Toddler Fun: Water Xylophone Experiment (In Vietnamese)
Toddler Fun: Water Xylophone Experiment (In Vietnamese)
Surround yourself with sound and make your own water xylophone in this fun experiment. Explore pitch and listen to the different sounds water glasses make depending upon the water level. Does more water make the sound higher or lower? Color up some kitchen science and have a blast!
Materials Needed: 6 identical clear glasses, food coloring (red, blue, and yellow), water, measuring cup, wooden or metal or plastic spoon
Science Is Everywhere: Sensational Sound Waves — Seeing Sound Waves
Science Is Everywhere: Sensational Sound Waves — Seeing Sound Waves
Our ears tell us sound waves are real, but we all know the phrase, “Seeing is believing.”
Is there a way to see these good vibrations? With some simple kitchen materials, you just might be surprised.
Materials Needed: bowl, plastic wrap, rubberband, rice (or tiny dry objects)
Grade Level: K-5
Storytime: The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Storytime: The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Author: Eric Carle
This baby caterpillar is on a fruit-feeding frenzy. And just when it seems he might be full — he eats more! Indulging himself with a variety of treats, he moves onto cake, cheese, and even salami. But what happens now that he’s become a big, fat caterpillar? Join us for a most transformative ending!
Storytime is supported, in part, by Packard Foundation and SVCreates.
Science Is Everywhere: Sensational Sound Waves — Solids, Air, and Pitch [REBROADCAST]
Science Is Everywhere: Sensational Sound Waves — Solids, Air, and Pitch [REBROADCAST]
We're rolling with day two of sensational sound waves! It’s time to experiment with pitch — how high or low the frequency of the sounds waves are. We’ll test different solid materials and play with their lengths. Do you think changing materials and lengths will alter what we hear? Stay tuned! This experiment can get loud, so be ready for some sound excitement!
Materials Needed: small book (hardback is best), rubber band, 2 pens or pencils, one straw, scissors
Grade Level: K-5
Bilingual Storytime: Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus! / ¡No Dejes Que la Paloma Conduzca el Autobús!
Bilingual Storytime: Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus! / ¡No Dejes Que la Paloma Conduzca el Autobús!
Author: Mo Willems
A pigeon that can drive. That’s insane! Everyone knows birds can’t drive, except this persistent pigeon. The bus driver is quite clear before he takes a break, “Don’t let the pigeon drive.” Bamboozled by a bird? Never! Little ones will feel entrusted to not let the devious bird behind the wheel in this hilariously witty showdown. Be prepared for some spirited “shout-outs!”
Storytime is supported, in part, by Packard Foundation and SVCreates.
Science Is Everywhere: Sensational Sound Waves - Liquids [REBROADCAST]
Science Is Everywhere: Sensational Sound Waves - Liquids [REBROADCAST]
Shhh! Can you hear that? The way things sound to our ears depends on a number of factors such as what the sound is traveling through. In the first of our three-part sound experiment series, we’ll explore how sounds travel through liquids, like water. It’ll be nothing but good vibrations as we splash around exploring sound waves!
Materials Needed: sink, 3 identical glasses, wooden spoon, towel
Grade Level: K-5
Storytime: Guess How Much I Love You
Book: Guess How Much I Love You
Author: Sam McBratney
Snuggle up to this reassuring bedtime tale with Little and Big Nutbrown Hare. Join Papa bunny and his peewee son as they profess their enormous love for each other while trying to top the other’s affection. Beautifully illustrated in ink and watercolor, this heartwarming book of the love between parents and children will give you warm fuzzies all over.
Storytime is supported, in part, by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and SVCreates.
Toddler Fun!: Rainbow Soap Foam Sensory Play (In Vietnamese)
Toddler Fun!: Rainbow Soap Foam Sensory Play
Summer is the perfect time for some good clean fun! Swirling colors of bubble foam will delight toddlers with oodles of giggle play. Twirl a peak, a valley, or fashion a giant dip — the possibilities of play are endless, and “ohhh” that luxurious feeling, especially nice for those who enjoy sensory-friendly activities.
Materials Needed: liquid dish soap or tear-free bubble bath or body wash, water, food coloring or liquid watercolor, mixer and large bowl, large plastic bin, baking supplies for pretend play
Optional: flour for thicker soap foam
Science Is Everywhere: Sun Prints - Photodegradation
Science Is Everywhere: Sun Prints - Photodegradation
The sun is an amazing star. It keeps us warm and gives us light. For our last summer sun experiment, we’ll use light to make sun prints and learn about photodegradation. Intrigued? Tune in and discover more at the intersection of science and art!
Materials Needed: color paper, interesting shaped objects (safe to put in sun), tape, day-long sunbeam.
Grade Level: K-5
Storytime: Peck, Peck, Peck
Book: Peck Peck Peck
Author: Lucy Cousins
Trying new things can be scary — but it can also be crazy fun! So when Daddy woodpecker sends his son into the world to practice pecking, baby bird’s gusto for learning a new skill is boundless. He pecks here, pecks there, and literally pecks everywhere!
Materials Needed: masking or painters tape, leaves, flowers, herbs
Storytime is supported, in part, by Packard Foundation and SVCreates.
Science Is Everywhere: Solar Oven – Cooking with the Sun
Science Is Everywhere: Solar Oven – Cooking with the Sun
Do you know what s'mores, quesadillas, garlic bread, pizza, and nachos have in common? Remarkably, they can all be cooked using a homemade solar oven and the sun's heat. We'll show you how to craft a solar oven to harness the sun's energy for cooking.
Materials Needed: shoe box, tin foil, plastic sheet or wrap, 1 piece of black paper, pencil, tape, scissors, sunbeam
Grade Level: 2-5
Bilingual Storytime: Where's Spot? ¿Dónde está Spot?
Bilingual Storytime: Where's Spot? ¿Dónde está Spot?
Author: Eric Hill
Spot, the popular pooch, has gone missing in his own house. It's detective time as toddlers lift flaps in search of Spot in this classic hide-n-seek adventure. Surprise! A hippo, a crocodile and a snake are among the sketchy creatures hiding in the furniture. Doggone it! Join us and let's find Spot together.
Materials Needed: Bring a stuffed animal for snuggling.
Storytime is supported, in part, by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and SVCreates.
Science Is Everywhere: Will It Melt - Heat From the Sun
Science Is Everywhere: Will It Melt - Heat From the Sun
The sun may be far away, but its energy keeps us warm here on Earth! We’ll take some different types of objects outside and see how each reacts to the powerful rays of sunshine. Which item best takes the heat? We’ll find out with some sizzling summer fun!
Materials Needed: muffin tin (can use paper cups), 12 objects that are safe for sun, a sunny spot, paper, pencil or marker
Grade Level: K-5
Storytime: Knuffle Bunny
Storytime: Knuffle Bunny
Author: Mo Willems
Sometimes you don’t have the words to say what needs to be said. That’s exactly how little Trixie feels when trying to tell her Dad they left her stuffed bunny at the laundromat. A touching and priceless read about communicating with our children before words are born and, for any parent whose child has gone “boneless.”
Materials Needed: Bring a stuffed animal for snuggling.
Storytime is supported, in part, by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and SVCreates.
Toddler Fun: Shapes Are Everywhere! (In Vietnamese)
Toddler Fun: Shapes Are Everywhere! (In Vietnamese)
Everything has a shape! Let’s look at some of the different shapes around us, including the museum’s iconic geometric-shaped building. Let the four basic shapes, the square, rectangle, triangle and circle inspire you to create your next installation of a refrigerator masterpiece.
Materials Needed: pre-cut shapes (squares, rectangles, triangles, and circles) from recycled papers/magazine, paper or cardboard or a table mat to work on, glue stick, or tape
Science Is Everywhere: Birthday Ice Cream — Liquids & Solids
Science Is Everywhere: Birthday Ice Cream — Liquids & Solids
Nothing says summer like the temptation of ice cream! Using our knowledge of solids, liquids and gases, we’re back for another round of delicious kitchen chemistry. Join us to learn how to transform a liquid mix into that yummy solid treat known as ice cream.
Materials Needed: 1 cup of half & half, 3 tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 8 tbsp salt, ice, mixing bowl, 2 sandwich zip-lock plastic bags, 1 gallon zip-lock plastic bag
Grade Level: 2-5
Storytime: If You're Happy and You Know It [REBROADCAST]
Book: If You're Happy and You Know It
Author: Jane Cabrera
Let’s all get moving! Bright and full of cheer, this book will make you grin from ear to ear. Clap with the madcap monkey, spin with the loony lemur, and nod like a giraffe. But there’s more to this kooky sing-along than partying with animal pals. This book and our discussion explores emotions and how they make us feel.
Storytime is supported, in part, by Packard Foundation and SVCreates.
Science Is Everywhere: Birthday Window Decorating — Refracted Light
Science Is Everywhere: Birthday Window Decorating — Refracted Light
Have you ever wanted to decorate your windows for a celebration or to just cheer up your neighborhood? Using refracted light to help us, we'll learn how to paint windows from the inside so they’re readable for folks passing by outside!
Materials Needed: wide glass, water, paper, marker, paint for windows (we will provide a recipe), something to paint with (fingers count!)
Grade Level: K-5
Storytime: Old MacDonald Had a Farm/El Viejo MacDonald Tenía Una Granja
Storytime: Old MacDonald Had a Farm/El Viejo MacDonald Tenía Una Granja
Author: Story inspired by Old MacDonald Had a Farm, Modern Version
Text: E-I-E-I-O! Who doesn’t know that little ditty! This beloved sing-a-long picture book about the boisterous MacDonald farm and his lively farm friends is a hit with every generation. Reminisce, sing along, make animal noises, and help your little one identify different critters.
Materials Needed: toilet paper roll, cotton balls, black and white construction paper, glue stick, child-safe scissors
Storytime is supported, in part, by Packard Foundation and SVCreates.
Science Is Everywhere: 30th Birthday Workout!
Science Is Everywhere: 30th Birthday Workout!
On our birthday, most of us blow out the number of candles that represent our age. Instead, we’re kicking off our year-long birthday celebration by getting moving! Bring your favorite tunes to our birthday science party where we’ll do 30 repetitions of different exercises with special guest Angela Abbey, a licensed massage therapist. She’ll help us discuss which parts of the body we're making stronger.
Materials Needed: your body, an open space to move, favorite music for moving and grooving
Grade Level: K-5
Storytime: Little Gorilla
Storytime: Little Gorilla
Author: Ruth Bornstein
Text: This book is for anyone who’s ever been afraid to grow up! Poor Gorilla worries he won’t be loved as he gets bigger and his birthdays tick by. But au contraire. Not only is the growing primate still loved by his family, the hippos, giraffes, elephants, monkeys and all his jungle friends still adore him as he transitions from cute and cuddly to a big gorilla.
Storytime is supported, in part, by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and SVCreates.
Toddler Fun: Chemical Reaction with Citrus and Baking Soda (In Vietnamese)
Toddler Fun: Chemical Reaction with Citrus and Baking Soda (In Vietnamese)
Are you ready for some fizzy, bubbly, frothy fun? Let’s gauge our sense of smell with some effervescent kitchen science! Gather up a few of your favorite high-acid citrus fruits for these experiments with baking soda. We can’t wait to see your “reaction.”
Materials Needed: baking soda, at least two different types of citrus fruit (lemons, limes, grapefruits, and oranges), small containers or muffin pan
Storytime: Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo
Storytime: Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo
Author: Kevin Lewis
Illustrator: Daniel Kirk
If a train is the name of the game in your house, you’ll love this snappy rhyme time book. And what could be more fun than a toy train full of more toys? But be sure to get onboard for all the choo-choo and whoo-whoo sounds your little one will make while learning about engines, freight, a caboose, and much more!
Storytime is supported, in part, by Packard Foundation and SVCreates.
Storytime: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?/Oso pardo, oso pardo, ¿qué ves ahí?
Storytime: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?/Oso pardo, oso pardo, ¿qué ves ahí?
Author: Eric Carle / Bill Martin Jr.
A blue horse, a red bird, and a purple cat are among the many animal amigos in this beautifully illustrated picture book. The simple, repetitive prose helps little ones imaginatively explore language, identify animals, and learn colors!
Materials Needed: white paper, glue stick, color markers, and child-safe scissors
Storytime is supported, in part, by Packard Foundation and SVCreates.
Toddler Fun: Coffee Filter Painting
Toddler Fun: Coffee Filter Painting (in Vietnamese)
Let’s mix it up for some snazzy-looking fun! Using simple household materials, we’ll try our hand at mixing colors and experimenting to create our very own refrigerator masterpieces.
Materials Needed: coffee filters, water-based markers or food coloring, spray bottle with water, white cardstock or paper or tray, cookie cutters (variety of shapes), scissors, 1 piece of yarn, tape, 1 clothespin
Science Is Everywhere: Afterimages — Colors and Your Eye
Science Is Everywhere: Afterimages — Colors and Your Eye
What if we could trick our eyes into seeing colors that aren’t there? Using nothing but white paper and color markers, we’ll wrap our week of fun-with-colors with one last optical illusion experiment. Get ready for a burst of color from what used to be pure white!
Materials Needed: white paper, color markers
Grade Level: K-5
Storytime: Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes
Storytime: Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes
Author: Eric Litwin
Text: Meet Pete! He’s a cool cat. Nothing bothers Pete as he cruises along singing his song. But what happens when Pete gets into a bit of messy mischief that changes the color of his pearly white shoes? Blueberries turn his shoes blue, strawberries give Pete red shoes. What’s a cat to do? Join Pete and have fun associating foods and colors during his crazy escapades.
Storytime is supported, in part, by Packard Foundation and SVCreates.
Science Is Everywhere: Zoetrope — An Animation Optical Illusion!
Science Is Everywhere: Zoetrope — An Animation Optical Illusion!
Ever wonder how cartoons or stop motion movies work? In this color experiment, we'll make a Zoetrope and learn how this optical illusion fools our eyes and brain into seeing motion — using nothing but drawings.
Materials Needed: 1 piece of thick paper, pencil, markers, scissors, soup can, duplo square block, safety pin, tape (optional)
Grade Level: K-5
Storytime: Blue Hat, Green Hat/Azul El Sombrero, Verde El Sombrero
Blue Hat, Green Hat/Azul El Sombrero, Verde El Sombrero
Author: Sandra Boynton
An elephant who wears pants and a moose who sports hats. Whoever heard of such nonsense? Yet learning colors and clothing is so much fun with this wacky cast of critters! That is until the fashion faux pas of the confused turkey surprises everyone!
Storytime is supported, in part, by Packard Foundation and SVCreates.
Science Is Everywhere: Optical Illusions
Science Is Everywhere: Optical Illusions
Your eyes and brain work as a team to make sense of what you’re seeing. But your brain may be to blame for "seeing" things not exactly as they are. Join us as we craft three optical illusions to get to the bottom of what’s behind this elusive magic.
Materials Needed: different colored markers including black and gray, 3 pieces of paper, small ruler
Grade level: K-5
Among the largest children’s museums in the nation, Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose inspires creativity, curiosity and lifelong learning.
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