FFD — “TERRIFIC TUESDAY” AT THE CLEVELAND CHILDREN’S MUSEUM

The purpose of Family Fun Day is to highlight free or low-cost activities for families. There are so many places I want to highlight on FFD, but cannot because the price of admission is too high for some families. However, once in a while those places offer discounted or free admission, which is wonderful for families that would otherwise be unable to attend. This Family Fun Day features one of those places – the Cleveland Children’s Museum.

“Terrific Tuesday” at the Cleveland Children’s Museum

The Cleveland Children’s Museum was established in 1981 to provide educational outreach activities to local elementary schools. What began as a few outreach programs and one traveling exhibit eventually developed into a physical museum. The museum’s doors opened in 1986 and has been delighting families ever since. While the intended age range is 1-7 years old, all ages are welcome to experience the museum.

The museum features three permanent exhibits – Big Red Barn, Splish! Splash!, and Bridges to Our Community (which has several mini exhibits). Big Red Barn is a farm environment designed specifically for infants and toddlers and provides them with a sensory garden and a “pond” for the smallest learner. Splish! Splash! teaches children about the water cycle through a sensory table, a climbing structure, and even a miniature weather studio. (Ever wanted to be a meteorologist?) Bridges to Our Community introduces children to their hometown of Cleveland, complete with a two-story house and hospital, a general store, a miniature RTA bus, an airport, and an exhibit on vehicle safety.

In addition to the three permanent exhibits, there is a temporary exhibit at the museum now called Egyptian Sands, which allows children to explore an Adobe Home, hieroglyphics, the Nile River, and even build a pyramid.

Normally, the museum charges admission to anyone ages one and older. However, the museum has been running a program called “Terrific Tuesdays”, which allows the public to enjoy free museum admission after normal operating hours. April 14th will be the museum’s last announced “Terrific Tuesday”. It is a wonderful way to experience the museum without the price tag. Be sure to take advantage of this great opportunity!

Details:

Hours

• The last “Terrific Tuesday” will be presented on Tuesday, April 14th. Doors open at 5:00 pm and will remain open until 7:30 pm.

Admission

• Admission for “Terrific Tuesday” is free for all ages. (Normal admission is $8 per person – including adults. Infants 11 months and under are always free.) Parking is free on the east, west, and south sides of the museum.

Address

• The museum is located at 10730 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44106.
  

Phone

• For any questions, you can reach the museum at 216-791-7114, or visit clevelandchildrensmuseum.com.

Tips

• For everyone’s safety, all children must be accompanied by an adult, and all adults must be accompanied by a child.
• Since many of the exhibits are interactive, the museum says an average visit can range between 2 and 3 hours. However, this depends on your child’s level of interest.
• You are welcome to bring in outside food and drinks. In case you forget, snacks and drinks are available for purchase.
• There is a gift shop on the property, so bring some spending money…or make sure your kids don’t see it!
• Strollers are allowed, but there is no elevator and the exhibits are on all three floors. The museum recommends parking the stroller on the first floor, or allowing the staff to help you carry the stroller. However, the museum is rather small, so a stroller is not really necessary.
• The museum does have a handicap lift on its main staircase, so it is handicap accessible.
• The Cleveland Children’s Museum offers several special events and programs throughout the year for an additional cost, plus the price of admission. Check their online calendar for more information and prices.

Discussion Points

• Help facilitate activities with your children to promote educational development. For example, show your toddler how to sort the food in Big Red Barn by color. This is a simple way to encourage math development.
• If possible, show your child the weather segment of a local news show before you go to the museum. Then, go to Splish! Splash! and have your child pretend to be a meteorologist.
• Act out scenarios with your child in Bridges to Our Community. Let your child pretend to be you! “How do I get ready in the morning?” Test your child’s memory and help as necessary.
• Discuss vehicle safety with your child. Talk about the importance of seat belts and what the different colored lights and road signs mean.
• Have your child demonstrate how to walk around the multi-level structures, like the house and hospital in Bridges to Our Community. Challenge your child with physical tasks to build strength and stamina.
• Challenge your child to write their own name in hieroglyphics in the Egyptian Sands exhibit. If they can write their first name, can they write their whole name.
  

Photo Copyright: [cleveland-vacation-day-2-buses-dinosaurs-and-art]. Retrieved February 5, 2015 from http://otheplaceswego.com.

Photo Copyright: [120204-Cleveland-Childrens-Museum-Farm-Room]. Retrieved February 5, 2015 from http://inacents.com.

Photo Copyright: [splish-splash/ss-2]. Retrieved February 5, 2015 from http://www.clevelandchildrensmuseum.org.