Jan. 2, 2012 at 11:12am
It’s Raining, It’s Pouring
What to do indoors
It’s raining, it’s pouring, and it’s time for some fun! Don’t let the weather get you down. Embrace it for a fun filled day of water exploration!
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Dec. 16, 2011 at 12:49pmTop 10 Toys of 2011(According to KidsQuest)Still got some Christmas shopping to do? Check out these ideas from KidsQuest's Senior Museum Educator and ExploreStore Coordinator (who is of course the authority on this sort of thing)!
Read more → Nov. 17, 2011 at 11:49amKids & Art(It doesn’t have to be perfect)Most children love to paint. It is a time when they get to control their environment and master new skills. At first it is all about experimenting with the brush. How does the brush move over the paper? What marks does it make? Then the learning moves on to cause and effect. Holding the brush a certain way will create different lines. Mixing two colors will make a new color. What a great discovery! Sometimes children will simply mix all the paint colors together and it will look like nothing to an adult. This is them learning how to interpret art. They are experimenting and trying to figure out if what they do will always have the same effect.
Read more → Oct. 19, 2011 at 11:51amQuestClub - Why science is so important!Science education sometimes takes a back seat with the push of reading and math being so strong, but science is a part of our daily life. Everything we do and deal with in life is science: cooking, playing ball, growing a garden, understanding how technologies work, watching a rain storm and more. Understanding science helps kids appreciate and relate to the world around them.
Read more → Jul. 13, 2011 at 9:37amGet Paint-y in the Great Outdoors!Easy, messy, outdoor fun for the little artist in your lifeLove to paint with your kids but don’t love the mess? Summer provides the perfect opportunity for taking the fun outside. You can paint in your swim suit and hose yourself off when you’re done with your messy masterpiece! Read more → Jul. 11, 2011 at 1:22pmWe Love Farmer's Markets!Farmer’s markets and children’s museums might have more in common than you think.
Read more → Jun. 24, 2011 at 1:14pmIt's Always Sunny at KidsQuestIt's finally summer!Summer is special here at KidsQuest, and a time when we get to do all sorts of things at the museum that we don't do during the school year. Here are some highlights:
Read more → Jun. 13, 2011 at 3:08pmAnimal EncountersDogs, cats, birds, oh my!Have you ever met a dog that speaks German? How about one that knows sign language? Join us for Animal Encounters Storytime, and you’ll get the chance!
Read more → May. 26, 2011 at 9:02amWrapping up another year of Discovery Tots......and looking forward to Summer Camp!We’ve just wrapped up another memorable year of our Discovery Tots classes! We witnessed a lot of exciting milestones, from “my first finger painting” to “my last class before kindergarten”. Lately, I’ve also seen a not so exciting milestone that lets me know classes really are ending. It’s the anxiety on a parent’s face as the scheduled activities end and they think, “What are we going to do all summer!?” Don’t Panic! Remember, fun and educational play activities don’t need to be complicated. You just need a little creativity! Here are some great ideas that you can enjoy with you children (some taken straight from our class curriculum). Read more → Apr. 27, 2011 at 11:15amRecycled Paper 3 Ways (+4 Ideas to Try at Home!)Shred, Rip, Tear, Splash! What’s that noise? That’s the sound of recycled paper preparations! Here at KidsQuest we are busily shredding newsprint in anticipation of Friday’s Family Adventures in Recycled Paper Making workshop! Below are some of the fun things we're planning:Read more → Apr. 19, 2011 at 9:12amReduce, Reuse, RecycleHow KidsQuest Reduces, Reuses and Recycles - And How You Can Too!It’s almost Earth Day, and everyone has “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” on their minds. Here at the museum we try to make environmentally conscious choices not only during Earth Week, but all the time. We find that making small changes works the best, and is a great way to get kids involved. After all, we don’t care for the Earth just for ourselves—we do it for our children.
Below are a few small ways KidsQuest celebrates Earth Day every day: Read more → Apr. 1, 2011 at 12:55pmMore Things to Do in Washington!Looking for places to go with your kids?As promised, below are more fun, family-friendly destinations and things to do in Washington State!
Read more → Mar. 30, 2011 at 9:03amRecycled Art Week!Get cookin' with recycled crayons!
Read more → Mar. 24, 2011 at 3:47pmWhat to do in Washington!What are you doing for Spring Break? As Washington Week draws to a close here at KidsQuest, it makes me wonder what our family will do for Spring Break next month. We’re not traveling this year, but another staycation watching videos and eating takeout pizza doesn’t sound very fun. Below are some home state ideas I found for putting the spring back in our break, rain or shine: Read more → Mar. 14, 2011 at 2:34pmCalling All Campers!It's never too early to start thinking about summer! It’s hard to believe, but before you know it you’ll be looking to fill the summer weeks with exciting activities for your children. I know what you’re thinking; we haven’t even gotten to the first day of spring! Why should I begin thinking about summer? Winter is a great time to start sorting out the summer day camp choices with your youngsters. If your child has never been to day camp before, they will certainly have many questions. If you begin planning now, you won’t feel rushed into a decision as summer approaches.Read more → Mar. 8, 2011 at 8:36amThe Mad Hatter's Tea Party!I’m late! I’m late for a very important date! Make sure you aren’t too late for the craziest, zaniest, wildest party of the year, The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party! Follow KidsQuest down the rabbit hole as we host a wild party full of silly fun inspired by Alice in Wonderland!Read more → Feb. 8, 2011 at 4:13pmScience @ The Discovery Station!Explore scientific concepts in a fun new way!Children start thinking like scientists at an early age. They knock over blocks to see what will happen or roll a ball down the stairs to watch it bounce. Sometimes, however, a child’s scientific investigations can leave parents baffled (When your child takes 15 minutes to wash their hands, because they’re exploring bubbles or uses all of your baking supplies to do some “chemistry” in the kitchen.) If these stories sound familiar, you need to check out Science Hour at KidsQuest Children’s Museum. Read more → Nov. 22, 2010 at 1:42pmTips for traveling with kids!Over the river and through the woods, to grandfather's house we go; the horse knows the way to carry the sleigh, through the white and drifted snow, oh!
If only the horse knew the way, and carried all the necessary travel items we may not be so scared of the dreaded holiday travel! With Thanksgiving (the #1 traveled holiday in America) right around the corner, we found this great article on surviving the trials and tribulations of navigating yourself and kids through an airport. Traveling with young children can be a challenge, but it can also be the trip of a lifetime, for them and for you! Read more → Nov. 16, 2010 at 4:34pmField Trip FUN!Hair raising screams! Experimenters in goggles. Oozing substances! No, you haven't wandered into a mad scientist's laboratory. It's just everyday fieldtrip fun at KidsQuest Children's Museum.
Read more → Nov. 3, 2010 at 1:36pmWe LOVE Caspar BabypantsAnd we know you do too!Talking Kids With Seattle Kindie Musician Caspar Babypants
Something magical happens when you crank up the newest music by Seattle kindie-rocker Caspar Babypants – kids quiet down! That is, until the giggles erupt. This is Fun, Chris Ballew's (aka Caspar Babypants) third kids' CD offers youngsters a fantastic mix of silly and sweet tunes. It's clear that Ballew is having fun! Imaginative stories about elephants coming down the street, things with googly eyes coming alive, and babies bouncing all over the country, as expressed through song capture, as Ballew says, "the boundless, powerful innocence that kids have." Ballew, also known to parents as the lead singer of The Presidents of the United States of America, includes a cover of Nirvana’s "Sliver" on the CD and is joined by special guests Elizabeth Mitchell and other kiddie singers on several tunes. This is Fun releases on November 2nd! Read more → Oct. 29, 2010 at 3:40pmHalloween Safety from Dr. Rob NohleA timely blog for this weekend's festivities!It's that spooky time of year when little princesses, ghosts, and mini-superheros get to visit the neighbors and score some sweet treats. I was one of those kids who trick-or-treated all the way up through high school. By the end I was constantly getting asked, 'aren't you a little old for this?' I am pleased to say that I am back in action now that I have two children of my own.
Click here for Dr. Rob Nohle's Halloween Safety Tips! Sep. 20, 2010 at 3:59pmMember-Only Sneak Preview!Shiny floors. A bigger home for Teeter and Totter (the KQCM turtles, for you novices out there). Tons of new ways to explore, play and learn with your child.
Welcome to the Member Sneak Preview!
Today we ushered in the new school year and our brand new exhibits with a member-only sneak peek of the post-SuperClean Museum. The floor was a flurry of excitement as kids hammered away in Construction Zone, a new exhibit where kids can hone their building skills and play around at our dump truck excavation table. Hard hats included!
Read more → Sep. 7, 2010 at 12:39pmEats & Beats w/ Brian Waite BandOur final concert of the summer was awesome! Dinner and a show, a classic Saturday evening brought to life here at KidsQuest Children's Museum. Around here, we call it Eats & Beats. For dinner; pizza from Jet City Pizza with lemonade for only $3 a person, mmmm...does it get much better!? How about family time and great music!! The marvelous Brian Waite Band, with their wonderful stage show was a fast favorite for the kids (and adults) with rock, funk, blues, even some reggae! The crowd was on their feet the whole night! Read more → Sep. 7, 2010 at 12:06pmKidsQuest's Early Education ClassesIt's back to school fun for kids and parents too!It's back to school time, and just because your little ones aren't school age yet, doesn't mean they (or you) should miss out on the fun! Yes...fun! We offer a variety of early learning classes at the museum that focus on learning through fun, play, and experimentation.
Read more → Aug. 25, 2010 at 4:42pmLive concert at KidsQuest!I always wanted to be a musician. I sang in the bathtub and while mowing the lawn. I took music lessons - guitar, piano, clarinet. I practiced my autograph. But music did not come naturally to me, and aside from records or church, I was not exposed to live music or musicians in my youth. KidsQuest Children's Museum brings live, child appropriate music and musicians to the Eastside at a sinfully reasonable price to families. Saturday, August 28 is your last chance of the summer to enjoy it, featuring The Brian Waite Band (click here for details and a sneak peek).
Read more → Aug. 23, 2010 at 4:31pmFanciful Fairies CampMonday – The class was made up of 10 very excited young girls who all wanted to enter fairyland. Each one was asked if they believe in fairies, of course the answer was yes, they were sprinkled with fairy dust and the class began!
The girls were given fairy names today and we were thrilled to meet Gossamer Moonfly, Columbine Elfweb and many others! They made a poster illustrating their fairy name and some of the special talents their fairy possesses.
Read more → Aug. 23, 2010 at 4:17pmStorybook Theater Camp!Monday – With the all important question, "Did you bring your imagination?" the fun began!
We learned each other's names through an animal game that we acted out, and then the class acted out other animals through an animal action song and chose their animal characters for the upcoming play. Each child was offered either wings, an apron or skirt depicting a number of animals including frogs and butterflies but for this class only two animals were chosen, bees and ladybugs and the whole play was developed around these two. (There was a monster thrown into the mix as well!) Read more → Jul. 27, 2010 at 8:14amEats & Beats Concert with The Not-ItsSaturday, July 24thAre you ready to rock? KidsQuest Children's Museum and The Not-Its are! Saturday night we held our Eats & Beats Concert here at KQCM. At Eats and Beats children and parents have a chance to spend the evening together grabbing a slice of pizza and enjoying a great concert right here in our own Backyard! Our summer concert series is specifically designed to provide tunes written for children ages 10 and under.
Read more → Jul. 26, 2010 at 10:55amKQ Tech U Camp!
This was an awesome week and we're so excited we got to spend it with such great campers!
Monday's theme was What is a PicoCricket? Since it was the first day of camp, we first got to know each other and spent some time thinking of rules to follow while in camp. Then we learned the basics of programming our PicoCrickets! We now know how to... Make a light-bulb light up, 'flicker' or alternate colors with sound and even turn off with sound! Make music turn on with a switch (or an outside sound as the case may be). Then we created CATS that "MEOW’" when we "pet" them...and one special cat that crowed like a rooster!
Read more → Jul. 25, 2010 at 1:33pmAt the Bellevue artsfair!Twirling and whirling! Spinning and splatting! Sunny skies and joyful crowds made it a perfect weekend for Spin Art at the Bellevue Arts Museum artsfair! We used salad spinners to spin and mix paint, creating surprising patterns and crazy color combinations! Read more → Jul. 21, 2010 at 12:21pmFamily Adventures in Claymation!Check out the video we made last workshop:)Tim Burton's stop motion feature film The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of my favorite movies, so I was thrilled when we decided to do a Family Adventures in Claymation workshop at the Museum! This quirky animation technique uses a camera to capture still images of clay figures. In between each frame the characters are moved ever so slightly. When the frames are played together, animation is achieved!
Read more → Jul. 9, 2010 at 4:37pmKQCM in Your Neighborhood!Summer is a time for neighborhood festivals, community fairs, family outings and fun in the sun! KidsQuest loves packing up our event box, throwing our table in the car, slathering on the sunscreen and joining your neighborhoods for family-friendly fun events.
Check out all the places you can find us around town this summer... Read more → Jun. 22, 2010 at 11:06amFirst Day of Imagination Explorer's Camp!We had a great first day of Imagination Explorers Camp! Today’s theme was KINGS & QUEENS After we got to know each other, we spent the morning in circle time, story time, and at discovery stations all related to kings and queens. We, EXPLORED good manners (as every king and queen has them), LEARNED how to bow and curtsey (as every king and queen knows), CREATED our very own crowns, capes and crests, and... BUILT & DECORATED a castle! (as every king and queen has one or two…) Read more → Jun. 7, 2010 at 1:14pmOutdoor Bacteria Can Make You Smarter, and Happierby Jeff Kart, Bay City, MichiganGetting some outdoor time is not only good for the soul, it's probably good for the mind. Research from The Sage Colleges in Troy, New York, suggests that exposure to a natural soil bacterium called Mycobacterium vaccae can increase learning behavior. Another reason to enjoy, and protect, the great outdoors. And a potential reason to eat a little dirt here and there.
Read more... May. 28, 2010 at 9:35amAdventures in Homeschool Science...Dissecting WORMS!I was lucky enough to visit KidsQuest's Homeschool Science class as they tackled a very brave feat: worm dissection. Each student got their own long, thin, crawly thing (although, fortunately, they were no longer crawling), plus rubber gloves, safety goggles, plastic knives and dissection tongs. Here's how it went...
Read more → Apr. 22, 2010 at 2:53pmRecycled Paper MakingEarth Day at KidsQuest!Recycled Paper Making is so much fun for the kids - plus it's easy to do and helps teach kids that not everything is trash!
Lots of things can be used to make recycled paper: newspaper, magazines, old printer paper, lint from the dryer and more! Cut or tear these fibrous materials into small pieces and completely soak them in water, then you can "pulverize them", meaning you break them down even more. A blender or hand-held blender are excellent aids for this endeavor. Click here for complete instructions on making recycled paper at home. Read more → Mar. 29, 2010 at 1:57pmEgg-straordinary Egg Hunt!Pictures....Mar. 25, 2010 at 1:22pmKid Kit: Tree BlocksTree Block Building Kid Kit...going on now in the Treehouse!
Look at the monstrosity Annika made, it's more than 2 feet tall! Read more → Mar. 23, 2010 at 11:57amLetting Your Toddler Set the PaceA recent article fromMy mom gave me a subscription to "Real Simple" a few months back and as soon as it arrives in the mail I sit down with a cup of coffee and read it cover to cover. I love all the idea guides, articles and suggestions that really do fall under their Life Made Simple mantra. Although I'm not a parent yet, this article struck me as particularly interesting and possibly pertinent to our blog readers. It's not on the web yet - but you can find it here!
Read more → Mar. 17, 2010 at 2:39pmSummer Camps!What do you want to do this summer?I was sitting in a meeting this morning and one of our Board Members pulled out her "Summer Folder" and I was thoroughly amazed! She had camp brochures, theater calendars, camp listings from local organizations, local calendars, etc. She looked at my questioning eyes and said, "You have to start early!"
Read more → Mar. 9, 2010 at 3:28pmWearable Art Week!What are we up to?Kids LOVE creating art...but they love it even more when they get to wear it! This week is Wearable Art Week at KidsQuest and we're working with beads, felt and our imagination.
We've received lots of calls from you guys about this program so here's the skinny:
Beading...Necklaces, bracelets and rings...what will YOU create with all the beads?In this picture, Lauren is stringing beads on her new bracelet. You can't see it but she has a matching necklace with a beautiful pattern! Read more → Jan. 27, 2010 at 3:48pmKids Design GlassAt the Museum of Glass in TacomaSince kids' art and creativity is one of our passions at KidsQuest Children's Museum, we thought you would enjoy knowing about the fun Kids Design Glass exhibit at the Museum of Glass (MOG) in Tacoma.
Read more → Jan. 11, 2010 at 12:40pmI Love Science!It's true – I can find the science in almost anything (just ask the rest of the KidsQuest staff).
Many of the science experiments I do come from Steve Spangler's Science and I love sharing fun and fabulous science experiments. The experiment below is currently one of my favorites. AND, I'll bet you have almost all of these ingredients in your house right now! Read more → Jan. 5, 2010 at 2:30pmField Trips to GoWe bring the hands-on science to your classroom!Every time I make my way back to the museum after visiting a classroom with a Field Trips to Go program I am always in a great mood. I've usually just spent the morning or afternoon with a group of young students excited about science. And that excites me, because I love science too!
Read more → Dec. 21, 2009 at 9:27amNo snow yet this year-make some of your own!Dec. 9, 2009 at 11:20amThe Benefits of Board GamesWhy playing games with your kids is the perfect way to spend time together!KidsQuest's New Year's Resolution is to Make 2010 Your Family's Year to Play! We've decided to do all that we can to facilitate family learning at the Museum and in your home. One way we're working to accomplish this is by increasing our family friendly programming. In case you haven't heard, we're open until 8pm every Thursday night and we've designated the second Thursday of each month, Family Game Night with board games, relays, team challenges and more! So, imagine our delight when we found this article all about the benefits of playing games as a family.
Read more → Nov. 30, 2009 at 8:55amIt's time for family fun! We want 2010 to be your family’s year to play so we’re starting a little early with family fun workshops this December. Studies show that families who eat, play and collaborate together have stronger bonds and children grow up with more self-confidence. Kick-off the holiday season and 2010 with some family fun activities at KidsQuest! Read more → Nov. 24, 2009 at 10:27amA Season of GratitudeWhat are you thankful for?The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is heating up for many of us this week as we rush to get things done ahead of Thanksgiving travel or hosting. Still, it's a good time for a little quiet contemplation of what's behind those thanks we'll be giving - the things for which we're grateful.
Read more → Oct. 16, 2009 at 12:58pmStay safe this Halloween!Halloween is one of KidsQuest's favorite times of year! We love our Halloween Spooktacular where you can expect kids and adults in costume, our Spooky Cake Walk, Dr. Jekyll's Laboratory and our Mad Scientists each year! We also look forward to Factoria Mall's Halloween Event with Radio Disney offering activities and prizes, merchants handing out treats and special deals, and children trick-or-treating throughout the Mall! Although Halloween can be fun and exciting, it is also important to keep safety in mind when heading out in the crowds to trick-or-treat.
Read more → Sep. 3, 2009 at 11:11amLet the Children Play (Some More)With back to school in mind here is an interesting article we thought you might like!
Happy Days: Let the Children Play (Some More) Here on the balmy central coast of California and all across the country, kids are heading back to school. The classes are larger, the No Child Left Behind mandates remain in place and, despite advice from the nation's secretary of health and human services and others, recess and physical education (not to mention art and music instruction) have in many schools been cut back or eliminated. While most of our backpack-laden kids are eager to catch up with friends they haven't seen over the summer, the general feeling is that "playtime is over." Read more → Sep. 1, 2009 at 2:04pmReady…Set…Go Back to School!Back to school preparations are in full-swing and some kids have already started the school year, but preparing for a new school year often involves more than shopping for new clothes or shoes. The first bell of the year rings and the sounds of summer will be replaced by the voices of children ending their summer play and trying to sort out their new school routines. For most children (and parents), going back to school signifies a move from the lazy, hazy days of summer to a more structured routine and poses unique challenges that must be overcome. Children may not always view a new school year with excitement and enthusiasm, which is why we have listed some tips and resources to help make the transition from summer to school easier than you thought possible!
Learn more about school readiness and what you can do to encourage children’s early learning in simple ways every day and help them be ready to start school.
Child Care Aware (from the National Association of Child Care Resources & Referral Agencies): Getting Your Child Ready for Kindergarten (and the World) talks about the skills most children need when they enter kindergarten, what you can do to help your child get those skills most children need when they enter kindergarten, and what to do if you think your child isn’t “ready.” Washington State Department of Early Learning:Print a child’s checklist for school readiness Learn about the work the Department of Early Learning, Office of Superintendent ofPublic Instruction and Thrive by Five Washington are doing around a kindergarten readiness assessment for Washington State Foundation for Early Learning: Getting School Ready is a free guide for parents, families and caregivers. PDF versions of the guides are available English, Cambodian, Chinese, Korean, Russian, Somali, Spanish and Vietnamese. Aug. 6, 2009 at 4:26pmStories from camp!Two girls, two camps, one memorable summer! Five year old twin sisters, Taya and Atty attended two of our QuestCamps this summer and walked away with knowledge, confidence and pride in their accomplishments.
Read more → Jun. 29, 2009 at 9:11amBusy summer days!School is out for the summer! Camps, swimming and family trips are sure to be on your list, but don't forget about all the community events happening this summer. As an organization built by the community for the community we feel it's important to get out and support the festivities happening around our area so look out for KidsQuest this summer.
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As the Senior Museum Educator I have a reputation for doing strange things. You may find me screwing flamingos onto poles (for the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party), stirring sand into paint (to make textured paintings), or even dropping a dozen eggshells into various liquids (to demonstrate their effect on tooth enamel for dental health week). Luckily, the rest of the staff is very understanding and has yet to comment on the towering pile of toilet paper tubes, broken toys, left over party decorations, and other bric-a-brac that is taking over my desk! They know that it can only mean one thing: Recycled Art Week at KidsQuest!
