Thank you's all around

Thank you for bearing with us as we've had some unusual hours the past week. Come by soon to see the exciting changes! Here's a sneak preview...

Thanks to exhibit designer Sandra Capecci for her wonderful work on our new Pond Life Exhibit!

Thank you to Key Bank employees for donating your time during Neighbor's Day. Check out the beautiful colors in the Community Room.



And finally, thank you to Saratoga Springs High School seniors for their annual give back day!

Colored rice is nice!

For some families, the Children's Museum is synonymous with "rice table." When we pull it out during Tuesdays for Tots, the children and parents alike love the sensory experience of playing in a table full of rice. For extra fun, we mix plain white rice with rice that is dyed with liquid watercolors. It's easy-- just give a few squirts of the watercolors to a bowl of plain, dry white rice, mix it with your hands, and spread out on a flat surface to dry. You can use the same technique to color uncooked pasta, like the noodles we used for our Mother's Day necklaces.

A rainbow of rice

Splat!

The drops of rain falling today remind us of one our favorite ways to paint: splatter painting! Nothing beats throwing droplets of paint, but here's an easy activity to have creative fun during these spring showers while staying dry (and clean!) inside.

To make your own splatter paint in the style of the messy master Jackson Pollock, visit http://www.jacksonpollock.org/.

Your computer mouse becomes your paintbrush, and clicking the mouse allows you to change colors. To begin a blank canvas, just press the space bar.This activity is fun and engaging for children of all ages, from babies as young as 6 months old (who'll love the high-constrast stimuli) to adults.

Please pardon our dust

We're making some exciting changes! Soon you'll be able to enjoy our new Pond Life exhibit, in the Congress Park area of the museum lower level.

We will be closed for the weekend beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 21. Normal hours will resume at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 24.

Keep checking in for photos and updates about the new exhibit!

Firehouse Tour is Full!

Both the May and June tours of the Lake Avenue Fire House are fully booked. We're sorry if you couldn't make it this time; there will be more tours in the future!

Lake Avenue Firehouse Tour!

Join us for a tour of our neighbor, the Lake Avenue firehouse! If you love playing with our pretend fire truck and sliding down our fire pole, then come with us on this fun tour. We will meet at the museum Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at 10:30 am to put on our helmets before we walk together to the station next door.

This event is free with museum admission. Please pre-register.

We hope you can join us for this exciting event!

Safety City

May is national Bike Safety Month! On Saturday, May 28, 2011 from 11am - 1pm, we will have fun activities to help you learn more about bike safety. Bring your bike and helmet to practice bike safety while driving around our outdoor obstacle course. A bike officer from the Saratoga Springs Police Department as well as members of the Saratoga Healthy Transportation Network will be here to speak about bike safety and answer any questions you may have.

Don't miss out on this fun and educational even!