M’s Blog | Children's Museum (Winnipeg, MB)

Dec 21, 2022 • art, At-home Learning Resources, counting, games, M’s Blog, math, mathematics, winter activity, winter craft

ALL ABOARD: WE’RE GATHERING STEAM

This week’s topic is MATH. Make math fun (and tasty) with this marshmallow counting activity.

You’ll need the following:

Pictures of mugs (or actual mugs)
A marker
Marshmallows

Instructions

Lay out pictures of hot chocolate mugs
Write numbers on them with your marker
Ask your child to match the same number of marshmallows to the number on the mug
If they answer correctly, they can eat them as a bonus treat!

Learning how to count can be difficult for children. This homemade counting activity can make it fun! Children will learn how to match numbers and count out the correct number. Motivating them with a game is a good way to start learning about math.

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ALL ABOARD: WE’RE GATHERING STEAM

Snow, snow, snow. Let’s turn this snow into something fun and make ice marbles! These are not only fun to make, but also a pretty lawn decoration.

You’ll need the following:

Balloons
Food colouring
Water
A freezer
Scissors

Instructions

Place a few droplets of food colouring into your balloon
Fill balloon with water and tie the end
Place outside (if cold enough), or in the freezer for 24 hours
Use scissors to cut the end off the balloon and peel away
Place outside for pretty lawn décor

Ice marbles are a simple activity for children but create an interesting display for your yard. Children can make them into a pattern or build a mini structure out of them too.

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SHOP FEATURE 5

(For the week of December 19, 2022) Check out this week’s Feature 5 – a list of top-selling products from Shop, the Children’s Museum’s gift store! Read More… Magic Reindeer Poop Price: $3.99 each Mold this Magic Reindeer Poop and prank your friends and family - then watch it melt into a brown gooey puddle.…

Dec 19, 2022 • Christmas, feature 5, games, sensory toy, shop, Stocking Stuffers, Toys

ALL ABOARD: WE’RE GATHERING STEAM

This week’s topic is MATH. Make math fun (and tasty) with this marshmallow counting activity. You’ll need the following: Pictures of mugs (or actual mugs) A marker Marshmallows Instructions Lay out pictures of hot chocolate mugs Write numbers on them with your marker Ask your child to match the same number of marshmallows to the…

Dec 21, 2022 • art, At-home Learning Resources, counting, games, M’s Blog, math, mathematics, winter activity, winter craft

CHRISTMAS READING LIST

Dec 23, 2022 • Children’s Bookshelf, Christmas reading, Literacy Resources, Reading Resources

Nov 23, 2022 • At-home Learning Resources, chemical reaction, dough, M’s Blog, science, snow

ALL ABOARD: WE’RE GATHERING STEAM

This week’s area of focus is SCIENCE, we will make snow dough and discover the properties of oil and what happens when it’s mixed with cornstarch.

You’ll need the following:

2 cups cornstarch
½ cup vegetable oil
Glitter (optional)
Container
Mixing spoon
Snow accessories
Bin

Instructions

Measure out 2 cups of cornstarch and pour it into a container
Measure out ½ cup of vegetable oil and add it to the cornstarch
Add in the optional glitter to make your snow sparkle
Mix until the consistency resembles flaky snow that can stick together
Place snow dough in a bin and add in accessories to manipulate the dough (scoops, snowman accessories, penguins, bears, trees etc.)

Children can start to learn about scientific terms such as properties, variables, constants, and viscosity. Ask them questions like, “how does the liquid move?” “what does it look like, smell like?” Discussing these terms will help prepare your child for the world of Science, and it’s fun too!

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SHOP FEATURE 5

(For the week of November 28, 2022) Check out this week’s Feature 5 – a list of top-selling products from Shop, the Children’s Museum’s gift store! Read More… Mini Animal Puffer Ring Price: $2.99 each This Mini Animal Puffer Ring is an adorable accessory with a soothing twist! Featuring super-soft rubbery spikes to enhance the…

Nov 28, 2022 • ball, feature 5, games, music toys, sensory toy, shop, Toys

SHOP FEATURE 5

(For the week of December 5, 2022) Check out this week’s Feature 5 – a list of top-selling products from Shop, the Children’s Museum’s gift store! Read More… Plush Christmas Star (Assorted Styles Available) Price: $5.99 each Perfect stocking stuffers! These Plush Christmas Stars are made of soft material printed with a friendly holiday character…

Dec 05, 2022 • Christmas, feature 5, games, sensory toy, shop, Stocking Stuffers, Toys

ALL ABOARD: WE’RE GATHERING STEAM

It’s time to learn about winter weather and make a homemade thermometer with this week’s focus on TECHNOLOGY. You’ll need the following: A clear plastic bottle/container A straw that you can see through Clay or playdoh Red food colouring Water Rubbing alcohol Cooking oil Instructions Add red food colouring, 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup alcohol…

Dec 07, 2022 • Creative learning, STEAM, STEAM resources, technology, winter activity, winter craft

Nov 09, 2022 • addition, At-home Learning Resources, counting, games, M’s Blog, math, mathematics

ALL ABOARD: WE’RE GATHERING STEAM

This week’s area of focus is MATH, we are teaching basic math skills with a useful visual. For this activity, your child will learn how to count, add and subtract, by using a helping hand!

You’ll need:

A rubber glove
Beans or other small items
Elastic band
Whiteboard/chalkboard or paper
Markers/chalk or crayons

The first step is to fill your rubber glove with beans. You don’t want to fill it too much or the fingers will not bend easily. Wrap the elastic band on the wrist end of the glove to close it up tightly. Now place the new hand on a whiteboard and add in plus and minus signs in between the fingers.

You can start by folding down one of the fingers and having your child add (or subtract) the remaining fingers together.

This activity is designed to help your child with adding and subtracting numbers together. Children often use their fingers to count, so why not give them an extra hand to do it!

If you try this with the children in your life, remember to share your creations with us on social media @childmuseumwpg

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REMEMBRANCE DAY READING LIST

In honour of Remembrance Day, we reflect on the sacrifice that many have made through the stories told in these books. These books are sure to introduce you to some unlikely characters and how they made an impact during unprecedented times. The Eleventh Hour Goldstyn, Jacques Jim and Jules are childhood friends, born on the…

Nov 11, 2022 • Children’s Bookshelf, Literacy Resources, Reading Resources, remembrance day

SHOP FEATURE 5

(For the week of November 14, 2022) Check out this week’s Feature 5 – a list of top-selling products from Shop, the Children’s Museum’s gift store! Read More… Transparent Light-Up Train Price: $15.99 each Peer inside to check out the inner workings of this 6.5" Transparent Light-Up Train. Not only does this train light up, but it…

Nov 14, 2022 • feature 5, games, shop, Toys

SHOP FEATURE 5

(For the week of November 21, 2022) Check out this week’s Feature 5 – a list of top-selling products from Shop, the Children’s Museum’s gift store! Read More… Dinosaur Hand Puppet Price: $8.99 each Make your own dino chomps with this awesome Dinosaur Hand Puppet! Perfect for imaginative role play, these prehistoric pals are…

Nov 21, 2022 • dinosaur, feature 5, games, putty, puzzle, shop, Toys

Nov 02, 2022 • art, At-home Learning Resources, M’s Blog, monster, playdough, science

ALL ABOARD: WE’RE GATHERING STEAM

This week’s area of focus is ART, we are making mashed-up monsters with play dough. For this activity, your child will get to use their creativity by creating their very own pet monster.

You’ll need:

Play dough (Visit here for an easy home-made play dough recipe)
Googly eyes
Pipe cleaners
Play dough moulds
Rolling pin
Creepy crawly toys

This activity is simple but will get your child’s imagination working double time with this fun monster creation!

Decide what type of monster you are creating and get to work…. there are no specific instructions, we want your child to have creative freedom. We do encourage them to mash up their play dough first (hence the monster MASH part), but they can roll it out and use a cookie cutter for the monster’s outline too.

Decorating their monster is the best part! Use the google eyes, pipe cleaners and various other supplies you gathered to decorate your monster however you choose.

This activity is designed to get your child to use their imagination to create their very own monster buddy. What type of monster is it? Does it have any superpowers? We want your child to explore their creativity and come up with whatever weird and crazy-looking creature they can think of!

If you try this with the children in your life, remember to share your creations with us on social media @childmuseumwpg

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FAIRYTALES READING LIST

Our special exhibition - The Eaton’s Fairytale Vignettes – opens very soon. As we prepare to welcome a world of fairytales this holiday season, let’s enjoy this reading selection of fairytales from our friends and partners at McNally Robinson Booksellers. When you’re done, come and explore the last original Eaton’s Fairytale Vignettes – fully restored…

Nov 04, 2022 • Children’s Bookshelf, fairytales, Literacy Resources, Reading Resources

SHOP FEATURE 5

(For the week of November 7, 2022) Check out this week’s Feature 5 – a list of top-selling products from Shop, the Children’s Museum’s gift store! Read More… Dinosaur Fossil Egg Price: $5.99 each Become a paleontologist with this Dinosaur Fossil Egg! Within its shell, each egg holds a glow-in-the-dark prehistoric creature. To reveal the…

Nov 07, 2022 • feature 5, games, shop, Toys

ALL ABOARD: WE’RE GATHERING STEAM

This week’s area of focus is MATH, we are teaching basic math skills with a useful visual. For this activity, your child will learn how to count, add and subtract, by using a helping hand! You’ll need: A rubber glove Beans or other small items Elastic band Whiteboard/chalkboard or paper Markers/chalk or crayons The first…

Nov 09, 2022 • addition, At-home Learning Resources, counting, games, M’s Blog, math, mathematics

Oct 26, 2022 • At-home Learning Resources, catapults, engineering, M’s Blog, spiders

ALL ABOARD: WE’RE GATHERING STEAM

This week’s area of focus is ENGINEERING and we’re learning how to make our very own catapult!

For this activity, your child will learn about how a catapult is built and by checking various angles they can see if it affects how far something (we used toy bug) will fly!

You’ll need:

8 Popsicle sticks
Elastic bands or pipe cleaners
Bottle cap
Glue
Toy bugs

Take two popsicle sticks and lay them on top of each other. Use a pipe cleaner and wrap it around one end. Now, stack the other six popsicle sticks together and tie both ends to hold the sticks altogether. Now, wedge the two-stick stack between the six-stick stack. A more detailed outline and picture reference may be found here.

This catapult will keep your child entertained and teach them about how catapults use stored energy to throw an object. The energy comes from building a gadget (catapult in our case) that uses tension, torque, and gravity!

If you try this with the children in your life, remember to share your creations with us on social media @childmuseumwpg

Source and photo: STEAMsational.com

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HALLOWEEN READING LIST

Tomorrow, we celebrate Halloween Howl, but let’s start the fangtastic family entertainment today with these spooky and fun titles. Leila The Perfect Witch Drago, Flavia Leila Wayward is a little witch who excels at everything she does. She's the fastest flier, the most cunning conjuror, and the most superb shape-shifter. She has won trophies…

Oct 28, 2022 • Children’s Bookshelf, halloween, Halloween Howl, Literacy Resources, Reading Resources

SHOP FEATURE 5

(For the week of October 31, 2022) Check out this week’s Feature 5 – a list of top-selling products from Shop, the Children’s Museum’s gift store! Read More… Dino Magic Fidget Puzzle Price: $4.99 each Move the balls, match the colours, solve the puzzle! This Dinosaur Magic Fidget Puzzle is perfect for fidgeting hands. Measures…

Oct 31, 2022 • feature 5, games, shop, Toys

ALL ABOARD: WE’RE GATHERING STEAM

This week’s area of focus is ART, we are making mashed-up monsters with play dough. For this activity, your child will get to use their creativity by creating their very own pet monster. You’ll need: Play dough (Visit here for an easy home-made play dough recipe) Googly eyes Pipe cleaners Play dough moulds Rolling pin…

Nov 02, 2022 • art, At-home Learning Resources, M’s Blog, monster, playdough, science

Oct 12, 2022 • At-home Learning Resources, chemical reaction, Halloween craft, M’s Blog, science

ALL ABOARD: WE’RE GATHERING STEAM

This week’s area of focus is SCIENCE, and in the spirit of spooky season, we’re making a witches’ potion! In this experiment, your child will learn about density, why some substances do not mix, and they’ll enjoy a chemical reaction right before their eyes!

You’ll need:

Alka seltzer tablets
Oil
A glass jar
Water
Food colouring
Water

First, fill your glass jar 2/3 full of oil. Next, fill the rest of your jar with water. Now it’s time to add in your food colouring, you can add a variety of colours or keep it simple with just one. You will want to put a good amount in to see the differences in density. Break up 2 Alka seltzer tablets and add them to the jar. Observe as the Alka seltzer tablets create a gas and make a bubbling reaction!

Food for thought:

Why don’t all liquids just mix together? Some liquids are heavier than others, which is why the liquids separate, making a density tower.

This experiment also includes a chemical reaction. The Alka seltzer tablets create carbon dioxide, and when it is combined with water, it bubbles. The bubbles – holding the food colouring you added – reach the top of the jar, pop, and then sink back down to the bottom.

If you try this with the children in your life, remember to share your creations with us on social media @childmuseumwpg

Source: Little Bins For Little Hands

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THANKSGIVING READING LIST

We're closing out Thanksgiving week with some fun book recommendations. There's so much to be thankful for but some of the characters in these stories have lots to get done before they start giving thanks. Whether baking pies, making sure to remember everyone to thank and honouring family traditions. Let's dive in to see how…

Oct 14, 2022 • Children’s Bookshelf, Literacy Resources, Reading Resources, Thanksgiving

SHOP FEATURE 5

(For the week of October 17, 2022) Check out this week’s Feature 5 – a list of top-selling products from Shop, the Children’s Museum’s gift store! Read More… Duck Duck Dance! Game Price: $30.99 Get moving and grooving with this fun dancing game for toddlers! Duck Duck Dance! is simple and sweet, with 4 large…

Oct 17, 2022 • board games, feature 5, games, shop, Toys

ALL ABOARD: WE’RE GATHERING STEAM

It’s time to create some shadow puppets and make a video with this week’s theme of TECHNOLOGY. With this activity, your child will learn how to create a video and using stop-motion technology. You'll need: video recording device paper or cardstock skewers flashlight scissors printable puppet template here Print out the shadow puppet template or…

Oct 19, 2022 • STEAM, STEAM resources, technology

Oct 05, 2022 • addition, art, At-home Learning Resources, counting, games, M’s Blog, math, mathematics, new school year, race

ALL ABOARD: WE’RE GATHERING STEAM

Here is a game that will help to teach your child about counting and making predictions. Before we start, which colour apple do you think will win the race?

You’ll need:

Apple Race printout
Paper Clip
Fastener
Pom Poms or play dough (yellow, green and red). These will be your apples.

Instructions:

Once you have your apple race printout, put the fastener through the paper clip, and push the pin through the apple pie chart. This will be your spinner. Then let the race begin. Have your child predict which colour apple will win. Take turns spinning the paper clip and add the matching coloured apple to the board. Whichever colour reaches the end first wins!

This game is easy to create and helps your child learn math concepts like prediction, counting and addition… with some fun too!

Remember to share your creations with us on social media @childmuseumwpg

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MINI MONDAYS READING LIST

It's time for another Mini Mondays reading list. Listed below are titles tailored to our little VIPS (children under 4 years old). We hope they bring laughter, curiosity and fun while sparking creative learning. You're All Kinds of Wonderful Tillman, Nancy We're not all the same. Thank goodness we're not. Life would be boring, and…

Oct 07, 2022 • Children’s Bookshelf, Literacy Resources, mini mondays, Reading Resources

SHOP FEATURE 5

(For the week of October 10, 2022) Check out this week’s Feature 5 – a list of top-selling products from Shop, the Children’s Museum’s gift store! Read More… Dino Robot Hand Price: $7.99 each Measuring approximately 14” long, this Dino Robot Hand is made of durable plastic - simply pull the handle and watch as…

Oct 10, 2022 • dinosaur, dry erase, feature 5, Nursery Rhymes, Scribble Scrubbie, shop, Shop Feature 5, Toys

ALL ABOARD: WE’RE GATHERING STEAM

This week’s area of focus is SCIENCE, and in the spirit of spooky season, we’re making a witches’ potion! In this experiment, your child will learn about density, why some substances do not mix, and they'll enjoy a chemical reaction right before their eyes! You’ll need: Alka seltzer tablets Oil A glass jar Water Food…

Oct 12, 2022 • At-home Learning Resources, chemical reaction, Halloween craft, M’s Blog, science

Sep 28, 2022 • art, At-home Learning Resources, M’s Blog, new school year, picture frame, school photo, science

ALL ABOARD: WE’RE GATHERING STEAM

It’s a new school year, which means a new school photo! Have your child paint and decorate this adorable school bus picture frame made from popsicle sticks to display their picture in.

You’ll need:

Tacky glue
Popsicle sticks
Paints (yellow, grey, black)
Paintbrush
Buttons or gems
Paper

Instructions

Start by gluing two popsicle sticks together side by side.
Now glue a popsicle stick on either side of your two sticks, vertically.
About an inch from the bottom of the two vertical sticks, glue three more popsicle sticks on horizontally together.
Paint your bus. Let it dry
Add in your decorations: gems or buttons for the lights and paper for the license plate.

This school bus craft is such a cute way for your child to show off their new school photo and get excited for picture day. You can add magnets to the back to put on the fridge for an extra touch.

If you give this a try, please share your creations with us. Tag us on social media @childmuseumwpg.

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National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Reading List

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is an opportunity to recognize and commemorate the legacy of residential schools – the impacts of which are still being felt in communities across Canada. The books outlined in this list will help us to dig deeper and present a starting point for the conversation we may have with…

Sep 30, 2022 • back to school, Children’s Bookshelf, Literacy Resources, National Day For Truth And Reconciliation, Orange Shirt Day, Reading Resources

SHOP FEATURE 5

(For the week of October 3, 2022) Check out this week’s Feature 5 – a list of top-selling products from Shop, the Children’s Museum’s gift store! Read More… Crayola Scribble Scrubbie Seashell Splash Price: $24.99 each Give your amazing sea creatures the perfect place to catch a wave with the Crayola Scribble Scrubbie Seashell Splash…

Oct 03, 2022 • Crayola, feature 5, Scribble Scrubbie, seashell, shop, Shop Feature 5, Toys

ALL ABOARD: WE’RE GATHERING STEAM

Here is a game that will help to teach your child about counting and making predictions. Before we start, which colour apple do you think will win the race? You’ll need: Apple Race printout Paper Clip Fastener Pom Poms or play dough (yellow, green and red). These will be your apples. Instructions: Once you have…

Oct 05, 2022 • addition, art, At-home Learning Resources, counting, games, M’s Blog, math, mathematics, new school year, race

Sep 21, 2022 • At-home Learning Resources, M’s Blog, science, slime

ALL ABOARD: WE’RE GATHERING STEAM

Teachers love apples, and kids love slime! Learn about the chemical bonds that form when you mix glue and the activator together.

You’ll need:

2/3 cup Elmer’s Glue
½ tsp baking soda
¼ cup water
5 TBSP contact solution
Apple essential oil (if you want it to smell yummy)
Red food colouring
Bowl
Spoon
Gloves (if desired)

Instructions

Add glue to your bowl
Add water and baking soda, mix
Add food colouring (and essential oil if you like), mix
Add the contact solution (this is your activator)
Mix and knead until combined.

Slime is so much fun to play with, but it is also scientifically cool!

Why is slime a chemical reaction?

Polyvinyl alcohol can be found in simple PVA glue and borate ion is created when baking soda and contact solution are mixed. Once these household ingredients are mixed, they cannot be changed back, making it a chemical reaction!

If you try this slimy fun at home, don’t forget to share your creation with us on social media @childmuseumwpg