FINGERPRINTS April - June 2016
NEWS FROM
Interesting Fact
Fiserv is the global leader in information management and electronic commerce systems for the financial services industry. The company’s more than 21,000 associates – 750 here in Lincoln – help clients deliver financial services at the speed of life to enhance the way people live and work today. Fiserv is proud to be a long-time sponsor of the Lincoln Children’s Museum and the power of play.
What’s on the cover? Twinkle, the Museum’s mascot, is getting excited for the first summer camp SOIL TO SUPPER! Twinkle’s 4 - 10 year old friends will spend a week learning about how seeds turn into food, like apples! They will even try their hand at gardening! Learn more on page 7.
Board of Directors Kelly R. Hoffschneider
THE BIG
CHAIR
“Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” When I look at the recent success of the Museum, Helen Keller’s words couldn’t ring more true. Did you know we had over 2,000 volunteers in the past year?! When you consider that, there is no doubt as to why we have done SO MUCH. Every part of our organization is touched by the generosity of volunteers. They are the reason we can host events like Super Hero Day. They help get your membership cards ready to mail. They tirelessly clean every exhibit to ensure a safe environment for your family to play. Sometimes, they even help bring Twinkle, our star mascot, to life. We owe our current success to all of our great volunteers. We are currently taking applications for our VolunTeens program that starts in early June and goes until mid-August. These young adults are vital to the
Museum’s survival during the busiest season. If you know any 13 – 16 year olds, please let them know about this program. We are always accepting new adult volunteers and hope you will come play if you ever feel like donating your time. Our events are a fun way for your squad (whether it’s work, family, or friends) to team build while supporting opportunities for local children. In the early days of the Museum, we were able to individually recognize all of our volunteers in our newsletter. Today, that would take up every page! Instead, please accept my big THANK YOU for all of your unwavering support. The people of Southeast Nebraska who visit us, donate to us, and volunteer their time are the reason we can provide this wonderful learning space for children. Here’s to you, Lincoln!
Tara Knuth Tara Knuth Executive Director
President
Layne Sup
President Elect
Britta Muhleisen
Secretary
National Volunteer Week
April 10 - 16, 2016
Donate your time or thank a volunt
eer!
Kim Keller
Treasurer
Tracy Sanford Past President
Terry Genrich
Barbara Baier
Paige Duncan
Justin Reineke
John Connor Kim Tucker Mark Walker
Volunteering at the most playful attraction in Lincoln is sure to be a summer highlight for motivated 13 – 16 year olds. This program Katie Weichman Zulkoski is a great way for teens to clock volunteer hours without having time drag by. Did we Andrew Willis mention we have great air conditioning? Holly Baete
Lauren Pugliese
Kelli Hogeland
Amie Martinez
Katie Haszard
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Michele Good Friends President
Volunteer shifts are available from June 6th August 12th. Shifts will be assigned on a first received basis and are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. or 12:30 - 5:00 p.m. Please help us spread the word. Applications are available at the Museum or at LincolnChildrensMuseum.org.
Our Have a Heart program provides subsidized memberships and educational programming to low income families. Did you know every time you buy something at Twinkle’s Toy Store, pay event admission, drop a coin into the vortex, or support the Museum in any other way, you are giving a child the power of play? Thank you! Sponsored by:
Know a great mom or dad? Give them what they really want for Mother’s Day or Father’s Day: time with their children. Gift cards can be used towards memberships or toys for fun playtime at home. If you want to go big, give a year of play with a gift membership. These thoughtful gifts will last far longer than flowers, and the memories will last a lifetime.
GIFT CARD
That crazy star is at it again! Check out all the sales coming up soon! Celebrate the Earth: April 25 – May 2 Mother’s Day: May 5 - 8 Memorial Day: May 27 – 30 Father’s Day: June 16 - 19
Autumn
H a ze l
We’re proud to partner with Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers to celebrate when kids perform acts of kindness or good deeds during their visit to the Museum.
Not a Girl Scout yet?
Earn badges through play! Sign your troop up for this fun, upcoming workshop. Check your Girl Scout program book for more later this year! Pop & Fizz: Kitchen Science, Grades 2-3 Saturday, April 16, 2016 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Come see what you think when Girl Scouts take over the Museum! Snacks and activities provided. April 30, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Open to all K-12 families Register online on the Program Calendar at GirlScoutsNebraska.org.
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Sun.
Mon.
Tue.
Wed.
Thu.
Fri.
1
Little
Sat.
2
E Iplorers 3 CLOSED 4
5
6
E Iplorers
12
13
14
play & connect
20
21
play & connect
16
23
22
Little
E Iplorers 27
26
24 CLOSED 25
15
Little
E Iplorers
19
17 CLOSED 18
9
Little
play & connect
10 CLOSED 11
8
7
28
29
play & connect
30
April
Annual Fundraiser: Taste of Spring: “April showers grow bright minds.” April 23, 6 - 9 p.m. Country Club of Lincoln Social hour, dinner, live auction, and the chance to win a one carat diamond!
Little
E Iplorers Sun.
Mon.
1 CLOSED 2
Tue.
3
Wed.
4
12
11
Mysteries!
29
18 LPS LAST DAY 19 Smocktales!
25
24 Science!
Smocktales!
26 Music!
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MEMORIAL DAY
Tue.
5
6
28
27 Wild Card!
Brain Food is free with admission. Whether it is your first visit or your fiftieth, all guests are invited to join in the fun in the Artist's Studio at 11:00 a.m.
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Wed.
13
20
8
Fri.
2
14
27 Mysteries!
25
Wild Card!
Art Summer Camps - Details on page 7
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23
Wild Card!
Smocktales!
28
Science!
29
Smocktales!
30
Music!
Engineering and Building Summer Camps - Details on page 7
June
24
16
Smocktales!
21
4
17
10 Wild Card!
15
Sat.
Father’s Day June 19th 11 Dads get in FREE to the Museum! 18
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Circus and Movie Summer Camps - Details on page 7
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3
Science Summer Camps - Details on page 7
Science!
Mysteries!
Thu.
Smocktales!
Science!
Mysteries!
1
7 Science!
Mysteries!
Father’s Day
20
Soil to Supper Summer Camp - Details on page 7
30
Mon.
19
May
Wild Card!
Music!
Open mondays for summer
Sun.
13
E Iplorers
17
23
7
Mother’s Day May 8th 14 Moms get in FREE to the Museum! 21
Little
play & connect
22 OPEN
Sat.
E Iplorers
10
15 CLOSED 16
6
Little
play & connect
Mother’s Day
Fri.
5
play & connect
8 CLOSED 9
4
Thu.
Upcoming Events Saturday, April 9 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Honk a horn, bang a drum, sing aloud! Kids of all ages get to try out REAL instruments and see them in action. Come make music (or at least lots of noise) on this fun day for the senses. Mention the event and receive $1 off regular admission that morning.
Sigma Alpha Iota
Saturday, April 23 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Country Club of Lincoln
April showers grow bright minds! Buy your tickets and pack your rain boots, because this year’s annual Museum fundraiser is sure to be flooded with fun and great prizes! Tickets available at LincolnChildrensMuseum.org.
Monday, May 16 4:30 - 7:30 p.m.
FREE night for children with compromised health due to medical condition, specialized surgical procedures or medical treatments and their families.
First National Bank
free outdoor concert series pizza at 5pm•music at 6pm June 2: The String Beans June 9: Mighty Magic Pants June 16: Farmer Jason June 23: Jack & Kitty
The String Beans Mighty Magic Pants
n
Farmer Jaso
Jack & Kitt
y
The 12th Annual Music and Mozzarella kicks off with two weeks of the most popular local children’s bands, The String Beans and The Mighty Magic Pants. The last two weeks feature EMMY award winning artists Farmer Jason and Jack & Kitty! Pizza packs that include a drink and dessert are available for $4 each. Pizza and seating is limited so arrive early and feel free to bring your own chairs or blankets for a picnic. Please, no outside food or drinks. Join the Facebook event for concert and weather updates.
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Play Days
Ages 3-5 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
April 4 or 7
April 29 Ages 6-10 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
April 25 or 28
April 20 - May 12: Ooey Gooey! Ages: 18-36 months & Parent or Caregiver Wed: 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. Thu: 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. or 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Little
E Iplorers
April 22 - May 13: Ooey Gooey! Ages: 36-48 months & Parent or Caregiver
May 9 or 12
Ages 6-10
Busy holiday weeks call for flexibility! Sign up for one or multiple days that will all feature different STEAM based activities as well as time for creative play.
Schedule
Memorial Week May 31: Super Science Lab. Sponsored by LI-COR. June 1: Art Etc. June 2: Loose Parts - Tinker Camp June 3: Aloha Summer! Fourth of July Week July 5: Celebrate America July 6: Pop! Fizz! Kitchen Science July 7: Medieval Madness July 8: Summer Games
Fridays, 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Greetings from our Director of Education! If we haven’t had the chance to meet yet, my name is Chara (pronounced Kara) and I am the Museum’s Director of Education. Before joining the team here, I worked with preschoolers all the way through college age students in various educational settings. Most recently, I returned from living and teaching elementary age learners in South Africa. I truly believe that youth of any age and from any background are so special! Fred Rogers once famously quoted, “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.” I say, “Let’s get to work!” When your child plays, it is real. As they use their senses to explore the world around them, they are truly learning. The simplest things can bring great joy to a child: a bug, a spoon and a pan, a light switch. When I was teaching in South Africa, several of my kiddos were often ecstatic to find and play with stray strands of my hair stuck to my sleeve each day! All of our educational programming here reflects our desire to nurture this beautiful, natural inquisitiveness about their environment. Play may be, as Mr. Rogers states, “the work of childhood,” but I believe it’s adult work to nurture that wonder in the world around them. I am excited to have the opportunity here to do so. I hope to see you soon!
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Ages 4-5
Week-long summer camps at the Museum are better than ever! Activities are now specific to age groups which means experimenting, exploring, and inventing is taken to a level they won’t experience anywhere but at Lincoln Children’s Museum. Days start with exclusive play time on the Museum floor when it is closed to other guests. Fun moves to the secret third floor where play gets messier and more creative. Meet friends. Gain knowledge. Make memories. Play lots!
June 6-10
June 13-17
June 20-24
June 27-July 1
July 11-15
July 18-22
July 25-29
Aug. 1-5
Aug. 8-12
Summer Camp Pricing Members: $170 per week Non-Members: $195 per week
Ages 6-7; 8-10
! NEW CAMP ADDED June 6-10
June 13-17
June 20-24
June 27-July 1
July 11-15
July 18-22
Aug. 1-5
Aug. 8-12
May 23-27 Ages 4-5, 6-7, & 8-10
My food’s a what?! That seed became my meal?! All these questions and more will be answered in this camp where we will take a closer look at how our earth becomes our food. Join us for a week where we will bring in experts who know all about how our food gets to our mouths. We will even plant our own meals and learn all things farming and feeding.
July 25-29
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Lincoln Children’s Museum
FINGERPRINTS
1420 P Street Lincoln, NE 68508
What’s Inside
• A BIG thank you to our volunteers • Twinkle’s Toy Store sale dates • Girl Scout event info • Upcoming Events - Music at the Museum - Taste of Spring - Shining Star - Music & Mozzarella • Programming for 18 months to 10 years of age • Summer Camp calendar
MUSEUM HOURS Thank you to our
Sun. Mon. Tue. Wed. Thu. Fri. Sat.
1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Closed* 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. 9:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Corporate Sponsors
*Open 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. when LPS is not in session
S av e the D a t e ! August 20 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Location: Lincoln Airport via NW 48th St Advance tickets: Members $5 Non-Members $7.50 One of the Museum’s most popular events is going to be even bigger! Taking this show on the road means more vehicles and maybe even a plane! Kids sit in the big seat and experience their favorite machines up close and personal. They will learn about all of the important jobs that go with these vehicles and helpful safety tips as well. Ticket sales start July 11th at LincolnChildrensMuseum.org.
C u c ko o N a m i ng Contest We hope you have had the chance to get to know the newest character at the Museum. This donut and nap loving feathered friend is in need of a name. We will be taking suggestions of which name belongs on the hatch certificate. Five name finalists will be chosen and a winner will be voted on by our Facebook followers. Whoever’s name is chosen will win an annual membership for their family. Entries will be accepted between April 1 – 22. Entries can be made in the lobby of the Museum or by emailing info@LincolnChildrensMuseum.org. One entry per person and only the first person to suggest a name will be associated with that name. Voting will happen on Facebook between April 27 – May 1.