3:30 p.m., Lookout Cove Calling all stay-at-home, working- from-home, Fridays-off Dads! Bring your little ones to our traveling exhibit-inspired program.
programs & drop-ins
NATURE WALKS WITH RANGER LUCYThe Bay Area Discovery Museum has its very own park ranger, Lucy Scott. The Museum is located in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which is administered by the National Park Service. Ranger Lucy works both at the Muir Woods National Monument and in the Marin Headlands and leads nature walks at the Museum when her schedule permits. These walks are a little bit nature exploration and a little bit scavenger hunt. Armed with a checklist and pictures of different plants and animals, she leads visitors on a nature expedition. Often, the children vie to be the one who gets to check off the things that the group has found. Ranger Lucy encourages visitors to look closely and ask questions. Ranger Lucy says, Being a park ranger in Marin is the best job in the whole world. She was the first person in many years to see a Northern Spotted Owl in Muir Woods. They are very endangered and this discovery caused a lot of excitement, especially when it was discovered that there was a pair of owls. Look for the time and dates for Ranger Lucys Nature Walks this fall on the Museums website.
5 SUMMER 2013
Group VisitsRegister today!Through a self-guided tour, your group will have the opportunity explore, discover, immerse, imagine and connect with the natural and cultural wonders of the Bay Area as they play in our hands-on exhibitions.
Self-guided VisitsSummer Visits: Monday FridayFall Visits: Tuesday Friday 9:15 11:15 a.m. or 10:15 a.m. 12:15 p.m.
The group admission fee is $7 per child and additional chaperones (One free chaperone admitted for every five children)Plus a $10 registration fee.
Register online at www.BayKidsMuseum.org/groupvisits
If you have any additional questions, please contact Vanessa Macias, Group Visits Coordinator, at (415) 339-3963.
New! Enriched VisitsRegister now for the 2013/2014 school year!
Enriched Visits, led by Museum Education Specialists, are three hours in length and offer an in-depth, project-based learning experience containing unique and sensory-rich programming focused on developing creative thinking in children.
All Enriched Visits are led by Museum Education Specialists and align with Common Core Standards and Preschool Learning Foundations.
Call our Group Visits Coordinator for more information regarding registration and availability at (415) 339-3963.
www.BayKidsMuseum.org
ProgramsJoin us this summer for our drop-in workshops and pop-up summer programs! Drop-in programs are open-ended, make-up-as-you-go play opportunities around a theme as a way for our visitors and staff to engage with our exhibit spaces and inquiry-based educational philosophy.
Check our onsite chalkboard each morning for specific location and more in-depth program theme.
*Please note: All drop-in opportunities start on time and vary in length from 5 to 45 minutes based on the age range and number of participants each day.
Drop-in WorkshopsExploring themes and materials in our unique exhibit spaces.
Toddler Circle Time, Tot Spot Mondays Fridays, 9:30 a.m.Toddler Circle Time is an opportunity for our youngest visitors to practice language, movement and making new friends.
Art Lab, Various outdoor locations Wednesdays & Sundays, 3:30 p.m.Art Lab is a process-oriented workshop especially designed to give children and their caregivers the opportunity to experiment with different materials and techniques as they relate to the professional artists work we are featuring in our Spotlight on the Arts program.
Storytime Explore new worlds and go on amazing adventures through our interactive storytimes.
Wave Workshop Mondays Fridays, 11 a.m. Saturdays Sundays, 3 p.m. Sponsored by
Lookout Cove Wednesdays, 1:30 p.m. Thursdays, 3 p.m.
Outdoor Learning Lab Experience, Outdoor Learning Lab Saturdays, 2 4 p.m.Beginning in September, bring your rain boots and sunglasses as we engage in all-weather play in our outdoor classroom.
Move!, various locations Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m. Move, twist, fly, and jump as we explore our coordination and gross motor skills.
Lookout Cove Adventures, Lookout CoveTuesdays, 3:30 p.m. Explore the unique qualities of individual exhibition elements in Lookout Cove such as Peekaboo Palace, Patterson Grove basalt rocks, and the observation deck on the Lookout Trail and the wonders of the natural world.
Framed: Step into Art Outdoor Painting, Lookout CoveThursdays & Fridays, 3:30 p.m. Celebrate summer en plein air and come paint outside with us. Pick up a paintbrush and get inspired by the natural surroundings of Lookout Cove as we frame the outdoors and step into nature.
Pop-up ProgramsPop-up programs are spontaneous, 5 to 15 minute imaginative play opportunities with our Discovery Guides in a specific exhibit that may include:Make-believe in Bay Hall or Wave WorkshopShipwreck Treasure HuntBuilding Challenge at Imagination PlaygroundHooping Obstacle CourseCheck our daily programs chalkboard on Satterlee Way each day for pop-up play opportunities with our Discovery Guides around the Museum.
All programs are subject to change and cancellation. Please check our onsite program chalkboard for updates.
programs & drop-ins
family classes updateHave you heard the about our creativity igniting Family Classes for children and their caregivers? Taught by expert facilitators these classes highlight our open-end-ed, child-directed educational philosophy, and offer adults a chance to meet other caregivers and learn fun activities to try at home. Stay tuned for more sessions of visitor favorites Get Ready To Get Messy, and variations on our classic themes starting in September 2013.
2013 SUMMER 6
www.BayKidsMuseum.org7 SUMMER 2013
museum buzz Our Mission: to ignite and advance creative thinking for all children.
Framed: Step into Art Open now through September 8Step into famous paintings and experience art like never before in our newest traveling exhibit, Framed: Step into Art. Enter a world where paintings leap off the canvas and become a large interactive environment for children and families to explore. Generous support of this exhibition is provided by the Richard and Elizabeth Fullerton Family Foundation.Framed: Step into Art was created by Minnesota Childrens Museum. Media Sponsorship by KQED.
Photo Contest Enter to win a one-year Family Membership by entering our #FrameTheOutdoors Instagram contest.
1. Follow @BayAreaDiscoveryMuseum on Instagram
2. Post a picture of you and your family framing the outdoors (onsite or around the world)
3. Include #FrameTheOutdoors in your caption
Contest ends September 1, 2013. Full contest details at BayKidsMuseum.org/Frametheoutdoors.
Membership NewsIntroducing: Monthly Member PlaydatesGo on an adventure with our Museum staff each month in our new monthly member program. Each month we will meet at a different location for a fun, family-friendly activity and give parents a behind-the-scenes look at how our educational philosophy is put to work.
Upcoming Member Playdates:WEDNESDAY, JULY 24 Spatial Intelligence: Playtime in Imagination Playground
THURSDAY, AUGUST 8 Collaborative Play: Exploration in Bay Hall
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 Sensory Integration: Messy Play
Contact Lauren Cooper, Membership Manager, with any questions at (415) 339-3954 or [email protected]
Supporting Member BenefitStep up your membership to the Supporting Level today and receive additional benefits, including discounts on summer camps and Not-A-School and recieve invitations to exclusive VIP events.
Call (415) 339-3954 to upgrade your membership to the Supporting Level.
Take a seat, enjoy the view!What better way to spend summer than enjoying the Museums natural surroundings and stunning views?
Through our FUND-A-BENCH program, friends and families can create a lasting dedication or memorial by placing a public bench in a favorite Museum spot. Each bench is unique and tells a different story through a specially engraved bronze plaque. Some benches have views of the Golden Gate Bridge!
For more information, please contact Lea Wood, Major Gifts Officer, at [email protected] or (415) 339-3952.
2013 SUMMER 8
connections update
SLOW DOWN IN NATUREGo outside. Your local park, Lookout Cove, or the soccer field after practice will do. You dont have to plan a trip to Yosemite to slow down in nature.
Easy ways to help adults slow down1. Turn off your phone.
You cant connect to nature when you are busy connecting to somewhere else.
2. Set down the camera for a little while. You cant truly connect with a child when you are separated from her by a lens.
3. Remember all of your senses. Hug your children or hold their hands, close your eyes together and be still. What do you hear? Breathe deep. What do you smell? Stretch your bodies out and get ready to wander. What might you touch, jump over, climb on, or lay down on top of?
Easy ways to help children slow down1. Listen with Deer Ears.
Cup your hands and hook them behind your ears. By using your hands to make your ears bigger, like those of a deer, you heighten your sensitivity to sounds. Offering your child this gesture can help her focus on the act of listening.
2. Bring an observation instrument. Tape two cardboard tubes together to make binoculars. Offering your child a simple object to manipulate can, like the Deer Ears gesture, help him focus his attention.
3. Collect beautiful natural stuff. This is about discovering the most beautiful stick, or the most unusual leaf. Bring a very small paper bag to keep things simple. If it doesnt fit or its too heavy, dont collect it. If your children cant carry the bag by themselves anymore, stop collecting. You might wish
to set additional guidelines on this activity, like lets collect loose natural stuff, not living plants or animals or after we explore the items in our bag, well put them back where we got them and then go home.
Extending your slow time in nature1. When you get home, break out the
paper, pencils and markers. Draw what you noticed on your slow time outside. You may wish to pose a question and draw a picture in response. What did it sound like on our walk?
2. If you brought your beautiful natural stuff inside, invite your child to explore the items further. Use a muffin tin or egg carton as a place to organize the collection. How many different ways can you sort the items you found?
3. Do it all over again. Take a walk through the field outside the Discovery Museum gates before you go home on your next visit. Imagine if this became a part of your routine. How might slowing down in nature ease the difficult goodbyes when its time to go home for dinner?
To learn more about the importance of family learning in nature turn to our feature article Observation and Nature on page 3. We wish you a slow summer discovering nature with your family.
Becoming Naturalists with Connections families Heather Miller, Connections Manager
It has been another amazing year learning and playing with the Connections preschool classrooms. Summer of 2013 marks the end of our 5th year of this innovative community partnership program.
This school year our 35 Connections preschools explored the theme Becoming Naturalists. Over the course of in-classroom outreach and five annual field trips, parents, teachers and children partnered with Museum Educators to practice science inquiry and explore the local natural environment. The Becoming Naturalists curriculum theme provided a focus for a series of three enriched field trip programs, teacher-initiated activities in partner classrooms, and parent-child explorations both at the Museum and at home.
Here are some tips for parents we discovered during our year of exploring nature with young children.
Thank YouThe Connections program is fully supported through generous donations from foundations, corporations and individuals. We gratefully acknowledge recent support from:
Fullerton Family Foundation
Gap Foundation
Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation
Kreitzberg Family Foundation
James Family Foundation
JPMorgan Chase Foundation
Mimi & Peter Haas Fund
San Francisco Foundation
Thomas J. Long Foundation
Join us in supporting Connections! One of our most generous foundation funders has offered a 2013 challenge of up to $50,000 to be used to double the value of donations made to the Connections program. New or increased gifts from individuals, foundations and corporations are all eligible to be matched. Please contact Brandy Vause at [email protected] or (415) 339-3956 if you wish to help.
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creativity news The CCC is an initiative of the Bay Area Discovery Museum.
In fact, summer is a very busy time in education professional development opportunities abound for all teachers as they prepare for the coming academic year.
The Museum created the Center for Childhood Creativity to extend our mission beyond the physical site. One of the ways we do this is by being a resource to teachers so we can advocate for creative thinking in entire classrooms.
Last year, the Center combined the Museums onsite expertise in hands-on, experiential learning with all the incredible advances in academia and brain science to create interactive workshops that advance creativity in the classroom. We piloted a series of workshops last summer and this past school year, and positive results have led to high demand for our
professional development programs.
This summer we will train over 500 teachers, including all the preschool teachers in the San Francisco Unified School District as well as many K fifth grade teachers in Marin County.
Our workshops range in topics from Creating an Inquiry-based Classroom to The Building Blocks of Creative Thinking and The Gamification of Math. At the heart of each workshop is the notion of putting the child in the center of the learning process. Given the rich neurological development that occurs in early childhood, engaging the childs whole brain in learning is vital.
A new buzz term in the education sector is 21st Century Learning Skills. These include Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking and Creativity. Amazingly, these are the same skills we have cultivated on site among our visitors since the Museum was founded in the late 1980s.
Hosting the Center trainings at the Museum provides an opportunity for teachers to observe children in open-ended, inquiry-based learning throughout our site. It also allows us to demonstrate the importance of and tools for linking learning to play.
So often we as parents and educators get caught up in academic metrics and outcomes, hoping to fill these little minds with knowledge. But to be true to our mission to ignite and advance creative thinking for all children the Center focuses on the process of learning in these early ages. That will in fact get us the best outcome young children who are good at learning, who love learning and who are eager to go to school each day. Our professional development workshops focus on giving teachers tools and strategies to teach in this way.
We are inherently creative as a species, and early childhood is a rich time for developing our creative thinking potential. As creative thinkers we are better problem solvers, innovators and learners. Reaching students early by empowering hundreds of teachers each summer will have lasting benefits for all. In just this one summer ahead, we will influence the education of over 10,000 students. And that feels like accomplishing our mission!
What do teachers do in the summer?THIS IS A QUESTION MANY PARENTS ASK THEIR TEACHERS AS THEY PART WAYS AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. MANY TEACHERS DO HEAD FOR THE PROVERBIAL BEACH, WHILE OTHERS GET INVOLVED IN CAMPS ( INCLUDING SOME OF OUR COUNSELORS AT THE MUSEUM), AND MANY MORE TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADVANCE THEIR OWN LEARNING OVER THE SUMMER.
www.BayKidsMuseum.org11 SUMMER 2013
this summer we will train over
500 teachers
programs & events
Springing into SummerOur Grandparents Circle, Donor Circle and Not-A-School families sprang into summer on May 18 during our Springtime Adventure. Families had a great time in our Outdoor Learning Lab, getting their hands dirty in our mud pie kitchen and making natural sculptures out of clay, sticks and flowers.
Interested in events like these? Join a Grandparent or Donor Circle today by contacting Lea Wood at (415) 339-3952 or [email protected]
Grandparents DaySunday, September 89 a.m. 5 p.m.
ONE GRANDPARENT & ONE GRANDCHILD WILL RECEIVE FREE MUSEUM ADMISSIONJoin the Museum and ScholarShare College Savings Plan for a special celebration of National Grandparents Day. Enjoy a special Storytime and programming in the Art Studios throughout the day. Celebrate the grandparents in your family with us on Grandparents Day.
For more information, visit BayKidsMuseum.org/grandparentsday
Not-A-SchoolCreative Enrichment"We came to Not-A-School (NAS) because we needed something different, an open learning environment that would give Olivia opportunities to really experiment, use her imagination, get messy, make mistakes, and play. At NAS, everything is learned through experience. What I didnt realize two years ago was how big of an impact this program would have on Olivia and our family. NAS has supported Olivia through the many physical and social emotional challenges of early child development. Teachers embrace every child, personality, idea and learning opportunity. My joyful, kind, sensitive daughter has grown into a more confident and wonderfully unique individual. In the process, NAS has reminded me how to see the world through a child's eye. Through our participation Ive become a better teacher, learner and parent and for that Im forever grateful."
ALEXANDRA BRITT, NOT-A-SCHOOL PARENT
Applications for the 2014 15 school year will be accepted beginning on November 1. Please join our mailing list to register for informational tours.www.baykidsmuseum.org/notaschool.
Grandparents!I MY
www.BayKidsMuseum.org 2013 SUMMER 12
Sponsored by:
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Visit the store anytime. No Museum admission required.
Visit us after you play!
Life on EarthThe perfect game to play after a family nature hike. Ages 5+ $10.99
In the PondFollow the adventures of a wriggly tadpole as it grows up. $9.99
Super Sunprint Kit Encourage interest in nature and photography using only the sun, water and imagination. $16.99
The Usborne First Book of Art Just like our exhibit Framed: Step into Art, this book uses activities based on actual paintings. $16.99
YOUR PURCHASE SUPPORTS THE MUSEUM
An Extra Spectacular Thank You!Playdate 2013: Urban Circus Spectacular was a resounding success. From the circus acts and fortune telling to the lounge-style seating under the Big Top, it truly was a unique and magical event. Thanks to everyone who donned their Jean, Jewels and Jimmy Choos, and enjoyed after-hours fun at the Museum, and generously participated in our auction, raffle, and raise the paddle. Your support directly funds our ability to ignite and advance creative thinking for all children.
A special thank you to our Playdate corporate sponsors:CONTRIBUTING SPONSORS
PATRON SPONSORSWells Fargo ScholarShare College Savings Plan NetSuite Dodge & Cox Ernst & Young Anonymous
IN-KIND DONORS*Barbara Butler Artist-Builder, Inc. Brasada Ranch Broll Mountain Vineyards Carmel Valley Ranch Cavallo Point Chloe Warner at Redmond Aldrich Design Classic Party Rentals Dacor Eric Schumacher Photography Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts Fox Marble Gregangelo and Velocity Circus Imagination Playground Joshua Ets-Hokin Photography Oracle Paula LeDuc Fine Catering Peter Olivetti Photography Sutro Architects Tiffany & Co.
*In-kind donations above $1000
Extra Spectacular Thanks to: EVENT CHAIRSLaura Alford, Discovery Council Mari-Frances Bentvelzen, Discovery Council Meg Clifford, Discovery Council
AUCTION CO-CHAIRSAlexander Fraser, Board of Trustees Adrianne Yamaki, Discovery Council
we rely on your support
Anonymous
Entertainment by Gregangelo and Velocity Circus
Mario Diaz (Wells Fargo Foundation), Karyn Flynn (Museum CEO) & Alec Hughes (Wells Fargo)
Heather & Sanjay Jain
Council CornerWe wish to thank our tireless Discovery Council volunteers for their many contributions to Playdate 2013. We are especially grateful to the Discovery Council Playdate Committee Chairs: Laura Alford, Mari-Frances Bentvelzen and Meg Clifford.
Why did you join the Discovery Council? Laura: Initially, I chose to volunteer on the Council to support the Museum and to meet other like-minded women. After my first year, I found myself advocating and promoting all the wonderful programs the Museum has to offer. Seeing the Connections Program in action reminds me of the importance of the Museum in the community.
Mari-Frances: I volunteered on the Council because I wanted to give back to a place that my daughter loved and meet other moms with a passion for volunteering.
Meg: I started volunteering with the Discovery Council because I loved the Museum and was looking for an outlet to give back while taking time off work to be a full-time mom. I also wanted to connect with like-minded moms.
Playdate is the Museums biggest fundraiser and a lot of work for Committee Chairs who are also busy moms, what motivated you to put on a party for 400 guests, seven circus performers and a psychic? Laura: This year it was great to have Playdate back at the Museum and to see adults enjoy a playful atmosphere themselves!
Mari-Frances: These last three years of supporting Playdate as a Council member have been fantastic. It has given me the chance to meet some truly amazing women. My favorite Playdate moment this year would have to be Raise-the-Paddle, which raised $61,700 in funds to support the Museums programs; seeing people giving back to such a wonderful place, made all the hard work worth it.
Meg: Chairing Playdate has been a wonderful experience as has being on the Council for the last three years where Ive met amazing women, made lasting friendships and had fun while feeling like I am making a difference. With all of the fundraising events at the Museum, our time and efforts feel like they mean something; we do good and make an impact, which is especially important given we all have young children, hectic schedules and crazy lives.
If you are interested in joining this committed group of women on the Discovery Council, contact Lea Wood at (415) 339-3952 or [email protected]
Thank You
Meg Clifford, Laura Alford, & Mari-Frances Bentvelzen
www.BayKidsMuseum.org 2013 SUMMER 14
The ScholarShare College Savings Plan and the Bay Area Discovery Museum are pleased to announce the continuation of its partnership. This year, ScholarShare is sponsoring Free First Wednesdays, Storytime, Grandparents Day, Playdate and our Library Membership Program. Through sponsorship of our events and programs, ScholarShare touches all of our visitors throughout the year and helps us offer the best possible experience at the
Museum. Our sincerest thanks to ScholarShare for its support and we hope to see you at a ScholarShare-sponsored event or program soon. ScholarShare, Californias 529 college savings plan, offers parents a tax-advantaged way to save for their childrens college education. For more information about ScholarShare, visit www.scholarshare.com or call (800) 544-5248.
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OAKLAND, CAPERMIT NO 259Fort Baker
557 McReynolds RoadSausalito, CA 94965 www.BayKidsMuseum.org
observe
Special for Summer 2013,Our award-winning birthday
parties are getting even messier with MUD!
The Messier with Mud party add-on offers exclusive time and nature exploration activities in our fun and unique Outdoor Learning Lab. For full details, please visit BayKidsMuseum.org /birthdays
To book your party, please call (415) 339-3931
Our friends could not stop talking about how much fun they and their children had at the party. Sarah F., May 2013