Children’s Museum of Atlanta honors Black History Month with special programming

ATLANTA (January 18, 2018) – Children’s Museum of Atlanta invites families to escape the cold and join the Imaginators for a variety of educational programs throughout February. Little ones can look forward to learning about influential African American leaders though special story time, an original musical written by Jerry G. White, one of the Museum’s own Imaginators, and more during Black History Month. In addition, little ones can go for the gold during the Museum’s own version of the Winter Olympics, craft personalized Valentine’s Day cards for loved ones, participate in White House-inspired lawn games in honor of President’s Day and more!

Feature Exhibit: Healthyville
January 27-May 28
Healthyville is a place for everybody! This bilingual (English/Spanish), interactive exhibit teaches health and wellness lessons through play-filled activities and educational messages that foster learning by doing. Designed primarily for children ages 5 – 12 and their parents, caregivers and teachers, Healthyville provides visitors with hands-on opportunities to explore health topics in ways that help them understand their bodies, the importance of making healthy choices and how to apply these concepts in everyday situations. Healthyville features engaging content about how the body works and the effects of our positive or negative health choices.

Healthyville was created by Stepping Stones Museum for Children for the members of the Youth Museum Exhibit Collaborative (YMEC). Healthyville is sponsored locally by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Strong4Life with additional support from Georgia Power Foundation. Major funding for Children’s Museum of Atlanta is provided by Fulton County Board of Commissioners. Major support provided by the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs.

Black History Month Programming
February 1-28

• Music and Movement
  Saturdays at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Sundays at 11 a.m.; Weekdays at 2 p.m.
  Kids can visit the Children’s Museum of Atlanta stage to move and groove to the sounds of the roaring 1920s through song and dance made popular during the Harlem Renaissance.  
• Mini-Musical: Peach State Flyer written by Jerry G. White with music by Abe White
  Weekends at noon and 2 p.m.; Weekdays at 11 a.m. and noon
  All aboard! Families are invited to board the Peach State Flyer steam train to learn about the valuable contributions of great African Americans in history through stories and songs.
• Story Time
  Weekends at 1 p.m.; Weekdays at 3 p.m.
  Kids can join the Imaginators for a special reading of “Look What Brown Can Do!” by T. Marie Harris and illustrated by Neda Ivanova to celebrate the many contributions of African Americans across several fields.
• Eat a Georgia Rainbow
  Sundays at 3 p.m.
  Georgia is home to a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables! Families are welcome to partake in a cold cooking activity and scavenger hunt utilizing food native to the state.
• Super Spectacular Science Show
  Weekends at 4 p.m.; Weekdays at 1 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.
• Science Bar
  Weekends from 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m.; Weekdays from 10:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m.
  African American scientists have made and continue to make important contributions to science, math and technology. Kids can visit the Science Bar to learn more about their discoveries in chemistry, botany, space exploration and more!
• Art Studio
  Weekends from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Weekdays from 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
  Little ones can explore the works and art mediums of world-renowned African American artists including Carrie Mae Weems and Kara Walker.
• Build It Lab
  Weekends from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Weekdays from 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
  African American inventor Garrett Augustus Morgan changed the world with his invention of the traffic signal. Kids can recreate his invention using wood and paper to craft their own traffic light while learning about electric circuits as well.

Building Blocks Programs
Recommended for children one to five years old

Tiny Club Monday
10:30 a.m.
Designed for little minds, Tiny Club Monday offers FOODiE Club, SCiENCE Club, ARTiST Club and BUiLDER Club for children ages 2-5 and caregivers to enjoy together. The 30 minute classes offer hands on activities, professional instruction and the chance to create and learn something new!

Messy Thursday
10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Little visitors and guardians are invited to get messy! Messy Thursdays offer slime, finger painting and more! Let the Children’s Museum of Atlanta clean up the mess while the little ones have a blast. New, messy activities await every week to try, offering endless opportunities.

Toddler Jam Fridays
10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Kids are invited to rock and roll into the weekend with this high energy, music-filled class guaranteed to shake out the wiggles and foster a love of music. Each week little ones can enjoy new songs, instrument play, circle time activities and, of course, dance breaks.

February Special Programming

Winter Olympics Celebration
Saturday, February 10

• Children’s Museum of Atlanta Olympics Opening Ceremonies
  11 a.m.
  Families are invited to kick off the Museum’s own version of the Winter Olympics with a celebratory torch relay! Guests can continue the festivities by reciting the Olympic pledge and marching in the parade of nations.
• Sports Around the World
  Noon and 2 p.m.
  Little ones can join the Imaginators for an interactive game that will explore a variety winter sports played in countries across the world.  
• Story Time
  1 p.m.
  Sports are full of important lessons, including honesty, fairness, hard work and pursing dreams. Kids can gather around the Children’s Museum of Atlanta stage for readings of Olympics-themed books such as “Snowman Paul at the Winter Olympics” written by Yossi Lapid and illustrated by Joanna Pasek, to learn more about these important lessons!
• Super Spectacular Science Show – On Ice!
  3 p.m.
  Future Olympians can learn the science behind skating with Professor Labcoat as she perfects her triple axel and Lutz jump!
• Children’s Museum of Atlanta Olympics Closing Ceremonies
  4 p.m.
  To close the Olympic ceremonies, children will learn how to say the name of popular Olympic sports in Korean and participate in the final parade of nations.
• Science Bar
  11 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
  Science is everywhere! Visit the mezzanine to uncover how Olympic athletes use science to properly nourish their bodies to perform at peak levels through a special exhibit focused on health, nutrition and the human body.
• Art Studio
  11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  Blossoming little athletes can make their own medal out of recycled materials to take home and display.
• Build It Lab
  11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  Bobsledding is a thrilling, fast-paced event at the Winter Olympics. Children can help the Build It Lab Educator craft the Museum’s very own “bobsled” track and watch as a marble winds through the twists and turns.

Valentine’s Day
Sunday, February 11

• Sweetheart Dance
  11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
  Families are invited to grab their dancing shoes and visit the Children’s Museum of Atlanta stage to learn about special partner dances for the holiday.  
• ​Musical Hearts
  Noon
  Little ones can dance to the Children’s Museum of Atlanta Stage to participate in a heart-themed version of musical chairs. No one can lose at this loving game, but the participant landing on the golden heart when the music stops gets to lead the group in a silly movement.
• Storytime
  1 p.m.
  Kids can join the Imaginators for a special story time that celebrates the love we share with friends and family on Valentine’s Day. In “Pete the Cat: Valentine’s Day is Cool,” written by James Dean and illustrated by Kimberly Dean, Pete learns all about the special cats in his life on this holiday.
• Eat A Georgia Rainbow
  3 p.m.
  Guests will engage in a scavenger hunt and cold cooking activity in this program dedicated to highlighting the variety of fruits of vegetables Georgia has to offer.  
• Art Studio
  11 a.m.-3 p.m.
  A symbol of care can be as simple as a giving someone a card. Children can create their own Valentine’s Day Cards at the Art Studio to take home and share with someone special.
• Build It Lab
  11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  Tiny Tinkerers will have the space to be curious, creative and crafty at the Build It Lab. In celebration of Valentine’s Day, kids will have the tools to build a Friendship Box to hold keepsakes from close friends.

Black History Month Dance
Saturday, February 17

• 3D Dance Company
  Noon and 1 p.m.
  Atlanta’s 3D Dance Company will take the Children’s Museum of Atlanta stage as part of the Black History Month celebrations to share traditional East African dances that pay tribute to the roots of African American culture.

​President’s Day
Monday, February 19

• Mini-Musical: Peach State Flyer written by Jerry G. White with music by Abe White
  11 a.m.
  Kids can learn about significant contributions of Georgia natives through song and story in this steam rolling musical.
• Special Story Time with Music and Movement
  Noon and 3 p.m.
  Little ones can circle around as the Imaginators read “If I Were President” by Catherine Stier. Afterwards, the Imaginators will lead kids in an inauguration parade. 
• White House Lawn Games
  2 p.m.
  Families can join the Imaginators for presidential relay games including a matching game of presidents to their pets and building a money tower while learning which president is on each coin.
• Science Bar
  10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
  Little ones can visit the Science Bar on Presidents’ Day to engineer Abraham Lincoln’s log cabin, learn which liquids best clean a penny, and more! Located on the mezzanine, it’s a one stop science shop!
• Art Studio
  10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
  Children are invited to make American flags using crafts materials such as tissue paper or other Americana-themed projects.
• Build It Lab
  10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
  Children and their caregivers will have the tools and materials to ignite their inner innovator and craft a presidential themed project.

Tell a Fairy Tale Day

Saturday, February 24
On Saturday, February 24, the Museum is celebrating National Tell a Fairy Tale Day! Join us for a fun-filled day of fantasy and lore, all while encouraging reading, writing, and literary creativity. Listed programs will occur at scheduled times, and additional activity tables can be visited for more Fairy Tale fun!

• Fairytale Mad-libs
  11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
  Families can help the Imaginators create a fairytale in this interactive story-telling program. Children will learn about plots, parts of speech and more to build a creative and memorable story.
• Tournament of Fairytales
  2 p.m.
  Who goes there?! Kids can participate in magical fairytale trivia and relay games to challenge the troll and cross his bridge, just like the Billy goats gruff. 
• Cinderella’s Ball
  2 p.m.
  When the clock strikes 2, children can visit to the Children’s Museum of Atlanta stage for a waltz lesson before time runs out!
• Art Studio
  11 a.m.-4 p.m.
   Little ones can visit the studio to make to create their very own crown using a variety of colorful materials!
• Build It Lab
  11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  Little builders can make a catapult worthy of defending any castle imaginable! For additional fun, children can join the CMA Imaginators on the Mezzanine to build the ultimate cardboard kingdom!

Ongoing Monthly Programs

Target Free Second Tuesday
Tuesday, February13 from 1-6 p.m.
Children’s Museum of Atlanta invites local families to visit the Museum free of charge on the second Tuesday of each month. Registration for Target Free Second Tuesdays will be available exclusively online through the Museum’s website (childrensmuseumatlanta.org) the day prior to each event to create a seamless process for guests. Guests who do not register in advance will be admitted on a first come, first served basis pending availability.

 Patrons will be able to choose from two sessions:

• Session 1: 1 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
• Session 2: 3:45 p.m. – 6 p.m.                         

For more information on the January program offerings or to support Children's Museum of Atlanta, visit childrensmuseumatlanta.org or call 404.659.KIDS [5437].