Mask-Wearing for Kids: Tips and Tricks

Our Visitor Experience Associate Sarah shares pointers to help children get acquainted with wearing masks, including how to make a DIY mask. 

 

AdvoKids: Future Voters

United States Representative John Lewis and the anniversary of the March on Washington inspire our next installment of AdvoKids. Join our Access and Inclusion Manager Beth Ann Balalaos as she shares how to make a "future voter" ribbon.

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Kids in the Kitchen

Every Friday at 11:30 AM Eastern on Facebook, we share a new recipe from Ashley Niver, our Early Childhood Program Director. Little chefs use real cooking tools (with some help from adults) as we make easy, yummy, kid-friendly snacks from start to finish. As they make their treat, children gain experience measuring ingredients, following directions and building their vocabulary. 

Cook with us now

Special thanks to our Healthy Kids in the Kitchen partners: Kohl's Cares and Cohen Children's Medical Center Northwell Health.

Healthy Kids Family Fitness Series

Every week on Facebook and Instagram we are adding new ways to get kids moving. Here's a "Roll the Dice Workout" you can try today! Roll your dice six times and do the corresponding activity for each number. 

  • If you roll a 2, do two push-ups.
  • If you roll a 3, do a three-second forearm plank.
  • If you roll a 4, do four squats.
  • If you roll a 5, do five star jumps.
  • If you roll a 6, do six seconds of leg lunges.
  • If you roll a 7, do seven crunches.
  • If you roll an 8, do eight arm circles.
  • If you roll a 9, do nine sit-ups.
  • If you roll a 10, run in place for ten seconds.
  • If you roll an 11, do eleven jumping jacks.
  • If you roll a 12, do twelve high knees.
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Each roll of the dice tells you which exercise move to do.

Special thanks to our partners Kohl's Keeping Kids Healthy Program and Cohen Children's Medical Center Northwell Health for their support.

 

Resources for Continuing Conversations

Jenna Bush Hager of NBC’s Today Show introduces viewers to three kids who decided to take action when they had a hard time finding books with characters that looked like them. These avid readers share their picks for great books featuring diverse characters, three of which were chosen for the Read with Jenna book club.

This Nick News special with host Alicia Keys is designed to foster constructive conversations about race, and share the importance of teen activists who are fighting racial injustice: Kids, Race and Unity: A Nick News Special.

"Kids are not colorblind, so don't be color silent." Embracing diversity has always been one of LICM's core values. "Talking Race with Young Children" is a 20 minute podcast from NPR to help you address the questions your children have, and take a proactive approach to celebrating diversity.

It is important to talk about race and racism, often and early. Books can be conversation starters to provide context for understanding the events of today. See 8 Tips for Choosing Good Picture Books Featuring Diverse, BIPOC Characters to get your family or classroom started, and check out @hereweeread and @mattersofrepresentation on Instagram for more.

From Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, this comprehensive website addresses a range of racial issues through the lens of parents, educators and advocates committed to equity.

Animals of LICM

Learn fun facts about the creatures in our collection, and watch as they go on adventures around the Museum in this video series. Meet Boots the Hedgehog, Rosie the Tarantula, our guinea pig Tempey, Toothless the Bearded Dragon and more.

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Being an Ally and Advocate

AdvoKids is a monthly program at LICM that helps children learn what it means to be an advocate for themselves and others. In this video designed for children to watch with their grown-up, our Access and Inclusion Manager Beth Ann Balalaos discusses racism, and shows us how to make a mirror craft that we can look at to remind ourselves that we are allies and advocates.

 

Mouse on the Move

This video is ideal for children five and under. Watch to see which items your children recognize and what predictions they make about how each mode of transportation could be built with the items on hand seen in clips from the production in the LICM Theater, "Mouse on the Move." This production was on stage fall of 2017, spring of 2018 and summer 2019.

 

Visit LICM at Home Episode 1

From our homes to yours, this 43 minute video will inspire hours of LICM-filled goodness with science, animals, building a sock puppet, KEVA brain teasers, an art tutorial and movement. Simply hit pause when you're gathering materials or immersed in a project you enjoy. Hit play when you're ready for more!

 

Visit LICM at Home Episode 2

Our second full Museum "visit" featuring geology, meeting a live turtle, a turtle-themed craft, games, Oobleck, making musical instruments and plenty of play time with the staff of LICM. Be sure to hit pause when you're gathering materials or immersed in a project you enjoy. Then hit play when you're ready for more! 

 

STEM Learning Activities

Explore STEM concepts at home to support curiosity and develop confidence as we learn from our mistakes. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math are fun! These booklets were developed for parents of first and second graders to do with their grown ups.

Super STEM: Fun experiments for Children and Parents (English and Spanish PDF)


Tinkering Around with STEM for Children and Parents (English and Spanish PDF)

 

Happy As Clams: The Musical

Pull up a chair to watch a full-length production from the LICM Theater written by award-winning family performer, journalist, and Long Islander Lena Pennino-Smith. "Happy as Clams" is the story of Clammy the Clam who is in search of her purpose in life with the help of her fiddler crab friend and other creatures in the Great South Bay. View the song lyrics to sing along!

 

Princess Frog at the LICM Theater

Premiered Monday, May 4, now here for your viewing, is a full-length archival production from the LICM Theater. This is a musical adaptation of the Italian fairy tale “The Prince Who Married a Frog,” written by Italo Calvino. With 300 versions of this tale throughout Europe, this new twist by Long Island native Lena Pennino-Smith focuses on the values of family and reminds us all to trust our instincts. Sing along using the song lyrics.

 

ABC Exercises

Get bodies moving with a unique set of movements while little ones enjoy the added benefit of practicing spelling and counting. Download this printable to cut and paste your child's name, or simply jot down each step. 

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Download the ABC Exercise sheet PDF

Even More Fun and Learning

  • Download our animal coloring sheets, and extend creativity by designing new habitats
  • "Step inside" the Museum with our virtual backgrounds you can use during video calls
  • Dive into Pinterest boards based on our exhibits, programs and field trips
  • Check out live events, links, activity guides, videos, apps and articles we recommend on our Teacher Resources page

Daily Updates

Every day, we’re communicating and sharing with you, our community. Connect on Facebook and Instagram to see:

  • At-home activities
  • Early childhood program videos
  • Fun facts and lessons from our exhibits and LICM Theater
  • Behind the scenes updates
  • Notices about upcoming content

If you aren't on Facebook or Instagram, sign up for our weekly email with content for your family or classroom here.