By now, most parents and caregivers have likely exhausted a long list of ideas to keep children–young and old–occupied and content. Here is something that may help with that! Besides CMSMatHome, a daily prompt for play and hands-on learning, the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota now has one more exciting project to offer: Prairie’s Edge
We’ll work on a toad abode today. You’ll need a small clay pot (8 – 10″) or a similar container some paint and paintbrushes, and clear polyurethane sealant spray. Clean and dry your pot, paint some designs inside and outside of it, and let it dry. Have an adult spray the sealant on the
Good morning from #CMSMatHome! Let’s do blotto painting together. You’ll need a piece of paper, a paintbrush, sponge, or a stick, and some paint. First, fold the paper in half, then open it back up and paint blobs or shapes on one side. Fold the paper again, press on it with the palms of
Good morning from #CMSMatHome! Choose a word and write it down vertically on a piece of paper. Find a word or phrase that starts with each letter of your chosen word. Add longer phrases to fill in the blanks if needed. Make poems using your name, or names of friends and family members. Try
Let’s create colorful critters with #CMSMatHome today! Get some paper, crayons, coloring pencils, or markers. Imagine a critter you’d like to draw; will it be real or something you’ve made up? Start with an outline as you think about its size, how it moves, and how it protects itself. Does it have fur? What
We’ve all dropped things before and watched them fall to the ground. You might have noticed that some things fall faster than other. Let’s experiment! Gather some items that are safe to be dropped. Maybe a ball, sheet of paper, shoe, pencil, feather… We’ll also need a stopwatch or a timer that can be
Let’s go on a shape hunt with #CMSMatHome today! First, cut some shapes: square, rectangle, triangle, oval, circle, hexagon, octagon, rhombus… Look around the home and see how many of each shape you can find. Make a list. Observe the colors of your found shapes. Once you exhaust your options inside the home, take
These are hard times. Yet, life’s hardest moments seem to be what draw us closer to the people we love. We have missed you greatly during this global pandemic. The Museum thrives on being a community space, but our community’s wellbeing depends on our doors being closed, with our galleries empty and our ears
Good morning from #CMSMatHome! Today, we challenge you to a Line Game Art. Get a large sheet of paper (or tape together several letter-sized sheets) and attach it to the wall or lay it on the floor. Use a marker or crayon to draw a line, from top to bottom. Take turns and fill the
Good morning from #CMSMatHome! Today, we’ll set up a station for germination exploration. To get this going, you’ll need a paper towel, ziploc bag, a few beans, and a stapler. Place a damp, folded paper towel into your bag, then insert 5 staples about halfway up the bag, to keep the beans in the
Here’s an easy one for a (lazy?) Saturday with #CMSMatHome! Prepare some cups, 1 tablespoon of each vinegar, cooking oil, and food coloring, some hardboiled eggs, and water. Combine food coloring, oil, and vinegar, and add enough water to cover an egg. Swirl the liquid around with a spoon, then lower an egg into
It’s the Museum’s 5th birthday today and we’d love for you to join the party, right here with #CMSMatHome! To help celebrate, we’re asking you to bake the best treat a children’s museum would ever want: a birthday mud pie! Post your creation in the comments through the end of the day on Sunday, May