Children’s Museum of Atlanta dives into June with playful programming
Little ones can kick off summer fun with the Mayor’s Summer Reading Club, The Amazing Castle, Father’s Day celebration and more!
ATLANTA (May 24, 2018) – School’s out, and summer is in! Children’s Museum of Atlanta is kicking off the season with engaging programs that allow kids to learn through the power of play. Throughout June, little ones can look forward to a variety of activities, including exploring magical realms in the Museum’s newest feature exhibit The Amazing Castle; sharpening reading skills with the Mayor’s Summer Reading Club; celebrating the traditional Islamic festival of Eid al-Fitr; honoring dad on Father’s Day with hand-made gifts and more! Whether building a medieval catapult or whipping up mango lasi, Children’s Museum of Atlanta offers enriching programs with limitless fun!
June Special Programming
Mayor’s Summer Reading Club Kick-off
Friday, June 1
Over summer vacation, a child’s reading skills can decline by a whole month. The Mayor’s Summer Reading Club provides city-wide programs to combat the summer lull in education. Children’s Museum of Atlanta proudly partners with the Club to promote language development and reading skill-building over summer vacation to keep little ones sharp for the coming school year. Throughout the day, little ones can enjoy reading-focused programming by discovering cool science books at the Science Bar or making reading glasses in the Art Studio. In addition, the Museum is dedicated to sharing knowledge all summer long by recommending enriching reading options for kids and parents! The Mayor’s Summer Reading Club is recommended for children ages 0-8.
- Mini-Musical
11 a.m. and 1 p.m. - Super Spectacular Science Show
noon - Music & Movement
2 p.m. and 4 p.m. - Storytime
3 p.m. - Science Bar
10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. - Art Studio
10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.* - Build It Lab
11 a.m.-4:30 p.m.*
*Last class at 4 p.m.
Under the Big Top
June 2-8
Families are invited to step right up for Under the Big Top featuring Beebo and Ravioli’s Spectacular Circus! For two weeks, kids can be a part of Children’s Museum of Atlanta’s summer circus fun. Play a part in the Mini Musical by becoming a clown, acrobat, or circus animal alongside the Imaginators or sign up for Clown School and learn how to juggle or hula hoop during the Music and Movement program! While visiting the big top, little ones can visit the Art Studio to design a circus animal scene inspired by Rousseau, and to stop by the Build It Lab to create a slingshot "clown" car.
On Saturday, June 2, the first 100 kids to visit the Museum will receive a free foam clown nose to celebrate!
- Mini Musical: Beebo and Ravioli’s Spectacular Circus
Weekdays 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.; Sunday noon and 2 p.m. - Music and Movement
Weekdays 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.; Saturday 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. - Storytime
Weekdays 3 p.m.; Saturday 3 p.m.; Sunday 1 p.m. - Super Spectacular Science Show
Weekdays noon; Saturday noon; Sunday 4 p.m. - Art Studio
Weekdays 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m..; Saturday; 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m..; Sunday 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. - Build It Lab
Every day 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Special Guest Performance: Ron Anglin
Friday, June 8 at 11 a.m.
Visitors will be amazed at Ron Anglin’s mesmerizing performance as he dazzles the crowd with a show of juggling skills, balancing acts and humor at the Children’s Museum of Atlanta stage.
Opening Day of The Amazing Castle with Society for Creative Anachronism
Saturday, June 9
The Museum is getting even more magical! This summer at the Children’s Museum of Atlanta, kids can travel back to a time of castles, fairies and dragons with the feature exhibit, The Amazing Castle. Fantastical fun awaits as little ones are invited to voyage to a mystical land in the Imaginators’ Mini-Musical Hawthor’s Dragon to learn how to celebrate a village’s differences. Little princes and princesses can decorate their mighty castles by making stained glass in the Art Studio or discovering medieval inventions and scientific advances at the Science Bar. As part of the opening day celebration, special guests from Atlanta’s Society for Creative Anachronism will allow families to meet and engage with period weavers, chefs and knights to help bring the time period of The Amazing Castle to life!
- Mini-Musical
11 a.m. and 1 p.m. - Society for Creative Anachronism Performance
Noon and 2 p.m. - Storytime
3 p.m. - Music & Movement
4 p.m. - Science Bar
10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. - Art Studio
10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.* - Build It Lab
11 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.*
*Last class at 4 p.m.
Celebrate Eid al-Fitr
Saturday, June 16
Eid al-Fitr is a holiday that celebrates the Islamic festival of fast-breaking marked by the end of Ramadan. Children’s Museum of Atlanta invites families to celebrate the holiday’s themes of light and phases of the moon with special crafts and events that highlight the rich culture and traditions of Eid al-Fitr. Throughout the day, visitors can learn about the holiday through special activities, including story time featuring “It’s Ramadan, Curious George.” In addition, little guests can participate in a traditional Eid Mela carnival with cultural dress-up, regional games and a henna station! Families are encouraged to sign up for classes in the Art Studio for moon lantern making or test cooking skills in a special class to make the traditional holiday drink mango lasi.
- Music & Movement
11 a.m. and 1 p.m. - Storytime
Noon and 2 p.m. - Special Mango Lasi Cooking Class
3 p.m. - Science Bar
10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. - Art Studio
10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.* - Build It Lab
11 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.**
*Last class at 2 p.m. due to special holiday cooking class
**Last class at 4 p.m.
Father’s Day Celebration
Sunday, June 17
Join Children’s Museum of Atlanta to celebrate Dad! Kids can make the day special by visiting the Children’s Museum of Atlanta stage to learn about how families all around the world celebrate Father’s Day. In honor of the holiday, little ones are invited to craft tie holders in the Build It Lab or visit the Art Studio to decorate an “all about dad” poster, detailing their favorite things about their father or father-figure. During the special Father’s Day visit, dads can sharpen their cooking skills alongside their little ones during a special Eat a Georgia Rainbow cooking class.
As an extra special treat, dads will receive FREE admission on Sunday, June 17 by visiting the Welcome Center and saying “I love being a dad!”
- Music & Movement
11 a.m. - Mini-Musical
Noon and 2 p.m. - Storytime
1 p.m. - Eat a Georgia Rainbow
3 p.m. - Super Spectacular Science Show
4 p.m. - Science Bar
11 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. - Art Studio
10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.* - Build It Lab
11 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.**
*Last class at 2 p.m. due to Eat A Georgia Rainbow program
**Last class at 3:30 p.m.
Feature Exhibit: The Amazing Castle
June 9-September 9
The Amazing Castle transports families to a magical place in time where little ones can explore a happy, peaceful community where every citizen has a particular job to complete. Featuring eight themed areas, kids can don costumes and engage in role play, prepare royal meals, entertain guests in the Royal Puppet Theatre and more! Throughout the exhibit, Children experience the interconnectedness of individuals as they interact with friends, family and new acquaintances.
The Amazing Castle was created by Minnesota Children’s Museum. Local sponsorship is provided by Fulton County Board of Commissioners and the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs.
Daily programming subject to change and may be altered during special events. All programs included with admission unless otherwise noted.
Mini-Musical: “Hawthor's Dragon” adapted by Heather Burkett
Weekdays at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.; Saturdays at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.; Sundays at noon and 2 p.m.
Kids are invited to be a part of the valiant quest in the Imaginators’ Mini-Musical “Hawthor’s Dragon.” Kasey will journey into the mystical land of Hawthor to encourage its citizen to accept and celebrate the friendly village dragon, Earhart, for all of his differences.
Story Time
Weekdays 3 p.m.; Saturdays 3 p.m.; Sundays 1 p.m.
Grab a spot around the Children’s Museum of Atlanta stage and listen to the Imaginators read a specially themed story.
Music & Movement
Weekdays 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.; Saturdays 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.; Sundays 11 a.m.
Little ones can move, groove and sing to Medieval sounds with the Imaginators.
Super Spectacular Science Show
Weekdays noon; Saturdays noon; Sundays 4 p.m.
Professor Labcoat and her assistants will lead a mesmerizing science demonstration for the entire Museum. Kids are invited to see what kind of fun she and her assistants have cooked up! Questions are encouraged at the end of the show.
Eat A Georgia Rainbow
Sundays at 3 p.m.
Children will embark on a scavenger hunt and cold cooking activity with the Imaginators to learn more about fruits and veggies harvested in Georgia throughout the year.
Sewing Thursdays
Thursdays from 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Little ones can learn the basics of sewing through guided instruction from the Children’s Museum of Atlanta team.
Art Studio
Weekdays 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Saturdays 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Sundays 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Little artists will have the opportunity to craft stained glass paintings to hang in their own castles.
Build It Lab
Every day 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Children can put their woodworking and creative tools to the test in this supervised space where they have access to real tools and materials. Encouraging inventions, Build It Lab sparks creativity by allowing young innovators to build various items.
Science Bar
Weekdays 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Saturdays 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Sundays 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Science is everywhere, especially on the mezzanine at the Museum! Step Up to Science is the STEM exhibit area and features interactive exhibits about light, robotics and how the human body works! Families can saddle up to the science bar for a full menu of fun activities, knowledge and have their questions turned into answers by one of the STEM educators.