Here on the CMSM Blog, we will share the latest happenings from the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota, including behind-the-scenes exhibit builds, programming, upcoming events, Museum updates, and more!
Planting Common Milkweed for Monarchs What to Know about Common Milkweed… Also known as Asclepias Syriaca and will grow to be 2’ to 4’ tall Produces lovely pink blooms for a good source of nectar for pollinators Milkweed is essential for the Monarch butterfly life cycle; it is their Host Plant! Monarch caterpillars feed exclusively
Sensory play is beneficial to children all year, and in the cold months of winter, making messes indoors feels worth it on some of the longer days. But summer provides the perfect opportunity to engage in sensory play with children, because you can take the messes outside! Sensory play not only captivates their imagination but
At the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota, we have three kitchens: the mud kitchen, the Cabin kitchen, and the play kitchen in the farm-to-table Grow It Gallery. These exhibits are always popular, because children love this kind of pretend play. Play kitchens are a particularly popular resource for pretend play, as it benefits children and
By Michelle McDonough, M.D., family medicine physician in Mankato, Minnesota. Like a tablet with a low battery, or a car running low on gas, your body can run out of energy without its fuel and energy source — food. Just as a tablet needs the right cord to charge and a car requires the correct
Bourbon Street & Beignets! The Association of Children’s Museum Interactivity Conference: Leveraging Our Voice, hosted by Louisiana Children’s Museum in New Orleans was held this past April. Participating with over 700 other professionals from around the world who work in the field were Heather Ungerer, Vice President of Operations and Kim Kleven, Vice President of
The long-awaited first day of summer has arrived, bringing with it warmth, sunshine, and boundless opportunities for fun and adventure. As a parent or guardian, you might be wondering how to make this day extra special for your children. Fear not! In this blog post, we will explore some delightful ways to celebrate the first
This is the Third Annual Opening of the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota’s Butterfly House! This seasonal exhibit just keeps getting better and better. Highlights this year include: The exhibit will be open during Museum hours, and there will be a Program Coordinator or Playworker in the area to answer questions. The Museum is participating
CREATE YOUR OWN POLLINATOR GARDEN Creating a pollinator garden at home is a wonderful way to attract and support essential pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Here are some simple instructions to help you get started: Choose a suitable location: Select an area in your yard that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight per
The Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota serves as a haven for families seeking fun, educational experiences. For military families, the museum holds a special place, providing a supportive environment and a sense of community. In honor of the Blue Star Museum Initiative which starts this week, we interviewed a Museum member who is also active
Summer is a time of adventure, exploration, and making lasting memories with your children. With the days longer and the weather warmer, it’s the perfect season to engage in fun-filled activities that cater to every age group and adapt to different weather conditions. In Southern Minnesota, we have all sorts of amazing things to see
Common wisdom passed down generations says to wait until after the fishing opener here in Southern Minnesota to put your plants in the ground. We’re not completely out of the woods, necessarily–we have had snow in May–but it’s a fair assumption. The tulips and daffodils and other perennials have pushed through and brought color to
The Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota is for children, right? Of course! But the work we do in our building and in the community extends to all members of a child’s family, no matter what that family looks like. As we approach the season of Mother’s and Father’s Day, it is important to acknowledge the