LOVE LOCAL: SPARK CREATIVE LEARNING IN WINNIPEG
23/09/2021
Source: Meraki Theatre Productions
Meraki Theatre Productions is putting on their first ever free Mental Health Arts Week For Youth, called Stronger Together, that combines mental health resources and strategies with daily arts programming. Stronger Together takes place October 3-9 and is offered in partnership with the Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba.
The week’s programming includes days devoted to musical theatre, mindfulness, visual art, contemporary dance, songwriting, French theatre, and improv. Learn more and register.
ALL ABOARD: WE’RE GATHERING STEAM
22/09/2021
Source: tinkerlab.com
In this yeast and sugar science project, you can watch yeast feed on sugar to fill a balloon with carbon dioxide gas. It’s a fun experiment for kids that’s made with household, everyday materials.
Materials
- Sugar, 2 tablespoons
- Active dry yeast, 1 packet or 2 1/4 tablespoons
- Balloon
- Warm water (40.5-46 degrees C)
- Mixing bowl and funnel
- Bottle that you can fit a balloon over
Directions
- Mix the yeast and sugar into the warm water and stir.
- Once it all dissolves, pour the mixture into the bottle and cover the bottle with the balloon.
- After a few minutes you’ll be amazed by the balloon filling with gas!
- Once the bottle fills up with bubbles, you can the whole yeast sugar experiment to the sink.
Spark Creative Learning!
As the yeast feeds on the sugar, it produces carbon dioxide. With no place to go but up, this gas slowly fills the balloon. A very similar process happens as bread rises. Carbon dioxide from yeast fills thousands of balloon-like bubbles in the dough. Once the bread has baked, this is what gives the loaf its bubbly, airy texture.
SHOP FEATURE 5
20/09/2021
(For the week of September 20, 2021)
Check out this week’s Feature 5 – a list of top-selling products from Shop, the Children’s Museum’s gift store, now with FREE shipping in Winnipeg on orders over $25!
Mould & Paint Owls (Glow-In-The-Dark)
Price: $16.99
Create adorable owl magnets and badges out of plaster, and then paint them with glow-in-the-dark paint! They make excellent gifts for friends and family. Kit includes mould with 6 owl designs, plaster powder, magnet, pins, 6-colour paint strip with glow paint, paint brush, and instructions. Average magnet size is approximately 2” tall.
Suitable for ages 5+
Rainbow Pin Art
Price: $16.99
Make a colourful impression with this Rainbow Pin Art kit. Colourful plastic pins create a 3D rainbow design in a 5″ x 2.25″ clear plastic frame so that you can display your work of art.
Suitable for ages 8+
Jumbo Jax Set
Price: $5.99
Enjoy a classic game that helps develops hand-eye coordination skills and concentration with this Jumbo Jax Set. Set includes ten 1.5” jumbo jacks with a shiny metallic finish and two hi-bounce balls.
Suitable for ages 5+
Make Your Own Dreamcatcher
Price: $22.99
Weave your own colourful, glow-in-the-dark dream catcher and hang it above your bed. Filter out the bad dreams and let only the good dreams slip through. Kit includes frames for two dreamcatchers, wax string, beads, feathers, glue, and instructions.
Suitable for ages 5+
Unicorn (and Horse)
Price: $24.99
Unicorn is a unicorn. And Horse is, well…not. Horse is brown. Horse is plain. And Horse can’t stand the unicorn he shares a pen with. Unicorn dances. Tra la la! Horse does not. Blah blah blah. But when robbers kidnap Unicorn for a local circus, what will Horse decide to do? Packed with forty-eight pages of hilarious illustrations and deadpan wit, Unicorn (and Horse) is a funny yet endearing lesson on envy with one important truth: We are sometimes unicorns. We are sometimes horses. And happiness doesn’t always come from pink cupcakes for breakfast. Written by David W. Miles and illustrated by Hollie Mengert.
Suitable for ages 5+
CREATION STATION: MONSTER WINDSOCKS
19/09/2021
Source: craftsbyamanda.com
Kids love funny and cute monster faces, so these easy-to-make monster windsocks are a great afternoon project! They’re a fun way to celebrate windy weather.
Materials
- Crepe paper streamers
- Eyeball printable (linked, optional)
- String or yarn
- Card stock
- Plain white paper
- Glue stick
- Tape
- Scissors
Directions
- Print out eyeballs and cut out, or draw and cut out your own eyeballs with markers and scissors.
- Cut crepe paper streamers into 3-foot lengths.
- Place card stock horizontally in front of you. Glue an eye ball at the centre point of the card stock, about an inch or two from the top.
- To make mouths and fangs, draw on a white piece of paper and cut out. Be sure to cut along the edge of the lines – you want the black outline visible, not cut off.
- If using a mouth, glue in place.
- Turn card stock over and glue crepe paper streamers to the bottom end of the card stock.
- Bring the two sides of the card stock up and tape together to form a tube.
- Cut an 8 to 10-inch length of yarn and tape the two ends inside the tube to create a hanger (similar to a bag handle). Hang anywhere you can catch a breeze!
LOVE LOCAL: SPARK CREATIVE LEARNING IN WINNIPEG
18/09/2021
Source: Assiniboine Park Zoo
Get to know red pandas at the Assiniboine Park Zoo’s annual Red Panda Weekend, September 18 and 19, held in support of the Red Panda Network.
Red pandas are fascinating creatures. Learn more about them by taking part in engaging activities that will teach you about this species, how climate change and habitat loss is affecting wild populations, and steps we can all take to help them in the wild. Activities include a balancing station, craft, photo station and more! Donations will be accepted on site for the Red Panda Network. Learn more.
ALL ABOARD: WE’RE GATHERING STEAM
17/09/2021
Source: canadiansciencecentres.ca
The Canadian Association of Science Centres (CASC), in partnership with Exploring By The Seat Of Your Pants (EBTSOYP), is hosting a 5-day virtual #WeekofWonder during NSERC’s Science Literacy Week (#Scilit) from September 20-24, 2021. The week-long event features virtual STEM programming from 20 of Canada’s leading Science Centres, Museums, and STEM outreach organizations. Daily programming provides options for francophone or anglophone audiences. See Calendar of Events.
Learn more about Exploring by the Seat of your pants here. You may also register for Week of Wonder directly from their website. Visit the Science Literacy Week website to see many more events happening during #Scilit (September 20-26, 2021).
SHOP FEATURE 5
13/09/2021
(For the week of September 13, 2021)
Check out this week’s Feature 5 – a list of top-selling products from Shop, the Children’s Museum’s gift store, now with FREE shipping in Winnipeg on orders over $25!
Mini Pocket Pals (Monsters)
Price: $1.99
These cute monster Mini Pocket Pals can accompany you on your next drawing and doodling journey! Each lined notepad has 32 pages and measures 3.5” wide x 5” high – a perfect pocket size. Available in your choice of eight fun styles and colours.
Suitable for ages 5+
Note Pals Sticky Tabs (Bundle ‘O Bunnies)
Price: $2.99
Meet your new squad of cute bunny friends who will help keep you organized at school and work. These Bundle O’ Bunnies Note Pals sticky tabs will make sure to point out any important details in your classroom notes, calendars, or anywhere else you need a little reminder. Each package includes 120 sticky tabs measuring just under 2” long each.
Suitable for ages 5+
Nebulous Stars Secret Diary (Isadora)
Price: $27.99
Keep your secrets and memories safe with the Nebulous Stars Secret Diary – just use the lock and key and magic pen to ensure your entries are seen by your eyes only! Kit contains: 6-colour ballpoint pen, magic pen with a light-up cap, and 200-page shimmering hardcover diary featuring Isadora’s full story, 44 pages of fun activities, sticker page, and 150 lined pages.
Suitable for ages 7+
GoGoPo Googly Eye Pen
Price: $2.99
This GoGoPo Googly Eye Pen is not only fun to look at, it’s even more fun to write with! The googly eyes are on a spring, enabling them to wobble as you write. This novelty stationery item makes a great addition to any stationery fan’s collection.
Suitable for ages 5+
Torking Awesome Pen
Price: $6.99
Have a fidgetin’ good time with this pen that has a barrel made of twistable gears! It’s fun and functional. Black ink.
Suitable for ages 5+
LOVE LOCAL: SPARK CREATIVE LEARNING IN MANITOBA
09/09/2021
Source: Morris Chamber of Commerce
Celebrate Morris during their Prairie Pioneer Day event on September 11. It’s a celebration of the 150th Anniversary of Morris, complete with memories to share and cake to enjoy! The day is packed with family activities, food and craft vendors, a parade, and fireworks. All events are at the Stevens County Fairgrounds unless otherwise noted. See the day’s schedule.
ALL ABOARD: WE’RE GATHERING STEAM
08/09/2021
Source: scholastic.com
Fractions can be tough for young math-learners to comprehend, and solving fraction word problems can be even harder! However, fractions are a critical math concept for your child to grasp, and making math connections in everyday life is a great way to help your child learn.
Cooking presents a perfect opportunity for problem solving with fractions. This activity will help your child visualize math when it’s applied to real-world scenarios like recipes, portions, and food. Encourage your child to draw or model each situation. You can even act out problems in the kitchen with real food to help bring the math to life for your child! Learn more.
SHOP FEATURE 5
07/09/2021
(For the week of September 7, 2021)
Check out this week’s Feature 5 – a list of top-selling products from Shop, the Children’s Museum’s gift store, now with FREE shipping in Winnipeg on orders over $25!
GoGoPo 10-Colour Pen
Price: $2.99 each
Kit out your pencil case with this 10-colour pen by GoGoPo! From writing, to correcting and doodling – this is the pen for you!
Suitable for ages 5+
GoGoPo Mini Notepad
Price: $2.99
This Mini Notepad by GoGoPo is perfect for jotting down quick notes, to-do lists, and more!
Suitable for ages 5+
GoGoPo Fluffy-Topped Ballpoint Pen
Price: $2.99
Make writing even more fun and show a bit of extra creative flair with this fluffy-topped ballpoint pen by GoGoPo!
Suitable for ages 5+
GoGoPo 12 Pencil Crayons With Sharpener
Price: $2.99
Ideal for drawing when travelling or visiting friends, the GoGoPo pencil crayons come packed in a handy mini storage tube and include a handy sharpener inside the lid.
Suitable for ages 5+
GoGoPo Scented Gel Pens (2-Pack)
Price: $2.99
These sweet-scented pens feature candy-topped lids and write with quality gel ink. Two pens per package.
Suitable for ages 5+