Our life, a Jigsaw: children's museum

Showing posts with label children's museum. Show all posts

Monday, May 27, 2013

WATCH US GROW: MONARCH BUTTERFLIES EXHIBIT AT KOHL CHILDREN'S MUSEUM

KOHL CHILDREN’S MUSEUM SOARS INTO SUMMER WITH ITS
WATCH US GROW: MONARCH BUTTERFLIES EXHIBIT

Dynamic Live Insect Exhibit Gives Visitors an Up-Close View of the Four Stages of Butterfly Development, from Egg to Adult

GLENVIEW, Ill. – Visitors to the Kohl Children’s Museum will have the awe-inspiring experience of watching live monarch butterflies grow from eggs to fully developed adults this summer when the Watch Us Grow: Monarch Butterflies exhibit was launched May 21, and continuing through Sunday, September 1. The dynamic and interactive exhibit will give kids a chance to get up close to one of nature’s most beautiful and fascinating beings.

The live insect exhibit will show visitors the life cycle of the monarch butterfly, the Illinois state insect. Chicago’s youngest museum-goers will be able to view four stages of butterfly development; eggs, caterpillars, pupas, and adult butterflies; explore how animals change and adapt through the metamorphosis process; and determine whether a butterfly is male or female by examining its wing shape and pattern.

The monarchs will be exhibited in a specially designed habitat for chrysalises and butterflies where they will be free to explore, while providing visitors with an unforgettable learning experience. Exhibit signage explains the egg and caterpillar stages of butterfly growth, and live specimens of pupa and adult butterflies demonstrate the final two stages of growth.

Anderson Pest Solutions, the largest family-owned pest solutions company in the Midwest, has once again generously underwritten the exhibit. Anderson is dedicated to environmental protection and committed to reducing and eliminating the use of pesticides in favor of natural solutions to pest problems.

“The Museum is very grateful to Anderson for their ongoing support of the Watch Us Grow exhibit,” said Sheridan Turner, President and CEO of the Kohl Children’s Museum. “Children have the special opportunity to witness nature’s stunning life cycle happening in front of their very eyes. These insects are beautiful to look at, but they also teach children an appreciation for the life of something as small and magical as a butterfly.”

About Kohl Children’s Museum

In recognition for its outstanding exhibits and impact on Chicagoland families, Kohl Children’s Museum was recently named one of the country’s Ten Best Children’s Museums by Parents Magazine. The Museum was ranked sixth out of more than 300 children’s museums nationwide and was the only Chicago area museum recognized.

Offering 17 interactive, hands-on exhibits for children ages birth to 8, the Museum’s mission is to encourage young children to become effective learners through self-directed complex play. Kohl Children’s Museum is located at 2100 Patriot Blvd., in Glenview, Ill. at the corner of Patriot Blvd. and W. Lake Ave. in the newly redeveloped area known as The Glen. The Museum can be easily reached by public transportation, including Pace bus and Metra trains.

For more information, visit the Museum’s website at www.kohlchildrensmuseum.org or call (847) 832-6600. The Museum is open on Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Special members-only hours are from Monday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Admission prices are $9.50 for children and adults and $8.50 for senior citizens. Children under 1 year old and members are admitted free of charge.

The Cutest "Chicks" in Town at Kohl Children's Museum

SPRING IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER AS KOHL CHILDREN'S MUSEUM BRINGS BACK

ITS "EGGS-CELLENT" EGGS TO CHICKS EXHIBIT

MARCH 19 - MAY 13, 2012

Children can Experience the Life Cycle of the Rare Black Java and White Java Chicken in Cooperative Exhibit with Garfield Farm Museum in LaFox, IL

Young "peep-le" looking to get a first crack at Spring will delight as the annual "eggs-hibit" Eggs to Chicks returns for its 12th year to Kohl Children's Museum of Greater Chicago, MARCH 19 - MAY 13.

Featuring a special child-height egg incubator, hatchery unit and a pen for newborn chicks, Eggs to Chicks provides a memorable educational opportunity for children. With more than 100 eggs being hatched at the Museum, the delivery and incubation times of the eggs ensure there will always be new chicks hatching any given week for the duration of the exhibit. As the chicks grow, they are delivered to farms in Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana to be used for egg production and species repopulation.

The exhibit will feature the rare Black Java and White Java strains of chicken, which were an endangered species less than a decade ago.

To the astonishment of Museum workers and guests alike, 2010's Eggs to Chicks hatched not one, not two, but three Auburn Java chicks, one of the rarest strains in existence. The Auburn Java strain, common in the 1800's, actually disappeared over time, but the recessive gene has remained dormant in the Black Java variety and has only recently been rediscovered. Approximately 300 Auburn Javas are currently known to be in existence.

We had a fun experience at the museum a few weeks back and would love to visit again to watch this exhibit especially since both my kids are now at a stage where they are pretty fascinated by how life begins, how different creatures come into being and the like.

Sonic Sensations and more at the Kohl Children's Museum

Chilly days, at times rainy too, one has to be a constant lookout for places to visit, especially to keep the high energy rolling balls, read the kids, entertained and to keep them for asking for TV or such every waking hour. Needless to say a Children's Museum is always a hit. That's where we headed the past Sunday. Niño had his reservations, as he usually does, when in his mind he already has a favorite, which in this case happened to be the Chicago Children's Museum at Navy Pier. And he insisted on visiting that very favorite. Anyways after much cajoling and the fact that he still has a few years to go before he can sit on the driver's seat and actually steer the car to where he wants to go (Thank God for that!), we headed for the KCM.

Among the several fantastic activities and exhibits that had the kids have an absolutely great time, what I liked personally about the museum was the optimum use of space. I have mentioned this before that as a parent of two young children, my mind is at much peace if I know that I won't have a big area to search in crowded places, in case one of my children is not in immediate sight. The good thing is that its all at one level and even though at first sight, it doesn't look very big but it offers lots to explore from pretty young children to older ones. Also the staff was ample and pretty vigilant which meant the getting back things in their proper place in exhibits like the Grocery Store and the Food Joint was prompt and also they kept an eye on children who seemed to be away from their adult guardians and were prompt to re-unite them. Another great thing was the well planned seats for adults close to almost every activity. So as the kids spent their time in exploring the properties of magnets or being a vet to some animal friends or filling the shopping carts to their heart's content, the parents always had a place to sit and relax in sight.

Apart from their permanent exhibits, the museum also has an ongoing temporary exhibit by the name of Sonic Sensations which helps children learn through play about the human ear and listening. The exhibit which started on Jan 17th runs through May 10, 2012. Chica especially loved playing for a long time on the Invisible Orchestra where she moved her hands and feet on a motion sensing carpet and a tune played on the monitor in front. The kids also loved to play the guessing game to identify low pitches from high as they hit colored bells mounted on a rotating turntable. Several other interesting activities like hiding a cat/cricket in one of the many closets and then listening to the sound to find out which one it is in or Creating your own Soundtrack as a scene plays out in front of you - a farm setting or a train passing by keeps the children entertained as older kids learn about the anatomy of the human ear and how we actually hear. Well worth a visit.

I leave you with some of our most interesting pictures.